The PlayStation 2 is an iconic games console with a library of games catering to all tastes. Despite a slow launch, it has a better choice of exclusives and third-party titles than its competitors.
The console and the games were still selling well, even after the Xbox 360 and PS3 launched.
Developers were still working hard to push the machine to its limits. Despite being behind the original Xbox and the GameCube in terms of graphical power, the PS2 produced games that still hold up today.
Updated on January 15, 2023, by Michael Llewellyn: The PS2 was one of the most successful consoles ever, even outperforming its HD counterparts in the final years of the system. As a result, many developers pushed the system to its limits and created timeless classics that still look impressive today. This list has been updated to include more titles that showcased what the PS2 was capable of.
20 Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
A prequel to Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria is set hundreds of years before its predecessor and centers on Silmeria and Alicia. Exploration still implements side-scrolling towns and dungeons like Lenneth, but the combat is in 3D using real-time mechanics.
The character models, environments, moody visuals, and art style match the more recently released Valkyrie Elysium. The in-game graphics and cutscenes look especially impressive, but the framerate hasn't aged well and would benefit from an HD remaster and a boost in FPS like Lenneth.
19 Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike is one of Capcom's last fully 2D fighters, and it's still one of the most visually impressive titles in the Street Fighter series. Street Fighter 3 was already a visual upgrade over its predecessors, but many fans still feel that the animation and character design are superior to its 3D successors.
3rd Strike added five new characters to the roster, a parry system, and includes the return of fan-favorite Chun Li. It also contains mini-games like Crush the Car and Parry the Ball for single-player fans. Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike is included in the 30th Anniversary Collection on modern consoles and PC.
18 Odin Sphere
The critically acclaimed action RPG Odin Sphere from Vanillaware was one of the PS2's highlights in its final years. The stunning 2D visuals, character designs, and environments match up well with the more recent 13 Sentinals: Aegis Rim.
However, its RPG-focused combat system has more in common with the studio's Dragon Crown. The 2D visuals look timeless, and thanks to the HD remasters on the PS3 and PS4, the colorful artwork shines through as beautifully now as it did on the PS2.
17 Sly Cooper Trilogy
The first game in the Sly Cooper Trilogy launched in 2002 and set a new standard for cartoon-style visuals with its use of cell-shading. The studio at Sucker Punch dubbed the method used in the Sly Trilogy called Toon-shading, giving the title a Saturday morning cartoon show look. It looked great has smooth gameplay and performance that matched modern titles.
It's clear a lot of love and care went into creating the world of Sly Cooper, and this work ethic has continued in recent titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Infamous: Second Son, which are widely considered two of the best-looking games on the PS4/PS5. The first three games in the Sly Trilogy were remastered on the PS3 and PS Vita and are long overdue for a remaster on modern consoles.
16 Ico
Ico is an adventure puzzle game developed by Team Ico. Even though it may not be the most technically advanced game on the PS2, thanks to its art style, animation, and lighting effects, Ico remains one of the most visually impressive.
Ico is a haunting game that uses a minimalist design to tell its story as opposed to the dialogue-heavy games that are usually associated with adventure titles at the time. It was succeeded by Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian, both of which exist in the same universe.
15 Jak 3
Jak 3 is the third mainline entry in the action platforming series Jak and Daxter. It was developed by Naughty Dog, better known today for its work on the Uncharted and The Last of Us series. All three titles in the series are great-looking games, but Jak 3 looked like a glimpse into the future by pushing the PS2 to its limits.
The animation, art design, and smooth framerate outperformed many early PS3 games. The first three games in the series were remastered and launched together on the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita. The Jak series is another classic PlayStation title that deserves a modern-day adaptation.
14 Black
From the developers of the Burnout series, Criterion, came the first-person shooter Black. Launched in 2006, it was one of the last big games on the system and surprised critics and fans alike with its near-next-gen visuals.
The guns looked realistic and detailed, and the destructible environments added a sense of scale to an otherwise linear title. Additionally, the sound design was in a class of its own and added to the action movie-style cinematics.
13 Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10 was the first title in the series to appear on the PlayStation 2. It was also the first Final Fantasy game to use voice acting, which was groundbreaking for such a massive game at the time.
The graphics on the PS2 still hold up beautifully after all this time. The art design shines today, as seen in the stunning PS3 and PS4/Xbox One remasters. As an early PS2 game, FF10 is a testament to how timeless the Final Fantasy series is across the generations of consoles.
12 God Of War 2
God of War 2 took the series to another level in scale and cinematic scope. Not only did the game have a great story, but the visuals, sound, and art design gave gamers one of the most epic experiences on the PS2.
The large-scale boss fights and the speed of combat proved that the console still had more than a few tricks up its sleeve with developers like Santa Monica Studio at the helm. The flair for the cinematic continues to shine in God of War and God of War: Ragnarok.
