10 Best PS2 Games of All Time: Top PlayStation Experiences

Deciding on the top 10 PS2 games of all time is no easy feat, especially when considering the system’s pedigree. The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time, with over 160 million units shipped since its release in 2000. With over 4,000 games released for the machine, the leader of the sixth generation ushered in the mainstream success of video games like never before.

The best PS2 games are those releases that utilize the hardware effectively to deliver experiences that were not seen before (or arguably since). From beloved platformers and racers to leading FPS games and third person shooters, the PlayStation 2 had no shortage of genre representation.

Techopedia explores those franchises and games that influenced a generation.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 10 Best PS2 Games of All Time
3. The Bottom Line
4. FAQs
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 10 Best PS2 Games of All Time
3. The Bottom Line
Show Full Guide
4. FAQs
5. References

10 Best PS2 Games of All Time

10. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

A later entry into the best PS2 games list, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a spin-off of the popular fighting game franchise that translated the one-on-one fighting action into a bonafide beat ’em up with excellent results. You play as the titular Shaolin monks, Liu Kang and Kung Lao, and must navigate through familiar locations from the series, such as Goro’s Lair, The Pit, Wu Shi Academy, and The Living Forest.

While far from high art, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks ranks as one of the best PS2 fighting games you will ever play, thanks to its surprisingly deep combat system with its special moves and combos you can pull off. You get to see a different side of series mainstays like Baraka, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion as well, which is rarely explored by the latter games. At 20 years old, and with Midway long defunct, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see a remaster or remake, but for those who pick it up on original hardware, they’re in for a brutal experience like no other.

9. TimeSplitters 2

While the original TimeSplitters deserves its reputation for its innovative gunplay, level design, and story, it’s the sequel that dialed everything up to 11 for a wholly better experience. Simply put, TimeSplitters 2 is not only one of the best PS2 FPS games but one of the best FPS games of all time. The main campaign is ambitious and consistently thrilling, able to be played solo or in co-op, which sees you go around the entire world in its 10 levels.

That’s to say nothing of the multiplayer experience which ranks among the very best you’ll ever play in split screen. The 16 TimeSplitters 2 maps are iconic, and for good reason, Nightclub and Hangar couldn’t be more opposed. The former sees the cramped conditions of an after-hours establishment become a shooting ground, whereas the latter gives you a massive open space to shoot up. It never gets old.

8. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

While the two proceeding Splinter Cell games arguably have just as much of a right to be considered among the best PS2 games of all time, it’s Chaos Theory that ultimately wins out. The culmination of three years of innovation, a revised light and sound meter with amazing lighting and shadows, makes for an all-time classic stealth experience that you just won’t get anywhere else. Sam Fisher is at his deadliest here, too, thanks to the Protector knife and new interrogation tactics.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory also has (arguably) the best missions in the entire franchise. You’ll be jetting off across the globe to conduct off-the-record operations in Peru, Panama, New York, Hokkaido, and North Korea. Not to mention, the game is backed up by some truly exceptional AI, especially for its time, which makes each stealth encounter feel truly unique. Do you go lethal or spare everyone you see? Want to play as a ghost, like you were never there? The game allows and encourages it, too.

7. Burnout Revenge

We can’t talk about the best PS2 racing games without giving Burnout Revenge its due. It’s hotly debated over which series entry is the strongest overall (some say it’s Takedown), but it’s the fourth game in the franchise that takes pole position. The 13 tracks in the game are top-tier when it comes to the genre, with densely populated raceways made out of metropolitan areas around the US and Asia, allowing for some car-based carnage. Furthermore, you can do every race backward, which effectively doubles the list to 26.

Then we get into the core of Burnout Revenge which is its takedown system. All you have to do is smash your vehicle into your opponent’s at speed and cause them to wreck, whether that’s into a wall, a pit, or some other errant hazard. Boosting helps with this; it not only looks great in motion but feels incredibly satisfying to mow down your rivals with extreme force. You’ll never tire of seeing just how badly the 79 cars can be mangled. See how it compares to the best racing games in 2025.

6. Beyond Good & Evil

Beyond Good & Evil has been revered as a cult classic since its release more than 20 years ago, and it’s easy to see why. The game stars Jade, an investigative journalist and spy, who must undercover an alien conspiracy. It’s gripping and given the gravity it deserves despite its somewhat otherworldly premise. Fundamentally, it’s an of-the-time 3D action platformer that excels due to its excellent level design and puzzles, which make it a joy to return to every time.

