Summary
ThePS2era of gamingis fondly remembered by a huge number of adult gamers who grew up with the system. It had an absurd number of games for its time, many of which are still considered classics of the industry. Yes, it’s true that, as technology in gaming has evolved, not all of these classics have stood the test of time, but many are in fact still fun to play, to the point that modern games are compared to them (and in some cases, even coming up short).
This is particularly true for open-world games from this era, as this genre of game has reached a kind of preeminence among modern audiences since then. Here are just a fewopen-world games on the PS2 that are still fun to play.
While racing games felt like they were a dime a dozen back in the PS2 days, the originalNeed for Speed: Most Wantedwas among the most polished for its time. Asa racing game,Most Wantedquite simply holds up perfectly well, and gives the player plenty of things to do as they explore the open world, completing various racing circuits and events as part of the story.
The open worlditself is grittier and more industrial than the prior games, but roughly as large, and traversing it isn’t too difficult due to the excellent driving mechanics and strong map design. The game is still one of the best-selling in the wholeNFSfranchise.
The Hulk has shockingly few games to his name, despite being one of the most popularMarvel characters. Then again, it’d be hard to topUltimate Destruction, as it captured what it would feel like to be the Hulk very well. The game makes the world the player’s sandbox, giving them the power to level buildings, use cars as weapons, flick enemies great distances, and much more.
Much likeSpider-Man 2, this game has aged well primarily because of how it feels to play. The Hulk’s movement is satisfying, his powers are thoughtfully translated into game mechanics, and the open world is both spacious and malleable. It’s a shame the series was never revisited.
While it’s otherwise known as “GTAfor kids,“The Simpsons: Hit & Runis, in many ways, just as remarkable today as it was in 2003. It is, to date, the onlySimpsons3D open world game, and the first one to map out the setting of Springfield. What sets this game apart from other open worldGTA-like games is the character of Springfield itself.Hit & Runis loaded with gags and references to the hit show, as well as many of its most recognizable characters.
The driving is still fun even by today’s standards, with different vehicles having their own feel and personality. The game’s three maps, although sadly not interconnected without mods, are distinct and easy to navigate. While it’s true that the final few missions are a pain, they are totally doable if the player puts the work into getting a feel for driving throughout the game.
It’s an impressive thing to be the PS2 standard that even modernSpider-Mangames are held to. Arguably one of the best movie tie-in games ever made,Spider-Man 2has probably the best web swinging out of any game featuring the character, which is saying a lot. Even the recently-releasedInsomniacMarvel’sSpider-Man 2can’t escape the comparisons to this 2004 game.
That is how well it holds up. It’s the physics and speed of swinging through New York fluidly that makes this PS2 game so much fun. Sure, the combat and leveling system that ties into it are still great, as are the boss fights and enemy variety, but no game has captured the feeling of being Spider-Man quite the same way since.
One ofthe best trilogies in gaming,Jak & Daxterhas stood the test of time and proven to be one of the best gaming experiences one can have even 20 years after its release. The movement mechanics are fluid, making platforming fun, and the combat is simple yet challenging. This is also a series that evolved with each entry to meet the demands of the gaming landscape, with elements like gunplay and even combat racing eventually making their way into the core game design.
The series is also considered a pioneer of open-world design, as each game features a mostly seamless transition between areas, with distant areas able to be visited at will. The ongoing story is also only slightly dated in certain areas, but on the whole, benefits from strong voice acting and characters, amazing music, and top-notch world building.
