3 10/10 PS2 Games Turning 25 This Year

3 10/10 PlayStation 2 Games Turning 25 This Year

Sony's PlayStation 2 is one of the best gaming consoles of all time, and for anyone who had one in the 2000s, you'll remember it fondly. I still have my PS2 and play games on it occasionally in 2026, even if it's hard to believe some of these games are turning 25 this year. 2001 was a massive year for the PS2, offering up some iconic titles like Final Fantasy 10 and Silent Hill 2.

And it doesn't stop there. There are a ton of excellent games turning 25 this year on PlayStation 2, including Jak and Daxter, Grand Theft Auto 3, Devil May Cry, and Max Payne. However, some games from 2001 still deserve to be called 10/10 masterpieces, which is no easy feat considering they're over two decades old. While some have aged better than others, these PS2 classics still deserve your attention in 2026.

3 Grand Theft Auto 3

Grand Theft Auto 3 released in October 2001, and it quickly became one of the highest-rated games on the PlayStation 2. It may not have aged particularly well in the past 25 years, but it's still where GTA seemed to find its footing—in terms of gameplay and storytelling, but also as a franchise ingrained in pop culture. GTA 3 was easily a 10/10 experience at launch, even if some elements may feel dated and clunky now.

Sadly, the Definitive Edition remaster isn't very good, which is the easiest way to play GTA 3 in 2026. For those of us who were alive and playing the game in 2001, though, it was a memorable experience that improved with later PS2 releases like Vice City and San Andreas. Honestly, the PS2 was just a fantastic system for Grand Theft Auto games.

2 Final Fantasy 10

It's almost impossible to talk about the PS2 without bringing up Final Fantasy 10. It was one of the best-selling games on PlayStation 2, one of the most highly-rated games on that platform, and it's often cited as a fan-favorite entry in the long-running JRPG series. The love story between Tidus and Yuna is still one of the best in gaming, and since its release in December 2001, countless remasters and ports have introduced FF10 to newer generations.

Like GTA 3, Final Fantasy 10 may show its age a bit at times, particularly with some controls and facial expressions (which were groundbreaking for its time), but that can be overlooked due to the RPG's excellent combat, lovable cast of characters, and emotional narrative. If you're looking for a 10/10 game on PS2, definitely check this one out.

Not only is Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty one of the highest-rated games on the PS2, it's also sold more copies than almost all other games on the system. Releasing in November 2001, MGS 2 might just be considered Hideo Kojimi's true masterpiece. Anyone who was following along with Snake and Raiden back then adored this game. Its storytelling, gameplay, and graphics were simply incredible — and most of that still holds up well in 2026.

Sons of Liberty is still the highest-rated Metal Gear Solid game on Metacritic, and the Master Collection Vol. 1 makes it easier to play than ever. This was a 10/10 game on PlayStation 2 in 2001, and it's arguably still a 10/10 game now that it's about to turn 25. If you're a fan of Kojima and Metal Gear and haven't played this one before, then fix that immediately. You won't regret it.