I guess it’s an illustration of just how large the PS2’s library was that I’ve played a ton of PS2 games but not a single one from this thread’s original post.
I could talk about good PS2 games all day, but these are a few of my favorites that I think would still be absolutely worth playing today:
Silent Hill 2, 3, and 4
I probably don't need to say much about these. I didn't think I was interested in horror games other than Eternal Darkness until DaleNixon gave me a Konami demo disc that included the first 15 minutes-or-so of Silent Hill 4. I was hooked.ICO
My favorite game of its generation (though I've never been entirely clear on where to draw the dividing lines on the console generations). At the time, I was impressed with technical aspects of the game, such as the lighting, water, and distant vistas that you'd later visit. But the minimalist storytelling was and remains the game's biggest strength.Shadow of the Colossus
This one was also great. I don't know that anything before or since in video games has been quite as exhilarating as the fifth colossus. It was like being in The Neverending Story.Steambot Chronicles
Everything Irem produced for the PS2 is worth revisiting, but I am especially fond of Bumpy Trot. I still like to listen to the background music from that game. I never did try being "a bad guy."Shadow of Destiny
When a video game has multiple endings, I normally reach one of them and then maybe watch others on the Internet (or not even bother). But this game had branches that were actually worth exploring. Okay, to be honest, this was one of very few games that my wife liked and she was the one who got some of the endings while I just watched. But they were all worth seeing.Katamari Damacy
I'd been looking forward to this game, but I hadn't been keeping track of the release date. My sister called me to tell me that it was a bargain title and pretty much the best video game there is. Within the past year (since I got a PS4), I think this might be the game I've played the most on my PS3. (Yes, I re-bought it.)Phantom Brave
Easily my favorite NIS tactical RPG. In general, they seemed to be actively trying to dissuade me from playing their games despite some great mechanics with the irritating characters and throwaway story. I think Phantom Brave was their only attempt at a somewhat-serious narrative, and I appreciated not having to merely tolerate it. I liked the gridless mechanics as well. (Soul Nomad was also decent despite some grating dialogue.)That’s probably enough for one post.