Open-world gaming remains a lasting trend that keeps gamers worldwide enthralled, with its popularity persisting for more than ten years now. There’s no indication of this genre slowing down, as engaging titles continue to emerge annually, enveloping players in their captivating stories and vivid environments.
Instead of constantly moving forward in our vast realms filled with endless possibilities and complex information, we seldom take a moment to consider how we arrived at this point. I’d like to guide you through a journey back to the idyllic era of open-world gaming, an epoch where only the daring and fearless ventured to unravel the secrets of this captivating formula.
While not entirely claiming the PS2 as the birthplace of open-world gaming, it’s fair to say that this console served as a significant training ground for numerous developers in the genre, leading us to discover and traverse some truly remarkable and influential open worlds.
To pay tribute to the pioneers, let’s reminisce about some of the top open-world games that graced the most successful video game platform in history.
In simpler terms, while we may stretch the term slightly, our focus will primarily be on games featuring expansive landscapes without any loading screens, allowing players to roam freely and interact with detailed environments. We also intend to limit each franchise to one game in the list, so it won’t be dominated by Grand Theft Auto-style titles.
10. Gun
Yee-Haw!
Despite Red Dead Redemption 2 being hailed as the greatest Western open-world game yet, with only a handful of titles challenging its dominance, the initial Red Dead installment, Red Dead Revolver, didn’t share the same level of success as its more popular successors.
Back then, when we were yearning for the thrill of cowboy gunslinging, there was a small game called Gun. This game served as our Red Dead Redemption equivalent from the PlayStation 2 era, offering open-world exploration, wild-west gunfights, hunting, gambling, immorality, and much more.
This is a relatively brief yet delightful gameplay journey, and it may not win any beauty contests, not even by the lower visual standards of late ’00s gaming. However, its diverse gameplay mechanics, engaging missions, and compelling narrative far outshine its aesthetics, making it one of the finest offerings from the West on the PlayStation 2.
9. Summoner
Control Your Inner Demons
In the 2000s, there weren’t many open-world RPG options available, especially on the PlayStation 2. However, there were still a handful of good ones out there, and Summoner was one of the standouts among them.
The game, Summoner, offered a captivating and ominous storyline that kept players hooked, combined classic RPG mechanics seamlessly with real-time battle systems, making it more approachable for console gamers, and boasted impressive graphics and audio design for its time period.
Besides, exploring was not only exciting but also profitable, providing plenty of useful items along the way, which made the expansive gameplay an engaging and rewarding experience.
Compared to classics like Gothic, Baldur’s Gate, and Morrowind, it may not rank quite as high. However, considering it was made for the PlayStation 2, it was truly exceptional, and unique in its own remarkable way.
8. Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
Skateboarding Is Punk Rock!
Although American Wasteland being an open-world game may not be fresh in your memory, it was actually the first Birdman game that offered uninterrupted movement between distinct maps without requiring menus or load times. This feature enabled smooth and potentially endless combos for those who possessed the necessary skills.
Although it may not be everyone’s favorite PS2 skate arcade game, it boasts a dedicated fanbase due to its distinctive punk rock motif, narrative, and location in Los Angeles, as well as the authentic THPS (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater) arcade vibe.
Experiencing the therapeutic and fulfilling process of constructing your desired park piece by piece with salvaged items brings a sense of accomplishment; the layout of the maps follows your expectations perfectly, and the effortless skating adventure further enhances the enjoyment.
As a gamer, I must admit that this was the start of a downward trend for the series, but considering it was their final hurrah, it wasn’t terrible at all. In fact, if you ever get the opportunity, I’d strongly recommend giving it a spin and tripping out on the experience!
7. Scarface: The World is Yours
‘To Be Great, You Gotta Be Among The Greats’
Certainly, following the massive triumph of GTA, many developers were eager to emulate its success, leading to varying levels of accomplishment. Given the robust base for expansion, there emerged several surprising success tales, such as this Scarface adaptation, which was granted a license.
In this game, it’s as if the ending of the Scarface movie has been altered, suggesting that Tony Montana, the powerful drug lord, manages to survive the final shootout. Your mission after this violent encounter becomes about rebuilding your entire empire from scratch.
This idea might sound far-fetched at first, but it truly shines due to outstanding narrative, crisp action sequences involving guns, and a dash of strategic depth courtesy of its drug empire theme.
This game accurately captures the essence of its source material and surpasses the expectations set by the movie. If you didn’t get a chance to play this overlooked treasure from the PS2 era in its original release, now could be the perfect moment for you to reacquaint yourself with an old friend.
6. Jak II: Renegade
Dark Eco Makes You Edgy
Although I was inclined to recommend my favorite Jak & Daxter adventure, The Precursor’s Legacy, on this platform, I must admit that its linear structure might make it debatable if it truly fits the open-world category.
On the contrary, unlike previous Jak & Daxter adventures, Renegade presents a significantly darker and mature narrative. It’s been reimagined with the style of Grand Theft Auto, offering an expansive urban environment to traverse, weapons to carry, vehicles for transportation, and numerous additional features.
This remake maintains the precise platforming from the initial Naughty Dog masterpiece that catapulted them to fame, yet it offers a unique twist akin to an Adult Swim interpretation of the gameplay formula. This tweak provides just the right amount of edginess to attract both young and mature gamers.
Despite my contention that the substantial challenge in contrast to the effortless experience of the initial game may not align perfectly with this specific series, I maintain that persevering through the game’s unusual difficulty surges is definitely rewarding.
