PS2 Games With The Best Storylines

Key Takeaways

• The PS2 had many games with captivating stories that are still enjoyable, like Final Fantasy 10 and God Of War.
• Memorable narratives in games like Persona 3 and Silent Hill 2 made them standout classics on the PS
• Iconic PS2 titles like Kingdom Hearts and Metal Gear Solid 3 wove engaging stories with intriguing characters.

A lot of elements go into making a great video game. Things like gameplay, graphics, and replay value are all crucial, but one thing that truly makes a game memorable is a great story. Much like a film or a television series, an engaging plot will hook people for years to come.

The PlayStation 2 is a few generations old now, but it is widely considered to be one of the best video game consoles of all time. It is certainly the highest selling in history and part of the reason is the number of great games that featured compelling tales. Players who want to take a stroll down memory lane will love the many amazing PS2 games with amazing narratives that are still a blast to experience to this day.

Updated on November 25, 2024, by Mehrdad Khayyat: PlayStation 2 has been the first ever console for many of today’s young gamers, and it sure had a lot of fantastic games that still hold up and can still let gamers have a lot of fun playing them.

Some of the biggest gaming franchises that are getting fourth or fifth entries nowadays were created back in the PlayStation 2 era. A few of them have already received remakes, but most of the original entries still belong to PlayStation 2, and they do deserve a revisit.

For games that have already received a remake, we consider the original version on this list.

18 Resident Evil 4

Leon’s Classic Adventure With Iconic Visual Design

It’s a testament to the quality of this game that the remake of Resident Evil 4, a game that has been lauded by numerous critics as one of 2023’s best releases, is still considered to be inferior to the original iteration. A lot of Resident Evil 4’s charm came from the B-movie vibe and the game’s overall cheesiness, which has become way more professional in the remake.

The original Resident Evil 4 also looks great even now, with the title’s visual clarity, character models, and environment design being truly exemplary. Sure, the gameplay may not have aged all that well, but players who want to check out the history of the Resident Evil series and what made it great should definitely check out the original iteration of the fourth mainline entry.

17 Persona 3

Marks A Major Evolution In The Series With An Excellent Art Style

Persona 3 was a massive shift in the right direction for this Shin Megami Tensei spinoff. The idea of setting this JRPG in a modern-day version of Japan where the protagonist goes to school and fights monsters in their spare time was a tantalizing idea that fans couldn’t get enough of.

The narrative of Persona 3 is possibly the saddest one in the entire series, and players will love this journey from start to end. It helps that the game’s visual clarity makes it pretty playable to this day, even if most people would just be waiting for Reload to experience this masterpiece yet again.

16 Final Fantasy 10

Gorgeous Graphics And Visuals That Still Look Great, Especially In The Remaster

The PlayStation2’s first foray into Final Fantasy is also arguably one of the best titles in the series, with Squaresoft being at the very top of their game when they developed and released this masterpiece. The Conditional Turn-Based battle system allowed for fast-paced fights where party members could tag in and out without any issues whatsoever.

However, the crowning jewel of Final Fantasy 10 was perhaps the greatest narrative ever presented in the series. The game deals with some really dark themes, with the overarching threat of Sin placing the residents of Spira in a constant state of unrest as they fear for their lives. Sin’s unpredictable nature causes him to appear and destroy players without a care in the world.

15 The Godfather

A Great Start For A New Franchise That Didn’t Age Well

When talking about games that depict organized crime, Mafia is usually the first name that comes to mind, overshadowing other games in the same sub-genre like The Godfather.

Electronic Arts’ first attempt to use The Godfather‘s license and create a game based on the original movie ended pretty well. Unlike the original Mafia, The Godfather valued the open-world nature much more by introducing side-quests and various activities for players to enjoy in the world.

However, this was also accompanied by a good story that put the players in the shoes of their very own character while serving the Corleone family. Unfortunately, the sequel to The Godfather did not make any progress and caused the series to be canned by EA.

14 Splinter Cell: Double Agent

Sam Fisher’s Most Complicated Mission As A Special Agent

While Splinter Cell: Double Agent might not be everyone’s best game in the series, it had some great innovations, especially in the storytelling. Sam Fisher is tasked with infiltrating a terrorist group, and this forces him to make tough decisions sometimes to cover his true identity.

