I got through phases of games, and right now I’m in the one I like to think of everything-modern-is-making-me-angry-so-I’ll-turn-back-to-vintage-games - and that’s in the form of PCSX2 on my Steam Deck.

Playing the PS2 generation on the Steam Deck is kinda the ‘perfect’ generation: I can upscale the resolution without a performance hit, I can apply HD texture packs, Retro Achievements and I can drop the TDP to extend the battery life.

Anyway, I never had a PS2 (it was just a touch before my time), so there’s so many games I’m yet to discover there. I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have for what I can play on there:

Just a couple notes:

  • No GTA games because they’re better with the PC versions. While I’ve bought the games, the account that Rockstar demands people have to play their games makes me angry on principle (a single-player game forcing an online check each week to be able to play it? No thanks), so I’ve got cracked versions to play.

  • No Final Fantasy because I’m not even sure where to start!

So if anyone was around back in the PS2 era, and has some recommendations for games they’ve loved, I’m all ears. I’ve been having such a fun time playing these.

Some big thanks to my friends who made and run RetroDECK (my choice for emulating on the Steam Deck), and to the PCSX2 team (who I’m chatting to right now actually, so keep an eye out and in a week or so I’ll share that chat with them all about creating and maintaining the PS2 emulator!)

Also, if you do have a Steam Deck, and want to play with the HD texture packs I do, then it’s really simple. Just download the pack, and name then according to their game’s I.D. code - SLUS-20743 for example, then place it in the texture_packs folder:

From there, go into PCSX2, then right-click the game, select properties, graphics, texture replacement and tick the two boxes I have:

Then you’ve got the games looking the best they can be!

Here’s a link to a stack of pre-done HD textures for a lot of PS2 games, to help you on your way!

  • stellkilo@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    4·
    1 day ago

    Ratchet and Clank is a great series, and so are the Jak and Daxter series; both are excellent platformers for different reasons. Although, it might be easier to play Jak 1 and 2 through OpelGOAL, which will run the games natively on the Deck instead of emulation and isn’t too hard to set up.

    It’s a bit of a black sheep, but Spyro A Heroes Tale is a guilty pleasure of mine. It isn’t as great as the original Spyro trilogy on PS1, but it’s entertaining in its own right. I’m currently playing through it and enjoying it.

  • sunbunman@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    4·
    2 days ago

    I’m running off of pure nostalgia here:

    Armoured Core 3

    Any of the Ratchet and Clank games

    Spyhunter 2 - great local coop

  • AstroLightz@lemmy.worldEnglish
    15·
    2 days ago

    Burnout 3 is one of the best arcade racing games for this generation.

    I see you have Kingdom Hearts II in there. There’s also the original Kingdom Hearts as well.

    The Simpsons: Hit & Run is like GTA but more “family-friendly”.

    There’s also other Ratchet & Clank games on the PS2, including the original, Going Commando, and Deadlocked.

    If you like racing games, Need for Speed: Underground 2 is one of the best games in the NFS series. IMO it’s better than Underground 1.

    Also, appreciate the guide for higher res textures.

    • PerfectDark@lemmy.worldOPMEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      Also, appreciate the guide for higher res textures.

      You’re so welcome! Let me know if you ever run into any troubles!

    • ipkpjersi@lemmy.mlEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      Every single one of those games is excellent, but tbh I’d recommend starting with Underground 1 and then going onto Underground 2, they’re both fantastic IMO.

  • Strider@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    I came here to make sure outrun 2006 is mentioned. Try it!

    (Also SC2, Burnout and Gradius V but I saw those mentioned)

  • ayyy@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    5·
    2 days ago

    Ratchet and Clank is the best, and the story is best experienced in order but the first game is a bit clunky so starting on the second game isn’t the worst idea. I personally started with Up Your Arsenal! then got hooked on the series and backfilled.

  • JakoJakoJako13@piefed.socialEnglish
    37·
    3 days ago

    You have one of, if not the best starting points for Final Fantasy in the whole series on this system with X. Just play it. There’s no mainline numbered Final Fantasy game that ties together. They’re all separate stories. A few share a common setting with Ivalice, but that’s about it. Hop on X now. I know there’s a PC version, and that’s probably the recommended way to experience that game at this point, but I don’t really care how you start it. If you ever wanna experience Final Fantasy, FFX is the one a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot of people will say start with.

    Radiata Stories - a looker even for a PS2 game.

    NFL 2K5 - the greatest NFL game ever made.

    Jak and Daxter - This console’s Crash Bandicoot.

    Rachet and Clank - I actually have the same problem you have with Final Fantasy with this series. Just pick one.

    Need For Speed Underground 2 - One of the best arcade racing games ever made.

