The Best FPS Games Only Available On The PS2

Over two decades after its launch, the PlayStation 2 still firmly remains in the minds of many players, who fondly remember the all-time classic games in its stellar library. The first-person shooter genre is itself very well represented on the juggernaut console, with many great series like Call of Duty and Medal of Honor having multiple entries, but the vast majority of these were playable on other contemporary consoles. The same can be said of many licensed games in franchises such as James Bond and Star Wars.

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Other exemplary games like TimeSplitters and Killzone were initially exclusive to Sony’s best-selling console, but have since been released on more modern hardware, also making them ineligible for this list. Here are the best FPS games that remain trapped on the PlayStation 2, and may be worth dusting off for another playthrough, ranked based on their overall quality and popularity.

6

Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts

Spin-Off Of World At War

Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts

Released

November 11, 2008

A peculiar spin-off game, Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts, was released thanks to the PlayStation 2’s continuous high sales, despite the next console generation being in full swing. Development was outsourced to a different company (Rebellion Developments) than those who created World at War, the seventh console generation counterpart, meaning that the campaign and general gameplay are completely different, even if the setting of the final days of World War Two is similar.

The 13 missions are split between four different playable characters from both the U.S. and British Armed Forces, set in various locations on the Western Front in Europe and in many key battlegrounds in the Pacific campaign. Unlike its PlayStation 3 counterpart, Final Fronts features no multiplayer options, which was a gripe for many players at the time, but the main grievances are aimed at the poorly programmed friendly troops, who frequently push the player out of cover or run directly into the player’s firing line.

5

Gungriffon Blaze

Fast-Paced Mech Battling Action

While it may reside in the shadow of the PS2-exclusive third-person mech shooter, Armored Core 2, Gungriffon Blaze is still regarded by many as a game worth playing. Its predecessors are acclaimed Sega Saturn-exclusive titles, so the fun and fast-paced gameplay in Gungriffon Blaze caused some division among fans and critics since its short runtime and general lack of content left players wanting more.

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The game is set in 2015 during the Third World War, putting players on the ground in various worldwide locations to battle invading forces with mechs, and rescue civilians who are being terrorized. The AWG mechs can move at incredibly fast speeds, which is useful for avoiding incoming rockets and zooming across the battlefield to thwart any hostiles. The controls are satisfying, and there is a good amount of strategy involved in the missions, which have many ways to be completed, but a lack of multiplayer options is a missed opportunity.

4

Tribes: Aerial Assault

A Mostly Online Mech Shooter

Tribes: Aerial Assault

Systems

Released

September 24, 2002

ESRB

T For Teen // Violence

Developer(s)

Inevitable Entertainment

Largely designed with online gameplay in mind, Tribes: Aerial Assault is another first-person mech shooter and the third entry in the popular Tribes series. There are five main game modes for players to engage in: team-based modes in the form of Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Capture and Hold; and single-player modes in both Hunter and Deathmatch. Though the servers closed in 2008, there is still a dedicated fanbase that keeps this game alive.

Though online battling is the main focus, Aerial Assault does feature a narrative-driven campaign mode, but it adds little to the overall story of the series. Set in the year 3945 in a region of space known as the Wilderzone, a new genetically modified race called the BioDerm has invaded this tribal area. It’s up to the protagonist, J. Ransom, to battle alongside other space tribes to defeat these enemies in missions that are the same as the game modes found in multiplayer.

3

Cold Winter

Inventive Gameplay And A Gripping Story, But Dull Graphics

Cold Winter

Systems

Released

May 11, 2005

ESRB

m

A solid game that largely flew under the radar due to its lackluster graphical presentation, Cold Winter features an enthralling narrative and some very innovative gameplay elements but is missing the vivid colors and crisp visuals that would attract a bigger audience. Controlling Andrew Sterling, a James Bond-esque former SAS soldier now working for MI6, players are dragged into a worldwide conspiracy involving arms deals and a shady organization seeking to bring about nuclear winter.

The story itself came in for particular praise from most reviewers, as it contains much more substance and intrigue than many of its FPS contemporaries. Enemy AI was ahead of its time, intuitively reacting to player actions and showing more tactical nous than in most games, even nowadays. Realistic ragdoll physics and the ability to move objects to create cover is incredibly innovative, with objects even reacting to gunfire and explosions as they would in real life.

2

Quake 3 Revolution

A PS2 Port With Unique Elements

Quake 3: Revolution

Systems

Released

March 26, 2001

ESRB

e

While it may be an amalgamation of Quake 3 Arena and its expansion, Quake 3 Team Arena, Quake 3 Revolution contains enough unique elements to stand out, including a brand-new single-player campaign. This campaign is much more linear than in Arena and seemingly takes place after the events of the PC variant, split into five tiers with five arenas that players must tackle and win in the set order. Match types are more varied too, rather than deathmatches only.

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There are five characters to control in Revolution, and successfully beating all the tiers earns the player a battle for freedom against the Vadrigar. Many players lamented the lack of online play, which was not a service offered on the PS2 at the time, but four-player split-screen was and still is a very popular feature among some dedicated fans. New match types in Revolution include Single Weapon Death Match and a Capture the Flag variant with only one flag.

1

Half-Life: Decay

Standalone Two-Player Campaign

Systems

Released

November 14, 2001

ESRB

M For Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence

A standalone campaign on the Half-Life PS2 port, Half-Life Decay is a separate story that occurs simultaneously with Gordon Freeman’s adventure, best enjoyed in co-op. Intended to be enjoyed in split-screen by two players, though with a single-player option where one can swap between the two characters, there are nine missions to complete, featuring some puzzles that require good teamwork and a bonus mission for those who earn an A rating on every mission.

Controlling Colette Green and Gina Cross, two of Gordon Freeman’s colleagues at the Black Mesa research facility, the goal is to contain the outbreak of the invading Xen creatures in the labs. While many feel that it’s not as enjoyable as Half-Life, Decay is a rather unique experience in the series. An official PC port was in development but never materialized, so it’s worth setting up the old PlayStation 2 to enjoy again over two decades after its release, especially with a friend.

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