ThePlayStation 2had many multiplayer games that remain certified classics. Even now, veteran and newbie gamers find ways to playPS2multiplayer, whether through official means or emulation. Chief among these areforgotten PS2 multiplayer games that need remakes.
Some series hit a dead end despite having a healthy fanbase. Others simply never got a sequel, even though they have plenty of lore left to explore, or fun multiplayer mechanics. A fortunate few got to go past the PS2, whether through direct sequels or re-releases, but eventually got waylaid. Whatever the case, these PS2 multiplayer games have enough going on that a remake will surely be a hit.
It’s not uncommon to hear stories about friends and siblings swapping out to complete levels inCrash Bandicoot.Crash of the Titanssolved this perennial problem by having players team up to control the titular beasts. Co-op makes collecting Mojo easier, taking down Titans faster, and playing through tricky segments less frustrating.
Sadly for fans, a properCrashgame is not in the works, and a plannedCrash Bandicoot 5with aSpyrocrossoverwas even canceled. Sadly, a lack of love for Crash means perhaps no future at the moment, especially one for his most underrated titles. Online co-op would also make the game more accessible, especially to long-distance friends and siblings.
Core, the team behindTomb Raider 2put their level design chops to work onProject Eden. The 2001 multiplayer PS2 game features drop-in/drop-out co-op that tasks up to four players with puzzle solving and squad-based shooting. Every member has a unique ability critical to passing these puzzles which, likeTomb Raider, take precedence over combat.
Project Eden’s sci-fi, body horror-peppered story also belongs in the milieu of the new 20s. AlthoughLara Croft and the Temple of Osirisfit the puzzle-heavy, four-player slot,Project Eden’s puzzles are simply more satisfying to solve. AProject Edenremakecould be a great weekend game for friend groups who love arguing over puzzles and horror about artificial meat.
149.5 hours (Cumulative)
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Warriors Orochiis a completely fictional cross-over between Chinese and Japanese historical and mythological characters thatMusoufans still joke about fondly. It’s also a PlayStation 2 game that still looks good, even when compared to later series.
A remake could take advantage of stronger consoles to generate larger enemy populations without sacrificing performance.Warriors Orochi’sMarvel vs. Capcom-like three-character structure could also give way to sick combos that are too performance-intensive on older generations. Koei-Tecmo could also borrow new multiplayer modes and mechanics from its newer games for a remake.
Anyone expecting a straight-action gameset in the Roman Empirewould be surprised once they dive intoGladius. The three-platform game by LucasArts is a TBTRPG with sim-raising aspects and magic. Players can tag team with up to two friends on the PS2 to complete the fairly long campaign, which is surprisingly engaging and fantastical.
With other LucasArts properties receiving updated re-releases, it’s disappointing thatGladiusnever got a second look. A tactics game where players can raise gladiators, send them to tournaments, and progress through the main story with friends has more appeal now, especially with games likeBaldur’s Gate 3out.
FromSoftware is an interesting company, as its games tend to skew towards difficult, dark, and interesting. The combo breaker isThe Adventures of Cookie & Cream, the only original IP in their repertoirethat’s sickeningly cute. It’s unmistakably a FromSoftware game though, evidenced by its tough puzzles, an unnerving-looking moon, and a bittersweet ending.
Although FromSoftware is known for their hair-tearingly difficult games now, a revisit toCookie & Creamwouldn’t be amiss. In fact, it could be their once-in-a-blue-moon game, similar toDéracinéandMonster Hunter Diaryof recent years.
Two player co-op
A severely underserved franchise is theTenchuseries.Tenchu: Wrath of Heavenin particular had a thrilling versus mode. The roster of characters and their special abilities made for amazing battles and many broken controllers due to Chibot and Tesshu.
Moreover, whileTenchu: Wrath of Heaventries to look serious, it’s ultimately campy and fun. It was amajor stealth gameat the time, one of the few fun ones on the PS2, and a title that allowed players to complete the campaign and compete with friends. As FromSoftware now pens rights to the game, a hard-as-nails remake with multiplayer options would be phenomenal.
What madeStar Wars: Jedi Starfighterone-of-a-kind among itsStar Warsspace combat peers areits precise storytellingand evolving dogfighting controls. Its split-screen co-op invests players in the same focused story campaign, either as co-dogfighters or with one player in the ship’s turret.
Jedi Starfighteris a cult classic and a spiritual successor of sorts for theX-WingandRebel Assaultseries. And along withRogue Squadron, it was a spaceflight sim that lasted through the early 2000s. Without a whiff of a sequel toSquadron, aJedi Starfighterremake feels like the right move.
Although stealth is part of the game,Mercenaries 2: World in Flamesshines best when it allows the player to unleash hell. Every single building can be destroyed, despite the reputation hit toMercenary’s five factions.Mercenaries 2improved on its predecessor,Playground of Destructionwith a co-op mode that made the game stick around for a couple of years.
EA seems irreparably committed to live-service games now, but that doesn’t mean aMercenariesremake can’t thrive. AMercenariesremake in today’s EA model can have players formbands of mercenariesto take on campaigns and an online squad-based battle arena mode.
Older players certainly haven’t forgottenTime Crisis 3or theTime Crisisseries in general. However, younger players probably don’t, and those who do likely think of it as an arcade game.Time Crisis 3had a great PS2 port though, and one that has great alternative modes.
Co-op players get to enjoy a bigger arcade mode on the PS2. The exclusive alternate campaign is also more difficult, though it’s worth going through it to unlock OP features. A remake of the series on the PC and Nintendo Switch with these options would surely be a hit, especially with the ton oflight gun optionsout on the market.