One of the more memorable aspects of Beyond Good & Evil is the vehicle sections, as Jade can take to open bodies of water to ride on a hovercraft and later a rocket (named The Beluga). Combine this with some of the greatest boss fights of its time, and it’s no wonder why it’s still considered among the best PS2 action games. Nowadays, you can play it via the 20th-anniversary re-release, and that’s likely to be all we’ll get until Beyond Good & Evil 2 eventually surfaces.

5. Hitman: Blood Money

While IO Interactive’s recent Hitman trilogy is rightfully lauded, it would be amiss of fans to skip over their major inspiration with Blood Money, which laid the blueprints for the modern releases. The fourth game of the original series (before the maligned Absolution and hiatus), this title took everything that worked in Codename 47, Silent Assassin, and Contracts and then trimmed the fat, leaving a lean and mean assassination sandbox simulator that’s yet to be beaten.

Player agency and freedom are at the core of Hitman: Blood Money throughout its lengthy campaign spanning nine missions. You’ll journey across the US to states such as California, Louisiana, Colorado, Mississippi, and Nevada to conduct hits. Naturally, the targets are just as memorable, such as the seedy “Swing King” Joseph Clarence, to latter marks like The Crows (consisting of Mark Purayah II, Angelina Mason, and Raymond Kulinsky). PS2 stealth games are rarely as feature-rich as this.

4. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

More than 20 years after it was first released, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remains the gold standard of PS2 platformers. While a remake was announced and is still (seemingly) a long way off, replaying the original is the ideal way to get your fix. A soft reboot of the franchise with a new continuity (which would later become a successful trilogy), this game is beloved for its time manipulation mechanics and stellar platforming, which has ensured it’s so fondly remembered after all these years.

Magic and combat also make sure that you’re never bored when you’re done navigating through one of the many different traps and pits. The prince has a dagger and an array of sand powers which can be utilized in tandem to defeat the many treacherous foes that lie ahead. If at first you don’t succeed, die and die again.

3. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

It was no easy task for Konami (backed by the legendary Hideo Kojima) to follow up Metal Gear Solid, which remains one of the best PS1 games ever made. However, against all odds, the sequel not only matches its predecessor but surpasses it in some interesting ways that were initially controversial when they were first unfolding. It’s still considered to be one of the best AI-powered games despite its age, too.

Remember playing as Solid Snake in the first game? Well, you do in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty — for the first mission. Then the torch is passed to the newcomer Raiden who couldn’t be more different. While the pushback at the time was substantial, through playing the game, you learn to love Raiden (who is now considered one of the most memorable MGS characters). Backing him up is revised gameplay which makes returning to the first game challenging to do.

2. God of War

While the God of War series is still going strong, it’s a far cry from the roots of its origin. Released towards the end of the PS2’s lifespan, 2005’s God of War took inspiration from spectacle fighters of the time, such as Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, and increased the brutality and visual flair for an unmatched experience. Kratos isn’t a hero, and nothing about him is worth redeeming (at least at first). He’s on a mission to take down the god of war, Ares, as he was tricked into killing his own family.

What follows is a story of bloodshed and revenge, resulting in one of the best PS2 action games to grace the platform. Kratos’ signature weapon, the Blades of Chaos, may lack the depth and complexity of Ryu Hayabusa’s arsenal, but when they start swinging, there’s very little in their path that will be left unscathed. Couple this with larger-than-life boss fights, exciting platforming, and a focused narrative, and there’s no wonder why seasoned fans are desperate for a re-release or remake after 20 long years.

1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

While Grand Theft Auto: Vice City takes the top spot as the best PS2 game ever released, it was a close call when also weighing up GTA 3 and San Andreas. Rockstar North was on a hot streak throughout the sixth video game console generation, and none more is that represented than in the sun-soaked beauty and masterfully told story of the second 3D game in the series.

Instead of the previously mute protagonist Claude Speed, you now inhabit the loud Hawaiian shirts of Tommy Vercetti, voiced by the late Ray Liotta of GoodFellas fame. Fresh out of a stint in the joint, he’s tasked with overseeing a drug deal that goes horribly wrong, leading to him losing not only the gear but the money as well.

It’s the setup for the next 18 hours to come as you drive around the beautifully realized rendition of Miami, Florida, in a quest to clear your name and rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld. Additionally, it’s one of the best-selling PS2 games of all time, with over 14 million copies sold since it debuted.

The Bottom Line

The best PS2 games are not only standouts of their generation, but the turning point for the medium as a whole. Due to the second PlayStation being the highest-selling console of all time (with over 160 million units shipped), it represented a time when gaming entered the mainstream and video games became a respected form of entertainment for adults instead of just toys for children. Out of the thousands of games on the platform, our list of the 10 best accurately conveys what made this era so special.

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