The PlayStation 2 is the most successful console of all time in terms of sales. Because of that, developers were falling over themselves to release new games, trying to grab a sweet slice of that massive player base. While beat ’em ups weren’t quite as popular as they were during the peak of arcades, fans of the genre still had several great beat ’em ups on the platform. Fortunately, several of those beat ’em ups are still worth playing today, giving fans something fun to dive into if they’re looking to dig back into the genre’s deep catalog.
Here are five excellent PlayStation 2 beat ’em ups that still hold up.
The Mortal Kombat series has a rocky history with spin-offs. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is on the terrible end of the spectrum, which might lead you to think the developers couldn’t pull off a beat ’em up. Thankfully, Shaolin Monks came along to prove that notion wrong.
Granted, Shaolin Monks isn’t breaking too much ground; however, a few of those boss fights are a blast. You’ll need to use an actual strategy to get past these monsters instead of relying on button-mashing. Plus, Shaolin Monks includes two important features that make it fun: Fatalities and two-player co-op. If you have a buddy in the room, Shaolin Monks is one of the most enjoyable beat ’em ups on the platform.
Square teamed up with developer DreamFactory for The Bouncer, which is essentially a Final Fantasy-like beat ’em up. It’s technically not in the Final Fantasy lineage, but Takashi Tokita was one of the directors, and Shinji Hashimoto was the producer. Both of those legends played a big part in Final Fantasy‘s success in the ’90s. Plus, the characters were designed by Tetsuya Nomura.
Either way, The Bouncer is a neat mix between Tobal-like combat and a weird story. It also added ragdoll physics to the genre, making it a fun time capsule to go back to. Unfortunately, elements like destructible scenery were removed after Square showed them off in marketing, but The Bouncer is a good one to go back to if you want to see what the early days of the PlayStation 2 were like. It might not hold up as well as other games on this list, but it’s worth your time.
Viewtiful Joe would rank higher if it hadn’t already been out for a year by the time it hit the PlayStation 2. Capcom’s all-time classic was initially exclusive to the GameCube as part of the two companies’ partnership, and it was one of the best games on that platform. It is a gorgeous game filled with fast-paced, innovative action, letting you switch up the action with skills that mimic film techniques like slo-motion and rewind.
The PlayStation 2 version was almost as good, but it does suffer from a few instances of slowdown. It’s not enough to knock it off its perch completely, but it’s worth noting that the GameCube version is generally seen as superior. If not for that fact, Viewtiful Joe would likely rocket to the top of this list.
Capcom’s God Hand was directed by the iconic Shinji Mikami. You might expect the father of Resident Evil to stick in the survival horror genre, but he and his team decided to branch out and give the world one of the strangest beat ’em ups of all time. God Hand is a weird mix of hardcore fighting and truly surreal comedic relief. It almost feels like a fever dream, but once you get into the flow, it’s one of the most interesting games on the PS2.
Let me be clear, God Hand does not pull off everything it presents. The 3D action is incredibly dense, making it almost impossible to wrap your head around. There are over 100 different moves at your fingertips, and mastering the combat will take some work. If you can pull it off, God Hand feels sublime. And even if you can’t, it’s fun to see how weird everything is.
Rockstar was coming off Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, a game that completely changed what players expected from open-world adventures. You’d think the developers would continue in that direction. Instead, Rockstar decided to adapt a cult-classic film from 1979 that many of its fans had probably never heard of.
Thank goodness they did. The Warriors is one of the best adaptations of all time. Rockstar proved that its chops extended far past open-world crime games, something it’s proven time and again over the last few decades. This was a team at the top of its game, playing in a universe they obviously loved. It also brought back most of the original cast, giving The Warriors that extra layer of credibility that took it over the top. If you want a classic PS2 beat ’em up, this is the game to get.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
