I got through phases of games, and right now I’m in the one I like to think of everything-modern-is-making-me-angry-so-I’ll-turn-back-to-vintage-games - and that’s in the form of PCSX2 on my Steam Deck.

Playing the PS2 generation on the Steam Deck is kinda the ‘perfect’ generation: I can upscale the resolution without a performance hit, I can apply HD texture packs, Retro Achievements and I can drop the TDP to extend the battery life.

Anyway, I never had a PS2 (it was just a touch before my time), so there’s so many games I’m yet to discover there. I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have for what I can play on there:

Just a couple notes:

  • No GTA games because they’re better with the PC versions. While I’ve bought the games, the account that Rockstar demands people have to play their games makes me angry on principle (a single-player game forcing an online check each week to be able to play it? No thanks), so I’ve got cracked versions to play.

  • No Final Fantasy because I’m not even sure where to start!

So if anyone was around back in the PS2 era, and has some recommendations for games they’ve loved, I’m all ears. I’ve been having such a fun time playing these.

Some big thanks to my friends who made and run RetroDECK (my choice for emulating on the Steam Deck), and to the PCSX2 team (who I’m chatting to right now actually, so keep an eye out and in a week or so I’ll share that chat with them all about creating and maintaining the PS2 emulator!)

Also, if you do have a Steam Deck, and want to play with the HD texture packs I do, then it’s really simple. Just download the pack, and name then according to their game’s I.D. code - SLUS-20743 for example, then place it in the texture_packs folder:

From there, go into PCSX2, then right-click the game, select properties, graphics, texture replacement and tick the two boxes I have:

Then you’ve got the games looking the best they can be!

Here’s a link to a stack of pre-done HD textures for a lot of PS2 games, to help you on your way!

  • thewitchslayer@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    3·
    7 days ago

    As others have said, Ratchet and Clank series is fantastic

    One I did not see in the comments is Test Drive: Eve of Destruction.

  • AstroLightz@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    8 days ago

    Burnout 3 is one of the best arcade racing games for this generation.

    I see you have Kingdom Hearts II in there. There’s also the original Kingdom Hearts as well.

    The Simpsons: Hit & Run is like GTA but more “family-friendly”.

    There’s also other Ratchet & Clank games on the PS2, including the original, Going Commando, and Deadlocked.

    If you like racing games, Need for Speed: Underground 2 is one of the best games in the NFS series. IMO it’s better than Underground 1.

    Also, appreciate the guide for higher res textures.

    • PerfectDark@lemmy.worldOPMEnglish
      3·
      8 days ago

      Also, appreciate the guide for higher res textures.

      You’re so welcome! Let me know if you ever run into any troubles!

    • ipkpjersi@lemmy.mlEnglish
      2·
      8 days ago

      Every single one of those games is excellent, but tbh I’d recommend starting with Underground 1 and then going onto Underground 2, they’re both fantastic IMO.

  • a_pithy_name@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    8 days ago

    I strongly recommend Dark Cloud and Dark Cloud 2. DC2, to my memory, could have aged well, but DC1 might be a rough play if you’re not in the headspace for a game of that era. I haven’t played them in an age, though.

    Otherwise, I find that Kingdom Hearts (and KH2 in particular) aged very well. KH2 just feels really good to play.

    As for Final Fantasy, if you have a wild hair to play just one, you’ll get a dozen different opinions. However, since essentially every game plays with new universes and new gameplay mechanics, you really do get a fresh start with each one.

    • CodexArcanum@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      4·
      8 days ago

      DC2 is absolutely a must play. Its a ridiculously big game though, be warned. You’ll be deep into the latter chapters with the game still throwing new mechanics at you like “omg, I have to play golf in dungeons now too, and fishing, and base building, and photography, and and and and”

      I kind of do reccomend a guide for it as there’s some permanent misables.

    • Glide@lemmy.caEnglish
      4·
      8 days ago

      Seconded for Dark Cloud 2 specifically. Game is incredibly good.

  • Rekorse@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    9·
    8 days ago

    Final fantasy isn’t a continuation from game to game, they are new stories each time. Final fantasy is more like a feeling than a specific place or group of people.

