by Grant Jones
I was recently craving some 6th Generation goodness (said nobody ever). There have been many lunch breaks spent perusing PlayStation 2s, gawping at GameCubes and examining Xboxs, yet as I looked through lists of Greatest Games of this era, so many have been remastered or ported to a current system. This year has a Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake on the horizon, and we recently had a lazy port of Fahrenheit. It made me think; just how many of these supposed greats of yesteryear actually require a twenty-year-old piece of hardware to run? Is it even worth buying one of these systems in 2021, considering you have to deal with wired controllers, memory cards and a SCART lead that goes in OH MY GOD MY TV DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ONE!?
This episode of I need to stop writing about games and just play them is brought to you by Metacritic. We’ll take a look at all the games that scored 85% or higher and thus, received the coveted N64 Magazine Star Award. Probably. I've excluded sports titles, considering half of Metacritic is a shrine to the NFL; at least in the early 2000s it was. I caught up with former PS64 Magazine Editor Jim Cleaver to discuss if the PS2 is indeed worth purchasing...
Exclusive: TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER 3 / TONY HAWK’S PRO SKATER 4
These two skater classics remain exclusive to this generation, but considering the first two games have been rebuilt recently, there's a good chance 3 and 4 could arrive in the future.
Jim Cleaver: But will they have the song from Jackass me and my mates would play whilst Rock Bottom-ing each other on mattresses?
If they do turn up, you probably won't get the full experience because of music licensing issues. They did capture the original two games’ style and sound expertly however, so have faith!
Available elsewhere: GRAND THEFT AUTO III / GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY / GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS
This trilogy of terror can be downloaded on PS4, a new Xbox and also the Xbox 360 (Sony has since shut the PS3 store). San Andreas also received a curious physical release in 2015, so it can be played on 360/PS3 in disc-form too.
[JC]: Is there any benefit to having the PS2 originals? Music licensing?
Other than to have the case on your shelf, there's very little point, as these versions all run well on current hardware. Rockstar has caves full of cash and so music remains intact which is remarkable really. Less remarkable is the fact the re-releases are just ROM dumps. You get the full loading times between islands still. Although there are now achievements, which is nice.
Available elsewhere: RESIDENT EVIL 4
Capcom's masterpiece can be played on any device the right side of a toaster. It's available on all current formats (and probably phones too) and will see a proper remaster next year. We think.
[JC] But I like the pointy controls on the Wii. Do any HD versions have that?
Unfortunately not, but we’re talking about the PS2 here, Jim. Resi 4 is still a blast on a controller and you get all the bonus PS2 content in subsequent offerings. The textures look a lot nicer in the new versions too. Plus, you can even play it portably on the Switch! There are few finer moments in life than offing a dog as you’re dropping a log.
Available elsewhere: METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY / METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER
Two iconic PS2 titles that are available on Xbox 360 to download, or on disc on PS3/Xbox 360. They were briefly available on Game Pass last year but quietly disappeared in August. Probably under a cardboard box. They also saw a Vita physical release and can be played on Sony’s PSNow service.
[JC] Are these ports...solid?
Mostly a lick of paint with these “HD Editions”, but you get the definitive versions and the PSP’s Peace Walker is thrown in too! Physical copies were a Zavvi exclusive so it’s easier to track down digitally.
Exclusive: GRAN TURISMO 3: A-SPEC / GRAN TURISMO 4
Every tarmac wanker’s favourite car manufacturer is probably in either of these two behemoth racing sims. They remain exclusive to the PS2 but are more common than Stacey Solomon.
[JC] Why haven’t they been ported?
Licensing. They still look pretty decent and there’s plenty to keep you busy. Gran Turismo 5 and 6 do the same job on PS3, while Gran Turismo Sport on PS4 went down the e-sports route, so lacks a proper career mode. If you can wait, there’s Gran Turismo 7 arriving this year on PS5.
Available elsewhere: DEVIL MAY CRY / DEVIL MAY CRY 3
A lovely HD collection was released for Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2012 and was released again on PS4 and Xbox One. You can even play it on PC if you’re that way inclined.
[JC] Are they any good now?
