Best PS2 Games With Local Competitive Multiplayer

Summary

Unbalanced but fun multiplayer in The Bouncer with overpowered moves and small arenas.
TimeSplitters 3 offers precision aiming, tag games, and 100+ characters for multiplayer.
Cold Winter’s violent multiplayer can be intense and jolly, with limbs torn apart.

Back in the days of the PlayStation 2, online gaming was not as widespread as it is now. Instead, console users mainly resorted to local multiplayer when hanging out with friends. If you were a PS2 owner then, you probably cherish memories of playing many of these games together with your loved ones.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve found that competitive multiplayer can pose challenges when one player’s skills outshine another’s. Yet, even in situations where one player seems unbeatable, the joy of playing together remains undiminished. True friends don’t let a loss ruin the fun; instead, we cherish the camaraderie and shared experience, win or lose.

8. The Bouncer

An Unbalanced Brawler With Ragdoll Physics

The hybrid game combining role-playing and brawler elements, developed by Square, featured a compact narrative centered around three main characters who players must defeat multiple times. Its graphics and physics were a remarkable technical display early in the console’s lifespan. The multiplayer mode was particularly noteworthy, allowing gamers to control diverse character choices.

The game was quite lopsided due to certain characters possessing excessively powerful abilities, yet the intricacies of the rules became less crucial when all participants were physically present together. Some arenas were cramped, resulting in chaotic fights where players often struggled to discern what was happening. Conversely, other stages were expansive, allowing players to engage in high-speed chases around them.

In a remaster, it might prove challenging because The Bouncer’s combat heavily depends on the pressure-sensitive buttons found on the PlayStation 2, which is a feature missing in contemporary gaming consoles.

7. TimeSplitters 3

Too Many Playable Characters To Count

TimeSplitters and its follow-up titles are often considered the spiritual heirs to games like GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. While TimeSplitters 3 maintains this legacy, it has modernized the aiming system to take advantage of dual-analog controls, promoting precision over excessive use of auto-aim. The multiplayer aspect offers a diverse range of game modes.

You’ll find both traditional and innovative games in this collection; for instance, there’s a game called Virus that operates like a tagging game (similar to the Infected mode in Call of Duty). There are over 100 characters you can pick from, each with its own distinct animation when chosen.

6. Tony Hawk’s Underground 2

May The Best Skater Win

Release: October 4, 2004
Developer: Neversoft
Publisher: Activision

The initial installment of this series made quite an impact on the original PlayStation with its stellar debut. As subsequent yearly releases followed, the gameplay grew more diverse. By the time Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 was launched, players gained the ability to prolong their combos by dismounting from their skateboards and moving around to establish a fresh route while preserving the same multiplier.

Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 is included among several other games due to its extensive collection of iconic maps, in addition to the extensive single-player levels it offers.

5. Red Faction

Destroy Parts Of The Environment Even In Multiplayer

Initially, the release of Red Faction left gamers astonished due to its exceptionally destructible settings. This feature was virtually unmatched until the arrival of Red Faction: Guerrilla. Notably, this destruction system also significantly enhances the multiplayer mode, as it remains active during competitive matches.

As a thrill-seeker, I relish the opportunity to shape my battlefield on Warlords map. Here, two structures face off across an exposed expanse, creating a playground ideal for sniper duels. With explosives at my disposal, I can carve out hidden nooks and surprise opponents with a strategic ambush. The anticipation builds as we destroy each other’s cover with rockets, ultimately leading to the exhilarating kill shot. It’s an adrenaline-pumping experience that never fails to keep me on the edge of my seat!

If you’re looking for a contemporary multiplayer game with a similar focus on destructible settings, give “The Finals” a try.

4. Tekken Tag Tournament

Tekken With A New Twist

Tekken never fails to provide an enjoyable multiplayer experience. Tekken Tag Tournament, however, ratchets up the excitement by incorporating a two-versus-two gameplay mechanic. This means players can call upon a second fighter during combat for a more engaging battle style. Consequently, four players can participate in a single fight. Matches like these foster a lively, party-like atmosphere in an otherwise highly competitive genre.

During a game, players can switch off (tag in and out) strategically to allow fighters to regain some health. Interestingly enough, the PS2 edition of this title appears noticeably superior to the original arcade machine.

3. Burnout Revenge

Spectacular Crashes With Friends

The “Burnout” series is ideal for exciting multiplayer action. To win, you need not just excellent driving skills, but also the ability to outmaneuver your opponents. It’s not just about racing against friends; it’s also about challenging them in the thrilling Crash Mode.

Among the choices, you could opt for either accumulating the highest damage over time, or concurrently working on a map. The former option specifically enriches the strategic aspect of Crash Mode by introducing an element of unpredictability, as racers must now adapt to whatever actions their opponents might take.

2. Medal Of Honor: Rising Sun

Welrod Battles Are Uniquely Fun

In the initial PlayStation 2 installment of this renowned series, “Frontline”, there was no local multiplayer option available. Yet, fans were thrilled when local competitive multiplayer was reintroduced in “Rising Sun”. Given that the game is set during World War II, one might not anticipate unusual weaponry. Nevertheless, “Rising Sun” boasts some exceptional features worth noting.

The Welrod is an unusual weapon that takes out targets with a single shot, but requires reloading after every use. When players consent to exclusively employ this weapon against one another, it adds an exciting twist to multiplayer mode as they both miss their targets and nervously watch for the reload animation to complete before taking another aim.

1. Cold Winter

Dismember Each Other In Intense Combat

In simpler terms, the single-player mode of Cold Winter tells a grim and brutal tale of espionage that foreshadows a nuclear winter. However, the multiplayer mode switches the tone, as the intense violence, though still present, feels less oppressive due to the camaraderie with real-life opponents whom you’re tearing apart virtually with machine gun attacks, making it more exhilarating rather than depressing.

Among many console shooters such as TimeSplitters and the initial James Bond games, Cold Winter stands out as more substantial and leisurely paced. At times, it might seem sluggish, but this contributes to its distinctive character.

2025-01-05 16:55