The world of ps2 video games is one in which the lines that demarcate collecting it as a hobby or accumulating as many games as you can become blurred. Let’s leave the jokes aside the PS2 has a lot going for it.
The collection of games released for this platform dates back to 2000 and one can go back to the titles he has played before and those that they have missed.
The ps2 has sold more than 150 million units which makes it the most popular game console ever.
There are in fact 4000 games released for the platform which has 1.5 billion copies being used and more that are not in circulation.
These figures simply point out the fact that unlike other console systems of a point in the past, the PS2 games and consoles are still very much available for buying and are affordable too.
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We Highly recommend you to read the PS2 Game Buying Guide at the end of this article to get in-depth knowledge about the latest PS2 game technologies and tips on making an informed decision about which product to buy for your needs 🙂
Let's explore the list and have a look at the features along with the pros and cons of the Top 10 Best PS2 Games in India.
Top 10 Best PS2 Games in India
Although my favorite among all is Resident Evil 4 but you must check all of them to make your buying decision.
1. Resident Evil 4
Touted as one of the best action games you are ever likely to come across, Resident Evil 4 charted a new course for the horror games genre which enjoys wide popularity.
In this game, you take up the role of Leon Kennedy who happens to be a police officer entrusted with the responsibility of rescuing the daughter of the President from a horrifying colt.
Not all horror games fans were pleased though as the game relied heavily on action-based gameplay rather than relying on the scary element that you would associate with horror games.
Nevertheless, the game is one of the best of its kind for third person shooters belonging to its time.
In the game, you make good of monsters, zombies and level bosses in hordes which really sets the adrenaline rush of thrill pumping. But you have to keep in mind that ammo in this game is limited and hence each shot is vital, so you just have to make them count.
The environments of the game, as well as their non-liner nature of gameplay, makes the game awesomely repayable after you have finished the game in its entirety. With the last versions of Resident Evil, the game is back to its horror roots but RE 4 is definitely one of the best games out there available for the PS2.
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2. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
The The Sands of Time is the third installment in the Prince of Persia franchise and one that really took it to the high clouds of fame.
After two good games whose performance was not really stellar but nevertheless well-received, this game changed the course of the entire franchise.
Its trademark dagger belonging to the prince stands as one of the icons in the action-platformer world. The game saw the light of the day in the year 2003.
This dagger allows one with the helpful ability to turn back time itself which made for great jumps and battle performance.
Not only that you could only freeze the enemies right in their places.
The game is famed for great storytelling, puzzle sequences that stand out by their innovation and even better level design.
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3. Final Fantasy X
This iconic RPG or role-playing gamed has the backdrop of Spira, a fictional world.
The game follows the adventures of Tidus, a young man who along with his companions set out to stop a rampaging monster who laid waste to their hometown.
The game is rendered in full 3D and this game is the first title of the franchise to feature acting by voice talents.
Standard RPG gameplay is what you get with this i.e. each character takes turns to perform an action or attack.
Characters battle enemies and progress up the levels while earning experience as they find their way up the levels.
This is the first installment of the franchise that found its way to the public through the PS2. It earned laurels from players and critics alike and was a commercial and critical success as a game like no other. It is, without doubt, an iconic game and one of the best to have ever made its way into public hearts.
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4. God of War II
In this tale in the God of War series, Kratos has been crowned the new God of War on the throne of Olympus and sets the stage for an epic and devastating mythological war that will serve to end all wars.
You will, of course, play his role as you move with a deadly blade driven by a blistering rage. The games adds new combat moves some of which are truly brutal and some truly breath-taking magic.
The environments are nothing short of being vividly striking and the player across various a web of puzzles that challenge the player besides several mini-games that serve to enhance the story.
The world of Greek mythology comes to life in all its violent glory as Kratos comes across new mythological characters and fights epic boss battles.
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5. Shadow of Colossus
If there is one entry in this list that stands for artistic dexterity in the development of video games, then this has to be it.
A haunting game that never fails to challenge you, this is a classic action-adventure game released in 2005. You play Wander, a young man who has set out to revive Mono.
In this regard, he arrives at a deal with a powerful entity that promises to do the same only if he successfully defeats the sixteen colossi across the world after locating them, each of whom is a giant beast with particular weaknesses and strengths.
A horse named Argo accompanies wander in this quest who proves to be an invaluable ally against the colossi beasts.
However, it is by no means easy to defeat the latter and the boss fights patience and timing besides trial and error. The game art and graphics are absolutely stunning.
It is a difficult game but one whose beauty and the fun makes it well worth the effort.
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6. Viewtiful Joe
A very colorful game, in fact, one of the most colorful of all PS2 releases in 2004, Viewtiful Joe was a masterly combination of beat-ém up games that’s distinctly old school along with cel-shaded art.
In the story, you play the role of Joe who becomes a part of his dearest superhero flick as Viewtiful Joe, a crime-fighter with superpowers.
Joe is thrust as the primary piece in this battle and must overcome a motley collection of villains in order to rescue his girlfriend who had incidentally been kidnapped in the real world.
The game combines the charm of beat-them-ups of the eighties and nineties and classic TV shows about superheroes from Japan belong to the seventies and eighties era.
The game is characterized by its hilarity, visual appeal and over-the-top fun that makes it really stand out. Gamers are pleased!
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7. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
This is the second game in the franchise that found its way into the hearts of PS 2 console owners.
Subsistence is a re-release with a different camera system, one that is new and adds to the whole gameplay experience.
The backdrop of the games is in the 60s of the previous century and chronicles the initial story of a US special forces operative going by the codename of “Naked Snake”.
Your aim is to destroy an experimental super-weapon that can kill millions. On his mission, he is remotely assisted by allies and advisors.