Sounds like it, but the newest title looks to be the best yet. You can actually play all the Devil May Cry games on a current platform: Devil May Cry 2 (also known as Devil Will Cry), Devil May Cry 4, the DmC title and the latest entry, Devil May Cry 5 are all available on PS4 and Xbox One. The fifth title just got a new 4K refinement too for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Nintendo fans can also play these two PS2 titles on their Switch.
[JC] Devil May Poo?
Indeed.
Available elsewhere: GOD OF WAR / GOD OF WAR II
Wildly overrated in their day (I like them, but the review scores were a bit over the top), these two action titles are also available on PS3 and the Vita (physical only now). They are well worth playing, although their absence from the PS4 library is jarring considering God of War III was brought over.
[JC] Doesn’t the new one do away with the original?
Not really, it’s a very different game. But the decision to reboot the series may prevent the first two games from returning for a while. You’ve also got the dodgy sex mini-games, which, when I think about it is probably why they haven’t been re-released.
Exclusive: VIRTUA FIGHTER 4 / VIRTUA FIGHTER 4: EVOLUTION
An arcade fighter, and an arcade fighter that’s ever so slightly better. These remain PS2 exclusives.
[JC] What are the chances of their return?
Highly unlikely, considering Virtua Fighter 5 followed and didn’t set the world alight. You can play Virtua Fighter 5 within Yakuza 6: Song of Life and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, so if you have a PS4, PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, you can get a Virtua Fighter fix. VF4 was great though and is still one of the PS2’s best titles.
Generation exclusive: BURNOUT 2: POINT OF IMPACT / BURNOUT 3: TAKEDOWN
Available elsewhere: BURNOUT REVENGE
Classic risk-reward gameplay in the much-beloved Burnout series - hugely popular on PS2. You can’t play any of these on current hardware because you don’t deserve it.
[JC] So has this series been written off?
I like what you did there. Not entirely, as Burnout Paradise continues to see remasters and is available on PS4, Xbox, PC and even Switch (so you can leave skid marks as you leave skid marks). Burnout Revenge saw a great HD upgrade on Xbox 360 and can still be downloaded on the Xbox 360 store, but if you haven’t got one, you may as well get the PS2 for all three of these, plus Dominator (a PS2 exclusive).
Exclusive: SSX
Generation exclusive: SSX Tricky
Available: SSX 3
While the first title is effectively redundant at this point, SSX Tricky and SSX 3 are 6th-gen classics. The first two remain exclusive to this era of consoles, with SSX 3 (the one that was more open-world) available on Game Pass and to download on Xbox.
[JC] What about that SSX reboot?
Yeah that’s nothing to do with the original game, it’s its own thing. I hear it’s fine but not a patch on the PS2 games.
Available: OKAMI
Vast, cel-shaded Zelda-alike from Capcom that’s available on all the current platforms.
[JC] The only wolf game I acknowledge is Nightmare Creatures II on Dreamcast.
That’s a bold statement, my friend. You can play Okami on the khazi; paintbrush in one hand, bog roll in the other. Never has the process been so culturally enriching.
[JC] Sold.
Available: SOULCALIBUR II
Exclusive: SOULCALIBUR III
Peak knifey-spoony series, but packed with more weapons than a UKIP convention. The first is a classic, the second probably is as well. Only Mas played the third title. SoulCalibur II is still available on Xbox 360 to download and includes the two exclusive characters from the PS2 and Xbox versions (no Link, unfortunately). SoulCalibur III remains a PS2 exclusive.
[JC] There have been a few of these games since, right?
Nothing gets past you. The fourth and fifth titles are on the 360 and PS3, but the sixth title is on Xbox One and PS4, and does everything the previous games did but prettier. Unless you have an interest in returning to the second title, the new one should satiate any taste for blunt objects on flesh.
Available: PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME
Generation exclusive: PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE TWO THRONES
Until recently, these two remained exclusive to this generation of consoles. The former is returning this year in a full-blown remake, however, the initial reception has been mixed. The Two Thrones is unlikely to return though, so let it sulk in the corner and reminisce over the demise of Kerrang magazine.
[JC] What? Because it’s emo?
Yeah. Speaking of which, if you want a time-reverse mechanic with teenage angst, Life is Strange is hella worth checking out.
Available: FINAL FANTASY X / FINAL FANTASY X-2 / FINAL FANTASY XII
Quintessential Japanese RPG series with a penchant for large swords and buckets of Brylcreem. All three of these are available on PS4, Switch and Xbox.