5. Bully
Stay In School Kids
In the PlayStation 2 era, Rockstar was undeniably the ruler of open-world game design. It’s safe to say they’ve maintained this position even today. However, it wasn’t just the Grand Theft Auto series that earned them this throne; they also boasted other original intellectual properties that were exceptional in their own right.
The game “Bully,” also known as “Canem Canis Edit,” serves as an excellent illustration. It offered players a vast, open-world playground where they assumed the role of a troublesome schoolboy. Your mission was to attend classes, but more importantly, create havoc and mischief during the free moments outside of them.
As a gamer, I’ve got to say, most of those mini-games were awesome! But man, the social dynamics in this game felt eerily similar to my middle school days – just me trying to navigate through the crowd, searching for that elusive group of friends.
Blend this element with a lighthearted tale that maintains a touch of humor without getting overly dramatic, and you’ve created a timeless open-world game that continues to rank among the funniest depictions of childhood daily life.
4. The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Kid-Friendly GTA
In essence, although the game appears to follow a chapter-wise structure for its levels, it actually provides compact open-world stages that offer a sandbox-like experience, similar to games in the Grand Theft Auto series. Therefore, considering these unique characteristics, I believe it’s reasonable to make an exception here.
Amongst the Simpsons video games, Hit & Run stood out uniquely. Most of its predecessors were notorious for being blatant, unsuccessful attempts to make money. However, surprisingly, this seemingly cash-grabbing Grand Theft Auto-like game was exceptional.
Brimming with jokes and references to the original content, this game offered exciting mission options and an open-world environment where players could freely wreak havoc in Springfield, making it a fantasy come true for any Simpsons enthusiast.
The game contains some levels that recur, and it also has sudden increases in difficulty. Despite these issues, it’s understandable why this PS2 title remains highly regarded and continues to be enjoyable even in modern times.
3. Shadow of the Colossus
A Boss Gauntlet Like No Other
In the PlayStation 2 era, experimental AAA games were quite common, and among the developers who dared the boldest leaps, Team ICO was undoubtedly a standout choice.
At first, the developer captivated everyone with their Initial Coin Offering (ICO). Later, they outdid themselves by creating the stunning open-world adventure, Shadow of the Colossus. This game challenged our perspectives as players and encouraged us to traverse a vast yet understated open world filled with interactions with colossal beings who inhabited this land.
As I traversed this breathtaking open world on the back of my trusty steed, every turn revealed another jaw-dropping twist. The colossal creatures, towering over all else, were undeniably the main event, but it was the journey to each of these majestic beasts that truly made the spectacle unforgettable.
In its current form, the updated edition offers the best way to play this game nowadays. However, it doesn’t diminish the reality that the original version remains an ageless masterpiece and one of the most distinctive games ever created.
2. Spider-Man 2
Big Action In The Big Apple
Modern gamers might think that the smooth open-world of New York City and enjoyable web-slinging mechanics were pioneered by the Marvel’s Spiderman series. However, it was actually traced back to the early 2000s due to a tie-in game for Sam Raimi’s second Spider-Man film that laid the groundwork for this design.
In this game, you could explore an intricate and vast replica of New York City, where you could climb towering skyscrapers, swing through the city using webs, and, when necessary, fight off some foes as your Spider-Man instincts warned you.
This game gave players a chance to navigate an authentic, large-scale version of New York City, allowing them to scale buildings, zip across with web lines, and, should the situation call for it, engage in combat when their Spidey senses detected trouble.
1. The fight sequences were entertaining and engaging, the movement mechanics were groundbreaking for their era, and the tasks assigned were exceptionally well-designed, with the Mysterio sections being my favorite parts by far.
2. Engaging battles, innovative exploration, and top-notch mission design made the experience truly enjoyable; I particularly enjoyed the chapters featuring Mysterio.
3. The action was thrilling and fluid, the movement mechanics were a leap forward in game development, and the missions were simply fantastic – with the Mysterio segments being my favorite parts of the whole game.
4. Fighting was exciting and varied, navigating the world was revolutionary for the time, and the tasks given were outstanding; I found myself especially drawn to the Mysterio sections throughout the gameplay.
5. The battles were a blast and full of action, the traversal system was cutting-edge for its time, and the missions offered an unparalleled experience; among them all, the Mysterio chapters stood out as my favorites.
It wouldn’t be too daring to assert that if not for the improbable success of that initial installment, the Marvel’s Spider-Man series as it stands today wouldn’t exist. This fact alone makes the open-world game a must-visit, and you should do so promptly.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
I’ll Have A Number Nine, Large
Alright, everyone, it’s high time we conclude our discussion with a heartfelt appreciation for Grand Theft Auto, the game franchise that sparked the explosion of open-world gaming we currently witness.
Among the Grand Theft Auto series games, GTA III could be considered historically influential because it established the initial design, but it was GTA San Andreas that truly shined by providing an immersive, captivating, and remarkable open-world adventure on the PlayStation 2, outperforming its predecessor significantly.
The title wasn’t just a unique sandbox for play, but it also spun an extraordinary tale revolving around the war on drugs in LA, introduced unforgettable characters, incorporated a host of innovative features, and presented a sprawling map that seemed unbelievably vast in its time.
This game marked a significant stride for the entire gaming sector, and although some aspects may seem a bit dated now, it remains an enjoyable experience to revisit.
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2025-04-02 17:43