4 Perfect 10/10 PlayStation 2 Masterpieces Nobody Remembers

Published Sep 1, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT Tom Wilson is a Gaming Features Writer at Screen Rant. Over the past five years, Tom has worked as the Editor-in-Chief at The Game Crater, as a Staff Writer for GamingIntel, a List Writer at TheGamer, and, of course, as a Senior Writer at ScreenRant. Tom has experience writing reviews, guides, news, and features, and has been responsible for teams of writers, training them and editing their work. Tom graduated with a Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and has since gone on to build up his portfolio of games journalism work. There are obvious candidates for the very best games on the PlayStation 2, many of which are still enjoyed to this very day. It was a console of extreme highs and rare lows, one that, while not without faults, proved to be a colorful highlight of the early 2000s and an era that this current generation sorely needs to take inspiration from. Its library of excellent experiences all proved to be abundant with fun, entertaining oddities and revolutionary masterpieces that never forgot just how wild and wacky gaming could be. However, among all of the very best games on PS2 are a handful of forgotten titles, games that, despite being truly incredible and must-plays even today, were overlooked by the general gaming public for one reason or another. These weren't the PS2 games everyone owned, but they were the PS2 games everyone should have played and still should, so long as they can get their hands on them. If you're looking for PS2 masterpieces no one remembers, these games are the perfect place to start. 4 Samurai Western It really is all in the title with Samurai Western. As it suggests, you play a samurai in the Wild West fighting cowboys, deflecting bullets with your sword, and generally engaging in very high-stakes anime-inspired escapades that even Samurai Champloo would be envious of. Samurai Western absolutely understood the assignment and perfectly blends not just the atmosphere and stylings of its contrasting settings, but the very best aspects of their tropes. You'll hack and slash your way through oodles of cowboys in gorgeously detailed frontier towns and other assorted locations one would expect from a Wild West-themed experience, all while experimenting with various weapons befitting a samurai pulled straight out of an early 2000s anime. It isn't just the vibes that make Samurai Western such a phenomenal game, although they do help, as the combat is fun, dynamic, and action-packed, and the aforementioned levels are a joy to explore, even if they are relatively limited. Samurai Western is a great PS2 game, and a masterclass in delivering both style and substance. 3 Magic Pengel: The Quest For Color Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color is one of the most beautiful PlayStation games of all time. That isn't particularly surprising considering it is also one of the first games that legendary animation studio, Studio Ghibli, worked on. It's an extremely colorful, vibrant, and energetic Pokémon-esque creature collecting game in which players draw their own monsters, with the colors used and body parts designed ultimately contributing to said monster's stats. Magic Pengel's soundtrack, which is one of the best in all of gaming, further elevates what is ostensibly the poster child for the PS2's general aesthetic. Fortunately, Magic Pengel is more than just a pretty, Ghibli-esque work of art, as it is undeniably fun to play. It is bursting with creative ideas, quirky characters, and a memorable narrative, all of which coalesce to create a truly exceptional PlayStation 2 experience that is well worth playing today, so long as you can find an affordable copy. 2 Skygunner Skygunner is one of these underrated PlayStation 2 masterpieces you end up watching a lengthy YouTube video essay on at 3 am. Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment in Japan and Atlus in North America, Skygunner took the Ace Combat model and supplanted it in a whimsical anime world. Skygunner really looks like nothing else before it: the gorgeous cutscenes (created by animation studio Gonzo, which is known for the likes of Black Cat, Afro Samurai, and Full Metal Panic!), and stunning dogfighting sequences popping with color and style. Much like Magic Pengel, Skygunner leans heavily into the highly-stylized, extremely vibrant aesthetic that was so popular during the PS2 era. Its striking skyboxes and stunning lands below made for exceptionally fun settings to dart about as you destroyed enemy planes and completed objectives. The controls were flawless, the story was a lot of fun, and the world absolutely should have been carried over into some form of expanded media. Sadly, its developer, PixelArts, was shut down after its launch, and Skygunner now remains an unplayable PS2 game, as getting your hands on a physical copy is nearly impossible. 1 Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love The Sakura Wars series is an odd one, and it isn't hard to see how even the most dedicated of JRPG fans could be put off by it. However, for the most part, it has delivered exceptional RPG after exceptional RPG, and Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, is no exception. Set in an alternate version of 1928 New York, So Long, My Love puts players in the role of Shinjuro Taiga as he and his theater troupe stage plays and fight demons in mechs. Sporting a phenomenal jazz-laden soundtrack, an explorable steampunk-esque New York City oozing with style and detail, and a truly memorable cast of characters, Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love may just be one of the best in the series. Sadly, it was the first ever to be ported to the West and was consequently given very little marketing or attention. As a result, despite being truly a PS2 masterpiece, it was overlooked at launch and remains a forgotten gem that is still very much worth playing today, weird dating sim mechanics and all. Brand Sony Original Release Date February 4, 2000 Original MSRP (USD) $299 Weight 4.85 lb