[JC] Did they get any visual upgrades?
Yep, plus there are streamlining mechanics that allow you to grind more efficiently than Tony Hawk in a nightclub with a pepper mill. Which ironically sounds like assault.
Exclusive: GUITAR HERO / GUITAR HERO II
It wouldn’t surprise me if there was a sharp rise in poor performance at universities in the mid-to-late 2000s, and that’s thanks to Guitar Hero. And alcohol. But mostly Guitar Hero! The plastic peripheral means that this is inherently tied to the PS2. Via the controller port.
[JC] Wasn’t there a Guitar Hero recently?
There was Guitar Hero Live five years ago on PS4, Xbox One and even Wii-U. It’s difficult to tell if it was actually any worse, or if people had just moved on from local multiplayer. Probably the latter (cries into N64 pad).
Exclusive: KLONOA 2: LUNATEA’S VEIL
A 2D platformer with 3D visuals - one for the Clockwork Knight fans this one.
[JC] Wasn’t there one of these games on the Wii?
Yep. That one is a remake of the first game which, because it didn’t sell well, meant that plans to remake the PS2 title were scrapped.
Available: RATCHET & CLANK / RATCHET & CLANK 2: GOING COMMANDO / RATCHET & CLANK 3: UP YOUR ARSENAL
Remember when platformers relied on wisecracking animal duos? Banjo-Kazooie, Jak & Daxter, Sooty and Sweep Do Dallas 64. Ratchet & Clank is more weapons based and less furry (thanks to this duo being robotic).
[JC] They worth revisiting?
Ratchet & Clank was "re-imagined" on PS4 which is probably a good place to start. The full trilogy was polished up and released on PS3 and Vita - all well received shooty-platformers but unlikely to set your world alight. No idea why they didn’t bring them to PS4 but the new one on PS5 is out soon.
Available: TWISTED METAL: BLACK
Drab car-combat with adult language. It’s a bit like braving a McDonald’s Drive-Thru car park late on a Friday evening. The PS2 version is available on PS4.
[JC] Was this actually any good?
Yeah, but it’s a product of its time. Does really need a few mates to fully appreciate but given it’s always on sale for a couple of quid, there are worse ways to spend a Friday evening.
[JC] Like in a McDonald’s Drive-Thru car park?
Exactly.
Available: SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS
Fashionable boss battle title that was given an HD facelift on PS3, then full reconstructive surgery on the PS4. Get that version.
[JC] Is there no reason to pick up the original?
Not unless you like paying more for an inferior product.
Generation exclusive: DEAD OR ALIVE 2
Refined arcade fighter that stands the test of time. Available on the original Xbox in a semi-remake (alongside the first game) as Dead or Alive Ultimate, which can be played on an Xbox 360. DOA2 was also on Dreamcast.
[JC] I’m here for the shoulder boulders. Where’s my best place for that?
Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate and Dead or Alive 6 are your best bet on modern systems, and they are genuinely good fighting games too. I promise.
[JC] Your flies are undone.
Damn it.
Available: ICO
Modern games can feel too handholdy to some, but none more so than this critical darling. An early PS2 release, it has seen better days. Namely on the PS3 as part of the Ico-Shadow of the Colossus Collection.
[JC] No PS4 version?
Unfortunately not and it wasn’t as popular as Shadow of the Colossus so I doubt we’ll see a full-blown remake any time soon.
Available: JAK & DAXTER / JAK II
Naughty Dog’s 3D platforming series had a number of games on the PS2 (that number being 5) and the first four are all available on the PS4 as “PS2 Classics”, even though the first three did get HD remasters on the PS3. An odd one, that.
[JC] What one's missing?
There was a PSP title called The Lost Frontier that was released in late 2009 - it also dropped on PS2. In 2009! But it wasn't as good as earlier titles. This was a post-Mario Galaxy world, after all.
Available: SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI: PERSONA 3 / SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI: PERSONA 4
Part-time job disguised as a videogame, the vast Persona titles came into their own on the PS2. Persona 3 is playable on PSP whilst the fourth entry is cited as a Vita highlight.
[JC] Wasn’t the PS2 a goldmine for J-RPGs?