Cutscenes and radio conversations are the primary means through which the story advances.
Stealth, preparation, and strategy are all required to successfully play the game as you progress through Soviet-controlled Jungles, fight their soldiers and face off bosses.
The player will need to treat injuries sustained by Snake throughout the course of the game. Not only that the performance or stamina of Snake is on a continued downward slide which you need to arrest by foraging for food.
The stealth action, the retro theme, the humor of the protagonist, the bosses all result in an entertaining and compelling gaming experience.
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8. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
In the time of the PS2 console, nothing was quite as controversial as Grand Theft Auto from Rockstar.
It gave the player full freedom to kill anyone they please and its overtly sexual themes attracted the scorn of more “moralists” than any other game.
But it in no way affected the market performance of Vice City and with solid reasons. Vice City has its location on an open world based on Miami.
The game features loads of engaging missions, lots of side content and what not.
This game was undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences that one can savor on the PS2 and the franchise saw its successful transition and 3D open world game with this game and Grand Theft Auto III.
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9. Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars happens to be one of the most successful franchises ever and in this game, you play a Jedi and encounter several environments right out of Episode III- Revenge of the Sith.
Every choice you take in the course of the game will potentially affect the outcome that the Star Wars galaxy meets with. The single player game has open-ended objectives.
Not only that you also try out your skills with the eponymous lightsaber and even use the force as a Jedi. You also take part in Space Dogfights and its really fun.
Multiplayer mode is great too.
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10. Odin Sphere
There are many complaints about the fact that 2D graphics has come to an unceremonious end.
The way that the masses were pleased with 2d graphics back in the era of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming has passed.
But many game development houses do indeed realize that 2d sprites can look enticing even yet as this action RPG with Norse themes from Vanillaware proved.
Full of movement not only Odin Sphere managed to create a lush world that breathes with life with detailed locales and great boss fights in full 2d glory.
This game serves as a historical indicator as to which direction the looks of 2d gaming is headed.
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Buyer's Guide: How to Purchase PS2 Games
Many of the top console game lineups that are a favorite with ps2 owners and players like Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid and God of War can be bought for Rs750 and less which makes this point in time the best ever for a collector of PS2 games.
The following information should prove to be comprehensive enough to answer all your questions with regards to PS2 games collection.
Why Collect PS2 Games?
The PS2 collection of games is nothing short of a goldmine. The following factors contribute towards making collecting ps2 games such a popular endeavor:
Instead of the several thousands of rupees that you would spend on a single modern AAA game, with the same amount of money you can get 5-6 great PS2 titles. The collection of games on offer for suitable age divisions are wide and varied. The cost is usually in the Rs. 1000 range.
Types of PS2 Consoles
It would be worth remembering that not all PS2 consoles are one and the same. In fact, there are two variants of the console- the original PS2 commonly referred to as the PS2 fats by PS2 devotees and the PS2 Slip or the slimline model variant of the PS2 console.
Both the variants can play DVD-ROM and CD-ROM media and are capable of running games meant for the original PlayStation console.
It is mostly a matter of personal preference that decides which PS2 console variant you should buy as both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages which we will discuss in a minute. There are varied opinions about the two in the PS2 community but it mainly boils down to the following:
original ps2 consoles
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slimline ps2 consoles
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The bottom line of the whole debate is to get hold of the last version of the console variant (whether it’s the original or slimline design. This will ensure that the revised hardware is the latest and provides your console with the most longevity.
Alternatives to the PS2 Console
You might not have access to a PS2 console or just might feel like experimenting a bit. Either way, there are indeed alternatives to play PS2 games without a real console. They are as follows:
PlayStation 3
Without diving deep into the details there is indeed a PlayStation 3 that is backward compatible and lets the player to play most PS2 games out there. These include the 20GB and 60GB variants of the PS3 that were made available at the launch of the console.
These actually contain the original PS2 chip inside the model. It is by no means easy to track down a PS3 that’s can play PS2 games as well. Having said that if you do indeed manage to find one then its an absolute cracker of a way to reduce the space in your entertainment center.
There is yet another option open to you if you want to play PS3 games- emulation.
Emulation
You are free to legally play PS2 games on your PC through emulation as long as you are providing a purchased PS2 BIOS.
If you are looking for emulation options for the PS2 platform then the PCSX2 is what you are looking for. The main edge that emulation gives you over playing PS2 games on a console is the better downsampling options and significantly better resolution options.
The history of video games has been considerably affected by emulation in a way that’s all too positive. This buying guide mainly focusses on software and hardware meant for the original PS console platform.
If you are really keen on emulation just google the search term “PS2 emulation” and things like why advantages of PS2 emulation over the console.
PS2 Games That You Should Play
By this point in time through the processor, you must have figured out the hardware part, not let's move on to the real fun part- the software or the games. The PlayStation 2 has a really huge game catalog that consists of over 4000 games sourced from all over the world.
This promises to be a source of immense pleasure especially if you have had not the pleasure before. Before we dive into our top ten list of games available to be played on the PS2 platform another thing to be considered is the condition of the games.
You need to figure out things like whether it matters to you if the game has the original manual and case if the disc is significantly scratched etc.
Things like this affect the value and the price of any given game. Ideally, you should consider games that are not pre-owned and is in mint condition and ships with all the necessary art, box and of course the manual. Of course, you are free to buy pre-owned games as long as it is in good condition.
It is really a personal decision. Now, finally, we come to the actual games. Keep in mind this is not the literal list of the top ten ps2 game titles. I don’t really think that there is even such a list considering the subjective factor of personal taste and preference.
Here is the List of Top 10 Best PS2 Games in India
