Video games have become almost as popular as movies in recent years. Since the release of home video game consoles back in the early 1970s, video games have become an important part of many people’s childhoods. With 90s kids are all grown up now, many of them are wanting to go back and play some games from their childhood. Here are 10 PS2 games that you might have missed growing up.
The Mark of Kri is a total hidden gem that is loved by the few people who have played it. The game is a fantasy hack and slash that is full of mysticism and Polynesian undertones. You play as a great warrior named Rau whose mission is to stop an evil magician who has unleashed an ancient curse on your homeland. You go on many quests given to you by local villagers in order to stop the evil magician and his group of thugs.
This game was very unique in both story and gameplay. You have a pet falcon that you can send ahead of you to scope of enemies and traps. By looking through the eyes of the falcon you can also find many secrets and switches that will help you throughout your journey.
The combat system was also ahead of its time. You used the right analog stick to target enemies surrounding you. Each enemy will either have an x, circle, or square once they are highlighted in which you press the corresponding button to attack. If you highlight only one target, you can pull off very brutal finishing combos. If you are a fan of the hack and slash genre then you will definitely want to pick up Mark of Kri.
Cold Fear is an amazing horror game that was overshadowed by the legendary Resident Evil 4. Any video game fan knows that Resident Evil 4 was one of the most influential video games of all time. Unfortunately for Cold Fear, Resident Evil 4 was released 2 months before it was, causing people to overlook it leading to poor sales. Yes, Cold Fear and RE4 are very similar games but Cold Fear has just enough differences to make it worth your while.
The game is a survival horror game that takes place on a Russian whaling boat that has been overrun by a parasite that is turning people into zombies. You play as a United States Coast Guard named Tom Hansen whose mission is to figure out what has happened to the ship’s crew. After finding out that nearly the whole crew has been infected by this parasite, you try to figure out how all of this has happened.
Cold Fear was the second game to ever have the over the should camera view that RE4 made so popular. It is also the only game that I know of that uses realistic boat physics that helps emerge the players into the game. If you are a Resident Evil fan and want to play something new and exciting, then Cold Fear is for you.
Blood Will Tell has one of the most unique storylines of any video game. It is based on the Japanese Manga series Dororo which follows a hero named Hyakkimaru who has had most of his body parts stolen by 48 fiends. Your body parts have been replaced by weapons that you use to fight demons and fiends in order to get your limbs back. The story sounds absolutely ridiculous, but someone Blood Will Tell manages to pull it off.
One of the craziest aspects of this hack and slash game is the weapons that have replaced your body parts. Your arms have been replaced with swords, your knee in a cannon, and your elbow is a Gatling gun. The first level is in black and white because you have not recovered your eyes yet. As you recover more and more body parts, your fighting ability increases. Again, this sounds like an insane concept but somehow Blood Will Tell pulls it off.
Because Blood Will Tell’s story is so weird, it did not sell well and is one of the rarest and most expensive games on the system. The average cost of the game during the time of writing this article is over 175 dollars for a complete in box copy! If you can find this game cheap, you will definitely want to pick this one up.
This is another underrated hack and slash/stealth for the PS2. Shadows of Rome follow 2 storylines, one focusing on hardcore action while the other one focuses on stealth. The game is probably best known for being one of the bloodiest games for the system. If you can handle the brutal fight scenes in the game then you will find hours and hours of fun.
The game is about a Roman soldier named Agrippa who joins the gladiatorial games in order to save his father after he was falsely accused of murdering Julius Caesar. While Agrippa is fighting in the colosseum, his best friend Octavianus tries to find evidence that will set Agrippa’s father free.
You play Agrippa during the fighting sequences and then switch to Octavianus during the stealth missions. The combat with Agrippa is some of the most enjoyable and over the top fighting sequences on the PS2. Octavianus’ missions are definitely not the best and can sometimes be frustrating but if you can power through it, Shadow of Rome will not disappoint any fan of brutal hack and slash games.
If you ask any hardcore PS2 fan what are some of the most underrated games on the system, most of them will list Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy. This action-adventure shooter mixes high paced run and gunning with sci-fi telekinesis elements.
You play as a “PSI-Operative” named Nick Scryer whose memory has been erased in order for him to infiltrate a terrorist organization. During his infiltration, he is captured and must fight his way out with the help of a double agent named Sara.
Most people remember this game’s entertaining ragdoll physics. You can use your telekinesis powers to pick up enemies and throw them across the room while they flail in the air. You can spend hours just throwing enemies into things and not progress in the story. This is what sets Psi-Ops apart from run and gun games. If you enjoy games like Max Payne or Mercenaries, you will love Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy.