    All that said I really think you should consider trying Final Fantasy 10, it has fantastic cinematics and is a very emotional game.

    • Capt. Wolf@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      8 days ago

      I think of it as an RPG ruleset, like DnD. Most of FF games follow similar mechanics, class systems, sometimes there’s the same monsters, and sometimes there’s crystals that do stuff.

      I agree though, FFX is really good.

  • thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    9·
    8 days ago

    Beyond Good & Evil

    Devil May Cry trilogy
    If you liked God of War (and its PS2 sequels), another franchise well worth checking out!

    Final Fantasy X. Hands down the best entry of the franchise (fight me), and one of the best introductions to the series.

    Ico + Shadow of the Colossus
    Literal works of art.

    Killer7

    Manhunt + Manhunt 2
    If you like Bully & PS2-era GTA entries, this series is well worth exploring. Very dark and gory.

    Need for Speed Underground + Underground 2
    Some of the best racing OSTs ever, and the offline PS2-editions don’t lose tracks when licenses expire.

    Prince of Persia - Sands of Time

    Silent Hill 2

    Viewtiful Joe + Viewtiful Joe 2
    An incredible 2d beat-em up with a great vibe.

    The Warriors
    Rockstar’s love letter to a cult classic 70s film.

    Zone of the Enders + Zone of the Enders 2nd Runner
    Hideo Kojima just doing more of his thing outside of the MGS franchise.

  • Godort@lemmy.caEnglish
    8·
    8 days ago

    God Hand is probably the most underrated game on the platform. Dont let the visuals or the crass humor turn you off. It’s made by Clover (the same devs behind Okami and Viewtiful Joe) and is mechanically deep to an absurd degree. Easily the best beat-em-up on the console.

  • SinkingLotus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    8 days ago

    Here’s a list from my collection

    • .hack://Infection

    • .hack://Mutation

    • .hack://Outbreak

    • .hack://Quarantine

    • .hack://G.U. Rebirth

    • .hack://G.U. Reminisce

    • .hack://G.U. Redemption

    • 007: Agent Under Fire

    • 007: Nightfire

    • 007: Everything or Nothing

    • 10,000 Bullets

    • Altered Beast (i.e., Project: Altered Beast)

    • Ape Escape 2

    • Ape Escape 3

    • Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia

    • Ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica

    • Armored Core 2

    • Armored Core 2: Another Age

    • Armored Core 3

    • Armored Core: Last Raven

    • Armored Core: Nexus

    • Armored Core: Nine Breaker

    • Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana

    • Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny

    • Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm

    • Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance

    • Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II

    • Beyond Good & Evil

    • Blood Will Tell

    • BloodRayne

    • BloodRayne 2

    • Bloody Roar 3

    • Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

    • Bunjingai: The Forsaken City (i.e., Bunjingai: Swordmaster)

    • Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

    • Castlevania: Lament of Innocent

    • Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest

    • Chaos Wars

    • Chulip

    • Clock Tower 3

    • Cold Fear

    • Contra: Shattered Soldier

    • Crimson Tears

    • Dark Cloud

    • Dark Cloud 2 (i.e., Dark Chronicle)

    • Destroy All Humans!

    • Destroy All Humans! 2

    • Deus Ex (NB: Worse than PC version)

    • Devil May Cry

    • Devil May Cry 2 (NB: Only because I’m recommending the others)

    • Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening - Special Edition

    • Disaster Report (i.e., SOS: The Final Escape)

    • Disgaea 1: Hour of Darkness

    • Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories

    • Downhill Domination

    • Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3

    • Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

    • Drakengard

    • Drakengard 2

    • Dynasty Warriors 5

    • Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends

    • Evergrace

    • Fatal Frame

    • Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly

    • Fatal Frame III: The Tormented

    • Final Fantasy X (NB: See end)

    • Final Fantasy X-2 (NB: See end)

    • Final Fantasy XII (NB: See end)

    • Forbidden Siren

    • Forbidden Siren 2

    • Forever Kingdom (NB: Prequel to Evergrace)