    Burnout 3 Takedown - Same as above except you crash the cars instead of pimp them out.

    SSX3 - Some say Tricky is better, I like them both but usually give 3 the edge.

    Soul Calibur II - Best Soul Calibur game IMO

    Dragonball Z Budokai 3 - Played the shit out of both this and Budokai Tenkaichi 3

    I’m not even scratching the surface.

    • afaix@lemmy.worldEnglish
      9·
      3 days ago

      Jak and Daxter are better played via OpenGoal - a modern open source engine implementation that runs natively on Steam Deck and includes fixes, graphics improvements, proper widescreen, etc.

    • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      3 days ago

      That’s the thing. PS2 at one time was the best selling system of all time. I forget if that record still holds up. I know the DS oversold it, but thats not a tv console.

      Point is, with any console that had that big of an impact on gaming, it’s going to have a ton of bangers that still hold up 20+ years later.

      And boy howdy if that ain’t true!

      I’m honestly surprised there aren’t independant projects releasing new PS2 games today, in the same way you see occasional new releases for NES and Game Boy Color.

    • BurgerBaron@piefed.socialEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      NFS Underground 1 is better than the sequel IMO. The open world is empty and tedious filler vs just loading directly into the tracks.

      Best NFS on the PS2 is Hot Pursuit 2 however. Made by Black Box, it’s vastly superior in every way to the other console versions and the PC version made by a different company despite sharing assets.

    • dual_sport_dork 🐧🗡️@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      3 days ago

      Re: Final Fantasy games not tying together or having continuities.

      Yes. Except, ironically, specifically Final Fantasy X, which had a direct sequel in X-2. Final Fantasy XIII also managed to have a direct sequel in Lightning Returns. Thankfully, if you care to think of it that way, it was crap and can be safely ignored.

      Anyway, have an upvote for not blithely suggesting that everyone start with VII.

      • JakoJakoJako13@piefed.socialEnglish
        51·
        3 days ago

        Yes and they’re all neatly contained in their numbered entry which is why I say no mainline numbered games tie together. And all the 2s are optional IMO. Especially X-2, which always seemed like a cash grab to capitalize off of X’s success to me. As much as I love, love, love X, I’ve never touched X-2 and probably never will.

    • T4V0@lemmy.ptEnglish
      31·
      3 days ago

      Probably the best list imo. I remember picking Radiata Stories up, at random, for my birthday. It blew me away. The story, combat and recruitment mechanic are different from everything else I experienced at the time.

      And a few suggestions also:

      Def Jam: Fight for NY. Lowkey my favorite fighting game, with 4-players simultaneously beating the crap of each other.

      Battle Stadium D.O.N… Fighting/smash bros style game with the biggest jump stars at the time (Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto).

      Dokapon Kingdom. Board/rpg game with a lot of fun mechanics.

      • scops@reddthat.comEnglish
        4·
        3 days ago

        Fuck yes, Fight for NY was amazing. I love the idea of a fighting game where you have to end the fight, not just knock the other guy’s health bar down to zero so he falls over. So satisfying to put your opponent down with a haymaker or chucking him in front of a subway train

    • ampersandrew@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      Can’t believe I left Soul Calibur II off of my own recommendations, perhaps because most of us thought of that as a Gamecube game.

      • burntbacon@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        1·
        3 days ago

        Link special character was best special character… because… it was a great meming time when people realized there were what appeared to be the silhouette of his tower and bases visible during certain moves.

  • SinkingLotus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    2 days ago

    Here’s a list from my collection

    • .hack://Infection

    • .hack://Mutation

    • .hack://Outbreak

    • .hack://Quarantine

    • .hack://G.U. Rebirth

    • .hack://G.U. Reminisce

    • .hack://G.U. Redemption

    • 007: Agent Under Fire

    • 007: Nightfire

    • 007: Everything or Nothing

    • 10,000 Bullets

    • Altered Beast (i.e., Project: Altered Beast)

    • Ape Escape 2

    • Ape Escape 3

    • Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia

    • Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica

    • Armored Core 2

    • Armored Core 2: Another Age

    • Armored Core 3

    • Armored Core: Last Raven

    • Armored Core: Nexus

    • Armored Core: Nine Breaker

    • Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana

    • Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny

    • Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm

    • Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance

    • Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II

    • Beyond Good & Evil

    • Blood Will Tell

    • BloodRayne

    • BloodRayne 2

    • Bloody Roar 3

    • Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

    • Bunjingai: The Forsaken City (i.e., Bunjingai: Swordmaster)

    • Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

    • Castlevania: Lament of Innocent

    • Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest

    • Chaos Wars

    • Chulip

    • Clock Tower 3

    • Cold Fear

    • Contra: Shattered Soldier

    • Crimson Tears

    • Dark Cloud

    • Dark Cloud 2 (i.e., Dark Chronicle)

    • Destroy All Humans!

