10 Best PlayStation 2 Games With Open-World Sandboxes

Published Jul 30, 2026, 12:30 AM EDT Bruno Yonezawa is a Gaming Senior Writer for Screen Rant. He's been practicing professional journalism for over 10 years, and is also a communications specialist. He's played games all his life and turned that passionate hobby into a passionate career, in an industry where he's worked as a writer, editor, analyst, and more. The PlayStation 2 era boasts several huge open-world games, a lot of which are due to the technological improvements the new console brought about from the first era of Sony gaming hardware. While we were still far away from getting some of the most perfect PlayStation 3 games, like Skyrim, which heavily revolutionized the industry, the PS2 console did its own job of switching up the formula, laying out what would be the foundation for many games, even to this day. In fact, there are some PlayStation 2 games that changed gaming forever. Some notable titles are God of War, Resident Evil 4, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Grand Theft Auto 3. They aren’t even necessarily the best in their own franchises, but they changed everything. One of the changes seen in the PS2 era was the scale of open-world maps, which grew significantly, allowing for even more immersion and time spent as you explored these fantastic worlds. Even with so many open-world games, some of them stand out more than others. Shadow of the Colossus One of the most recognizable games from the PS2 era is Shadow of the Colossus. The iconic PlayStation-exclusive game is widely considered one of the best titles of all time, boasting an impressive 91 Metascore on Metacritic. The sheer scale and ambition of Shadow of the Colossus inspired Nintendo with Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Speaking plainly, it’s unlikely we’d have Breath of the Wild if it weren’t for what Shadow of the Colossus did back in 2005 when it was released for the PS2. In this iconic PlayStation 2 masterpiece, you’ll take control of Wanderer, who sets off into a vast open world to find different colossi and take them down in an attempt to revive Mono. The Simpsons: Hit and Run While it is far from being a masterpiece like Shadow of the Colossus, The Simpsons: Hit and Run is certainly an iconic open-world game from the PS2 era. In fact, it’s so popular that there’s a Simpsons: Hit and Run remake in the works. In this 2003 game, you take control of a variety of iconic characters from the hit TV show, being able to walk on foot and even take a swing at melee attacks. However, its main feature is being able to drive cars around Springfield, being either a prudent or reckless driver. Depending on what you do, police may be summoned to try and stop you. The Simpsons: Hit and Run is constantly compared to Grand Theft Auto 3, thanks to the similarities in their gameplay structure, especially when it pertains to driving missions. Jak 2 The sequel to Jak and Daxter, Jak 2, grew up to become one of the best open-world games made for PlayStation 2. Contrary to the style of the first entry in the series, which was a lot more vivid, colorful, and upbeat, the sequel dives into a darker take on the universe, introducing vehicles and firearms, and gameplay options that expand on top of the original title. In Jak 2, you’ll control an older and more obscure version of the titular character, who was corrupted by Dark Eco and can become Dark Jak for increased melee power. Jak can use his Jet-Board to explore Haven City, as well as vehicles he can steal. There are still several mystical elements from the original title, like the Precursor Orbs, though set in an unforgettable steampunk world. Bully One of Rockstar Games’ biggest accomplishments is Bully, an iconic 2006 open-world title set in a boarding school called Bullworth Academy. In the game, players are put in control of Jimmy Hopkins, a troublemaker whose ultimate goal is to end bullying in the school. Of course, this means confronting bullies and even teachers. The story is laid out in chapters, and players will complete missions to progress, but they are free to explore the school. This is one of the most beloved PS2 games, and fans are still rallying behind a Bully remake or a sequel, even if there aren’t official plans for one just yet. Spider-Man 2 Spider-Man 2 is certainly one of the best open-world games on PS2. Released in 2004, inspired by Sam Raimi’s movie, the title is one of the most revolutionary games of its era. Stepping into Peter Parker’s shoes (and suit), you’ll control the iconic Marvel superhero across an open-world recreation of New York, including Manhattan, Roosevelt Island, Ellis Island, and Liberty Island. Apart from its well-developed combat mechanics that make every fight feel unique, one of its pillars is exploration, which is free. You can sling webs and swing across town with a ton of leeway. It wasn’t necessarily new, as this type of exploration structure was available in Spider-Man (2002), but it was significantly improved and felt a lot more natural than its predecessor, easily becoming one of the best open-world experiences of its age. Need For Speed Underground 2 One of the most iconic games of the PS2 era, Need for Speed Underground 2 is a masterpiece open-world game. The title, released in 2004 by Electronic Arts, is an arcade racing game set in the city of Bayview, which players are free to explore with a variety of different cars that can be purchased and tuned as they win races and gain the funds to do so. The story, which is a direct sequel to the first Underground, isn’t all that amazing. However, it helps push the game forward and unlock new races for you to participate in. Without policing, which exists in several other Need for Speed titles, like Carbon, exploration through the city is delightful. Players have expressed their desires for a potential Need for Speed Underground 2 remake, even if EA has shown no signs of that happening. Yakuza 2 Released in 2006, Yakuza 2 is an open-world masterpiece for the PlayStation 2. The second installment in the series (now known as Like a Dragon), a direct sequel to the first Yakuza, lets you control the former yakuza Kazuma Kiryu as he explores both a recreation of Shinjuku in Tokyo and recreations of Dotonbori and Shinsekai in Osaka. The game has a complex story with several implications, and will have you hooked for hours on end, even if this isn’t the longest title in the franchise. While the areas are somewhat limited and don’t offer the scale of maps seen in games like Spider-Man 2, Yakuza 2 excels at building the world around Kiryu and making everything feel alive. Tony Hawk's American Wasteland Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland is also something of an open-world game, with several interconnected open-world zones that allow you to skate through and move around freely. In fact, this was the first title in the series that allowed you to explore the map seamlessly, on either your skateboard or BMX. The 2005 game’s renewed open-world structure forever changed the franchise and the possibilities that it could offer its players. On top of the layout, American Wasteland also made what was the largest map for the series at the time, allowing players to explore the recreation of Los Angeles to a huge extent. Okami Okami is one of the absolute best games released for PlayStation 2, and while it is not fully open-world, it features open-world sections that allow you to explore almost seamlessly. The 2006 Capcom masterpiece, developed by Clover Studio, puts you in control of the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu, who takes on the form of a wolf. This is a magnificent title that has aged like fine wine and is arguably one of my favorite games of all time, so I may be biased. I am particularly excited about Okami 2, which was already announced, even if it doesn’t have a release date yet. Even so, revisiting the world of Nippon in the original title is always a delight, seeing just how gorgeous and well-built it is. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Of all the open-world games of the PlayStation 2 era, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas may be the most impactful one. While the open-world concept had already been introduced to the series years before its arrival in 2004, San Andreas revolutionized what players could do and see within a massive and seamless map that recreated Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Following the story of CJ, you’ll control the character throughout the city in a plethora of ways, using different vehicles and wielding different weapons. By playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, you’ll be experiencing what is, to many, the ultimate, era-defining PlayStation 2 game. Brand Sony Original Release Date February 4, 2000 Original MSRP (USD) $299 Weight 4.85 lb