Playstation 2 games underrated

The characters are also considerably more colorful and wacky than their European counterparts, contributing to a more relaxed experience.

Developed by Monolith Soft as a spiritual sequel to the original Xenogears, the Xenosaga RPG series presents you with a somewhat pretentious but undoubtedly engaging storyline. The third entry, often considered by fans to be the best in the series, continues to follow Shion Uzuki and the battle android KOS-MOS as they uncover the origins of the hostile alien Gnosis.

Taking place three years after the events of the original Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus follows Vincent Valentine in his struggle to oppose the mysterious organization Deepground and their plans to summon Omega, a world-destroying creature. It sounds and looks way cooler than it plays, but it remains a pretty solid game with a great story. The narrative, based on a Belgian graphic novel of the same name, is reminiscent of a James Bond movie.

It follows an amnesiac secret agent trying to regain his memories and clear his name after being framed for killing the President of the US. Something that keeps every kill fresh is how the killing blow is always highlighted as comic panels popping up at one side of the screen. While it has a robust main campaign, the game shines by giving each character a smaller post-game quest focusing on their own stories.

Rather than focusing on the main campaign, Radiata Stories lets you interact with almost every single character in the world map, all of which have daily routines and their own backstory.

Truly, this is one of the most underrated RPGs on the entire console. Hardcore RPG fans should try this out at least once. Developed by Rockstar Games, this wonderful TPS lets you go around the Wild West shooting people as one of several characters, all with different playstyles and weapons.

It also has a great multiplayer. The game follows twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura as they explore an abandoned, haunted village full of spirits who want to use both of them as a sacrifice in a dark ritual. The game puts you in control of a boy with a magic guitar, using catchy tunes and tasty riffs to battle an alien empire. While the quirky story and unique, vibrant art style are enough to draw people in, what keeps you hooked is how challenging it is.

And it gets harder by the minute. Combat puts a heavy focus on controlling the battlefield and flanking your enemies, and it remains as addictive as ever. This 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up with RPG elements lets you choose one of five heroes armed with soul-sucking weapons, including guns, spears, knives, and more.

Some games deserve credit not only for their individual achievements but for their impact on the industry as a whole. It was the first to successfully implement cover-based shooting, which would go on to shape Gears of War, the Uncharted series, and many other notorious franchises.

The story, which follows an amnesiac soldier seeking revenge on whoever killed his wife, is pretty shallow, but the shooting makes up for it in spades. Before being acquired by Microsoft and going on to make the masterpiece that is Halo, Bungie had at least one incredible game under its belt.

The game also features a fun co-op mode where one player plays as the powerful Samurai Hyakkimaru, while the other plays as the weaker thief Dororo, providing support. We do not have a health system; instead, our panic increases as the situation becomes more complicated. The puzzles are not too hard, and the story length is not very long. Nevertheless, it is a satisfying video game with a high replayable value. The concept of both games is the same. The main difference between the two lies in the story and some characters.

Tenchu is a stealth game in which we control a ninja who must advance through different locations. He has to avoid being detected while eliminating various enemies and reaching the target, depending on how stealthy we have been. They will give us a score; this will serve to unlock objects for the next missions, the higher the score, the better the objects will be.

These are games in which we have to be patient as well as we have considerable freedom of movement around the stage, where verticality is very important. It is a very recommended thing to stalk our unsuspecting victims from rooftops or elevated positions. Likewise, if we play correctly, we can unlock skills that will facilitate the resolution of missions.

The type of levels is summarized in a location full of enemies where you have to go from point A to point B, where you will face a level boss. In any case, they are very entertaining games for all those who love the genre, and they are very satisfying to play. The technical section is not wrong, and at the sound level, they are excellent. The significant differences between the two, leaving the story aside, are that Wrath of The Heaven has a multiplayer mode, while Fatal Shadows does not.

Tenchu: Wrath of the Heaven and Tenchu Fatal Shadows are underrated ps2 games, being overshadowed by other more important exponents of the same genre, such as Metal Gear Solid. It has an excellent gameplay, a wide variety of weapons and characters, and a great soundtrack in the purest spaghetti western style. The story is simple, but it is okay.

It chronicles the adventures of the Red Harlow bounty hunter as he chases outlaws and seeks revenge for the death of his family. The video game has a very good multiplayer mode in which we can participate in deathmatch, team deathmatch, or a dueling tournament modality. The game system is based to some extent on the cover combat, although it is not the axis of it. At the control level, it is very similar to Redemption.