One of the best missions in the entire Splinter Cell series belongs to Double Agent when Fisher has to break out of prison. This mission was surely memorable for any Prison Break fan, as the game was launched almost a year after the first season of that brilliant TV series.

13 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

The Most Ambitious GTA Game At The Time, With The Visuals To Match

There are a lot of aspects that the Grand Theft Auto franchise is consistently praised for, with their storylines being some of the best in gaming. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas had an intriguing plot that saw Carl “CJ” Johnson return to his home of Los Santos following his mother’s murder. He rejoins his old gang to find out the truth behind her death.

As the plot unraveled, CJ found himself caught up in a drug war, dealing with corrupt cops, and situating in-fighting among his friends. When the story took a wild turn that saw two of the main good guys, Big Smoke and Ryder, turn heel, gamers were blown away. This tale of deceit and corruption is an amazing one that fans adore with all their heart.

12 Shadow Hearts: Covenant

A Gothic JRPG With Lovecraftian Elements That Looks Hauntingly Beautiful

The first Shadow Hearts game was already pretty great in its own right, even if it had a few issues that needed to be ironed out. Regardless, fans loved this gothic Lovecraftian JRPG, and they were more than pleased to find that the sequel would serve as a marked improvement in every department.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant uses the real-life conflict of World War I to weave a mysterious and engaging tale with dark connotations. The Judgment Ring battle system rewards well-timed button presses, while the cast of lovable characters and the plot’s complex structure made it downright unforgettable for fans lucky enough to experience this underrated gem.

11 Yakuza 2

Kamurocho Looks Amazing, And It Helps That The Game Features One Of The Series’ Best Antagonists

The Yakuza series took quite some time before catching on and becoming mainstream titles, gaining a dedicated fanbase. The release of Yakuza 0 was a huge hit in the West, bringing a horde of new fans over to check out these amazing titles. However, long-time fans who checked out the PS2 Yakuza games had a great time playing through the two games released on this platform, including Yakuza 2.

While the first game was great in its own right, many fans consider the prequel to be mandatory for players to get fully invested in Nishikiyama as a believable antagonist. Meanwhile, the second game introduces Ryuji Goda as the Dragon of Kansai and puts him and Kiryu on a collision course, which is breathtaking to watch unfold over the game’s epic story.

10 Bully

Rockstar’s Open-World Format With A High School Background That Looks Great

Released a little over a year after GTA: San Andreas, Bully featured an open-world environment that could be navigated in a multitude of ways. This game told a much simpler story, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t captivating.

Jimmy Hopkins is the protagonist who is put into Bullworth Academy against his will. He discovered that it was run by bullies and goes on a journey to bring peace to the school. Bully features similar clique rivalries and backstabbing surprises like GTA: San Andreas. It may not be as fun as that game, but the tale is slightly more interesting.

9 Kingdom Hearts

A Crossover Of Disney’s IPs And Final Fantasy That Somehow Worked… And Looked Pretty Great Too

Kingdom Hearts is a truly ambitious experiment that combines the characters from Square’s excellent Final Fantasy series with those from the Walt Disney Company. It had no business working but turned into one of the most successful franchises in the world of gaming.

While the gameplay and visuals were praised, the story proved to be better than most expected. The team behind Kingdom Hearts managed to take elements from both worlds to form a tale that made sense and was gripping. Sora teams up with various Disney characters to find his friends, take down the Heartless, and return the King of the Disney Castle home.

8 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time

A Beautiful-Looking Game Set In Persia That Holds Up So Well That An Attempted Remaster Made It Look Worse

2003’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, was fortunate enough to boast one of the better storylines in video game history. It was written by

series creator Jordan Mechner, who understood the character better than anyone else.

In this game, the titular Prince was tricked into obtaining the Sands of Time and then releasing it. This caused the city’s population to transform into savage creatures. He and Farah, the Maharaja’s daughter, worked together to rectify this problem. The story got more emotional than expected thanks to the connection between the Prince and Farah. Her death is heartbreaking, even if rewinding time fixed it.

7 Shadow Of The Colossus

A Beautiful, Desolate Landscape That Was Visually Stunning At The Time And Definitely Holds Up

Simply looking at screenshots for this game might lead many people to believe that the storyline plays second or third fiddle. After all, Shadow of the Colossus is a visually stunning masterpiece action-adventure video game. On paper, the storyline isn’t complex and doesn’t sound all that original.

