Adios PS2 and Friends, Part 3

The PlayStation 2 is the undisputed champ of the current generation of consoles. Since first being released in 2000, Sony has sold more than 100 million units worldwide. That’s more than double the number of Xbox and GameCube units combined.

Despite the system’s popularity I held off from buying it for a while. I was happy with my XBox; and my Nintendo 64 and PC before that. Sure occasionally I would see commercials for a PS2 exclusive that looked pretty good, but I always fought the urge to buy it.

But in 2004 I couldn’t fight off the temptation anymore, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was going to be released. I had played Grand Theft Auto III on my PC rather than the PS2. When Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was released, I borrowed my friend’s PS2, in exchange for my Xbox, for a couple of weeks to play it, and eventually bought it when it was released for the Xbox months later. With San Andreas, I didn’t want to wait.

So I ponied up $150 and joined the other 100 million PS2 owners. I still continued to primarily play my Xbox, but the PS2 purchase opened up a whole new world of video games for me. On the bright side, I was able to go back and buy great games I hadn’t played for less than half what they originally cost when they were first released.

Without further ado, here are the top 10 PS2 games according to X-Play.

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
This game is almost perfect. It builds on all that is good about Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City. The developers add enough nuances to truly expand the freedom you have in this sandbox game. I also loved that the game is set in the fictional state of San Andreas with cities that closely resemble Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. The game really captures the essence of these cities with its landmarks and characters you come across. I really got a kick out of running around causing havoc in the cities that I know and love. The main story line was pretty strong but when it comes down to it, it’s all about the freedom to stray from the path.

2. God of War
To be honest, my top ten list would probably have Grand Theft Auto III at number 2 and Vice City right below that. But I can see why X-Play chose only one game per series for their list and God of War is a worthy choice for the number two spot. God of War is an awesome game. The action is fast-paced and unrelenting. You play the game as Kratos, a Spartan seeking vengeance against the Ares, the god of war. The story is strong and the visuals are amazing. Truly a spectacular game.

3. Shadow of the Colossus
It was a bit of a surprise to see this game so high on the list. But as I mentioned in the Xbox article, the staff at X-Play loves originality. What makes this action game different is that you basically go through the entire game only fighting boss battles. In most other action games, you face countless minor enemies before getting to a boss. This unique recipe works for Shadow. What makes it work is the magnitude and variety of your enemies. The game is a truly unique and satisfying experience.

4. Guitar Hero
Think of it as Dance Dance Revolution for the guitar with a dash of karaoke thrown in. The game features a controller in the shape of a guitar that you use to play along with your favorite rock songs. I never played it myself, but the game looks fairly amusing.

5. Katamari Damacy
Another truly original game. In the game you play a prince of all cosmos that has to go around rolling balls out of different materials to replace stars that have fallen out of the sky. I swear I’m not making this up. The game probably would have been more fun if I was high while playing it. Unfortunately I was sober and only played it for about half an hour before giving up on it.

6. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
I enjoyed playing Metal Gear on the original Nintendo. I never got around to playing the first two Metal Gear Solid titles, mostly because I didn’t have a PS or PS2, but also because I tend to dislike stealth games. However, the glowing reviews for Snake Eater convinced me to try it out. After playing it for half an hour, I was ready to sell the game. I hated the camera angle that prevented me from seeing where the enemies where coming from. Fortunately I wasn’t able to find a buyer and I forced myself to play the game. I was rewarded with a thoroughly engaging, cinematic experience. Once I got used to the game, the boss battles were terrific and the final hour of the game was one of the most intense video game experience I’ve ever had.

7. Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
I avoided this game for a while because of the because the visuals are cartoonish and the game seems to be aimed at a younger audience. Once again though, the reviews convinced me to give the game a chance. And once again I was not disappointed. The amount of varied game play makes this a really fun game to play. The story is strong and has a good amount of humor. I enjoyed this game so much that I went back and played Sly 2: Band of Thieves, which I actually enjoyed even more than Sly 3.

8. ICO
This game, by the developers of Shadow of the Colossus, is another novel experience. You play as an acrobatic young boy with horns who attempts to escape from a fortress where he’s being held along with a young girl he finds while being pursued by shadowy enemies. It’s hard to say what makes this game so enjoyable. It is fairly simple as you just climb around the fortress trying to find a way out. But the game draws you in and you become engrossed with it. I’m not sure it would have made my top 10, but it’s a very good game.

9. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
I made the mistake of playing the third game in the series, Up Your Arsenal, before playing this one, it’s immediate predecessor. Up Your Arsenal was a great game. Unfortunately, when I went back and played Going Commando, I found myself looking for some of the features found in the third game. Despite my disappointment, Going Commando is a solid game that does a great job of combining platforming with combat and flying missions. While it’s not as funny as Up Your Arsenal, the story line and dialogue are very amusing.


10. SSX Tricky
I played this snowboarding game, or one of the other SSX titles, on the Xbox. It’s a nice enough game but I got bored of it fairly quickly. Maybe if I was an X Games fan I might have enjoyed it more. Needless to say, it wouldn’t have made my top 10.

Notable exclusions: Final Fantasy X. I can’t believe this game is not on the list. I loved this game. It would have been number two on my list. It’s a turn-based role-playing game so it’s not as exciting as most action games. But the story line and graphics are fantastic. It was the first time I played a Final Fantasy game so I was really blown away by all the creatures and magic I encountered in the game. I really can’t fathom why it didn’t make the list. Devil May Cry. If you want action, this is your game. You play as a half demon, half human trying to save the world with his trusty sword and guns. The action is very intense. I’m ashamed to admit but I had to play the game on the easy setting as I couldn’t handle the normal difficulty.