The Swan Song for the PS2

It’s hard to argue against the fact that the Playstation 2 was one, if not the greatest console ever made. With such a huge selection of games, it was hard not to be satisfied with your purchase (unless you got one of those nasty disc read problems, but that’s another topic). So for those too lazy, old, or cheap to switch to the next generation, here is a brief list of games you may want to look into before suffocating it with dust from your attic.


God of War II
I was debating not to put this on the list, since if you haven’t picked it up yet, your either eight years old, Jack Thompson, or hate video games, so Jack Thompson again. Yet I hear some people still did not play it. So not only is it one of the most visually impressive experiences you’ll find on the PS2, but it’s just pure fun. The over-the-top action, bloody brutality, and nudity should make any American cry with joy, and everyone else for that matter.

Persona 3
If you’re like me and the only exposure you had to JRPGs had the words “final” and “fantasy” in them, then Persona 3 really opens your eyes to just how crazy the Japanese can make their games. Coming from the famous Shin Megami Tensei line, the game offers unique visuals, a great story, and some new twists in game play. For example, how many times did you have to shoot yourself in the head just to do magic? Yeah, I thought so. Part dungeon crawler and part Sim game, the choices and social links you make in your character’s normal life help improve his powers in the dark one. Expect a full review from me in the future, if I can ever finish this supposed 80 hour game.

Music Games
We all know of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but did you know those games also came out on the PS2? Well, the sales show that you do, but still… if you want to play the latest installments of these games without getting new plastic guitars, then try them out. Keep in mind that you won’t have access to all of the glorious DLC available on the PS3 and 360, but you do get a lot less advertising in GH3, which is always a plus. If rock is not your thing, you can always try the latest releases of the popular Singstar line. All great party games for those cool enough to have friends.

The Red Star
You might remember hearing about this game back in 2004, and all of its great comic book adaptation glory. Well, it was just released in April of 2007… that was quite a wait. But putting development problems aside, this game still offers a solid amount of game for your buck, especially at 20-30 of those bucks. It offers up a classic style of game play similar to Contra, with tons of enemies, interesting bosses, and some great Co-op fun. You can even upgrade weapons and certain attributes from points accumulated depending on how well you do on levels. Just keep in mind that this game can get VERY difficult, so you better ask someone besides your mom to play it with you.