Apart from the story and multiplayer mode, the game has extra modes as the missions mode. Clover Studio has partially fulfilled its promise with God Hand: It is true, the classic flavor of the great representatives of the genre has been recovered.

We have well-stocked action, tons of enemies to fire up, and cool level-ending bosses. Also, it is hilarious and challenging. It easily makes our list of underrated ps2 games. God Hand also has two fails that do itself a lot of harm: The camera and the level design. The camera is not bad in the long run.

You get used to it, but until then, the failures, errors, and problems are constant. The level design is also harmful and cannot be attributed to the genre. Anyways, God Hand is a good game that could have been quite superior. It is not a worthy farewell to Clover, for this is Okami, but it is not a stain on its splendid history either.

History that, by the way, will never be expanded again. Freedom Fighters is a fantastic action game. It has substantial technical sections, a bomb-proof gameplay with artificial intelligence that everyone should take note of. Also, Freedom Fighters has a very original touch both in its history and in its game system. Despite the premise of the cartoons, toy line and films, there have rarely been decent games featuring the Cybertonian warrior factions; the Decepticons and Autobots.

But, this title was also excellent in its day. Also, I think we can all agree that the punishingly hard difficulty did mar the experience somewhat…. A unique cel-shaded, comic-book style meant that Auto Modellista was a real looker in its day. If Auto Modellista had been given a chance, audiences would have discovered that it went to great lengths to be a very technical, detailed racing game, despite the cartoonish appearance.

An incredible number of car parts and customisation options were available in the game. As was an online mode supporting races with up to 8 players. Criminally overlooked and underrated, Auto Modellista deserved so much more. Best known for their Micro Machines bit racing games, Supersonic Software released Mashed published by Empire Interactive in to little critical or commercial success.

Yet those who played it will tell you just how uproariously fun it was, especially in local multiplayer. Similar in terms of mechanics to Micro Machines — with players trying to outrace opponents so until they dropped out of camera range — the game featured full-size cars with exaggerated physics.

Expect numerous weapons, power-ups and a multiplayer mode that allowed two players to share a controller each. That meant up to four people could play with two controllers. It was a no-frills, lightning-fast game in which several rounds could be blasted through in minutes. Mashed and its successor, which is definitely the one to go for if you have the option is still one of the most intuitive and newcomer friendly multiplayer games on the PS2; without doubt one of the most underrated PS2 games.

Of course you have. Armed with your trusty riot shield, and a host of other weapons, your job was to take down criminals and gang members, often having to find and subdue a gang leader with a non-lethal attack, at the same time rescuing hostages. Along the way, you enlisted help from paramedics and firefighters who could heal people, put out fires, and break open doors. Your performance was rated in every mission in a number of ways, such as accuracy, collectibles, and so on.

Special challenge missions also let you unlock better weapons. Head shots in particular were gratifying and often the best way to take out foes, so mastering it was important , and the riot shield opened up new game mechanics, such as having to slowly approach a hostage-holding gang member, shielding yourself from fire until you could get in that elusive headshot.

Eventually, Hyakkimaru heard a heavenly voice tell him that if he slew the fiends that took his body parts, he could regain them, and his humanity. Armed with a deadly katana and twin blades concealed in his arms, as well as an arm-mounted machine gun and a leg-mounted bazooka, Hyakkimaru set out to find and defeat the 48 fiends, accompanied by his companion, the young thief, Dororo.

Blood Will Tell played very much like Devil May Cry , only with larger, more open areas and some stealth and puzzle sections as Dororo. Hyakkimaru and his implanted weapons made for a great combat character, with all sorts of crazy moves and combos, which could be upgraded as you progressed. The levels were varied, and there was no cheating or shortcuts taken.

You actually did seek out and kill 48 fiends, many of which were impressive bosses, and some were downright freaky. Each chapter of the game had its own mini-story, keeping things interesting. This was a brilliant fighter that really you should dig out. Behind the very Pixar-like aesthetics lies a violent, but well-crafted stealth adventure.

Rau Utu is a powerful warrior, who is helped by a bird called Kuzo, accepts a mission to investigate some local bandits, and is drawn into a bigger quest, with major repercussions. The unique control system used both analog sticks, the left for movement and the right to sweep around the area with an aiming line, used to attack nearby foes. Rau also got a bow and special abilities, all of which were used tactically to achieve his objectives.