Yeah, although by default considering the GameCube and Xbox weren’t exactly go-to machines for the genre. These two are worth a small fortune these days - Persona 3 is £140 at CEX and some mug just bought it on Music Magpie for £2.59. True story.
Exclusive: TIMESPLITTERS
Generation exclusive: TIMESPLITTERS 2 / TIMESPLITTERS: FUTURE PERFECT
Legendary FPS series for anyone who finds Goldeneye a bit dated. Which is everyone.
[JC] So this is only on PS2?
The first title is a PS2 exclusive. The second and third titles are also on GameCube (so can be played on Wii) and Xbox (but they don’t play on an Xbox 360). If you’re getting a PS2 for anything, make it this series. Unless you’re Matthew Castle (he hates them!).
Generation exclusive: VIEWTIFUL JOE / VIEWTIFUL JOE 2
Tough as nails brawler/platformer with a beautiful aesthetic and neat gameplay gimmick. Both games are exclusive to PS2 and GameCube.
[JC] Bit of a fan favourite this - what happened to Joe?
It's a strange one. Apparently it sold really well on GameCube but terribly on PS2 (the first game sold 275,000 on Cube, 46,000 on PS2). Very backwards considering the size of the audiences. Capcom has pretty much given up on the series since a couple of handheld efforts in 2005 on the DS and PSP.
Available: RAYMAN: REVOLUTION
For some reason, the PS2 saw a revised version of the N64/PlayStation/Dreamcast platformer Rayman 2. Acclaimed at the time, is this really what you’re craving a PS2 for?
[JC] This was 3D wasn’t it?
Yep - it’s highly unlikely this ended up being any sort of revolution, but if you really want to play Rayman 2, the N64 version was ported to the Nintendo DS and the Dreamcast version ended up on the 3DS. At least those ones are portable.
[JC] No terrible poo joke?
I mean I would, but there’s no need to go out on a limb for one etc. etc.
Available: DRAGON QUEST VIII
So you like dragons, quests and roman numerals? Boy have I got the game for you. This vast J-RPG saw a second life on the 3DS but the PS2 version is a lot cheaper.
[JC] Do I need to know the plot from the previous seven entries?
Mate, it’s probably something about evil forces, magic and turn-based battling. With a party including an irritating anthropomorphic cuddly toy, a heavy-set ex-bouncer from Rochdale and a questionably young lass with enormous norks.
[JC] Oh thanks, that’s 80 hours saved.
You’re welcome.
Available: NEED FOR SPEED: HOT PURSUIT 2
Generation exclusive: NEED FOR SPEED UNDERGROUND
NFS Underground, despite being hugely popular at the time, never saw a return on subsequent platforms. Hot Pursuit 2 saw a new entry in 2010 by the Burnout team which was recently remastered on PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
[JC] Hold on a split-second - the NFS games seem to blur into one for me. What were these two?
Underground was a chav’s wet dream, allowing players to customise sports cars with garish body kits. Hot Pursuit 2 was a sequel to a PS1 game that brought back police pursuits mid-race.
Exclusive: ACE COMBAT 4: SHATTERED SKIES
People really hated the sky in the early 2000s. Deadly Skies, Crimson Skies, Sky’s Gamezville. Shattered Skies is the fourth entry in what is essentially the Japanese version of Top Gun.
[JC] These seem to review well - what’s the big deal?
If you’ve ever enjoyed After Burner Climax or even StarFox then Ace Combat is that but with more (ahem) grounded missions and targets. They must be popular as there are loads of them - this one actually sold 2.6m copies! Ace Combat 4 is a PS2 exclusive and is actually called Ace Combat: Distant Thunder in the UK.
Available: TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL / TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL: PANDORA TOMORROW / TOM CLANCY’S SPLINTER CELL: CHAOS THEORY
Stealth trilogy that is often associated with Xbox. And that’s your best place to play them - they are all playable and actually enhanced on the One X, Series S and Series X.
[JC] Was this the peak for Tom’s sneak-’em-up series?
Chaos Theory is a classic as far as the level design goes, although I personally prefer the risk-reward insta-kills of Conviction and Blacklist. Until Ubisoft greenlight (all three of them) a new entry, you’re best playing these on Xbox as the PS2 ports aren’t great.
