In 2025, Sony PlayStation 2 will be 25 years old - it is the best-selling game console in history with a total circulation of 160 million devices sold. PS2 earned its status primarily thanks to its legendary game library. In connection with the anniversary, we are releasing a second selection of projects that you can play today. The only difference: this time we will talk about franchises that were not very popular in Russia in the 2000s, but are known throughout the world.
Yakuza and Yakuza 2
In recent years, the Yakuza franchise - now known as Like a Dragon - has only been gaining momentum: more and more new games are regularly released, the release of which takes place all over the world simultaneously in different languages. They even started translating them into Russian! But it all started in 2005 and 2006 on PlayStation 2, where the first two parts were released.
These games tell the story of a former member of the Yakuza - a Japanese criminal group - named Kiryu Kazuma. He took the blame for the murder of his family's boss, committed by his half-brother, and went to prison for 10 years. Upon his return to freedom, Kiryu finds himself embroiled in a major internecine struggle for 10 billion yen, the key to which is a little girl named Haruka - the daughter of his old acquaintance.
The Yakuza series is a beat 'em up game where the protagonist fights hordes of enemies and bosses with his fists. The player must upgrade and learn many different combos to effectively cope with difficulties.
A small area of Tokyo called Kamuro-cho is available for you to explore, where there are many activities to entertain you: karaoke, bowling, golf, a combat arena and much more. There are more than enough mini-games and interesting events here!
Side quests also stand out - there are many of them here and the quality of their development is in no way inferior to the main story. But there is a nuance: if the main plot is a criminal drama, then the side quests are mostly entertaining, which creates a strong contrast.
In the second part, another large location is added to Kamuro-cho - the Osaka area, which is called Sotenbori. At least half of the sequel's story unfolds in it, and its development is as thorough as that of Kamuro-cho, to which its own special atmosphere is added..
The plot of the sequel is in no way inferior to the original in terms of drama and depth. Many fans, on the contrary, consider the second part even better than the first!
Atlus Games: Persona 3, Persona 4 and Shin Megami Tensei III
The Shin Megami Tensei series and its spin-off, the Persona franchise from ATLUS developers, are cult JRPG franchises. The third part of SMT and the third and fourth Persona were released on PlayStation 2.
All these games are Japanese "role-playing games" with turn-based battles, a deep story and other attributes characteristic of the genre. The difference was in who exactly was the companion of the protagonists: if in "Personas" there were full-fledged parties of living heroes with their own history, then in SMT the partners were monsters that the player had to recruit into his squad. The atmosphere also differed: Persona had many psychological undertones and hidden meanings associated with them, while SMT had a classic epic about angels and demons.
In Shin Megami Tensei 3, modern Tokyo is destroyed by the apocalypse and the world turns into hell on Earth. The main character - a schoolboy - receives demonic powers and becomes a Demi-fiend, entering into conflict with the forces of order and chaos. In the final, he makes a choice: create a new world, return the old one, or leave everything as it is - it depends on the player's views.
In the third and fourth "Personas", the franchise was transformed, after which it began to gain popularity. Since then, Persona games have told about the school life of the protagonists dealing with mysticism: during the day, the player had to go to school and work or devote time - the amount of which was limited - to his comrades, developing relationships with them. All this gave bonuses in battle. And at night, you could make a sortie into the dungeon to advance in the investigation of mysterious events and/or save someone.
The plot of Persona 3 revolved around the 25th hour of the day, which only a select few were able to experience. At this time, instead of a school, a huge Tartarus tower grew in the city, which had more than two hundred floors. Their research had to be done in order to get to the truth.
The story of Persona 4 told about the abduction of people who were somehow connected with the weather - as soon as it started to rain, someone from the town disappeared and ended up inside a mystical dimension. You could get into it through a TV screen late at night - here players had to conduct a full-fledged detective investigation and look for the villain.
Okami
In 2006, game designer Hideki Kamiya, famous for creating the Devil May Cry and Bayonetta series, decided to experiment by releasing the Okami project. The developers were the now-closed Clover Studio, and the publishers were Capcom.
The game takes place in the fictional country of Nippon - mythological Japan - and the main character is the sun goddess Amaterasu, represented as a white wolf. The antagonist was the demon Orochi, who had to be defeated, returning peace and tranquility to Nippon.
The game is somewhat similar to The Legend of Zelda series: battles, platforming, puzzles, exploration, and so on. The main "feature" of the gameplay was the Celestial Brush - a special mechanic where the player can pause the game and "draw" special signs that directly affect the game world. You can cut something, make it bloom, burn it, fix it, and so on.
The brush's ink was limited, but it was restored over time, which forced you not only to use your imagination, but also to correctly calculate your strength. All this made it possible to embody in-game magic in the gameplay, which only enhanced the atmosphere of the Okami world.
Players praised the creative approach, unusual visual style and music of the project. Despite the lack of loud financial success, the game is still remembered: in 2008 and 2012 it was re-released on Wii and PlayStation 3, and in 2017-2018 an HD remaster was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch. In 2024, a sequel was announced - Okami 2 - about which there has been no news since then.