This first and third-person horror shooter is a favorite among action horror fans. The game is very simplistic which allows almost anyone to pick up and play it without having a difficult learning curve. The story was also very mature for the early 2000s which lead to some controversy upon its release.
You play as a death row inmate named Torque who just arrives at Abbot State Penitentiary. As soon as you get to your new jail cell, the prison becomes overrun with demon-like creatures who will kill anything in their path. You must fight your way out of the prison while uncovering the truth about your crime.
The Suffering incorporates strange supernatural elements in the gameplay as well as the storyline. Torque can transform into a demon creature after maxing out his rage meter. This allows you to take out many enemies with ease when you become overwhelmed. All the demon creatures you face in the game are based on forms of execution. One is based on lethal injection while another is based on the electric chair. All of them are very unique and very eerie looking. This is a must-own for anyone into horror or action games.
Beyond Good and Evil is an outstanding sci-fi adventure game that was very ahead of its time. The game has a very loyal cult following who are still passionate about it today. A sequel was announced a few years ago but very little information has been leaked to the fans.
Beyond Good and Evil is about an investigative reporter and martial artist named Jade who is apart of a resistance movement that reveals an alien conspiracy that will affect the whole planet. You go on many missions where you solve puzzles and fight enemies to uncover evidence about this conspiracy. The story is very complex full of twists and turns that you will never see coming.
The game borrows elements from almost all video game genres and manages to do it well. This made the game hard to market since the developers were not sure who the target audience would be. Many fans of shooters do not like slow placed adventure games and many RPG fans don’t like fight heavy beat em ups. This caused the game to sell poorly even though it got very good ratings by critics. This is a must-play for any video game fan. It is not hard to find so pick it up next time you are at a retro game store.
Dark Cloud 2, or Dark Chronicle as it is known overseas, is an RPG that does not get the credit it deserves. It is the sequel to the average game Dark Cloud which might be the reason it was overlooked. Dark Cloud 2 expands on the first game’s storyline and added a ton of new elements that makes the game surpass the original.
The games storyline is very detailed, and it would be impossible to explain it all in a few sentences. You basically play as characters Max and Monica after Max receives a strange red stone that an evil creature named Griffon is trying to find. Griffon has destroyed most of the world in his search for this stone. It is up to Max and Monica to rebuild the world and stop Griffon’s reign of terror.
Dark Cloud 2 uses world-building mechanics that you don’t see in many RPG games. You can build villages just like you would cities in games like SimCity 3 or Black and White. This causes the player to have a connection to each city they build. You also raid many caves and dungeons just like most RPGs but what really sets this game apart is the city building and fun characters. Any RPG fan can have loads of fun with Dark Cloud 2.
The Punisher is an ultra-violent 3ed person shooter based on the popular comic book. The actor who played Frank Castle (the Punisher) in the 2004 film of the same name actually did the voice acting in the game. Because of this, the voice acting is top-notch.
The plot of The Punisher is a mix of the 2004 movie and Vol. 5 and 6 of the comic book. There are many iconic Marvel characters in the game such as Iron Man and Black Widow which is a nice touch for Marvel fan. You play as Frank Castle and blast your way through Mafia members to get your revenge for the death of your family.
The game is very violent and actually had to be censored prior to its release in 2004. You can interrogate random members of the mafia to get information. Occasionally you run into special interrogations where you pretty much torture the enemy to get what you want. This is censored in the game but it was still shocking for the time period. Overall the game is great and stays true to the comic books. Any fan of The Punisher will be very happy with this game.
Aggressive Inline is a rollerblading game that is very similar to the Tony Hawk Pro Skater skateboarding franchise. It came out at the height of the THPS hype and tried to capitalize on its popularity. There were tons of THPS rip-offs at the time so many people looked at Aggressive Inline and thought it was just another generic extreme sports game. The game might be a bit generic, but it is jam-packed with fun missions to complete and tricks to pull off.
Aggressive Inline doesn’t have much of a storyline besides going around completing missions for different people in each level. The missions range from getting a high score to collecting items just like you would see in THPS but on skates instead of a skateboard.
Many skateboarding fans do not like inline skaters for some reason (not sure why) which might be why the game is not more popular. When it was released skateboarding was the big thing among young people and not inline skating. Regardless if you skate or not this game is a lot of fun and a good way to kill some hours. If you liked the THPS then you will like Aggressive Inline.
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