Summary
Game development, the games industry, and just about everything about the video game medium was drastically different during thePS2’slifetime. The time and cost it took to make titles created a landscape that is almost impossible to recognize today. Still, it is easy to see what titles from that era that would qualify as aAA gameinstead of a AAA game.
AA games have some great production values, but it is clear concessions were made, and their focus was directed towards crucial aspects of the production, while other features were set aside. Still, that sacrifice was not enough to hurt these games' time in the spotlight. Many of these were success stories too, thanks to the PS2’s massive user base.
8State Of Emergency
Open Levels, But Not Quite Open-World
A great way to show off a console’s capabilities is by making note of how many NPCs can fit on the screen at once. This is one of the most impressive things aboutState of Emergency.Other than that, it is just a serviceable brawler.
Players complete various missions in the game’s levels. These levels were all fairly large for the console they ran on, but the game was outdone in bothscope and player agency byGrand Theft Auto 3, which released just 5 months earlier. Still, it is an alternative for anyone who could not accessGTAfor one reason or another.
A Hectic Third-Person Shooter Action With A Dog Sidekick
This third-person shooter was not the best-looking game at the time, but its action was fast enough for most gamers to look past its lackluster visuals.Dead to Rightsstill uses some older third-person sensibilities, such as a reliance on auto-aim and targeting enemies with a single button, rather than giving gamers complete control of the crosshair.
This allows for an increased focus on movement, and close-quarters takedowns are a particular highlight. Lastly, players can command the protagonist’s dog, Shadow, to help out during combat.
Harmonix kickstarted the rhythm game craze withGuitar Hero. Though this first game in the series was a huge hit, it was not without its faults that planted it firmly in AA gaming territory.
For one, most of the songs in the game are covers, with the only original tracks coming in the form of bonus songs the developers wrote themselves. The game also does not have nearly as much content as the later entries in the series. Lastly, hammer-ons and pull-offs are unbelievably difficult to do, something that was smoothed out inGuitar Hero 2.
Harmonix developed the sequel but then went on to make theRock Bandseries. They are now owned by Epic Games and developed the Fortnite Festival.
Legend of Legaiais one of the moreunderrated JRPGs on the PS1. Its sequel,Dual Saga, was a completely different beast, retaining only the unique turn-based battle system where players input a series of punches and kicks initiated simultaneously during their turn.
It is not as unique as the first game, but it also has a lot more content. While the production values pale in comparison to the likes ofFinal Fantasy 10or other big JRPGs of the time, it makes up for it with its unique combat system.
Alien Hominidstarted as a flash game on the legendary Newgrounds website. It was eventually fleshed out into a full-length game for consoles. The cartoonish art style helps thesmooth side-scrolling shooter gameplayremain timeless.
In addition to the campaign, there are also several minigames packed into the title. PDA Games is a platforming minigame where each level is set on one screen. This mode allows for four players to try the levels at the same time, and it even includes a level editor.
Alien Hominidis available on Xbox Series S/X, PC, and Nintendo Switch asAlien Hominid: Invasion, a reimagining with revised gameplay.
3Burnout 2
Arcade Racing Bliss With Intense Crashes
The firstBurnoutgame was a simple racing game with attractive crashes.Burnout 2expanded on the concept while still not quite reaching aAAA racing game level of quality.
Along with the racing was a new Crash Mode, tracks set up specifically for players to cause the biggest disasters possible, with the score being tracked by how much money in damage was done. It was not untilBurnout 3that the series received a AAA sheen when publisher EA stepped into the picture, butBurnout 2’ssimple fun still holds up.
Max Payneis one of the most technically impressive games on this list, and it is clear that is where developer Remedy’s priorities were in development, along with its writing. Ironically, the concessions made in other areas because of the budget helped make it iconic.
Instead of hiring actors to model the characters, many of the characters in the comic-book panel cutscenes,which themselves were done for budgetary reasons, are played by developers. Max Payne himself is modeled after writer Sam Lake and villain Nicole Horne is played by his mother.
The PS2 is easily the most technically inhibited version of both the debut entry andMax Payne 2.It is better to play them on Xbox or PC.
To make the PS2’s launch,TimeSplitterswas developed at lightning-fast speed. As a result, it is missing a lot of features that would make it a true AAA FPS. Its single-player campaign can be completed in about an hour since the levels are simple fetch missions instead of fleshed-out levels with scripted setpieces.
Despite these obvious cutbacks,TimeSplittersis filled with things to do, from its challenge mode missions to its large, highly-customizable multiplayer suite. Most importantly,TimeSplittershas everything in order on a technical level, running at a smooth 60 frames per second at all times.
