We’re at the middle of the road with numbers 15 through 11! Read on to see which PS2 games made the cut and should be part of your collection, no questions asked!
Missed our previous post, get caught up here:
#25 – #21
#20 – #16
15. Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
Originally introduced to market as a GameCube exclusive, Capcom thought it would be a wise move to bring Resident Evil 4 over to the PlayStation 2, complete with some bonus content tied in with side character Ada Wong. The results turned out to be quite good, as Resident Evil 4 truly shined on the system. Featuring eye-popping graphics (for the time), incredible boss battles (El Gigante is a handful), and some truly intense situations, it proved to be one of the best in the RE series to date. And the extra Ada missions definitely added some extra replay value. This one goes for about $10 new these days, so if you somehow missed out on it before, now’s the perfect time to play catch-up. (And if you still can’t find it, relax – it’ll be released in HD form late in September on PSN and Xbox Live.)
14. Star Wars: Battlefront II (LucasArts)
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, LucasArts thought it would be an awesome idea to create a multiplayer-oriented mission game, where you controlled members of the Empire and Rebel Alliance as you battled through objectives and fought for control points. The original Battlefront followed this pattern quite well, but the sequel expanded on it with a new Galactic Conquest mode, the introduction of Jedi characters (they mow through Stormtroopers like grass), online multiplayer, and some great new gameplay tweaks. The Force is truly strong with this sequel…which leaves us to ask, where the hell is part three already?!
13. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Activision)
The original Guitar Hero did wonders for introducing the world to a new music/rhythm revolution, involving an actual guitar. Guitar Hero II went even further with a better set-list and a versus mode. But it’s with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock that Activision really got the party started. Featuring a number of great tracks (most of them taken from original master tracks), special guest rock stars (like Slash), all new competitive modes and a remodeled guitar that worked even better than the previous version, it definitely set the bar for rock parties. It sells fairly cheap these days, even with the guitar peripheral. So pick it up and get ready to rock. Throw up the horns.
12. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal (SCEA)
Insomniac Games just got over the hump with Spyro the Dragon when it began producing the Ratchet and Clank series, and it would turn out to be one of the best decisions they ever made. Both the original Ratchet and its sequel, Going Commando, were wonderful entries, but if we had to choose just one, it definitely has to be Up Your Arsenal. This game features a swell single-player campaign that lasts several hours, along with great online multiplayer, where you could take on your friends in phaser-ready combat. The multiplayer has since dissolved in future PS3 releases – though One 4 All will bring back a co-op angle – so if you want to take on your friends with nifty gadgets and playful banter, this is the place to go.
11. Amplitude (SCEA)
Before Harmonix got the rock machine rolling with EA’s Rock Band series, it was better known for music/rhythm puzzle games of sorts. Frequency managed to turn a few heads when it was out, but it was Amplitude that really picked up the slack, enabling players to activate several music tracks on a moving grid, thus creating their own sound while the game went on. It turned out to be quite the wonderful experiment, with online features that really kicked in and the kind of presentation that kept your eyeballs quite busy. Though the online community has since been shut down, the game remains a fitting testament to creative, original design – something Harmonix is slowly getting back into on the iOS market. Can’t wait to see what they whip up.
Still with us? Check back tomorrow for the first half of the top ten!