    • Gitaroo Man

    • Gladius

    • God Hand

    • Grandia Xtreme

    • Grandia III

    • Gregory Horror Show

    • GunGrave

    • GunGrave: Overdose

    • Haunting Ground

    • Headhunter

    • Headhunter Redemption

    • Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

    • Hitman: Contracts

    • Hitman: Blood Money

    • Ico

    • Initial D Special Stage

    • Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

    • Jak II

    • Jak 3 (NB: Fuck the naming scheme)

    • Jak X: Combat Racing (NB: Get V2.00 specifically)

    • Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier

    • Katamari Damacy

    • Kingdom Hearts - Final Mix

    • Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories

    • Kingdom Hearts II - Final Mix (NB: Translation somewhere online)

    • Kinetica

    • Lumines: Puzzle Fusion

    • Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome

    • Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis

    • Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy

    • Manhunt

    • Manhunt 2

    • Maximo: Ghosts to Glory

    • Maximo vs Army of Zin

    • Mega Man X7

    • Mega Man X8

    • Mercenaries - Playground of Destruction

    • Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

    • Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (NB: See end)

    • Michigan: Report from Hell

    • Mister Mosquito

    • Need for Speed: Underground

    • Need for Speed: Underground 2

    • Need for Speed: Most Wanted

    • Need for Speed: Carbon

    • Nightshade (NB: Sequel to Shinobi)

    • ObsCure

    • ObsCure II

    • Odin Sphere

    • Okage: Shadow King

    • Onimusha 1: Warlords (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

    • PaRappa The Rapper 2

    • Phantom Brave

    • Primal

    • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

    • Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

    • Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones

    • Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

    • Psychonauts

    • Radiata Stories

    • Ratchet & Clank

    • Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (i.e., Locked and Loaded)

    • Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

    • Ratchet & Clank: Deadlocked

    • Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

    • Raw Danger! (NB: Sequel to Disaster Report)

    • Red Dead Revolver

    • Resident Evil Code: Veronica X

    • Resident Evil Outbreak

    • Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2

    • Resident Evil 4

    • Rogue Galaxy

    • Romancing SaGa

    • Rygar: The Legendary Adventure

    • Samurai Western

    • Second Sight

    • Shadow Hearts

    • Shadow Hearts: Covenant

    • Shadow Hearts: From the New World

    • Shadow of Destiny (i.e., Memories)

    • Shadow of Rome

    • Shadow of the Colossus

    • Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (i.e., Lucifer’s Call) (i.e., featuring Dante from DMC!)

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES

    • Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

    • Shining Force EXA

    • Shinobi

    • Shinobido: Way of the Ninja

    • Silent Hill 2 (NB: Pressure-sensitive buttons)

    • Silent Hill 3

    • Silent Hill 4: The Room (NB: Just because)

    • Silent Scope

    • Silent Scope 2: Dark Silhouette

    • Silent Scope 3

    • Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

    • Sly 2: Band of Thieves

    • Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

    • Soul Nomad & the World Eaters

    • Spider-Man 2

    • Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

    • Steambot Chronicles

    • Suikoden III

    • Suikoden IV

    • Suikoden V

    • Super Dragon Ball Z

    • Tales of Legendia

    • Tales of the Abyss

    • Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven

    • Tenchu: Fatal Shadows

    • The Bouncer

    • The Getaway

    • The Getaway: Black Monday

    • The Godfather

    • The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction

    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

    • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

    • The Simpsons: Hit & Run

    • The Sword of Etheria

    • The Thing

    • The Warriors

    • Tokyo Road Race

    • Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3

    • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3

    • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4

    • Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland

    • TY the Tasmanian Tiger

    • TY the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue

    • Way of the Samurai

    • Way of the Samurai 2

    • Wild Arms 3

    • Wild Arms 4

    • Wild Arms 5

    • Wild Arms: Alter Code, F

    • Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht

    • Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse

    • Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra

    • X-Men Legends

    • X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse

    • Yakuza

    • Yakuza 2

    • Zone of the Enders

    • Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (NB: Get PAL special specifically)

    So Final Fantasy games are often unrelated to one another. Meaning you can just pick whichever to start. Although Final Fantasy X has a direct sequel, that being Final Fantasy X-2.