Available: SILENT HILL 2 / SILENT HILL 3
A ropey PS3/360 HD collection was released a decade ago and that’s your best bet here. Unless of course, you don’t have a PS3 or 360. But the PS2 titles have skyrocketed in price recently.
[JC] What was wrong with the HD collection?
According to last month’s Official PlayStation Magazine, “there are texture problems” but it’s a small price to pay considering these are two of the best survival horror titles of their time.
[JC] Will I shit my pants?
Yeah, but it won’t be as memorable as it’s not on Switch! But then, shitting your pants is always memorable. The fuck am I talking about?
Pretty much exclusive: MEDAL OF HONOR: FRONTLINE
The eighth best-selling game of its generation, Frontline did make a comeback in 2010 when it was included (remastered) as part of the PS3 title Medal of Honor.
[JC] What? Are you serious?
Yep - but it was a download code in the Limited Edition release and while it was also available to purchase on the PS3 store, it’s no longer there. So you’re pretty much going to have to track down the PS2 original.
Exclusive: TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT / TEKKEN 5
Tekken 6 is on PS3 while 7 is on PS4 - I’m guessing they are the same but prettier. That’s how beat ‘em ups work isn’t it?
[JC] So are these redundant?
Nah, I’m being ignorant. Tekken Tag is a 2v2 fighter so there’s additional strategy at play and for a PS2 launch title, still looks pretty good. Tekken 5 was the formula refined and a more accessible fighter than Virtua Fighter 4.
Available: RED FACTION
Not since the invention of the ATM has the concept of a hole in a wall been turned into a cash machine. This title is available on PS4 in its original form, while the third game is available on all current systems.
[JC] Wasn’t this the game where your guns can take up half of the screen?
Ah, you noticed I’ve been working out too huh?
[JC] …
Available: SLY COOPER AND THE THIEVIUS RACCOONUS / SLY 2: BAND OF THIEVES
Splinter Cell for kids. Stealth platforming is an odd mix but that’s what these games are - these two (and the third title) are available on PS3 in the Sly Collection. It was also released on Vita.
[JC] So what happened to this series?
The developers (Sucker Punch) moved onto the Infamous series when the PlayStation 3 arrived, so the fourth game (on PS3) was less well-received. There was a Sly Cooper costume in Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima last year, and that game has a lot of stealth (and some shonky platforming too!).
Generation exclusive: Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
A console interpretation of the hit PC RPG that was on all three consoles at the time, but the PS2 one was the version that won loads of awards.
[JC] Baldur’s Gate returned on Switch recently - is that the best one?
Yeah the first two titles are the so-called classics, and both returned on Switch, Xbox One and PS4. I won’t judge you for getting them instead of this.
Available: BULLY
Or Canis Canem Edit as it’s known here. This game is a Rockstar gem that’s available on Xbox 360, Wii, PS4 and even Android/iOS! The PS2 original is probably the worst version as these all expanded upon the game with additional modes and spruced up visuals.
[JC] Why is this so fondly remembered?
I’m not too sure why, as the protagonist just reminds me of the young potato-faced Wayne Rooney. It had a small open-world similar to the Yakuza series so you got to know the environments and characters more intimately. It never quite clicked for me, as it’s set in America but it’s designed like a British private school - so you’ve got a lot of American teenagers in a British setting and it’s never clear if it’s set now or in the 1950s. It’s definitely more The Beano than The Inbetweeners.
Available: DARK CHRONICLE
Yeah, yeah another Japanese RPG… But this one is less Japanese, if that makes sense. It’s by the same guys that did Ni No Kuni and has a gorgeous cel-shaded visual style. You can play this on your PS4 (it’s one of the PS2 classics).
[JC] I always get this and Rogue Galaxy mixed up.
Don’t blame you, they are both by developers Level-5, both RPGs and both cel-shaded. It’s similarly great!
Available: KINGDOM HEARTS / KINGDOM HEARTS II
Convoluted Disney mash-up that’s beloved if divisive. These games are available on the PS3; the first is part of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix while the sequel is in Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, or you can get both on PS4. That one’s called Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX and has a bunch of the other spin-offs too from the GBA, DS, PSP and 3DS.
[JC] Are they taking the Mickey?
No, but the Realm of Darkness does. And yes I sifted through a Kingdom Hearts wiki to get that joke in.
