Summary
- PlayStation dominance in 2005 was bolstered by amazing game titles exclusive to its consoles.
- Guitar Hero, Soulcalibur 3, and Sly 3 were among the best games released for PlayStation in 2005.
- These releases, along with Grand Theft Auto, Devil May Cry, Kingdom Hearts, and more helped define a golden era of gaming.
By 2005, PlayStation had already established itself as one of the top console brands in the gaming industry. This is because the original PlayStation, the PlayStation 2, and the PlayStation Portable had already all been released. Plus, Xbox wasn’t a very successful brand yet, and it wasn’t a strong time for Nintendo consoles, either.
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So, it was a good time to be Sony. Yet, the company’s systems wouldn’t be nearly as fruitful if it weren’t for the litany of amazing titles that were coming out for those consoles. Some of the best titles came out in 2005 and will turn 20 in 2025. These are the most notable ones.
8
Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero (2005)
- Released
-
November 8, 2005
- Developer(s)
-
Harmonix Music Systems
- Publisher(s)
-
RedOctane
, MTV Games - ESRB
-
e
Rhythm games that use instrument-shaped game controllers have gone out of style. However, they were a huge trend at one time. Guitar Hero was partially responsible for this, and the first game in the series was released in 2005.
The game allows you to live your dreams of being a rockstar. You use a guitar-shaped controller and press the buttons in time with the musical notes on the screen. The soundtrack was amazing, and the gameplay was innovative.
7
Soulcalibur 3
- Released
-
October 25, 2005
- Developer(s)
-
Project Soul
- Publisher(s)
-
Namco
, Sony Computer Entertainment - ESRB
-
t
Soulcalibur 3 is a fighting game that was originally launched on the PS2 before being released in arcades. It never landed on other home consoles, so it feels very much like a PlayStation game.
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PlayStation fans are very lucky as Soulcalibur 3 is an exceptional fighting entry in an often underrated fighting series. The game contains a diverse set of fighters and some beautiful locales for them to fight in. There is even a character creator that, to this day, not every fighting game includes.
6
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
Despite being a series that never gets new instalments, Sly Cooper has some excellent games. The third of them was released in 2005, and like the others, it is considered a stealth action game.
The title revolves around a group of vigilante thieves led by the charming raccoon named Sly Cooper. As Cooper and his friends, you sneak around, take out some guards, and steal things. The level design is impressive, and the gameplay is varied due to the game’s different playable characters. Overall, it’s very good.
5
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Third-Person Shooter
Sandbox
- Released
-
October 25, 2005
- Developer(s)
-
Rockstar Leeds
, Rockstar North - ESRB
-
m
Grand Theft Auto Liberty City Stories didn’t land on the PS2 until 2006, but it was released on the PlayStation Portable in 2005. It just so happens that the PSP version was considered the superior one, mainly because of its additional multiplayer content.
Whatever system you play it on, though, it’s an entertaining third-person action-adventure game. As it’s set in the GTA series, it includes plenty of gunplay and an open world to cause chaos in. That open world is called Liberty City, which is based on New York City. It uses some assets from GTA3, but it is its own game and a great one at that.
4
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
4.5/5
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
Hack and Slash
Action-Adventure
Beat ‘Em Up
- Released
-
February 17, 2005
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Most of the Devil May Cry games rank among the best character action games in the world. Yet, DMC3 is particularly special. While it was released on several different systems, it got its start on the PlayStation 2. Therefore, it’s often seen as a PS2 game, and it’s a very impressive one.
The hack-and-slash title contains slick combat that not only looks good but has remarkable depth. Few other games in the genre have managed to match its brilliance since.
3
Kingdom Hearts 2
Kingdom Hearts 2
Action RPG
Hack and Slash
- Released
-
March 28, 2006
- Developer(s)
-
Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
-
Square Enix
- ESRB
-
E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol, Violence
These days, Kingdom Hearts isn’t just a PlayStation series. Back in 2005, though, the main instalments were only on PS consoles. Therefore, Kingdom Hearts 2 was a PS2 exclusive. It also is an exceptional action RPG about protagonist Sora searching for his friends. The game contains plenty of lovable characters from both the Disney and Square Enix catalogs.
Just because the likes of Goofy and Donald Duck are in the game, though, doesn’t mean this is a silly title. In fact, the narrative is actually serious and complex. Plus, the overall game provides as much engaging role-playing goodness as any RPG that doesn’t include Mickey Mouse.
2
Shadow Of The Colossus
- Released
-
October 18, 2005
- Publisher(s)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment
- ESRB
-
T For Teen // Blood, Fantasy Violence
Not many games age as well as Shadow of the Colossus. Yes, its visuals aren’t as impressive as they used to be, but the game remains magnificent. It is an action-adventure title where you hunt giant creatures in an effort to save your friend. These creatures aren’t presented as monsters, though, and fighting them doesn’t really make you feel good, despite the creative combat.
At the time of release, it was praised for being a unique gaming experience. After all, before 2005, there had been nothing like it. However, you could also argue that there hasn’t been anything like it since, either.
1
God Of War
God of War (2005)
- Released
-
March 22, 2005
- Publisher(s)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment
- ESRB
-
m
The fairly recent God of War reboot has deservedly received plenty of praise. Yet, the God of War series was already one of Sony’s best series long before Kratos started saying “boy” all the time. The greatness of GOW was established back in 2005 with its original game.
The first God of War is an over-the-top hack-and-slash game featuring a lot of exciting, large-scale fights. The game isn’t as grounded as the more recent instalments, but not many other titles provide as much pure fun.
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