    Next is about Mega Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. Even though you have it listed I still mention it because Subsistence includes:

    • Metal Gear
    • Metal Gear 2

    Being the most recommended versions of those games. (Not including Nintendo’s recent ports)

    • lohky@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      8 days ago

      I knew I was going to see Steambot Chronicles on that list after seeing the .hack games hah.

  • nutbutter@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    6·
    8 days ago

    Party Girls

    Ghost Rider

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    LEGO games, like harry potter and batman

    Ratatouille

    Beyond Good and Evil

    Devil May Cry, DMC2, DMC3

    Ghostbusters

    Kuon

    X-Men Origins Wolverine

    Scarface

    Mister Mosquito

  • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    8 days ago

    Smugglers Run 2

    Castlevania Symphony of the Night

    Gladius

    Burnout Revenge

    Gran Turismo 3&4

    Final Fantasy X/ X-II

    Just Cause 2

    Drakkengarde

    I’m sure I’m forgetting some really good ones.

    • dual_sport_dork 🐧🗡️@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      7 days ago

      I’m just being that guy on the internet as usual, but Symphony Of The Night is a PS1 title, not PS2. I’m sure OP can run a PS1 emulator on his her Deck if she wants to, though. It is a great game.

      • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        8 days ago

        It was released for both then. I have a physical PS2 copy. Not really surprised. They did that with a ton of titles when hopping from one generation of console to the next.

        • dual_sport_dork 🐧🗡️@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          8 days ago

          I was not aware it was released in that packaging, but I’m pretty sure that’s still a Playstation 1 disk dressed up in a PS2 style DVD case, meant to be used with the PS2’s backwards compatibility mode. To my knowledge SotN was never rereleased as a native PS2 title and wasn’t rereleased at all until the PSP version. (And then later the Xbox 360 and PS4 as downloadable titles, and also the ghastly mobile phone versions.) If you have a PS1 kicking around you can try it and see, I suppose.

          For what it’s worth my copy is the green-stripe “Greatest Hits” reprinting, so what it’s worth is alas not much.

  • Tigeroovy@lemmy.caEnglish
    5·
    8 days ago

    Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Destroy All Humans! Shadow of the Colossus, The Matrix: Path of Neo, Psi Ops: The Mind Gate Conspiracy, Burnout Revenge, Gitaroo Man, God Hand.

    I’m sure there’s more but that’s off the top of my head. Also some of these can definitely be found in newer versions or ports, but they started on PS2 so I listed them anyways.

  • ayyy@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    5·
    7 days ago

    Ratchet and Clank is the best, and the story is best experienced in order but the first game is a bit clunky so starting on the second game isn’t the worst idea. I personally started with Up Your Arsenal! then got hooked on the series and backfilled.

  • NONE@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    8 days ago

    You have to… No, You NEED to Play Downhill Domination. There is NO WAY you won’t have fun playing that, trust me.

    Oh! And Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3! You don’t have to be a DBZ fan to have fun with that, is amazing and so chaotic!

    Also, have you consider trying Devil May Cry 3? (Don’t worry about the number, it’s a precule). It’s kinda hard but so fun and satisfying.

    No Final Fantasy because I’m not even sure where to start!

    I had the same problem too, but after trying to play them chronologically (and failing), I learned that you can play any FF game at any time, cuz they are very unique and don’t actually relate one another.

    Final Fantasy X is a great pick, for example, it helped me overcome my despise for Turn-base combat RPG.

    And, if you’re up to some Big Robot Fight mayhem anime style, Zone of The Enders is Amazing.

    edit: AND YAKUZA! HOW COULD I FORGOT YAKUZA!!?? YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE FIRST YAKUZA ASAP!!

    (unless you want to play / already played the kiwami version, which may be a better experience)
  • CodenameDarlen@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    8 days ago

    God Hand is a hidden gem, the game is hard tho.
    Crash of the Titans
    Crash Twinsanity
    Black
    Midnight Club 3
    NFS Underground 2
    Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks
    Gun
    Burnout
    Darkwatch (hidden gem too)

    There are more but these worth mentioning because they can’t be played without emulation on PC, so it fits well to play on PCSX2.