Summary
- PS2 supported Widescreen & 480p, making games look decent years later.
- Early PS2 games like
Jak and Daxter
utilized hardware for crisp visuals in Widescreen. - Games like
God of War
&
Final Fantasy 12
were optimized for cinematic experience on PS
The PS2 was a forward-thinking console in many ways. It shipped with a DVD player built in which was one of the cheapest ways to get a DVD player back then. It later supported internet connections and an adaptable hard drive to store memory. Plus, a lot of the console’s games, even early on in its lifespan, supported Widescreen.
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Some games even supported 480p projections, making them still look decent even decades later. It would be better if many of these games were remastered or at least received ports to modern consoles to enjoy something more than Widescreen support but that’s a topic for another day. Let’s rank these games based on how cinematic they still feel on the PS2 with Widescreen adjustments.
8 Jak And Daxter
Naughty Dog’s New Trilogy Begins
Platformer
Action
Adventure
- Released
- December 4, 2001
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
Jak and Daxter was one of the earliest platformers on the PS2, and Naughty Dog utilized the hardware well. Players could enjoy a crisp platforming experience on their new console in Widescreen. This made scaling it up for various HD collections easy, including a recent native upgrade on the PS5 hardware.
Every series entry on the PS2 supported Widescreen, but with the possibility of 480p enhancements too. It’s hard to believe that Naughty Dog used to make platformers instead of dramatic action games like Uncharted and The Last of Us, so Jak and Daxter is a good reminder of the studio’s early days.
7 Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
A Platformer With RPG Elements
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
Third-Person Shooter
Platformer
- Released
- November 11, 2003
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando is another great platformer on the PS2 and the second in the Ratchet & Clank series. This sequel included a lot of visual and gameplay enhancements over its predecessor. On the visual side, it looked better graphically, plus it supported Widescreen and 480p options on TVs.
This was also the first entry that included RPG elements, allowing players to increase Ratchet’s health and upgrade his weaponry. It’s still a great game to jump into, in Widescreen or not, and the sequels that followed on the PS2 had complementary video support as well.
6 Dragon Quest 8: Journey Of The Cursed King
A Cel-Shaded Masterpiece
- Released
- November 15, 2005
- Developer(s)
- Level-5
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King was a huge step up from the previous mainline Dragon Quest game which used simple graphics on the PS1. This sequel added voice acting for the first time and created a magical world filled with artistically designed cel-shaded characters.
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It’s one of the reasons why this game still looks good natively on the PS2, and the Widescreen support doesn’t hurt either. The turn-based gameplay, story, open world, alchemy system, and more also contribute to why this entry ranks so high for fans, and possibly why it was later supported on the 3DS.
5 God Of War
A Father Grieves With Blood
- Released
- March 22, 2005
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
God of War was a late entry for the PS2, but because of that, the team at Sony Santa Monica were able to squeeze a lot out of the console’s performance. It supports Widescreen and 480p projections as well. It’s an epic game that demands the best to help players engage with the gripping narrative and bloody gameplay.
Kratos is a father wronged by the gods, and instead of coping with grief, he turns to vengeance. The PS2 version is not the best way to experience God of War, as there was a remastered version for the PS3 that makes everything look better, but it still looks surprisingly good on the PS2.
4 Final Fantasy 12
Square Enix’s PS2 Swan Song
- Released
- October 31, 2006
Final Fantasy 12 is easily the best-looking JRPG on the PS2, and the game had the benefit of launching so late on the system. In fact, in North America, it was released just weeks before the PS3 came out, so compared to the new console’s graphics, it was behind technically. However, Final Fantasy 12 was such a swan song for Square Enix PS2 era thanks to their supportive sound system and Widescreen adaptation.
It was not universally celebrated on the same level as Final Fantasy 10, as Final Fantasy 12 is a bit strange with its MMO-like combat and connection to Ivalice. It’s another PS2 game that has been given the benefit of an HD remaster, giving players who missed it the first time another chance to jump in.
3 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Immerse Yourself In The Streets
- Released
- October 26, 2004
Final Fantasy 12 has a good soundtrack and the PS2 does it justice. However, when it comes to soundtracks in games on the PS2, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has every game on the system beat. Its mix of Hip-Hop and Pop tracks from the 90s is amazing, and they sound great emulated in the game and through the PS2.
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Besides the great sound design, the game supported Widescreen, making it an engaging experience for those longing to kick it on the streets in the 90s. The HD remaster is one that failed to live up to the expectations of PS2 fans initially, but eventually, it got there through numerous patches.
2 Resident Evil 4
Leon’s New Mission
Resident Evil 4 doesn’t have as good of a soundtrack, but the actual sound design is unparalleled for horror games on the PS2. It made every zombified villager’s moans more haunting, and it looked gritty too,thanks to both the Widescreen and 480p support.
Every pop from Leon’s guns resounded off the walls, especially for those with good sound systems hooked up to their PS2. There was a grain to everything to help Resident Evil 4 feel like a movie from the 70s, and even though it got a gorgeous remake on modern consoles, some still prefer the original look on the PS2 or even the GameCube.
1 Shadow Of The Colossus
A Cinematic Experience Through And Through
- Released
- October 18, 2005
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
Shadow of the Colossus is hands down one of the most cinematic games on the PS2 and maybe even on any PlayStation console. It’s simple in execution, as players aren’t given a lot of story beyond a mission: kill giants to revive the one that you love. These encounters made any boss battles that came before them seem minuscule in size and scope.
The sound design, Widescreen options, and 480p support helped it stand out too, but even without all of the bells and whistles, it still looked good on old school 4:3 monitors. When people discuss how video games are experiences, this is what they are talking about. Shadow of the Colossus is in the video game dictionary next to the word “experience,” even with its flaws.
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