The PlayStation 2 has just turned 26, and it has me feeling sentimental. As the custodian of my older brother's console since 2018, it's been sitting on my TV stand for years now. But I rarely actually play it, despite having an AVI to HDMI adapter – one of the cheapest and best ways to play PS2 games in 2026. Sure, I'll fire it up a few times a year to relive a childhood favorite, but the retro console still requires a lot of effort to set it up on modern hardware. Even then, the results are varied at best, but there are some stand-outs that I don't see talked about as often as others.
While our list of the best PS2 games ranks the most legendary titles of the console's generation, I want to dig into why some feel better to play than others. A lot of this is down to the DualShock controller's obvious lack of dexterity – especially where ports to modern tech are available. I wish I could still play through Quantic Dream's incredible thriller Fahrenheit on PS2, for example, but its clunky handling makes the PC port much easier to recommend today. But there are other options that I absolutely would not play elsewhere – trust me, I've tested out a lifetime's worth of PS2 games to find out. Having gone through all my CD-ROM albums on a mission of will, patience, and rediscovery, these are 10 PS2 games that still live in my head rent free . Happy birthday, PlayStation 2!
10. Silent Hill 2
Best For: Old-school horror hounds
Release date: September 25, 2001
Few games feel as emblematic of the PS2 as Silent Hill 2. The second installation of the survival horror franchise was when Konami really sold us on its brand of tense, layered, creeping psychological terror. It's at the bottom of my list because fixed camera angles are really, really finicky to recommend in 2026 – they're not everyone's cup of tea, mine included. But even with the excellent Silent Hill 2 Remake having launched in 2024, there's something special about playing it on the original hardware.
The scuzzy early '00s tone of both the graphics and the incredible soundtrack make for an even grittier, darker experience, and with the game being not quite as punishing as others in terms of enemy density, avoiding unnecessary combat is very much doable. It might not be one I played in its entirety, but Silent Hill 2 is still a fantastic game to play on PS2 even 25 years later. In fact, the PS2 version even managed to top our list of the best Silent Hill games of all time…it's just that good.
9. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Best for: Open world action
Release date: October 29, 2002
San Andreas might be newer and less clunky, but I was surprised by how deceptively smooth my journey back to GTA Vice City was in 2026. If any game was a reminder of how good a PS2 game could look, even in its relative infancy, this one is it. Not to mention the radio stations are still some of the best ones in any video game out there.
I'm especially impressed by the shooting mechanics. Even without the fluidity of modern console controllers, the DualShock makes driving and heisting far more effortless here than it felt testing out 50 Cent Bulletproof (please don't put yourself through that mess), and shooting feels far smoother than memory serves. My main sticking point with Vice City is that you really do need a decent adapter to amp up the visuals; I needed to tinker with my TV settings a lot to get the contrast and white balance just right, but once that was sorted, I barely noticed the PS2's odd quirks while replaying Tommy Vercetti's 2001 adventure.
8. Resident Evil: Dead Aim
Best for: Fans of unserious deep cuts
Release date: February 13, 2003
When it comes to the best Resident Evil games to play on the PS2 in 2026, I choose violence over conformity. By that, I mean you should play kitschy spin-off Resident Evil: Dead Aim over the iconic Resident Evil 4 any day. The latter is in much better condition elsewhere, with both the 2005 original and Resident Evil 4 Remake available on Steam, while Dead Aim is a PS2 exclusive that series die-hards simply have to hunt down.
Look, I'll be honest: it's short. It's messy. It's got a budget Leon and Ada (sorry, I mean Bruce and Fong Ling) on a zombie-infested cruise ship, pursued all the while by a stiletto-clad lady Tyrant who once was a beauty-obsessed Umbrella executive named Morpheus. But it's also got fun, snappy gameplay for an easy to pick-up-and-play survival horror snack you can polish off in a weekend afternoon. It's by far my favorite among the Resident Evil spin-offs for sheer fact that it's so bizarre, you really have to play it to believe it. And since you can only play it on PS2…. Well, I've proven my point.
7. Persona 4
Best for: Longer JRPG sessions
Release date: July 10, 2008
It's finally getting a remake, but Persona 4 still feels good to play on PS2. The JRPG series is beloved for its inventive merging of social sim-meets-turn-based combat, with a flashy anime art style that holds up to this day even on older hardware. The catch is that, of course, it's not quite as sharp and clean as its newer-gen brethren – which is a bit of a downer, if you're all about modern flourish.
Don't get me wrong: I am too, but there's a time and a place for it. I was torn between suggesting Persona 3 or 4, and ultimately, my decision came down to how much I adored Persona 3 Reloaded. Given how brilliant it was, I'm fully prepared to eat my words come Persona 4 Revival's launch next year. But until that fateful day, I stand by the fact that if you're going to play the original game at all in 2026, I'd skip Persona 4 Golden and go right back to the trippy game's roots on PS2.
6. Spider-Man 2
Best for: Classic superhero antics
Release date: June 28, 2004
Don't shoot the messenger – I know Spider-Man 2 is one of the most beloved PS2 games of the early '00s, but I don't rate it quite as highly as some others might. True, its acrobatic web traversal laid the groundwork for all the Marvel's Spider-Man games from Insomniac that would come decades later – but being good for its time doesn't mean it feels objectively good right now.