    • Destroy All Humans! 2

    • Deus Ex (NB: Worse than PC version)

    • Devil May Cry

    • Devil May Cry 2 (NB: Only because I’m recommending the others)

    • Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening - Special Edition

    • Disaster Report (i.e., SOS: The Final Escape)

    • Disgaea 1: Hour of Darkness

    • Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories

    • Downhill Domination

    • Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3

    • Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

    • Drakengard

    • Drakengard 2

    • Dynasty Warriors 5

    • Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends

    • Evergrace

    • Fatal Frame

    • Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

    • Fatal Frame III: The Tormented

    • Final Fantasy X (NB: See end)

    • Final Fantasy X-2 (NB: See end)

    • Final Fantasy XII (NB: See end)

    • Forbidden Siren

    • Forbidden Siren 2

    • Forever Kingdom (NB: Prequel to Evergrace)

    • Gitaroo Man

    • Gladius

    • God Hand

    • Grandia Xtreme

    • Grandia III

    • Gregory Horror Show

    • GunGrave

    • GunGrave: Overdose

    • Haunting Ground

    • Headhunter

    • Headhunter Redemption

    • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

    • Hitman: Contracts

    • Hitman: Blood Money

    • Ico

    • Initial D Special Stage

    • Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

    • Jak II

    • Jak 3 (NB: Fuck the naming scheme)

    • Jak X: Combat Racing (NB: Get V2.00 specifically)

    • Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier

    • Katamari Damacy

    • Kingdom Hearts - Final Mix

    • Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

    • Kingdom Hearts II - Final Mix (NB: Translation somewhere online)

    • Kinetica

    • Lumines: Puzzle Fusion

    • Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome

    • Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis

    • Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy

    • Manhunt

    • Manhunt 2

    • Maximo: Ghosts to Glory

    • Maximo vs Army of Zin

    • Mega Man X7

    • Mega Man X8

    • Mercenaries - Playground of Destruction

    • Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

    • Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (NB: See end)

    • Michigan: Report from Hell

    • Mister Mosquito

    • Need for Speed: Underground

    • Need for Speed: Underground 2

    • Need for Speed: Most Wanted

    • Need for Speed: Carbon

    • Nightshade (NB: Sequel to Shinobi)

    • ObsCure

    • ObsCure II

    • Odin Sphere

    • Okage: Shadow King

    • Onimusha 1: Warlords (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

    • PaRappa The Rapper 2

    • Phantom Brave

    • Primal

    • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

    • Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

    • Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

    • Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

    • Psychonauts

    • Radiata Stories

    • Ratchet & Clank

    • Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (i.e., Locked and Loaded)

    • Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

    • Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked

    • Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

    • Raw Danger! (NB: Sequel to Disaster Report)

    • Red Dead Revolver

    • Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

    • Resident Evil Outbreak

    • Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2

    • Resident Evil 4

    • Rogue Galaxy

    • Romancing SaGa

    • Rygar: The Legendary Adventure

    • Samurai Western

    • Second Sight

    • Shadow Hearts

    • Shadow Hearts: Covenant

    • Shadow Hearts: From the New World

    • Shadow of Destiny (i.e., Memories)

    • Shadow of Rome

    • Shadow of the Colossus

    • Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (i.e., Lucifer’s Call) (i.e., featuring Dante from DMC!)

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

    • Shining Force EXA

    • Shinobi

    • Shinobido: Way of the Ninja

    • Silent Hill 2 (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Silent Hill 3

    • Silent Hill 4: The Room (NB: Just because)

    • Silent Scope

    • Silent Scope 2: Dark Silhouette

    • Silent Scope 3

    • Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

    • Sly 2: Band of Thieves

    • Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

    • Soul Nomad & the World Eaters

    • Spider-Man 2

    • Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

    • Steambot Chronicles

    • Suikoden III

    • Suikoden IV

    • Suikoden V

    • Super Dragon Ball Z

    • Tales of Legendia

    • Tales of the Abyss

    • Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven

    • Tenchu: Fatal Shadows

    • The Bouncer

    • The Getaway

    • The Getaway: Black Monday

    • The Godfather

    • The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction

    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

    • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

    • The Simpsons: Hit & Run

    • The Sword of Etheria

    • The Thing

    • The Warriors

    • Tokyo Road Race

    • Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3

    • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3

    • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4

    • Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland

    • TY the Tasmanian Tiger

    • TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue

    • Way of the Samurai

    • Way of the Samurai 2

    • Wild Arms 3

    • Wild Arms 4

    • Wild Arms 5

    • Wild Arms: Alter Code, F

    • Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht

    • Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse

    • Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra

    • X-Men Legends

    • X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse

    • Yakuza

    • Yakuza 2

    • Zone of the Enders

    • Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (NB: Get PAL special specifically)

    So Final Fantasy games are often unrelated to one another. Meaning you can just pick whichever to start. Although Final Fantasy X has a direct sequel, that being Final Fantasy X-2.