Psychonauts
The original "Psychonauts" was released in 2005. Despite its financial failure, the project became a cult. The game was developed by Double Fine Productions, and the project manager was game designer Tim Schafer, who had been nurturing his idea since 1995.
The main character is Razputin "Raz" Aquato - a 10-year-old boy with extrasensory abilities. He runs away from his family and enters a secret camp where special cadets are trained for the elite organization of Psychonauts - psychic spies fighting against psychic terrorists.
Raz joins the students, trains and develops his powers, but suddenly discovers a sinister conspiracy: someone is stealing the brains of children. He dives into the subconscious of the characters, deals with their traumas, phobias and memories in order to save his friends and the entire camp. The story is full of black humor, references to films/books and psychological themes, which are emphasized.
The project combines a 3D platformer with travels through other people's minds, where each level is a surreal world through which the protagonist has to make his way with the help of telekinesis, levitation, pyrokinesis and invisibility.
The game was loved for its creativity, humor and courage. In 2021, a sequel was released, which was also liked by players and received high reviews.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
The eighth part of the cult JRPG series from Square Enix was released in 2004 on PlayStation 2. The game became the first major project of the franchise, made in full 3D.
The protagonist was the silent guard of the kingdom of Trodain. One day, the evil sorcerer Doulemagus, who was a jester, curses the castle and its inhabitants, including the king and his daughter - Princess Medea - turning them into a troll and a horse. Only the main character and Yangus - a former thief loyal to the king - escape the spells. Together, with the king and Yangus, they embark on a journey through a fantasy world, gathering a squad, uncovering the secrets of the curse and fighting the darkness.
The game touches on the classic themes of Japanese "role-playing games": friendship, battles of good and evil, travel and duty, legacy and redemption. It's full of humor, and the story has two endings: romantic or adventurous.
You can explore the world in several ways: walk on your own two feet, swim on a ship, fly on a bird and move on a huge pet Sablecote, which makes huge jumps, which is very convenient. It is given out approximately in the middle of the passage.
The game has alchemy, a special gladiatorial arena with monsters that need to be raised, and random battles that cannot be avoided during exploration. The combat system in Dragon Quest VIII is turn-based, with a focus on the active fighter. The squad consists of four characters, which you select in each round of the battle. Simple, but deep - you don't need to "grind" a lot, and in battles you can rely on tactics.
Today, Dragon Quest VIII is considered one of the best games in the series!
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Another legendary JRPG series from Square Enix is represented on PlayStation 2 by three parts at once: the tenth, eleventh and twelfth. All three became cult to varying degrees, but it was the twelfth that turned out to be the most unusual.
Firstly, it stands out for the theme of the plot: a political epic with intrigues and twists. This is an adult story about freedom, loss and the fate of entire empires. In future installments, Square Enix tried to repeat this scheme, especially in the sixteenth, but it was here that the narrative turned out to be the most balanced.
The story tells about a young orphan thief named Vaan from Rabanastre - the capital of the small kingdom of Dalmasca. This state is notable for the fact that it is located between two large empires and when a war breaks out between them, Dalmasca finds itself under occupation. Vaan joins a pirate squad and goes on a journey across continents, fighting invaders and uncovering the secrets of magical stones and ancient gods.
Secondly, the battles in Final Fantasy XII are a mixture of turn-based battles and real-time action. You can dodge and strike, and when the Active Dimension Battle (ADB) scale is filled, you can pause the game and choose which skill to use.
The combat system is also notable for the fact that the player can set a behavior model for his characters using the Gambit system. This is literally programming heroes to act in the style of "If [condition], then [action]". For example, if a character's health is less than 50%, then an ally can start healing him, because you said in advance: "If a friend is injured - heal. Otherwise - hit the weakest enemy." Enemies act according to the same system.
A free camera helps to control the battlefield - Final Fantasy XII became the first single-player game in the franchise where you can rotate the viewing angle 360 degrees. This also helps when exploring, since there are no random battles in the game and you are free to avoid clusters of enemies.
Onimusha: Warlords
Samurai themes, seasoned with a supernatural component, are one of the most popular trends in video games in Japan. So Capcom decided to join the list of such games by releasing the Onimusha: Warlords project in 2001.
The source of inspiration was another cult franchise of developers - Resident Evil. The project inherited a fixed camera, "tank" control, puzzles, QTE segments and epic demon bosses from it.
Players had to run through corridors and small locations, wielding a sword, bow and cannons. Battles focused on combinations and parries, and with the help of a special artifact - the Demon Hand - you could use four elements: ice, fire, lightning and wind.
The story unfolded in 1582 in Japan during the Sengoku period. The main character was a samurai named Samanosuke Akechi - he received the Demon Hand from the kind Oni and, uniting with the kunoichi Kaede, attacked Oda Nobunaga's castle. All in order to save his sister from imprisonment.