11 Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner
Developed by Konami and launched exclusively on the PlayStation 2, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner remains one of the best-looking games on the console. It features incredible anime-style art design and graphics in a blisteringly fast hack-and-slash third-person shooter.
Even with the framerate taking hits in some busier moments when fighting off multiple enemies, the 2nd Runner still looked smooth. The epic combat scenes worked seamlessly with the stunning cutscenes.
10 Shadow Of The Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is a spiritual successor to the PS2 hit Ico. While visually and atmospherically similar to its predecessor, Shadow is more combat focused, with every battle pitting the protagonist against a giant guardian.
Not only was Shadow of the Colossus an epic in scale, offering memorable large-scale boss battles, but its art design, animation, and attention to detail combined with state-of-the-art graphics were in a class of its own.
9 Dragon Quest 8
Dragon Quest 8 is still highly regarded as one of the best in the series. It uses a cell-shaded graphical art style comparable to Dragon Quest 11. The colorful overworld was a refreshing change from the browns, greys, and yellow color palettes often seen in PS3/360-era games.
The art design, characters, and sense of fun in Dragon Quest 8 hold up today, defying its age when it had to compete with HD 360 RPGs like The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. The sense of fun and adventure was a departure from the grim and moody RPGs and action titles launched around the same time.
8 Grandia 3
Grandia 3 remains a PlayStation 2 exclusive and one of the most graphically impressive games on the system. The third entry - not as popular with fans as its predecessors - has arguably the best combat system in the series.
The darker tone of the second game was dropped in favor of the whimsical and humorous nature of the first game. However, there are still darker overtones that are pivotal to the story. Moreover, Grandia 3 has an excellent villain and a great supporting cast that helps elevate Yuki, who develops into a charming hero.
7 Final Fantasy 12
Square Enix has always been at the top of its game with big-budget Japanese RPGs. Final Fantasy 12 took the visuals and scale to another level, pushing the PS2 to its limits with a large explorable 3D world and gritty character designs.
The art style, character models, and cutscenes portray an epic experience unlike any other at the time. The fully 3D world of Final Fantasy 12 is incredibly well-detailed, filled with lore, and a joy to explore. Unsurprisingly, the remaster of Final Fantasy 12 is at its best on modern machines, but the art design and character models hold up.
6 Metal Gear Solid 3
Since the Metal Gear Solid series landed on the PlayStation, the stealth em-up became known for setting the bar for cinematics and 3D gaming. However, when Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was launched on the PlayStation 2, it took the series to new heights in terms of visuals, character models, and level design.
Metal Gear Solid 3 is more open than its predecessors, allowing players to explore and fully use the environment to their advantage. Furthermore, the attention to detail was off the charts on the PS2, with detailed foliage and realistically motion-captured characters.
5 Okami
Okami is a striking action-adventure game developed by Clover Studios. It was directed by PlatinumGames founder and the director of Resident Evil 2 and Bayonetta, Hideki Kamiya, and is a 3D adventure inspired by The Legend of Zelda series.
The art design is inspired by Japanese ink-wash paintings known as sum-e. As a result, Okami is one of the most beautiful and colorful games ever and more than holds its own against modern games.
4 Tekken 5
The Tekken series developed by Namco has always had a penchant for being some of the best-looking games on the system. Tekken 5 was considered arcade perfect and set a new standard for graphics and 3D fighting games.
Like Tekken 3 on the PS1, Tekken 5 was an evolution of speed, mechanics, and visuals. Additionally, the game felt packed to the brim with features, content, and characters, and it remains one of the best entries in the series.
3 Xenosaga 3
Xenosaga 3 is the final entry in the space opera trilogy developed by Namco. The Xenosaga series was first conceived to be a six-part saga. However, the development was cut short, and the team at Monolith Soft team undertook the arduous task of neatly wrapping up the story with the third entry.
In addition to being an exciting conclusion to the trilogy, Xenosaga 3 boasts some of the best graphics on the PS2. Despite being pretty linear, the visuals gave the impression of a huge and vast universe with towns and worlds that look epic in scope.
2 Resident Evil 4
Launching first on the Nintendo GameCube, Resident Evil 4 was ported to the PlayStation 2 later that same year. Not as clean or as sharp as the GC version, Resident Evil 4 on the PS2 is still a beautiful game with some of the most detailed environments and character models ever seen.
Resident Evil 4 is a revolutionary game that has been remastered and ported to HD consoles, and the reason it still looks as good as it does is a compliment to its original art design.
1 Rogue Galaxy
Developed by Level-5, the same studio that created Dragon Quest 8 and Ni No Kuni, Rogue Galaxy is a stunning science fiction JRPG lovingly inspired by the Star Wars series. Instead of a turn-based system, Rogue Galaxy uses modern real-time combat mechanics ahead of their time.
Rogue Galaxy underperformed financially, but fans still look fondly at this title as one of the best on the PS2. It is one of the most stunning games on the PlayStation 2 and has a sense of scope matched by the impressive art design and non-existent load times.