The best multiplayer shooters for PlayStation 2

Key things

• The PS2 revolutionized multiplayer gaming with iconic shooter franchises like Call of Duty and Star Wars Battlefront.
• Games like James Bond 007: Nightfire and SOCOM 2 offered unique multiplayer experiences with different game modes.
• Star Wars: Battlefront 2 delivered the ultimate Star Wars experience with various game modes and iconic character controls.

The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time, with a whopping 158 million units sold since the early 2000s. The PS2 was one of the best consoles for playing with friends at the time, being one of the first consoles to feature online multiplayer. option to connect 4 controllers for split-screen gaming.

With these multiplayer features, game developers quickly started creating amazing multiplayer games, some of which were the best in the shooter genre. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, some of the most famous shooting franchises were created, such as Call Of Duty, Battlefront Star Wars, Medal of Honor, Battlefield and more, most of which we popularized on the PlayStation 2. This list takes a look at some of the best multiplayer shooters on the PS2.

8 Brothers In Arms: Earned in Blood

A historical shooter where players can control NPCs

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood is a tactical shooter set during World War II, specifically following the journey of the soldiers of the 10th Airborne Division during their battles in Normandy. The game took an alternative approach to the run-and-gun approach of similar titles by allowing the player commanded NPC soldiers.

Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood had a fun multiplayer to play with friends or against friends. There were two main multiplayer game modes: co-op, where you and your friends play for the same team against enemy NPCs; and Competitive, where you and your friends team up against other players or face each other on the battlefield.

7 Killzone

Dystopian FPS With Stacked Online

Killzone is a dark and futuristic FPS set in a dystopian world. The main story of the game focuses on an interplanetary war between two opposing factions: the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance and the Helghan Empire. The game and the franchise became famous for its dark and gritty atmosphere.

Killzone had a great multiplayer system on the PS2 that offered offline split-screen matches as well as online network matches. Offline split-screen is exactly what you'd expect from a PS2 shooter, offering most of the same game modes as online. Online multiplayer is where Killzone really shined with four main game modes: Deathmatch, Defend and Destroy, Team Deathmatch and Assault. Online multiplayer also has clans and ranks, much like today Call of Duty titles as well as a 16-player lobby, which was a big deal at the time.

6 James Bond 007: Nightfire

One of the best split screen experiences ever

James Bond 007: Nightfire is an FPS set in the James Bond universe. The main story of the game follows the new but classic James Bond story as the player sets out to stop an evil billionaire from taking over the world. James Bond 007: Nightfire is often referred to as one of the best split-screen gaming experiences of all time.

James Bond 007: Nightfire it had five main multiplayer game modes: Arena, Team Arena, Capture the Flag, Protection, and Top Agent. Night fire it also featured a number of classic weapons, from Walther PPKs to explosive rocket launchers. What made the game so iconic was the customization options in the multiplayer games, which featured unique settings such as the 'One-Shot Kill' mode, which made the encounter with friends very intense.

5 XIII

A truly unique FPS on PS2

XIII is one of the most unique shooters on PS2 that has a comic book style. The game is loosely based on the Belgian graphic novel series of the same name. The main story of the game, inspired by the comics, contains elements of the espionage genre, such as espionage, mysteries and conspiracies.

Combined with his comic art style XIII it had unique multiplayer with game modes like: Sabotage, Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch. XIII it also supported up to four players in offline split screen, making it one of the most fun games to play with a group of friends.

4 Call Of Duty 3

The game that pushed the PS2 to its limits

Call Of Duty 3 is the third installment of this now iconic franchise. Like the previous entry, Brothers in arms, Call Of Duty 3 focuses on the Normandy campaign during World War II. This game had one of the most intense and fun single player games on the PS2 along with great multiplayer.

Call Of Duty 3 was arguably the most complex multiplayer system on a console, as the game was also developed and released for the PS3 and Xbox 360, causing developers to push the console to its limits. The multiplayer game had three main game modes: Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and War (similar to the Ground War mode in later versions Call Of Duty titles).

A tactical experience that redefined shooters on PS2

SOCOM 2 is a third-person shooter game exclusively for PlayStation 2. The main game revolves around a group of US Navy SEALs who undertake covert and tactical missions around the world. The campaign features exciting missions such as hostage rescue, sabotage, stealth-based missions and total warfare.

SOCOM 2 stands out for its stacked and unique multiplayer. The game had a 16-player lobby and some unique and exciting game modes such as suppression, demolition, mining and escort. SOCOM 2 it also had a clan system, leaderboards, and clan-only lobbies that can be argued to be some of the first representations of eSports in the shooter genre.

2 TimeSplitters

Funny time travel adventure on PS2

TimeSplitters is an arcade shooter that has become famous for its humor and a variety of quirky and unique characters. The main story of the game takes the player through a huge number of locations across time thanks to time travel elements.

TimeSplitters it had one of the most complete multiplayer systems on PS2 with a massive character roster, unique game modes and even a mapmaker. TimeSplitters had 150 crazy and unique characters to choose from, although many players chose to play as monkey characters once they realized they had a smaller hitbox. The game's map creator allowed players to create their own unique maps that could be shared locally with friends and played in split-screen. TimeSplitters it was also one of the first to have private online lobbies that allowed players to adjust match duration, score limit, and weapon options.

1 Star Wars: Battlefront 2

The ultimate Star Wars experience

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 was one of the most popular games released on the PS2. Continuation of no less popular Star Wars: Battlefront it was so popular that even after the official servers were shut down in 2016, fans kept the game alive through fan servers.

Star Wars Battlefront II it has a stacked multiplayer system with five game modes: Conquest, Assault, Capture the Flag, Hunt and Space Assault. Players can also command vehicles and animals originating from the maps and take control of their favorite heroes like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in a 16-player lobby.