Sony’s The PlayStation 2 first came out in 2000 and immediately changed the way gamers experienced gaming on consoles. Not only did the PS2 offer next-gen graphics and modern gameplay, but it also offered some of the best games that eventually became successful franchises over the years. These titles included Ratchet & Clank, Kingdom Hearts, Gran Turismo 4among others.
Aside from well-known games, PlayStation 2 also offers some of the best titles with extremely detailed worlds, unique concepts and lore that are still unmatched by many modern games. These are games that contained the in-depth knowledge that players have enjoyed researching over the years.
10/10 God of War series
The original god of war and its sequel God of War 2, were two of the most popular PlayStation 2 games of all time, and for good reason. Both of these titles featured some of the best visuals on the console, as well as amazing game mechanics, cinematic action and a story full of myths.
Since god of war is a game about Greek mythology, it contains some of the deepest stories ever. Despite that, the game’s story is quite simple and revolves around a man seeking revenge on the gods.
9/10 Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the most memorable games on the PlayStation 2. The action-adventure game first came out in 2005 and was an instant hit on the console. Over the years, the game remained extremely popular with fans, eventually pushing Sony to release a full remake on PlayStation 4 in 2018.
Shadow of the Colossus is a unique experience with a fairly simple story about a man who wants to save a cursed comatose woman. To do so, he must take down the colossi in the massive open world. Everything about the game, from the environment to the design, is dripping with knowledge most players would enjoy exploring.
8/10 Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is the 12th game in the popular Capcom survival horror series, but the fourth main title overall. It is a third-person shooter with elements of horror and inventory management that is very different from older RE games. Nevertheless, the game’s innovative and timeless design makes it one of the most popular games ever.
Resident Evil 4The story revolves around an American government agent, Leon S. Kennedy, who has a mission to save the president’s daughter, Ashley. Despite the simple concept, the game has a world full of environmental storytelling and lore that is hard to find in later RE titles.
7/10 Ōkami
Ōkami is probably one of the most underrated gems on the PlayStation 2 that does a lot to renew the action-adventure genre. The game was released in 2006, but still stands out due to its timeless art direction and visual aesthetics. Maybe that’s why Capcom always remasters it on newer consoles, since it’s also available on PS3 and PS4.
Ōkami’s the story revolves around Amaterasu, a wolf who represents a Japanese goddess of the same name. Since the game is set in ancient Japan and based on Japanese mythology, it is full of deep lore and mythical stories.
6/10 Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is an open-world action-adventure title and the largest Grand Theft Auto game on PlayStation 2. The title originally came out in 2004 and has since been released on Windows, Xbox, Mac OS X, iOS, Android, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and newer consoles.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreasfeatures the story of Carl Johnson, whose main villain and goals are established within the first few minutes. Despite that, the open-world title offers a huge world full of mind-blowing details, side stories, myths and lore that players can explore right after the first mission.
5/10 Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10 is one of the most popular games in the series that most players still remember two decades after its release. The game has advanced game mechanics, amazing scenes and a visual design that works well in 2022.
final fantasy 10, like every other FF game before it, is an RPG with dozens of unique characters. The backstories, the world, the lore, and all the details of the game are full of lore that players can explore as they play through it.
4/10 Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill games contain some of the most complex concepts within their relatively simple storylines. The second entry in the series also does the same by bringing the game’s psychological horror and survival aspect to the fore and letting players uncover the mist-filled hills.
Like all SH games before, Silent Hill 2 is complicated when it comes to world design and exploration. Therefore, players are always uncovering new theories, myths, legends and lore as they progress through the story. For those who haven’t played the game yet, Konami recently announced that they will be remaking the 2001 classic on next-gen consoles.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a stealth espionage game that first came out in 2004 as a PS2 exclusive. Soon after, it arrived on newer consoles and remained as popular as ever. Even in 2022, legendary game director Kojima’s third main MGS title is one of his best games ever.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is part of a long-running game series packed with unique characters and concepts. Therefore, despite being quite a cinematic game, it has no shortage of lore.
2/10 Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening is one of the best PlayStation 2 hack-and-slash games of all time, packed with timeless combat design that still rocks. The Capcom classic has a long and decent story with Dante and his brother/nemesis Vergil.
devil may cry the series oozes with details, backstories, myths and lore, as it takes place in a unique fantasy world. The game draws inspiration from various mythologies, including Greek, Scottish, Norse and Indian, while the characters take their names from the Italian poet Dante Alighieri and Romilius Vergilius Maro respectively.
1/10 Personas 4
Personas 4 came out almost fifteen years ago on the PlayStation 2 and was one of the last major titles on the console. Over the years, the game has come to PlayStation Vita, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and more.
Persona games, including the fourth part, are role-playing games with a heavy emphasis on social simulation. Therefore, they allow players to freely explore the world and build theories based on side stories and things they hear NPCs say. The detailed dialogue and oral storytelling are main reasons Personas 4 is full of deep lore.