Available: GUILTY GEAR X2
Guilty Gear isn’t far off Kingdom Hearts as far as “what game is what”. A beautifully drawn fighter that originally debuted on the PlayStation as Guilty Gear, Guilty Gear X appeared on Dreamcast (2000) and PS2 (2001), with Guilty Gear X2 arriving on PS2 in 2003. From there, it goes down the Street Fighter II route with countless updates (mostly to add a couple of characters and patch in balancing issues for hardcore fans that notice that sort of thing). Deep breath
First update: Guilty Gear X2 #Reload - PS2, Xbox, PSP
Second update: Guilty XX Slash - PS2
Third update: Guilty Gear XX Accent Core - PS2, Wii
Fourth update: Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus - PS2, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3
Fifth update: Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R - Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, Switch
[JC] Fair play. That makes a bit more sense now, but what’s the latest one?
After Guilty Gear X2 was flogged to death, it was replaced in 2014 by Guilty Gear Xrd (presumably to indicate it’s X3 - just call it that!). Since then, we have had Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator and Guilty Gear Xrd Rev. 2. A new Guilty Gear is due this year on PS4 and PS5, called Guilty Gear Strive. The lack of an X should have been replaced with a “why”.
Available: HALF-LIFE
You can probably play this on any laptop now thanks to Steam, but the PS2 port was a respectable addition to the system’s library in 2001. You also had Deus Ex - another 10/10 PC title.
[JC] So now you’re telling me that I don’t need to buy a Windows XP PC too?
You can if you want, but there was a window in the early years of the PS2 where the best of PC ended up on PS2. Unreal Tournament, Giants: Citizen Kabuto, Commandos 2, Age of Empires II - it’s like Sony wanted to get them out before the GameCube and Xbox turned up. Or to hide their shoddy launch year line-up.
Available: ONIMUSHA WARLORDS / ONIMUSHA 3: DEMON SIEGE
Samurai-action game that did what a lot of Capcom series do - starts interesting then descends into ludicrous territory, as the third game is set in France (and features Jean Reno!). You can play the first game on Switch, Xbox One, PC and PS4; the third game is still available to purchase on Steam.
[JC] How come Capcom have neglected Onimusha? It was a popular series.
Yeah, there was a fourth game; 2006’s Dawn of Dreams but it didn’t sell well, and Kenji Inafune said he’d rather make Mega Man Legends 3 than do another Onimusha. I’m sure we’ll see the series again one day.
Available: SUIKODEN III
Another series that ended on the PS2 (there was a spin-off on DS and PSP) - Suikoden III didn’t actually get a European release. Until 2015 when it arrived on PS4 as a “PS2 Classic”.
[JC] I’ve heard about this series - which one’s the good one?
It’s a well-loved series and my understanding is that Suikoden II is the one fans bang on about. That’s on the PlayStation, with three more sequels on the PS2. I guess if you’re into Japanese RPGs these will be games on your radar.
Available: BEYOND GOOD & EVIL
Pokemon Snap but you get a game with it! Fondly remembered action adventure with a photography slant, Beyond Good & Evil got a lovely HD re-release on Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2011, and there was a physical release alongside Outland and From Dust.
[JC] Any signs of the sequel?
It’s been quiet hasn’t it? The signs aren’t great and after the disappointment that was Shenmue III, sequels arriving almost two decades later are rarely worth the wait.
Available: KATAMARI DAMACY
Exclusive: WE LOVE KATAMARI
Videogames are inspired by all areas of life. Shigsy built Pikmin after an inspired trip to the garden for a casual leak, Pac-Man came about after a slice of fortune in a pizzeria, and Katamari Damacy allegedly came into fruition on a warm summer day, as lead designer Keita Takahashi had to keep unsticking his ballsack from his inner thigh. Allegedly.
[JC] Explains why your mum is credited in Donut County.
Wow. Katamari Damacy was recently remastered and is available on Switch, PC, Xbox One and PS4. We Love Katamari is the sequel and is very similar, but remains exclusive to the PS2.
Available: AMPLITUDE
It’s weird to see music games like Amplitude as full retail releases - it just doesn’t happen any more. Music and rhythm games are now strictly indie territory, and Amplitude is very much a product of its era. Despite this, it saw a remake in 2016 for PS3 and PS4 (thanks to a fan Kickstarter).