A young man named Wander travels across a forbidden land to rescue a girl named Mono. Along the way, he must battle and defeat sixteen giants known as the colossi. That simplicity is what makes this so special. As straightforward as it is, there are engaging moments that get players invested in it in a way that not many other games can match. It is an emotional journey that most people will likely never forget.

6 God Of War

Santa Monica Studios’ Groundbreaking Hack-And-Slash Game That Looked And Felt Great

Many fans agree that 2018’s God of War is the best story of the franchise. But even though that PS4 game doesn’t qualify for this list, the original 2005 edition isn’t far behind. Again, this is a game where the storyline synopsis isn’t overly complicated. It is the little details and the elements of character development that help it stand out.

The protagonist is Spartan warrior Kratos. He is tasked by Athena to kill Ares, his former mentor and the God of War, so Kratos must find the weapon capable of defeating such a powerful being. The emotional elements were what made this tick, with Ares being the reason why Kratos’ wife and daughter are dead. A tale that included murder, corruption, and revenge helped make this an iconic game.

5 Indigo Prophecy

Quantic Dream’s Narrative Adventure Featured Some Great Visuals And Direction

Originally released as Fahrenheit overseas, Indigo Prophecy was an incredibly unique game. In a time when first-person shooters and explosive action were desired, along came this game that felt more like a movie than anything else. And like any great movie, it came ready with a great story to tell.

This paranormal thriller focuses on Lucas Kane, a man who opens the story by murdering someone. He was possessed when it happened and spends the game trying to uncover what caused it. Kane found a New York overrun by supernatural forces causing others to commit the same crimes.

4 Persona 4

A Perfect Sequel That Focused On The Small Town Of Inaba, With The Visuals Being Quite Charming Indeed

Role-playing games almost always feature the kind of story that grabs the gamer and keeps them hooked. Persona 4 was no exception. This centered around a developing murder mystery and the high school student, Yu Narukami, who attempts to uncover it.

While interesting, that plot might not sound unique enough on its own. What took it up a notch were the abilities the characters got from their Personas, which were avatars projected from their inner selves. It added a layer to this that wasn’t often seen in a typical murder mystery. Watching this story unfold, getting connected to the characters, and finding out the truth behind the crimes are reasons why this was considered one of the greatest video game stories ever written for the PS2.

Visually Impressive, Narratively Ambitions, And A Certifiable PS2 Classic

Anyone who has experienced a title in the Metal Gear Solid franchise knows to expect a great story, but players were truly spoiled by the magnificent one in this 2004 installment. Building upon an already existing and complicated world, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater took place in 1964 and centered around Naked Snake, known in the future as Big Boss.

Naked Snake was tasked with stopping a superweapon during the Cold War. Fans of the series loved getting to see early bits of characters like Revolver Ocelot. But fans new and old could appreciate the way the plot tied into real events and the connection between Naked Snake and the Boss. The relationship between Snake and his former mentor is one of the greatest stories in video game history, with characters like EVA or the history of the members of the Cobra Unit adding to the allure of this legendary title.

2 Mafia

One Of The Most Influential Mobster Stories In Video Game History

It’s not easy to tell a story as deep as that of Mafia with the technological limitations of the late 2000s, but Illusion Softworks delivered a brand-new game back then that still holds up perfectly and is deemed an important source of inspiration for any video game that wants to depict mobster in the United States.

Mafia follows the life of Tommy Angelo since he becomes a mobster in a fictional city influenced by 1930s Chicago. The story not only shows the ruthless world of mobsters but also goes personal, revealing challenges in life and friendship, both of which can be ruined when things go south in the mafia family.

1 Silent Hill 2

One Of The Greatest Narratives In Gaming, With The Visuals Enhancing The Experience Considerably

The first Silent Hill is a horror classic but the second surpassed it in almost every way. The story saw James Sunderland drawn to the titular town when he received a letter from his deceased wife Mary telling him to meet her there. That’s creepy enough on its own but the terrifying elements of the town added to the intrigue.

When James arrived in Silent Hill, he met plenty of colorful characters, including a woman named Maria who bore a striking resemblance to his late wife. She also strangely knows things about his relationship that only Mary would know. The trippy tale ultimately sees James discover that he euthanized his dying wife and that the monsters in the town were manifestations of his psyche made to punish him. It’s one of the wildest rides a video game can take players on.