Maybe I am just uncoordinated. Maybe I am simply impatient. But I'd much rather pay Marvel's Spider-Man than set up my PS2 for the pleasure of landing splat on my spidey face in lower resolution. That said, legacy does count for something, and I simply could not bring myself to place this still extremely playable game any lower on this list for the sheer fact that no collection of iconic PS2 games could ever be complete without it.
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
Best for: TV show superfans
Release date: August 26, 2003
It is heartbreaking that I only got my hands on a copy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds for PS2 a couple of years ago, because it's one hell(mouth) of a good time. I love the TV show more than I love most other things in this world, so even if it was awful, I'd probably still be a fan of Chaos Bleeds for the sheer fact that so much of the original cast reprise their roles in it. But I am relieved to announce that it's also a brilliant PS2 game to collect and play right now in 2026 for other, less subjective reasons.
Playing through the revolving cast of characters means varied combat throughout, ranging from melee to magic and vampiric (when controlling Spike) as you tackle a range of dynamic levels. There's a little bit of something for everyone, from beat-'em-up action to platforming and beyond, and I only want to throw my controller at the TV once or twice because of dodgy enemy hitboxes. My own skill issues aside, Chaos Bleeds has so many playful quirks and such a genuinely engaging structure that I'd challenge anyone, Buffy fan or not, to have an objectively bad time playing it on PS2 today.
4. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Best for: Play with friends
Release date: November 9, 2004
Can I be honest with you? Movie co-release game adaptation Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events might be my favorite PS2 game of all time. Maybe it's because I grew up playing it with my siblings, each of us taking turns to control one of the three Baudelaire orphans. Maybe it's because I miss the days of movie-PS2 tie-ins and long for their return. Or maybe it's a bit of both on top of the fact that this is a genuinely excellent video game that still runs beautifully on its original hardware.
Replaying Unfortunate Events only last year, I was struck by how accurate my memories of the gameplay itself had been. Each orphan has a special ability – either a utility tool, a weapon-adjacent tool, or something to aid traversal – as you solve puzzles in three distinct locations across the first three books, as seen in the 2004 film. It's not kid's stuff, either; from a timed platforming challenge in a library to fighting off hordes of bitey rats, the game is as dark as the source material and much more mature than you might think. I had to pull up guides for this one, that's how much of a head scratcher A Series of Unfortunate Events can be, so consider this a plea for any other '90s kid to seek out a copy and see if you can do much better.
3. Hitman: Blood Money
Best for: Inventive action sandbox
Release date: May 26, 2006
As the definitive installment of the stealth-action franchise on PS2, Hitman: Blood Money is (in my opinion) one of the slickest games you can play on the retro console to this day. I remember watching my brother play it when I was a kid – both of us far younger than the PEGI 18 guideline – and how it looked like a movie to me back then. Blood Money is no longer the peak of visual fidelity in 2026, but it's still incredibly impressive.
Tightening up all aspects of past series iterations, Blood Money takes the inventive sandbox-style assassination gameplay of Hitman: Contracts and refines it. Pushing people off ledges, masking environmental traps and kills as accidents, and a new notoriety system all came into play for the first time in Blood Money. It's still one of the defining moments in the Hitman canon, a formative point in time that paved the way for all to come later down the line, and I don't think any PS2 game collection is complete without it.
2. The Simpsons Hit & Run
Best for: Quick-play chaos
Release date: September 16, 2003
The Simpsons Hit & Run is more than just reskinned GTA – it was many people's first taste of racing action games. Everyone who still owns a PS2 refuses to part with their copy of it for very good reason; Even if Hit & Run is ripe for a remake, it's unlikely to capture the heart and soul of what makes it sing on PS2.
The cartoon IP is a huge boon, having launched during The Simpsons' hey-day, but it's also straight-up fun. Simple controls and customization tools mean that Hit & Run sits comfortably between a pared-back racing game and the carjacking mayhem of Rockstar's finest. I was never the biggest Simpsons fan, but it's bright and silly enough to make even the most stoic gamers out there crack a smile and relax a bit. There's nothing quite like this gem, even with the likes of Star Wars Galactic Racer out there today, and I'm sure every other PS2 owner can testify to its enduring nostalgic brilliance.
1. James Bond 007: Nightfire
Best for: Competitive FPS coach co-op
Release date: November 18, 2002
There was only ever going to be one front-runner for my favorite PS2 game that still runs like a dream in 2026, and that crown goes to 007 Nightfire. Specifically, the co-op mode – though anyone else who adores the Pierce Brosnan era of the films will find loads to love in the main campaign, too.
Nightfire is an FPS with a very simple mission: shoot all your enemies. Loading into quick-play local multiplayer matches is as simple as it is surprisingly dense in terms of customizability; Your player two can either be on your team or your enemy's, with a long list of characters to choose from. The maps are distinct and each have their own unique quirks – I will always favor the cable car antics of Skyrail over the dark recesses of Fort Knox any day – and while you can choose which guns might spawn on the map, you'll have to restart if you realize that everyone, including the bot enemies, is respawning with the one-hit-kill Golden Gun each time they get ganked. As a 24-year old game, Nightfire definitely shows its age though slightly stickier tank controls. But when you're rocking the heat-seeking missile launcher, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