[JC] Weren’t there a few of these games on PS2?
I know what you’re getting at. I thought Fantavision was a music title, but is instead a fireworks puzzler. Then you had Rez in 2002, a port of the trance-heavy Dreamcast title, and then Harmonix’s game Frequency - Amplitude is the sequel to that but features pop-rock rather than electronic dance tracks.
Generation Exclusive: COLIN MCRAE RALLY 3
Muddy visuals weren’t necessarily a selling point on the PS1, more a technical limitation, but that didn’t stop Colin McRae becoming the Tony Hawk of the rally scene in the late 90s. The game is also available on Xbox and Windows.
[JC] Is this a bit pointless now given the Dirt games are so good?
Kinda. There were some excellent rally titles in the early 2000s, from Rallisport Challenge on Xbox, World Rally Championship on PS2 and even the rally mode in Gran Turismo 3, yet Colin McRae was a proper mix of arcade and simulation, which is now split between Dirt (arcade) and Dirt Rally (simulation).
Available: Psychonauts
Trippy little 3D platformer with a charming sense of humour, Psychonauts is available on your Xbox and PS4. Much like Beyond Good & Evil, a sequel has been in development for a while (since 2015).
[JC] I always thought this was an Xbox game - what gives?
I guess because the box art is that luminous green, but it was originally an OG Xbox exclusive until Microsoft dropped it in 2004 before Majesco published it in 2006. It might have been a bigger deal if it had released earlier - instead, it’s a cult classic that happened to get a PS2 port. Probably to try and recoup some money.
Exclusive: RUMBLE RACING
What should have been a game focusing on the niche sport of racing N64 Rumble Paks across the living room carpet, was changed at the last minute to a standard racing game with some occasional stunts/tricks. It’s an odd one, but just know that the next time you see Mario doing a trick in his “kart” mid-air, Rumble Racing is the reason. Probably.
[JC] This an exclusive?
Yeah, and a good one too. It does look a bit rough these days, but we were all still playing N64 when this arrived.
Exclusive: Shadow Hearts: Covenant
You can’t spell PlayStrationg without the letters R-P-G and here’s another one! Shadow Hearts had three titles on the PS2 and considering the developer is now defunct, it’s difficult to see this returning.
[JC] So what’s the point in this RPG series then? Any neat gimmicks?
Yeah, you’ve got a battle system that relies on timing flashing lights on some giant brown ring, although the game does have the dreaded random encounters. And there’s nothing worse than a random encounter when you’re trying to sort your brown ring out.
Exclusive: WWE SMACKDOWN: HERE COMES THE PAIN
Yeah you’re not seeing this anywhere else. The PS2 is home to some superb wrestling games so it’s well worth picking up for them if you’re into your sweaty grappling.
[JC] What made the PS2 games so great then, spandex boy?
They were just the right combination of the N64 games’ natural, more methodical grappling systems and the PS1 predecessors that were quick and arcade-like. The big selling point though is that there was just so much to do. Tonnes of modes and huge career modes that had the best rosters of all time (this was when WWF and WCW line-ups combined). Even if you don’t like wrestling, these are at least goofy and stupid enough to enjoy on their own merits - unlike the new 2K games.
Kinda available: Hot Shots Golf 3
A bit like Mario Golf but with less charm. Hot Shots Golf became Everybody’s Golf, and this third entry didn’t even come out in Europe despite selling two million copies in the United States. Hot Shots Golf 4 (or Everybody’s Golf in Europe) is available on PS2 too. They are all pretty similar, so grab the version on either PSP, PS3, Vita or PS4 if you have them. There’s even a PSVR version!
[JC] Not to use up one of my pick-up lines, but tell me more about the Mario Golf comparison.
You little romantic. They both use the two-click method of power and precision to hit the ball, along with lengthy career modes with unlockable characters and courses. There’s a goofiness to it all too and pound for pound, Everybody’s Golf has filled in nicely when Mario Golf has been absent.
So these games are the ones you need a PS2 for. Otherwise, there are better versions elsewhere or on more recent hardware. Next month, I catch up with disgraced NGCuber Magazine Editor Fartin' Squits to discuss whether a GameCube is more than just a Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door machine (hint: it is).
