PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
- Manufacturer: Sony | Release Year: 2000
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling videogame console ever with more than 130 million units sold by the end of 2008. That alone says a lot regarding its place in history and its reception amongst the general population. The PS2 was not only a major highlight in Sony's history (for both its games business and the company as a whole), but it also helped launch the DVD format into the VHS-killer that it became.
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But company financials and movie formats aside, it's really the games and wide accessibility that made the PS2 what it was, and even now, nearly a decade after its release, it still is. The fact that the system is supported to this day and that we're still seeing games released for it on a weekly basis is a strong testament to its staying power.
Looking at the system's library (which is nearing 2,000 titles at the time of this writing), there are a number of games that were not only breakout releases, but have defined what we're playing today. Grand Theft Auto III and Guitar Hero are two that paved the way for some of this generation's most popular genres, and when you're talking about software as an art form, you needn't look any further than titles like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.
It may be long in the tooth, but without the PlayStation 2, gaming today, and even home entertainment in general, may be a lot different were it not for Sony's über-popular console.
Notable Games
- Grand Theft Auto III
GTA3 is easily one of the most influential games ever released and has kicked off numerous open-world games since its introduction.
- Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero brought music games into everyone's living room thanks to its simple but near-perfect guitar controller and classic songs.
- Shadow of the Colossus
No studio matches the visual and artistic touch of Team ICO, and its second release is still unmatched in terms of artistic vision.
- God of War
Sony Santa Monica's action tour-de-force was brutal, engaging, epic and, most importantly, incredibly fun. Few action games even approach its greatness.
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- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Kojima Productions took the lessons learned from the first two MGS titles and gave us an experience that was previously unseen outside of movie theaters.