PS2 Collecting – Thirteen Must-Have Titles For Any New Collector on a Budget

Michael Crisman writes: "PS2 collecting, especially if you’re just getting started and didn’t grow up with the system, can be overwhelming: the system’s complete game library clocks in at over eighteen hundred titles, and that’s not counting cross-regional variants where the same game was released in multiple territories. The good news is, not only is the PS2 hardware easy to find and inexpensive, but it’s home to some phenomenal software that will offer you hours of enjoyment for discount gaming dollars."

[MrSwankSinatra]

I miss the PS2 era, gaming was in a much better space back then.

[nitus10]

It does help when you have a backward compatible PS3 which can play PS2 games and even though the graphics are not as good as most PS3 or PS4 games it is still acceptable on large screen TV's. Unfortunately, PS1 games (all PS3's and PS2's can play them) look very grainy on large screen TV's and can look "odd" when the game was in the 4:3 aspect ratio originally, although there are exceptions.

Of course, graphics are not everything when playing an old game since the gameplay does not change but it does help make a great game even better if smoothing techniques are used.

BTW. I am no fan of new games being made with pixelated graphics for the so-called "retro look" although I would not object if the player had the option to turn off the pixelation.

[KilluaX3]

How so?

[Scar-]

You actually got complete games back then I can only think of two titles that had and needed patches and ZERO DLC, Free online(even though the interface was meh it was functional) and tons of Split screen titles and single player games.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@scar-no you simply got the perception of complete games

it's not as if expansions did not release or even sequels for all you know they were holding back content and simply selling you another game at full price, what exactly do you call Kingdom Hearts Remix?

I mean put it this way if you're greedy company for all you know they could just hold it back content for the sequel or purposely release this content in special editions like we got from Devil May Cry are you going to tell me that that content wasn't held back? But instead of paying a small fee you're buying the entire game over again 😂😂😂

But hey, buying the entire game over again for 2 features was way better than just spending 5 or 10 bucks right bro? /s

I also don't know if you got the memo but single player games still exist and they never went anywhere

[Dee_91]

@Scar-
"You actually got complete games back then"
me and my brother were amature glitch finders back in those days. Plenty of games were "incomplete".Now if you want to talk price to longevity ratio, we can talk, but as for games not needing patches back then, that's nonsense.. You wouldn't ask for a patch back then because patching games weren't a thing.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Ummmm ooook

Very little if any multiplayer experience, no patches so games released basically broken for life if they had issues, less games...

I'm sure you could enjoy the games that released at that time but please stop pretending as if all those limitations Were Somehow great. PlayStation 2 was one of my favorite systems but I'm not going to sit here pretend as if all those limitations helped. It had its fair share of flaws.

[MrSwankSinatra]

Smhhhh shut up man, that situation didn't even happen to games as much as the way you make it sound.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@mr-online multiplayer was not a concept with many games with the exception of some game, because games had no patches you had multiple games with issues

that is not me saying that subjectively, that is a fact. You're saying it didn't happen "as much as" but we're on Earth that I ever tell you the decree of it happening? I'm simply telling you that it happened. Smh when something was wrong with your game it was wrong for life, in fact the only way you would get it corrected was with reprints ie buy another version

[ShottyatLaw]

Respectable list. I feel your pain on the horror titles. The Fatal Frame trilogy was a pain to find complete at good prices. I'm not even considering the imports right now either.

I'd throw in Sonic Mega Collection + for the hedgehog fans. It's an inexpensive little collection I picked up recently. Good stuff.

[Wolf873]

Ps2 gave us one of the best era in horror in my opinion, we had lot more to choose from and they were all fairly enjoyable. I didn't find that to be the case with PS3 nor it is with PS4 sadly.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I bought all the Fatal Frame games on PlayStation Network as it was just for a cheaper than the physical copies on PlayStation 2.

[Fearmonkey]

I would add Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance and Dark Alliance II should be on this list. I wish they would remaster these games and re-release them on PS4/Xbox One/PC.

[Skuletor]

The PS2 was home to some of my favorite games of all time. Don't know how much they'd cost now but I'd recommend the Tekken games(especially 5 since it includes Tekken's 1, 2 and 3) Need for Speed: Underground 2 & Most Wanted, Devil May Cry 1 & 3, XIII and Resident Evil 4 among others.

[Lord_Sloth]

I just need to get my hands on some working PS2 controllers that are pressure sensitive.....

[_-EDMIX-_]

I would say titles like viewtiful Joe 1&2, killer 7, Onimusha series or much more titles to be coveted because they never really got ported to other platforms.

My Playstation 2 for the most part gets played the most for onimusha or viewtiful Joe.

I'm still surprised we actually never got a sequel to Black

[Skuletor]

I think Bodycount was it's spiritual successor, I own the game but still haven't played it yet, heard it's mediocre though.

[Fist4achin]

Black was awesome. I loved the ending and buildup to it! Fun times.

[Profchaos]

The PS2 GTA games were my favourites so far well worth a play through and actually look and play better than their recent HD renasters especially San Andreas.

When San Andreas was remastered in HD the blur and filters that gave it the warm look and hid all the rough edges were suddenly gone and it was ugly in 1080 not what you want in a remastered game.

[GameReviewGuy]

The Megaman Anniversary collection for PS2 could be another for this list. It really isn't expensive and had a bunch of older megaman games

[Fist4achin]

Some great memories there. They should bring back some of those titles. I'd love to play through some of those again and give a try to the ones I missed.

[BlaqMagiq1]

We can sit here all day and name countless gems from the PS2 but I'm glad someone remembered Hunter the Reckoning Wayward. It flew under the radar even when it released... sort of. But the multiplayer was fun as hell.

[ModernZorker]

Thank you, everyone, for such a positive response to this article! I especially like seeing all the love for Hunter the Reckoning: Wayward--it's awesome to know I wasn't the only one who loved that game to death. :)