The PlayStation 2 has a rich catalog of games across many genres, including anime. Anime and games came together often during the PS2’s era of greatness, spawning some fantastic and memorable titles. The best PS2 anime games often have a considerable level of nostalgia factor for them.
The best PlayStation 2 anime games also excel when it comes to capturing the idea of the anime in question but in an interactive form. This could show in the game’s visual style or the actual gameplay itself. Some of the best PlayStation 2 anime games we love didn’t start as anime but as games and then later received an anime adaptation. Regardless, anime and PS2 owners alike should check out these best PlayStation 2 anime titles.
1. Persona 3 FES
Atlus crafted this grim and unforgettable turn-based JRPG for the PS2. It features a group of high school students, known as SEES, who try to stop the mysterious Dark Hour. Its brilliant cast of complicated characters and its daily calendar progression system feel like an anime TV show with multiple seasons in video game form. In fact, it later spawned an anime movie adaptation series.
2. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3
The story mode in this otherwise traditional sideways fighting game helps it stand out the most. It contains the entirety of the main plot and major moments from across the Dragon Ball Z anime within the Dragon Universe story mode. The freeform exploration of specific prominent locales, like planet Namek, gives it an interactive anime feel.
3. Monster Rancher 4
Though three monster-collecting RPG games existed before this title, the fourth one felt the closest to the actual Pokémon knock-off anime series. Players gather monsters, train them on their ranches, and then use them to fight in tournaments. We love how meta it gets, too, with players able to scan DVDs in their PS2 to obtain various monsters. So, theoretically, players could scan a DVD of the Monster Rancher anime to get their monsters.
4. .hack//Infection
The .hack series project from Bandai Namco feels unlike anything else in gaming and anime. Simultaneous anime shows and games released around the same time in the early 2000s, with some titles (like this one) coming with an actual DVD with anime episodes. It helps, too, that the actual game feels so fun to play with its adherence to players acting like a player within a fictional MMORPG.
5. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja
This standard 2D fighting game adaptation of the Naruto series has everything going for it, from the faithful anime-like art style to the different shinobi fighting mechanics between the characters. Only 12 playable characters exist in the slim roster, but each person feels similar to their anime versions.
6. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
This 3D arena fighter contained one of the largest rosters of playable characters at the time. Players who love the Dragon Ball Z anime could pretty much play as anyone they wanted to, from the more popular characters like Super Saiyan Trunks all the way down to more obscure people like Devilman. It feels like a celebration of the entire series from start to finish.
7. Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon
This 3D action game has a gritty and realistic style, which feels like a proper representation of the original mecha anime. Each mobile suit players control feels and looks like it should. The best part about this game comes from the space battles, which replicate some of the most iconic moments from the war between Zeon and the Federation.
8. Super Dragon Ball Z
Many people know the other more famous 3D arena fighting games based on Dragon Ball Z, but this one also has our hearts. It has a gorgeous art style, which looks much closer to the actual anime series than any other game at the time on the PS2. The more traditional fighting game mechanics also give it a competitive depth we like.
9. .hack//G.U. vol. 1//Rebirth
This game simultaneously provides an interactive version of its anime counterpart while also feeling like an MMORPG but for a single player. Its world-building and lore feel incredible, with many different NPCs running around, acting like real people. It often feels like players exist as a single person within a huge anime series about murders in a video game.
10. One Piece: Grand Battle
This fighting game follows Monkey D. Luffy and his journey to become king of the pirates and find the One Piece. It plays out in a traditional fighting game way but with a twist. Instead of showing one-to-one 3D recreations of the 2D anime characters, it opts for a more chibi-like version of each pirate. This gives the game a unique style, which works well.
11. Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse Of The Crimson Elixir
This action RPG captures the magic-like idea of alchemy from this anime series faithfully, giving the main characters, Edward and Alphonse, lots of skills to use in the thrilling combat. The bright cel-shaded graphical style holds up well even now and looks pretty similar to the anime.
12. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
This Ghost in the Shell game looks fantastic with a 3D rendition of the cyberpunk anime series that still holds up well today. It also has an original story featuring two playable characters and campaigns set between a couple of the anime series, which makes it a must-play for existing fans.
13. Samurai Champloo: Sidetracked
This 2006 PS2 anime game adapts Samurai Champloo in a smart way. Though many anime games focus on retelling the same story, it centers around an original plot set in the middle of the anime following the same cast of samurai characters. This makes it feel more essential to the anime while also containing some solid action combat with stellar special effects.
14. Gungrave
This third-person shooter received an anime adaptation soon after its release. More importantly, the actual PS2 game itself had help from legendary anime creators, such as Yasuhiro Nightow (Trigun) and Kōsuke Fujishima (Oh My Goddess!). This shows in the actual graphical style of this game, which looks like an interactive 3D anime with its fascinating art style.
15. Duel Masters
The original anime this game bases itself on often feels like a copycat of Yu-Gi-Oh, but the game works out better in the end. The trading card game shows the actual monsters as 3D figures fighting it out in arenas whenever players play their cards, rather than a flat card on a surface. This provides a more anime-like and welcome presentation than other similar anime card games.
16. MS Saga: A New Dawn
This welcome and underrated Mobile Suit Gundam title removes the more action-packed mech fights of other similar games for a traditional turn-based RPG experience. This works well, letting the action slow down for a focus on story and characters like the many Gundam anime, and also brilliant mech customization.
17. Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles
Most Naruto games take the ninja anime and make it a fighting game. But some exceptions exist, such as this welcome 3D action-adventure game. It feels more like the anime in exploring the ninja world and going on adventures much like Team 7 and the other playable characters do in the series.
18. Digimon Rumble Arena 2
This wacky anime fighting game feels like one of the most effective ways to capture the fights between Digimon. It plays out loosely in terms of movement and attacks, similar to the Super Smash Bros. series in a way. It still has its own identity from the anime, though, such as Digimon evolution.
19. Blood Will Tell
Many people know the famous manga and anime creator Tezuka Osamu for his work on the legendary Astro Boy, but his manga and anime series Dororo might steal our hearts more for its grim and emotional tale of a handicapped warrior who goes on a journey for revenge. The game splits itself into nine dedicated parts, telling the tale in a sufficient way while also letting players hack and slash their way through enemies with the simplistic but fun combat.
20. Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
This adaptation of the infamous fictional thief has a unique approach to its game with a stealth-based experience. The graphics look a bit blurry today, but they come close to the anime movies and series this game comes from. The stealth genre makes a lot of sense for a game about a thief, which helps it stand out among the many PS2 anime titles.
21. Persona 4
Like its predecessor, Atlus’ Persona 4 received an anime adaptation after its release. The anime version of this game gets the point across of its story, but the actual game itself still remains the best way to experience the tale of the high schoolers investigating serial murders in their small town. The almost episodic nature of each case and disappearance elevates this story and cast above other similar JRPGs.
22. Bakugan Battle Brawlers
This PS2 adaptation of the action anime series came out in 2009, long after the release of the PS3. This means some players missed out on this very late PS2 anime game. It translates the adorable little robotic Bakugan creatures of the main anime to game form well, changing up the rules and style of the game so it makes sense in an interactive form.
23. Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum
Yu-Gi-Oh video games often focus on the popular trading card game from the main anime series. However, this strategy board game-like experience on the PS2 focuses on the game pieces rather than cards. This level of strategy feels a bit more action-packed at times than throwing down flat cards, which offers an experience more akin to the anime’s battles.
24. Tales of the Abyss
This entry in the Bandai Namco action RPG series later received a 26-episode anime. Though the anime captures the story and characters well, the core PS2 experience still stands out as the best way to experience the tale of Luke and his pals. The hack-and-slash combat has some button-mashing elements to it, but the arc of the main character, Luke, feels like an interactive anime series.