    Next is about Mega Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. Even though you have it listed I still mention it because Subsistence includes:

    • Metal Gear
    • Metal Gear 2

    Being the most recommended versions of those games. (Not including Nintendo’s recent ports)

    • lohky@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      I knew I was going to see Steambot Chronicles on that list after seeing the .hack games hah.

  • Roelland@feddit.nlEnglish
    2·
    2 days ago

    Highly recommend playing ‘Forbidden Siren’, but WITH A WALKTHROUGH. Amazing and scary story, but for a slow gamer.

  • Rekorse@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    10·
    2 days ago

    Final fantasy isn’t a continuation from game to game, they are new stories each time. Final fantasy is more like a feeling than a specific place or group of people.

    All that said I really think you should consider trying Final Fantasy 10, it has fantastic cinematics and is a very emotional game.

    • Capt. Wolf@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      2 days ago

      I think of it as an RPG ruleset, like DnD. Most of FF games follow similar mechanics, class systems, sometimes there’s the same monsters, and sometimes there’s crystals that do stuff.

      I agree though, FFX is really good.

  • TheOgreChef@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    SSX Tricky, and any of the NBA or NFL Street games, they’re all gas, no brakes. If you can get someone else to play two player (don’t know how well that works on steam deck emulation), check out Cookies & Cream. It’s one of the more clever two player co-op puzzle games, and it’s one of the first games my wife and I played together when we were first dating.

  • NelDel@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    22·
    3 days ago

    I love the ps2 era of games! Here are some suggestions:

    • ICO: Minimalist game about a cursed boy & a girl with mysterious powers trying to escape a castle together. An absolute classic.
    • Shadow of the Colossus: Another Team ICO game, this one you’ve probably heard of. You play as a young man who sets out for the Forbidden Lands, finding and slaying 16 colossi to resurrect his deceased love.
    • Silent Hill 2: One of the greatest survival horror games ever made. Introspective, tackles mature themes, and deeply chilling. A game I truly feel is haunted.
    • Persona 4: High schoolers solving a murder mystery in a rural Japanese town. I prefer the vanilla ps2 version to the revised Golden edition, it graphically preserves the fog & spookier ambience - with better pacing from less bloat.

    For some more obscure games:

    • The Adventures of Cookie & Cream: A brutal co-op/singleplayer puzzle game developed by Fromsoft. Has a fun art style & interesting levels.
    • Tak 3 - the Great Juju Challenge: Works best in co-op but still a blast in single-player. 3D platformer with varied levels & a fantastic voice cast (Patrick Warburton as Lok is the highlight).

    Btw if you’re playing mgs3 on the ps2 make sure it’s the Subsistence edition! It has a 3D camera that works way better than the top-down the og game shipped with.

    • thoro@lemmy.mlEnglish
      2·
      1 day ago

      Kinda surprised how long it took to scroll before seeing Ico and SOTC mentioned, tbh.

      Crown jewels of PS2, imo. Pushed the medium forward artistically.

      • NelDel@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        2·
        1 day ago

        Yes absolutely! Inspired Dark Souls, future zelda games, & basically every indie game to come out afterwards.

        I started The Last Guardian, still need to go back & finish it. I liked a lot of what it was bringing to the table, but the pacing dragged a bit in the middle imo.

    • bryndos@fedia.io
      5·
      3 days ago

      Every time I’m walking with someone and come across a sofa out on the street I force them to . . .

      spoiler

      sit down on it for a moment with me. Just in case they played ICO.

      Also F for agro

      spoiler

      probably the most tragic death scene i ever played

      • Wrufieotnak@feddit.orgEnglish
        4·
        2 days ago

        Regarding your second spoiler: that colossus kill definitely felt personal after that. I mean… It’s not even their fault, but I was determined afterwards.

        • NelDel@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          That fight is so incredible, I could gush about it all day. The ambience, the visuals, the environmental storytelling, just amazing.

          Spoiler for 16th colossus

          The only colossus to feel so direct in its attacks towards you, you can feel its anger at watching its fellow colossi die. Especially since when you reach the top you realize the 16th faces out from the bottom of the map, so it saw every colossus be slain one after another.

          Also holy shit having to snipe its hands/shoulders then jump onto it was so exciting, even if it was a bit jank.

  • nieminen@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    2 days ago

    I will ALWAYS suggest amplitude (sequel to frequency on PS1). Best rhythm music game ever.