The 10 PlayStation 2 Games You Must Play Before You Die

As Sony prepares to launch its next generation system, we take a look back at some of the games, present and coming, that should have in your collection.

The buzz in these days at the doorstep of the next generation is, quite rightly, all about the PlayStation 3, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the now-slim PlayStation 2. Thanks to the thousands of games released for the game, picking the best is nearly impossible, but we'll give it a go. Here are our picks for the 10 PlayStation 2 games, past and future, that you must check out.

Will Tony Hawk's Project 8 pick up the ball?

10. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
Before he got involved in all that story malarkey, Tony Hawk's game were all about pure gameplay. As the last of the pre-Underground games, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 has all the gameplay add-ons that let you skate for hours on end without having to worry about jacking a car or getting sponsored.

9. ICO
Games are accused of being overly violent and racy, and there's truth to that. ICO is the antidote to those vicious accusations. It features a heartfelt story about a boy (with horns) and a girl (who talks gibberish), and yet it somehow manages to bring even burly men to tears. Check out Shadow Of The Colossus, by the same team, if you liked this one.

8. Guitar Hero
At some point in a lot of people's lives they've played air guitar to a Queen song. Why stop there? This game from the makers of the excellent Frequency and Amplitude puts you on stage and lets you rock out like never before. There's another one coming soon, too. We can't wait.

7. Burnout: Revenge
The idea is simple: race cars along crowded highways at blistering speeds, earning nitro boosts that send you faster still, all while you weave in and out of traffic and narrowly escape death. And when you crash, you get to conduct the chaos, like some sort of automotive Bill Conti.

Burnout Revenge brought back the sparks

6. Pro Evolution Soccer 5
The latest iteration of the thinking person's soccer game is the best one yet. The developers at Konami have toiled long and hard to bring you the most authentic recreation of the game so far. It may not have all the real names and stadiums, but it makes up for it in pure gameplay.

5. Final Fantasy XII
Years in the making, the latest Final Fantasy game became one of the best selling PlayStation 2 games in just a few days in Japan. Final Fantasy XII melds the classics series gameplay with new conventions that will keep you enthralled and a tale of love and retribution.

4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
All of the Metal Gear Solid games on PlayStation 2 are must-plays, but only this one lets you play against other people online. The story takes you back to the '60s, giving you a very different view of the Snake you love, but it's packed with the same sort of gameplay that has propelled the series to the top of the pile.

Snake's third outing further refined the series gameplay

3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Is there anything else that can be said about the latest Grand Theft Auto game? Not really. But this is one of the best-selling games on the PlayStation 2 for a reason. The violence is but a backdrop to one of the deepest experiences you'll find anywhere.

2. God of War 2
By recommending the sequel, due early next year, we're implying that you need to find and play the first game too. That one introduces you to Kratos and his god-battling ways, and in the second one he battles for no less than his immortal soul. Sony is taking its time with this one to make sure it delivers. This could well be one of the last amazing games on the system.

Got a PlayStation 2? Buy Resident Evil 4 now!

1. Resident Evil 4
The Resident Evil series has always been popular, but the fourth instalment proved that there's much more to the series than simply hacking away at zombies. Clever gameplay elements and a great story make this the game you absolutely have to play if you own a PlayStation 2.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games