In 2018, an HD remaster of the project was released, and you can play the original "Onimusha" today on all current platforms.
Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Dexter and Sly Cooper
During the PlayStation 2 era, there were three franchises that became iconic for Sony. These were platformers that told about characters who became real symbols of PlayStation: Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Dexter and Sly Cooper.
The Ratchet and Clank series of games were created by Insomniac Games. Four games were released on the sixth generation console at once, but the very first of them deserved the most cult status.
The plot tells about the mechanic Ratchet - a representative of the Lombax race from the desert planet Welding - who dreams of space and at the same time works on his own ship. One day he saves a small robot Clank, who warns about the plans of Chairman Drek from the Blarg race. The villain intends to rebuild the galaxy: to do this, he destroys planets in his path. The heroes unite, go on a journey, find allies and challenge the antagonist.
The story is linear, full of humor and satire, and also emphasizes the theme of friendship. In addition, the game has various side quests and bonus levels that can captivate the player and tell more about the world. In terms of gameplay, this is a 3D platformer combined with a third-person shooter. The protagonist has access to more than 20 types of weapons, a jetpack, a hoverboard, an analogue of a grappling hook, and so on.
In 2016, a remake of the same name was released on PlayStation 4, but the original game still feels great.
The Jak and Dexter series of games were developed by Naughty Dog. Four games were also released on PS2. The first part was released in 2001 and became the start of a big story with time travel and other related elements.
The main characters are a duo of Jak - a 15-year-old silent guy, - and his friend Dexter, who, on the contrary, loves to chat. The couple decides to violate the ban of their mentor Seimos and visit the mysterious foggy island. There they witness how incomprehensible people want to find artifacts of the ancient civilization of the Precursors. The heroes tried to hide, but they were noticed by a guard, during a scuffle with whom Dexter fell into a pool with a special energy - Dark Eco. Because of this, Jak's friend turns into an otter - a talking otter. In order to return him to his original appearance, the protagonists go on a journey in search of the Master of Dark Eco, but they realize that something is wrong here, because someone is kidnapping all the masters.
The gameplay of Jak and Dexter is a pure 3D platformer with an open world, where the emphasis is on seamless exploration, platforming, collecting items and simple battles.
The world contains several hub locations with missions, but you are free to move in any direction with an automatic third-person camera. The game features the Eco system - a special life force that can be used for different effects: from healing to destroying obstacles - it all depends on the color of the applied force.
The second and third parts of Jak became much darker than the first. An open world appears, a semblance of life systems like in GTA, and the story is gaining momentum: the metalhead race is gaining strength to conquer the world and seize all the reserves of Eco energy into their own hands. Jak, irradiated with dark Eco in the metalhead laboratory, becomes one of the main resistance fighters, but at the same time begins to lose control of himself. And only Dexter keeps his partner on the "light side".
The Sly Cooper franchise is a cult series of stealth platformers from Sucker Punch. The first three parts were released on PS2, after which the development passed to the Sanzaru Games studio.
The protagonist is a raccoon thief named Sly Cooper. Together with his gang, consisting of the turtle hacker Bentley and the hippopotamus strongman Murray, they steal artifacts from villains around the world and return them to their rightful owners. All the games are linked together by one story about revenge, honor among thieves and friendship in the style of a noir comic.
The gameplay focuses on stealth passage, acrobatics and teamwork of characters, between which you can switch. To pass platforming segments, the player has: a double jump, sliding on ropes and rails, jumping over obstacles, the ability to cling to hooks, and so on. There are also battles that focus on combinations and timing.
If the first part was a linear story, then the second added a choice of missions and several hub locations, and in the third there was an open world at all.
Shadow of the Colossus and ICO
Sony PlayStation 2 became home to two games by Japanese game designer Fumito Ueda - Shadow of the Colossus and ICO. Ueda is famous for using interesting mechanics and storytelling methods. His games stood out thanks to a minimalist plot without dialogues, an emotional connection between the characters, a unique visual style with overexposed lighting, an emphasis on exploring the world and the theme of cooperation.
So, in Ico, the main character helps a mysterious girl Yorda escape from the castle, communicating with her non-verbally. Yorda is slow and you will not be able to move further without her: you have to wait for her to open magical doors, help her climb ledges, and so on. You literally need to lead her by the hand, speeding up the girl, preventing her from lagging behind and creating a connection between the heroes - as if you are responsible for her, as for your child.
In Shadow of the Colossus, the protagonist had to defeat 16 huge colossi, which first had to be found in a huge world and then figure out how to defeat them - you had to find your own approach to each. All in order to resurrect the protagonist's beloved, who was sacrificed by her own people. Shadow of the Colossus became a cult classic and was later re-released twice. Today you can appreciate not only the original on PS2, but also the HD remaster on PS3, as well as a full remake on PS4 - both times Bluepoint Games was engaged in the game.
Both projects did not become commercially super successful, but they were remembered for their sensual components and the unique style of the game designer - they can and should be played even today.
