5 PS2 Games That Defined the 2000s

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The 2000s had amazing games, and a lot of them were released for the PlayStation 2. It was such a popular console, packed with great titles, that picking just a few standouts is tough. This isn’t a list of the best PS2 games overall, though. Instead, we’re highlighting the games that truly defined the system. There’s one small thing to keep in mind: since some of the era’s biggest hits, like Grand Theft Auto 3 and its sequels, appeared on multiple consoles, we’re focusing specifically on games developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and their studios. This helps narrow things down, and there are still plenty of fantastic games to choose from.

Here are the five PS2 games that helped define the 2000s.

5) Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

Although Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec wasn’t available when the PlayStation 2 first launched, it was released soon after and quickly became one of the console’s most popular and defining games. While it featured fewer cars than Gran Turismo 2 (650 compared to 180), it compensated for this with significantly improved quality.

For years, Gran Turismo 3 was a stunning game, really maximizing the PlayStation 2’s capabilities. It featured impressive AI for opponents, realistic car handling, and detailed environments. It’s easy to forget now, but GT3 represented a huge leap forward for the series in terms of graphics and overall quality – we don’t often see such big improvements anymore.

Racing games were incredibly popular in the 2000s, boosted by the success of car movies like The Fast and the Furious and Gone in 60 Seconds. People were eager to experience driving fast cars, and Gran Turismo 3 was the leading game in that genre. While it didn’t sell as many copies as Mario Kart, Gran Turismo is one of the few racing series that came close in terms of popularity.

4) SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs

PC gamers enjoyed online shooting games long before console players could join in. The SOCOM series was among the first to bring this experience to the PlayStation 2, and although it eventually lost momentum, the initial games were highly regarded. SOCOM 2 is considered the best in the series, but the quality declined noticeably by the fifth installment.

While Zipper Interactive’s shooting games weren’t quite as polished as Halo, they were really innovative in developing online multiplayer experiences. And many players fondly remember chatting with friends over their PS2 headsets during SOCOM 2 matches. Halo 2 and Xbox Live eventually became dominant, but SOCOM definitely deserves recognition for its contributions.

Look, SOCOM really paved the way for MAG, another great game from Zipper. While the actual gameplay wasn’t the biggest deal, MAG was seriously innovative for its time. Thinking back to 2010, getting 256 players into one online battle? That was mind-blowing, especially on consoles. It feels a little old-school now with how PC games do things, but it was a huge leap forward back then.

3) Jak 3

Jak 3 is a classic game from the 2000s. You continue playing as Jak and his friend Daxter, and it features familiar gameplay with some improvements. The game also marks a shift for the developers, Naughty Dog, towards a more realistic and darker visual style that was trending at the time.

If you look at the screenshot, you’ll immediately see how brownish the game Jak 3 appears. This was typical for games made during that era. So was the attempt to make the previously child-friendly main character more mature to attract older players.

It’s not that Jak 3 was bad, it just really felt like a game from that time. Honestly, sometimes all the time spent wandering around the Wasteland could get a little tedious. But overall, it was still a fantastic game with tons to keep you busy! And the racing? Seriously, it was so good that Naughty Dog actually made a whole separate game, Jax X: Combat Racing, just based on it a year later!

2) Ratchet & Clank

Both Ratchet & Clank and Jak were created with the goal of becoming Sony’s signature game series. Sly Cooper is another strong contender for that title, and some players might even prefer it. However, I believe Ratchet & Clank is the best mascot-style game on the PlayStation 2.

There were a lot of Ratchet & Clank games available on the platform. In just four years, four titles were released, and despite Deadlocked not being as well-received as the previous three, all of them are enjoyable.

The Ratchet & Clank series proved to be a long-lasting success for Insomniac Games. While their earlier Spyro the Dragon series ended with the original PlayStation, Ratchet & Clank continued, appearing on the PlayStation 3, 4, and 5. Though Sony has never really had a signature mascot, Ratchet & Clank are the closest they’ve come.

1) God of War

The God of War series has remained popular for years, but many fans consider the original games from the PlayStation 2 era to be the best. While the newer God of War titles are excellent and have innovated the series in exciting ways, the first two installments were truly unique and memorable.

Santa Monica Studio’s first action game was an instant hit with both critics and players. Even with all the improvements made in later installments, it remains one of the highest-rated games in the series. David Jaffe and his team brilliantly captured the spirit of fast-paced, intense action, featuring a tough, silent protagonist who communicates more through growls than words.

Looking back, the violence might not seem like much compared to games like Mortal Kombat 1 now, but back in 2005, it was pretty shocking for a lot of us. The fighting was really easy to get into, and super satisfying once you started pulling off combos. Okay, those quick-time events did get old after a while, but I remember being totally blown away by some of the first boss fights – they were epic!

If you owned a PlayStation 2 and wanted to experience some of Sony’s best games, God of War and its sequel were top choices. That remains true today with God of War Ragnarök and the PlayStation 5. It’s been an amazing journey for the game’s creators.

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2025-12-04 22:16