5 Best PS2 Games With Great Stories

The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling system of all time. That means developers pumped out thousands of games for the platform, hoping to capture a slice of Sony’s gigantic audience. Many of those games turned into all-time classics that players still talk about to this day. Not only that, the PS2 came at a time when many players were growing up, leading to more mature games launching than in previous generations. With that came better storytelling. Previous generations had their fair share of great tales, but the PS2 felt like a step up in that department.

With that in mind, here are five of the best games on the PS2 that impressed with phenomenal stories. Please note that I’ll be trying to stay away from spoilers, so don’t worry about ruining anything for yourself.

5) Persona 4

Persona 3 was the big game-changer for Atlus. The series had always been known for its high school setting, but P3 introduced social links. Building these bonds with NPCs opened up several avenues for storytelling potential, instantly becoming one of the standout features of the series.

You could easily slip P3 into this spot, but I think Persona 4 was enough of a step up to overtake the original. Persona 4‘s cast of characters is slightly stronger than Persona 3, leading to more memorable side stories. Plus, the big twist was a true jaw-dropper. Sure, Golden on the Vita makes the whole story stronger, but the base game is more than good enough to earn this spot.

4) Ico

Ico is one of the best hidden gems in the history of video games. Despite being universally well-regarded by critics, players just didn’t show up for Fumito Ueda’s masterpiece. It also manages to tell one of the most moving tales on the PlayStation 2 with almost zero dialogue.

Players control Ico as he tries to rescue Yorda from the evil queen. That might not sound groundbreaking, but Yorda isn’t like most companions at the time. She is easily damaged, so you have to take great care getting her through the castle’s many challenges. This tension builds a relationship between the player and Yorda, which makes the ending that much sweeter. Ico is an excellent example of a story that’s best told in an active medium like video games.

3) Silent Hill 2

The Silent Hill series been the more serious side of the survival horror genre. While Resident Evil heavily trades in camp and over-the-top characters, Silent Hill is much more interested in exploring adult themes and psychological horror. Silent Hill 2 represents the peak of the series.

Players step into the shoes of James Sunderland, who is dealing with grief after the death of his wife, Mary. As mentioned at the top, I won’t spoil where James’ journey goes, but Silent Hill 2 is a gut-punch of a video game that also happens to include a few genuinely terrifying moments. Thankfully, it received a remake in 2024, so it’s relatively easy to play these days.

2) Final Fantasy X

Square Enix’s first Final Fantasy game on the PS2 is also one of the series’ best entries. That’s saying something, considering how strong the Final Fantasy series has been over its many decades. For FFX, the thing that drew a lot of players in was the stunning visuals. Square absolutely knocked it out of the park when we’re talking about pure lookers on the PS2.

Thankfully, it also proved to have substance to go with the style. Final Fantasy X takes players on a world-spanning adventure to stop Sin. It’s full of twists and turns that keep players on their toes, and several of the characters have become fan favorites over the years. If you’re looking for a complex storyline to explore on the PS2, you can’t go wrong with this one.

1) Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid series has long been one of the most popular series in video games. From the start, Kojima and his team showed a mastery of cinematic storytelling that was leaps and bounds ahead of everything else on the market. Some might put Metal Gear Solid 2 in this slot, but I think the prequel is ever so slightly stronger.

Part of that might come down to a preference for Snake over Raiden, but taking the action back to the 1960s to see the origins of Big Boss proved to be a masterstroke for Kojima. It also doesn’t hurt that the new camouflage system was a blast. That said, the star of the show was the relationship between Naked Snake and The Boss. It’s a moving story filled with heart-stopping moments that everyone should experience.

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