You quickly noticed just how well produced The Mark of Kri was when you started playing it, and how violent the gameplay was. The characters were great, not out of place in any Disney epic, and although it took a while to get used to, the control scheme worked very well. Highly recommended. Rez is one of those classic games that always finds its way onto lists like these, as well as best game ever lists.

A music shooter, Rez is a trip for the eyes and the ears. As you fight, you add music and sound effects to the soundtrack, and your onscreen avatar transforms. Everything in the game reacts to the beat of the music, and the Panzer Dragoon -style controls and impressive bosses all make for a short, but unforgettable shooting experience.

One of the most stylish and addictive shooters around. The original Monster Hunter arrived on the PS2, and was promptly dismissed by all but those who had the time and patience to give it a real chance. The series is notorious for both its high difficulty and stiff controls, but underneath this is one of the most rewarding game experiences around.

You may end up being killed time after time by that powerful wyvern, but when you finally figure out its patterns and weaknesses, and bring it down, the sense of achievement is palpable. The hunting of the original game was accompanied by a complex gathering and crafting system, with every item farmed or carved off fallen beasts being used to make items, weapons, and armor. The game, thanks to numerous quests, many of which you needed to grind in order to find rare resources, is immense.

It tried its best to make you dislike it with clunky controls and a dodgy camera, but this was one title where it was well worth persevering, just like the many sequels. It was responsible for two of the best underrated games on the PS2, one of which was God Hand see the next entry for the other. God Hand , like Killer 7 , is a very divisive title. Players either get it and lap up the crazy combat and quirky presentation including an admittedly terrible camera , or they play the first level and quit.

You played as Gene, a fighter who lost his arm in a gang attack. Luckily, he was bestowed with a replacement, one of the two God Hands, magical arms used to combat demons. With this arm now a part of him, Gene walked the Western-themed world fighting all sorts of bonkers villains and demons with a range of over-the-top combat moves. God Hand was a game purely aimed at skilled gamers, and certainly not the casual market, hence its high difficulty.

By drawing on the screen, you could create bombs, gusts of wind, make trees grow, and many other things, all with the aim of restoring life to the land, which was ravaged by the demon, Orochi. Okami took masses of inspiration from Zelda , and played in a very similar manner, with a large, open world, dungeons, boss fights, and skills and items required to access various, otherwise sealed off areas. This was all delivered in a truly charming and beautiful manner, and it played brilliantly.

Okami was an epic and flawless adventure, and if there were any issues to be found, it was the lack of real difficulty. Still, with a long and varied story with tons of side quests, memorable characters, and all sorts of extras and mini games, Okami is unmissable, which makes it all the more upsetting that it was overlooked by most, contributing to the death of a very talented studio.

Yes, it had to be here. Ico is usually the first game anyone thinks of when asked about underappreciated PS2 games, and for good reason — it was both overlooked and bloody brilliant. Ico was a long escort mission, but before you run for the hills, know that it was an escort mission that was actually fun to play. Its striking art style and mixture of puzzles and enemy confrontations were superbly designed. The game possessed a level of character and refinement few games can even imagine, and was a forerunner for the equally brilliant and more successful Shadow of the Colossus.

It went through a period of being very rare, commanding high prices on eBay, but now it can be found in an HD double pack with Shadow of the Colossus , so is far easier to find, which is something you really should do. It had everything — great visuals; a good story; brilliant characters; a mixture of action, stealth, and puzzling; an open world; tons of secrets; and one of the best, most relatable protagonists around.

This race kidnaps Hillyans to use as energy sources or slaves. She does this by infiltrating various facilities in order to acquire photographic evidence of the collaboration. Using a combination of stealth and combat with her staff to explore the world, Jade acquires various upgrades, for her and her vehicles, including her hovercraft. Beyond Good and Evil used game mechanics from various other titles, mainly releases like Zelda and the Metroidvania genre.

Parts of the world are closed off until Jade acquires the right abilities or equipment to progress, and the open world can be freely explored in order to find secrets and side missions. There is a photographic side quest to take pictures of every animal species on the planet, and finding all of the pearls in the game also used as currency , can take a good while to complete.

Skip to main content area. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Gungrave An odd one this. Lifeline Games that are controlled by motion controls or cameras are quite common now in the wake of the Wii and Kinect.