Everyone looks back at the PS2 as one of the greatest consoles of all time and rightfully so, with the PS2 taking gaming to a whole new level with many classic video games being created for that platform. People often enjoy going back to older consoles to play video games out of nostalgia and because the PS2 was such a great console, many of those games still hold up well to this day.
However, that is not the case for every single game as some of them haven't actually aged very well at all, and within this article, we will rank 10 PS2 games that simply aren't as good as you remember them.
10 Guitar Hero 2
Kickstarting the list we have Guitar Hero 2, which is a game that just isn't anywhere near as good as people nostalgically think it is, with many people just thinking about the franchise in general and how much fun they had smashing the guitar buttons. While the series was very popular, the fact is that the game itself was very repetitive and basic, feeling like it belonged in an arcade rather than on a console as there was no real incentive or story to it.
Sure, getting to stand with a guitar and pretending you're the next big rockstar was fun, but in terms of a video game, this one wasn't as good as people remember which is why the franchise eventually fizzled out.
9 Bully
This might be a controversial entry, as Bully does have a major fanbase who are all crying out for a sequel, and there is no doubt that the Rockstar game was a lot of fun, but this game probably isn't as good as you remember it being. Bully saw Rockstar create a Grand Theft Auto style game, but set in a school, and while it had some of the impressive aspects that GTA games had, there were many elements that weren't as good, such as the fact that the map itself is quite small and limited.
As well as that, this game does tend to become very repetitive, which meant that it did become boring and when you compare it to other offerings from a similar time from Rockstar, Bully really was lacking.
8 Gran Turismo 4
When you look at the Gran Turismo series as a whole, many people would claim that it is the greatest of all time in terms of racing games, building up a devoted fan base it is hard to argue against that. However, that doesn't mean every single game was great, and when you look back at it, Gran Turismo 4 tends to stick out as the worst of the bunch, with the game claiming to be a realistic driving simulator...which it wasn't.
While you can't blame them for the advertising, as it was one of the most advanced games at the time, it simply wasn't anywhere near what it said it was,
7 God Of War
This is another entry that might surprise some gamers due to the fact that the God Of War franchise is arguably the most popular in the history of PlayStation as a whole, but the original just isn't that great. While Kratos is an incredible character and the entire mythological storyline behind it is a lot of fun, the actual game itself is as basic as it comes, with this effectively being a button-bashing game at its very best.
If that's your thing, then this game will still hold up fairly well, but video games have moved on so much since this point that it looks a little basic in hindsight.
6 Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne
The Max Payne franchise is one that was massively praised by gamers and while the original game holds up fairly well, the sequel, Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne, isn't as good as you will remember it being.
A lot of people remember this game and think it was great due to how fun the original was and the film that was based upon it, but the reality of the situation is that the gameplay is nowhere near as exciting and the story takes a backward step to match.
5 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
It might be surprising to see Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on this list after all the GTA franchise is one of the most popular and successful in the history of video gaming, but this just isn't as good as people remember it to be.
While San Andreas is fun and as a GTA game you know what you're going to get, the problem is that it doesn't expand from previous installments, only adding very few real differences to make this game feel special. Because of that, this isn't as great as people might remember it to be, with most fans simply thinking it was a fantastic game due to it being a GTA video game.
4 Jak & Daxter
Naughty Dog had already built up quite the reputation for itself by the time that Jak & Daxter was released, with many people having huge expectations for what this game could be. Fans were obviously hoping for something similar to Crash Bandicoot, and while the game was fairly well-received in general, it isn't one that will be as good as you remember it to be.
Unlike Crash or Spyro, don't expect this to be getting a modern remake with enhanced graphics, because the characters just never connected and the gameplay itself just feels sluggish in comparison to similar games at the time.
3 Manhunt
Here is a game that got mega amounts of publicity, which made it one of the most famous PS2 games of all time, despite the fact that Manhunt actually made the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The game was torn apart due to its violence and blood, which led the press to do everything in their power to try and finish the game off, which only made people want to play it even more.
Because of that, Manhunt probably unfairly is remembered as a classic game, when in reality it was just talked about a lot and is actually a fairly average game that is purely there to shock the gamers.
2 Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal
When it comes to the PS2, many gamers will instantly think of the popular Ratchet and Clank series, with the two characters almost becoming the mascots for the console due to the number of high-quality games. Every Ratchet and Clank game is fun to play, but 2004's Up Your Arsenal did feel like a step back for the franchise, despite the fact that this is actually many people's favorite game in the series.
While the graphics were vastly improved and multiplayer was finally added, the fact is that the gameplay is very basic in this one in comparison to others, feeling a little too simplistic and easy.
1 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Star Wars video games have been incredibly hit and miss over the years, and one that was well-received generally was Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and while it was very popular if you look back it isn't as good as you will remember. It felt like the game was following the success of Battlefront 2 when in reality Force Unleashed was nowhere near that level, with the game feeling far too easy due to the character being too strong right from the very beginning.
While they did a great job with the story, a video game does always come down to the gameplay and sadly Force Unleashed just doesn't hold up.