Of all consoles, the PlayStation 2 might be the most beloved, partly due to its absurdly deep library and the endless power of nostalgia. I'm not going to argue otherwise either, as the PS2 was and still is a brilliant system that has enough fantastic games to keep somebody busy for a lifetime. Still, we are talking about projects that are roughly 20 years old now, and the industry has changed a lot over that time... which PS2 games are still 10/10s?
A 2003 masterpiece doesn't need to hold up as one in 2026 to warrant that label, but it certainly helps bring in younger folks who didn't have the opportunity to play it back in the day. While I can list hundreds of PS2 games worth playing today, only a handful have achieved eternal perfection.
Let's kick things off with a personal favorite: Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening. Specifically, the Special Edition.
Capcom's franchise had such a weird run on the PS2, producing two of the greatest action games ever and separating them with one of the absolute worst. As much as I love the original DMC, Dante's Awakening is the entry that really shaped the series' identity, introducing an expansive combat system that would inspire future character-action games. Many would argue that the genre has yet to surpass DMC3, and I am one of those folks.
Presented in glorious 60 FPS and playing like an absolute dream, DMC3 introduced Dante's 4 combat styles (Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger, and Royalguard), all of which significantly alter the minute-to-minute gameplay and can be upgraded. DMC4 lets you switch between them on the fly, but its predecessor requires you to commit to a single style and master it. If you decide to play most of the game as a Swordmaster, you can just replay the campaign in Royalguard and enjoy a completely different feel.
With a great selection of weapons that can be swapped mid-combo, the addictive style rank metagame, and one of the best collections of bosses in gaming, DMC3 basically doesn't set a foot wrong.
I could have gone with Devil May Cry for this pick, as its Gothic ambiance is just perfect, but I prefer to replay DMC3.
Special mention to God Hand, which nearly made this article.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/ps2-games-still-perfect-masterpieces-today/
