The highest-selling console of all time, thePlayStation 2, strapped a rocket to the video gaming industry and shot it into mainstream media. The PlayStation 2’s success was helped partly by its built-in DVD player and largely by its excellent games catalog. It featured action-adventure classics likeOkami,Devil May Cry,andGod of War,stealth gems likeMetal Gear Solid 2&3,Splinter Cell, andHitman, and excellent sports games including theFifaseries,Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3, andGran Turismo 3,with many people still recognizing it as one of the most successful consoles of all time.
Furthermore, the PlayStation 2 had significant hardware improvements from its predecessor, PlayStation 1.These improvements allowed developers to create more realistic titles, encouraging them to make more first-person shooters. This genre skyrocketed in popularity during this generation, and players need only check the state of gaming in modern times to realize just how strong of a grip first-person shooters have on the market nowadays. Suffice it to say, there are many greatPS2 FPS gamesthat are worth a player’s time, even in gaming’s modern era.
Updated on July 28, 2025, by Jason Wojnar:Even if the PS2 was not the ideal console for FPS games - that honor belonged to the Xbox - it was still filled with quality titles. Just skimming through the list below reveals a goldmine of classic titles. It would take well over a year to go through all of them. On top of that, the multiplayer in many of these titles would keep friends occupied potentially forever. As if the older versions of this list were not proof enough of that, the updated version adds even more titles for the system.Some of these games have weak spots and might not have aged as gracefully as other classics, but they still hold something of value.
31Call Of Duty: World At War – Final Fronts
The PS2’s Answer To The Next-Gen World At War
The PS3 came out in 2006. With this advancement in hardware, developers shifted their interests to making cutting-edge games on next-gen consoles instead of trying to accommodate outdated hardware. However,Call of Dutywanted to spread out in every direction, making sure that its 2008 title,World at War, could work on the PlayStation 2 as well.
This version of the game was notably inferior and featured poor AI, but most people would agree that it’s a decent title once people look past its flaws. The shooting is decent and the attempts to develop a cutting-edgeCall of Dutygame on a console that was clearly past its prime was admirable, if nothing else.
Unfortunately, this game does not feature a Zombies mode that was introduced inWorld at War.
BJ Blazkowicz is one of the most iconic video game protagonists of all time, and fans were glad to see that this character would make an appearance after a pretty long hiatus inanotherWolfensteingame.Return to Castle Wolfensteinis a tightly woven and engaging FPS that is a blast to play through, especially for long-time fans of the genre who loved playing the old games.
The multiplayer of this title was revolutionary at the time, with the single-player campaign also being quite engaging in its own right and building up on the lore of the series in its own way. It’s a shame that many people don’t talk aboutReturn to Castle Wolfensteinnowadays, especially since the gameplay of this title has aged pretty well and can still be a ton of fun to this day.
This game’s title is such a clear attempt at conjuring up nostalgia for theseminal 1997 Nintendo 64 FPS. Sadly,GoldenEye: Rogue Agentis not a seque. It also only features James Bond in a cameo appearance in the first level. Players control a new character who is exiled from MI6 and joins forces with classic Bond Villains.
While the plot is forgettable, it is nice to see some of these classic characters and locations in a new story. The single-player is short and lacks the stealth element to make it feel like aBondgame, but the ragdoll physics, special abilities, and the ability to take human shields spices up the gameplay. The real highlight of this game is the multiplayer. It is filled with customization options and maps inspired by setpieces from the films.
GoldenEye 007would receive a true remake in 2010 on the Nintendo Wii. The remake was eventually ported to PS3 and Xbox 360.
Electronic Arts’Medal of Honorseries may not be too recognizable to audiences today, but back in 2003, it was one of the premier names in the first-person shooter genre.
Medal of Honor: Rising Sundidn’t reach the heights of the classic PlayStation 1 games, but it still provided a fantastic eight-hour campaign and enjoyable split-screen multiplayer that should appeal to any FPS fan. It also featured co-op for the story.
Although it’s not considered among the bestMedal of Honorgames, it had one of the biggest influences on the FPS genre as it offered online multiplayer, something that was uncommon on the PlayStation 2.
The first entry into the PlayStation-exclusiveKillzoneseries was developed by Guerrilla Games and hit stores in late 2004. The first-person shooter takes players to 2357, over 300 years after a nuclear war shattered planet Earth. It’s one of the most beloved PlayStation franchises around that fans miss quite a bit.
Killzoneattempted to stand out from the crowded FPS market by trying to createa more cinematic experiencethan other shooters offered. Guerrilla Games did a great job of this, as both the sound and art design were top-notch for the time ofKillzone’s release. However, the game wasn’t without its issues as the enemy A.I. and technical performance ofKillzoneleft much to be desired.
The firstJames Bondgame on the PS2 made its own unique bond design without using an actor’s likeness. Though the game is a first-person shooter, the variety of gadgets at players' disposal constantly reminds them whose shoes they are in during the story.
The optional 007 Moments found in each mission make striving for perfect runs fun replay value. The multiplayer features a surprising range of customizable options, from enabling gadgets like a grappling hook and jetpack to controlling how fast players can move.
Rocksteady is known for theArkhamgames, but before that, they made a little shooter calledUrban Chaos: Riot Response. The game takes players through different chaotic situations where they have to take down anarchic antagonists and rescue civilians trapped in the chaos.
Players are encouraged to replay missions to do different objectives and earn better gear, making later missions easier. The game revels in its violence, with some setpieces including creative ways to take down opponents. The game also features an earworm of a menu song - Modern Romance by The Metro Riots.
There’s no denying that most first-person shooter games feature a ton of action and fun set pieces that make them a blast to engage with. However, not many of them put a lot of stock into the story side of things, which iswhat madeCold Wintersuch a special gem. The original narrative of this game was penned by none other than Warren Ellis, a legendary writer known for his work on the NetflixCastlevaniaseries,Dead Space, and many popular comic books.
The gameplay itself may be nothing to write home about, but players who want their FPS titles to have great and thought-provoking stories will love whatCold Winterbrings to the table. It’s a shame that not many people talk about this gem nowadays, making it one of the most underrated action games on the PS2.
The Operative: No One Lives Forevertakes a lot of its cues fromJames Bond. It is a 1960s spy romp playing on the Cold War fears of the decade. Appropriate to the aesthetic, the game features plenty of stealth and snarky humor.
To further shake up the FPS formula and contribute to the spy-thriller vibe, players are equipped with a variety of gadgets to help on the adventure.
The PS2 version of the game is not the idea way to play it because of the tech, but it does feature exclusive missions taking place in the main character’s past.No One Lives Foreverreceived a sequel but the series never ported another game to the PS2.
No One Lives Foreverhas never been re-released. The game is infamously stuck in a legal limbo that has so far prevented the IP from returning.
There aren’t many FPS games based on a comic book, which already makesXIIIway more engaging and unique than most of the other titles in this genre. On top of this, the game’s cel-shaded art style and the focus on a comic-book design aesthetic made it a blast to play through in every way, even if the gameplay itself may have been the least engaging part of the experience.
Fans of this game were glad to hear that this game was getting a full-blown remake, which made it pretty disappointing when this release turned out to be broken and uninspired in every way. While another studio was contracted to release a better version of the remake to address fan and critic complaints, the damage had already been done —XIIIhas become another footnote of gaming history that people rarely bring up in conversation.
