PlayStation 2 is home to some of the most iconic games out there, and most of us have at least a few titles that bring back fond memories. However, revisiting old favorites is sometimes risky because, let's be honest, nostalgia lies and often makes us believe that things were much better than they actually were.
This is especially true considering how much gaming has changed over the past two decades. In any case, there are also those PS2 classics that will definitely be able to surprise you with their gameplay mechanics that still hold up remarkably well today. Of course, they all have their flaws as well, but I think revisiting them today might make you appreciate them even more, regardless of the fact that those PS2 days are long gone.
The Suffering
Horror That Doesn't Sacrifice Action
The Suffering is a psychological horror action game that was released in 2004, and it follows a prisoner called Torque who is sentenced to death for murdering his wife and children. However, he can't really remember what happened. I really like this premise, but it's good to mention that I always find it kind of entertaining when a protagonist doesn't remember weird events, forcing you to piece everything together.
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0 POINTS — More GamesHowever, he is not all helpless. The Suffering gives him considerable offensive power, but it still manages to keep the experience disturbing. Its monster designs are some of the most memorable ones I have ever seen because they're connected to different methods of execution and the prison's violent history, so it's not just about some generic creatures. Moreover, the relationship between the gameplay and the protagonist's psychological state is very interesting as well, because the player's moral decisions influence how Torque remembers his past.
For example, whether you help or kill innocent survivors will change the visions the protagonist experiences, which in turn influences which version of his family's death is revealed. In other words, you actually participate, not just watch the events unfold. The game also allows you to switch between first-person and third-person perspectives, which is a pretty nice addition, especially considering that the game heavily uses its prison setting to incorporate environmental storytelling.
The Suffering Survival Horror Shooter Systems Released March 9, 2004Resident Evil Outbreak
Cooperative Horror Where Communication Isn't Guaranteed
Resident Evil Outbreak is all about cooperation. However, it's a bit different from many modern cooperative horror games where players can communicate constantly through voice chat because the game originally relied on a limited selection of preset messages and gestures. This basically means that it forces players to pay attention to what their teammates are doing much more than we are used to. This creates a stronger sense of dependence on other players and makes surviving dangerous situations a lot more rewarding.
However, the game also allows independence as well, and it doesn't force everyone to stay together all the time. More specifically, players can split up to explore different rooms and solve puzzles, but they should be very careful because there's a higher risk of encountering an enemy without having anyone nearby to help. This approach creates a genuine dilemma between working with other people as a team and exploring something interesting on your own.
Moreover, the game makes helping an injured teammate genuinely risky because when a survivor takes too much damage, they can collapse and begin crawling, which makes everything worse. You can help them by physically supporting them. While you're doing this, there's a chance for the other person to turn into a zombie and attack you. In other words, certain situations make cooperation dangerous for the entire group. The game has a genuinely interesting approach to cooperation, and if you have never played Resident Evil Outbreak before, this is your sign to do so.
Resident Evil Outbreak Released March 31, 2004NBA Street
Arcade Basketball Where Showing Off Can Win You the Game
NBA Street was released in 2001, and it is an arcade basketball game published by EA Sports BIG. Contrary to what you might be expecting, it does not recreate professional basketball, but it focuses on three-on-three streetball where players have to perform ridiculous dunks and various other tricks and compete against real NBA stars. This is arguably a great premise. When you manage to perform nice tricks and passes, you get to build the Gamebreaker meter, which allows you to score points while subtracting them from your opponents at the same time.
However, you should be aware that if an opponent steals the ball before you manage to complete a trick sequence, the points accumulated during the sequence are lost. Moreover, you can recruit members of the teams you defeat or invest in your custom character and get development points for the create-a-player system. Generally, rosters are limited to 15 players, so you have to constantly think about whom to keep.
This gives the game more of a long-term progression system, although initially the title looks like it has a simple, straightforward arcade premise. And although modern basketball simulators often offer more realistic gameplay, NBA Street will always remain a classic because it just knows how to combine immediately accessible matches with strategic decision-making and long-term achievements.
NBA Street Released June 9, 2001Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
A Fighting Game That Turns Every Arena Into a Weapon
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an action-adventure game that doesn't follow the franchise's traditional one-on-one fighting format. Instead, it allows you to step into the shoes of Liu Kang or Kung Lao through a campaign inspired by the events of Mortal Kombat 2. It is hands down one of the most interesting entries in the franchise, and it basically takes the brutal combat that makes Mortal Kombat so great and builds an action-adventure game around it.
You can fight groups of enemies and explore interconnected environments, but the best part is that the surroundings can become part of the fight. For example, you're free to launch your enemies into environmental hazards, which means that positioning is just as important as dealing damage. I would say that this is especially satisfying when you're facing multiple opponents.
Shaolin Monks also supports cooperative play, so you can get a friend and fight together as a team. Even today, the combination of exploration and environmental combat in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks simply has no equal.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Released September 19, 2005Mister Mosquito
Making an Ordinary Household Feel Like a Dangerous World
Mister Mosquito is one of the weirdest games I've ever played on PlayStation 2, but maybe that's why it is so memorable. As strange as it sounds, you control a mosquito that must collect blood from members of the Yamada family to survive the winter. I don't know about you, but I could never come up with something like this, as much as I would like to be able to.
It is such a simple premise, and it reminds me of Kissing in the Office from 2010. You basically have to secretly kiss your coworker in the office while your boss isn't looking, and if he catches you, you lose. Either way, Mister Mosquito does exceptional work at transforming an ordinary Japanese household into a dangerous environment where even the smallest mistakes can have huge consequences.
The family members follow their daily routines that players can manipulate when they interact with different household objects, but collecting blood requires you to rotate the right analog stick at the correct speed while monitoring the victim's irritation levels. Obviously, becoming too greedy results in a deadly swat. No matter how much time passes, Mister Mosquito will always remain remarkably creative and fun to play.
Mister Mosquito Action Simulation Systems Released March 13, 2002Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
A Racing Game That Rewards Skill Over Speed
Gran Turismo 3 is more highly regarded than other games in this article, but it's inclusion comes down to how well it has aged.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec has always been an incredibly impressive title, and it remains one to this day because its strengths go far beyond the amazing visuals. Usually, arcade racers prioritize immediate excitement, but here, the biggest challenge is learning how the cars behave and improving your driving skills. This is most noticeable when you try to switch between vehicles, and you have no idea what you're doing.
In other words, getting better at the game actually feels like an achievement, and you have to spend time mastering individual tracks and experimenting with different vehicles rather than just relying on faster cars to win the game. Moreover, the title offers both Arcade and Simulation modes, so it's accessible to people who want quick races and to players who want access to more realistic driving. Generally, it's surprising how well the driving physics and handling still hold up today, considering that the game was released 25 years ago. I can definitely say that the precision and control it offers are impressive even by today's standards.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec Racing Systems Released April 28, 2001
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