2004 was a big year for games. Nintendo launched the DS worldwide, the PS2 got a thinner redesign worldwide, and Japan got the PSP. It was also quite the year in terms of big video games Hello 2, Half-Life 2and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. These were all games that didn't make it to the PS2, so what was Sony up to when they had newer hardware?
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Between third party and first party support, it could be argued that 2004 was one of, if not the best year of the PS2's life cycle. Let's go through the top ten games that came out this year and see if they hold up as must-play experiences.
Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
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Arrange the covers in the correct US release order.
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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Rolling In the 1990s
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was a throwback to the 1990s, set in the titular West Coast region of San Andreas. Players play as CJ, a retired gangster who has just returned home only to fall back into his old gang shenanigans.
In terms of size and game mechanics, it was a big step forward from the previous ones Grand Theft Auto inputs, including letting players go outside of cities and including stat progression depending on what CJ did and ate. Additionally, there was an RTS-like gang turf war feature, and it was one of the standout aspects of an overall stellar package.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Conclusion to the first trilogy
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal was the end of the original Ratchet & Clank trilogy that ends with a bang when the two titular heroes become embroiled in an ongoing war. While there are some big battle pieces, it's more or less the same for the duo, as players can fly across the galaxy and land on new planets to help the colorful locals.
The platforming remained solid and the weapons were as outlandish as ever, including a pistol that could hide enemies or a bomb launcher that scattered into smaller baby explosives. The light-hearted story and often silly puns also made it one of the funniest games of this generation.
How 3
Mad Max as a platformer
How 3
- Released
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November 9, 2004
How 3 settled in a desert wasteland, something of a tribute Mad Max. Jak and Daxter could ride dinosaur horses to navigate the semi-open world environment, or they could race their buggy for both combat and exploration.
There were still plenty of platforms in the various levels, and Jak's weapons grew as his weapon evolved with attachments from a normal rifle to a part that shot explosives. The difficulty has been fixed from the previous game, making it a more balanced adventure and a great ending to the original Jak and Daxter trilogy.
What A Thrill
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was the first prequel in the series that told the origin of Big Boss back when he was just Naked Snake. Set in the 1960s, players must infiltrate a forested base in the Soviet Union to prevent a group of terrorists eager to incriminate the US from launching a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union.
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Players could sneak through the jungle, paint on camouflage to blend in, and pick up animals along the way to eat for sustenance. There are a million little mechanics that make this game great, but what fans still love most about it is the over-the-top story filled with bee-shooting men, ghost daddies, flame-wielding astronauts, and more.
Katamari Damacy
Weird but nice
Katamari Damacy
- Released
-
September 21, 2004
- ESRB
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E // Mild fantasy violence
Katamari Damacy is a difficult game to describe because it takes place in a world where there is a king of the galaxy, the king of all the cosmos, who one day destroyed the entire star system. He then sends his son to Earth with a magic orb that can purify objects and allow the king to turn these debris into stars.
It doesn't make any sense, but it didn't have to be fun. In each level, players had a set goal for their star size, and if they exceeded it, they would receive bonus points. From paper clips to cones, birds to people, nothing was off limits to this ball designed for the stars, literally.
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
The fight for Europe
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
- Released
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September 27, 2004
Shadow Hearts: Covenant is set during World War 1 and focuses on a group of adventurers who somehow find themselves fighting a paranormal organization trying to take over the world. The game featured several key historical figures, such as Grigori Rasputin, but twisted them into the most bizarre JRPG ways possible.
The combat system was turn-based but active, as players could time their attacks using the turn-based system to gain bonus damage. Apart from the other games in the series, there is nothing like it Shadow Hearts: Covenant on the PS2 in terms of alternate history RPGs.
Def Jam: Fight for NY
Hip Hop Warrior
Def Jam: Fight for NY is the second game in the series that has improved the list and list of hip-hop songs to an incredible level. The arena has featured Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Ice-T, Xzibit, Ludacris and many others, lending both their faces and voices in most cases.
Who would have thought that a wrestling game about rappers would be so compelling? The teams at AKI Corporation and EA Canada somehow improved this sequel in every possible way over its predecessor, and it's just sad that there's no way to play it legally on current systems these days.
James Bond 007: All or Nothing
The gang is here
There were a lot of Bond games on the PS2, some original, some based on the movies, but they all lacked one thing: star power. That's the place James Bond 007: All or Nothing was different because it used the likenesses and voices of such Hollywood talents as Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, Heidi Klum and many others.
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It was more than a big-budget story because the gameplay was also great, with perfect backdrops more explosive than the previous ones, literally in some cases. Although it was more of an action game than a stealth game compared to other spy games on the PS2, incl Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, James Bond 007: All or Nothing is still one of the best Bond games ever made.
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
If Master Chief had Jedi powers
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy was an obscure but great third-person shooter that also had one heck of a gimmick. In addition to the usual weapons for a spy game, players could learn to control various paranormal powers, such as telekinesis, which sends enemies flying, and pyrokinesis, which lights them up like Christmas trees.
Other abilities included a way to take over enemies and stir the pot in heavily guarded rooms. Players could use some of these abilities outside of combat to solve light puzzles, but it was primarily an action game.
Burnout 3: Takedown
Racing has never felt so good
While the PS2 was known more for its exclusive racing series, Gran Turismothere were also great third party racers like Burnout 3: Takedown. It was a more arcade-style racing game where the camera stopped and zoomed in whenever the car crashed in the most brutal wrecks ever.
Adrenaline gamers felt like they had no competition when racing their cars Burnout 3: Takedown an instant classic. Even non-racing fans couldn't deny how much fun it was to get destroyed or destroy others during a match.
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