Whenever a company tries to introduce a new system to the market, rarely does it find a place in the ecosystem. This was not the case for Sony and the PS1 which created a lasting legacy. The PS2 outdid the PS1’s numbers which led to the system being the best-selling console for decades until Nintendo announced in 2024 that they surpassed its sales with the Nintendo Switch.
Even if that’s true, it’s an incredible accomplishment to be that well-regarded years after its place in the limelight. So, in recognition of the PS2’s compelling history, let’s look back to the origins when it was released on Jun 30, 2025 in North America and see what the launch games were and if they hold up today. They will be ranked based on lasting appeal.
Summoner is better known for being the stepping stone to a better game:Summoner 2. While the sequel is better in every way, the first entry got some things right for a launch game. The action, while a bit more complicated than most, was satisfying and the inclusion of summonable minions helped it stand out from other contemporaries be it from the West or East. The story went to some interesting places but it did take a bit to get going. Overall, while it may be dated in some areas and the sequel is better, the 2024 HD port ofSummonerto the PS5 helps make it a more playableRPG by today’s standards.
Most may not know this butDynasty Warriorsbegan as afighting game on the PS1.Dynasty Warriors 2is where the series added the more traditional hack and slash gameplay with Musou abilities. The rest, as they say, is history as this sequel changed the franchise forever.
Set in the warring era of Chinese history, players could take on the role of dozens of characters and fight through giant battlefields. While not as impressive today given thatDynasty Warriors: Originscould probably hold the entire game in just one stage on PS5,Dynasty Warriors 2should still be remembered and even played today to understand the true origin point.
Armored Core 2is not the second game in the seriesby a long shot as there were three entries on the PS1. Armored Core is where the series took its next big leap forward though and into a new generation of consoles. The gameplay was snappier and players had more to work with on their mechs. The story was still a light point in the design, but players were always in it for the mech action anyway. Even the latest entry decades later,Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, doesn’t have a big story. This was not FromSoftware’s only launch game on the PS2 though as they also hadEternal RingandEverGracewhich are not great RPGs to look back on.
BeforeRockstar made a giant statementon the PS2 withGrand Theft Auto 3, they hadMidnight Club: Street Racing. It took out the middleman from pastGrand Theft Autogames to focus on the racing although there was a story too. Any entry intheMidnight Clubseries features better racing than anyGrand Theft Autogame on the PS2: it’s that good. Street racing never looked and played so well on the system and things would only get better. Unfortunately, this game was never remastered and the franchise has been kind of dead for a while.
Tekkenruled the fighting arena on the PS1 with three main titles. Fans were eagerly anticipatingTekken 4but got this spinoff instead:Tekken Tag Tournament. While the game was not as exciting as seeing a numbered sequel, it was still an impressive leap forward in technology that tided fans over for two years. The character roster was there, the stages were varied, and the brief story segments were memorable.Tekken Tag Tournamentwas never ported or remastered in a meaningful way but Bandai Namco hasn’t been great about updating their pastTekkenentries overall.
Cool Boarders was the exclusive PS1 snowboarding series that thrived on the system. That wasn’t the case on the PS2 asSSX, via EA, dominated the platform.SSX Trickywas the peak, butSSXcan still throw down with thebest snowboarding gamesout there today.
The slopes ranged from cool to “Oh my god I’m going to die” and the music really cemented it as a hit. It was the snowboarding game that elevated the sport to new levels just like howTony Hawk’s Pro Skatermade skateboarding infinitely more appealing. If only players could leap onto the slopes with this game on the PS5 today.
TimeSplitters, like many launch games, can be thanked for starting what would become one of the greatest trilogies on the PS2. Unfortunately, despite numerous tries, a fourth game still hasn’t been made. That’s okay though as the entire trilogy was at least ported to the PS5 in 2024. With certain memberships, this and the other two games can be played through in a weekend and they’re still all bangers. The idea of a first-person shooter about time traveling is still a novel one and it doesn’t get any wackier than the firstTimeSplitters.
