The company has rethought nearly every aspect of the FF franchise, from the battle system to the use of voice acting instead of text and beyond. Nearly every change will be jarring but nearly every change is for the better.

Using some of the finest visuals to grace a next-generation platform, and solid gameplay, the game proves that PlayStation 2 has more than a bit of fight left in it.

A gaming masterpiece... Combines action, platforming, and RPG elements convincingly, creating one of the best platformers in recent memory.

Not just a game, it's an experience, and well worth the three-year wait...It almost makes you wonder how Hideo Kojima might fare directing a movie based on the Metal Gear license.

The best FPS currently out on PS2.

The amount of playing time between save points and the lengthiness of the story segments might annoy a less patient gamer, but if you wanted a shallow storyline, why are you buying RPGs?

Tells a great story with great characters, offers a lot of variety and, despite its graphical and audio deficiencies, is still the best RPG of 2002.

I don't say such things lightly, but this is easily one of the best games I've ever played. Everywhere I look, I find more things I want to praise about this title.

Superior technical capability coupled with the seemingly hundreds of little things that make a football game enthralling and entertaining allows Madden 2002 to reign supreme yet again.

Every fighting fans dream come true. It sports a plethora of characters, a huge variety of battlefields, and the nicest graphics ever seen.

The realism, atmosphere, sound, and diversified gameplay is more than enough to keep players in their seats for hours.

The graphics will leave your jaw on the floor. The smooth gameplay will have you thinking you are watching a movie rather than playing a game.

Sets a new standard when it comes to wrestling games.

A pint of blood, a teaspoon of decapitation, and a helluva lot of violence makes the perfect evil action game.

At least as good as advertised, if not slightly better.

This is the epitome of what fighting games should be, having practice, patience, and technique take precedence over simple button mashing.

Contains a lot more of what people loved about GTA3, along with a dream-come-true soundtrack and voice cast, and over twice as many missions.

Definitely one of the best Rally racing games out in the market.

The best iteration of Madden ever...The only possible gripe I can have is the lack of in-game chat and other online features, but that’s what next year is for.

Its charismatic cast, wonderful voice acting, drop dead beautiful graphics, and awesome level design make Jak and Daxter one of the best platform/adventure games I've ever played.

A great online game that will give you tons of replayability long after you are done playing its single player mode. Hats off to Neversoft for creating such a stable online environment with GameSpy.

Incredibly polished, and rivals anything with the Neversoft name on it. With tons of objectives, huge levels, great animation, and even jiggly boobs, Aggressive Inline is a game that no gamer should miss.

Very few racing games in the past few years have actually been thoroughly invigorating, and this title comes through in the clutch to deliver a singular racing experience that is nearly unmatched.

Simply put, NBA 2k3 is the best basketball game ever made.

This game deserves a look at, even if just to admire the scope to which Lindon was recreated and the movie-like feel.

The game is one of the longer offerings Konami has offered on PS2 to date...[but] you'll still be left wanting more when the game is over.

While it lacks the intricate single player mode of "Goldeneye," the multi-player content in TimeSplitters is arguably the best in console FPS history.

This is a straight up monster brawler done right.

The control scheme is well designed, the interface simple, and the entire package is just a whole lot of fun.

It was the sound that really sets Drakan: The Ancients Gates apart from other action/adventures.

You get tight gameplay, flawless control, addictive mini games, and fun, competitive racing. Too bad about the online aspect though.

The end-all be-all of football games. At least for this year it is.

One could nitpick the title for what it doesn’t deliver, but what it does deliver is pretty amazing; a highly playable movie-licensed superhero game! Who woulda thunk it?

If this game isn't added to your library in the very near future, than you really need to have your head examined. Get it, and get it SOON. You can't miss this one.

The bottom line, Kessen is a masterpiece in more ways than one and can keep even the most hardcore fan occupied for some time.

It's about pure gameplay and solid mission design, and it's also a hypnotic experience.

This game can suck you in and never let you out - and you may not want to come out. ...this is football at its best.

Incorporates a moving story with surprisingly addictive gameplay, while adding a dash of comedy to spruce up an otherwise sinister plot. The environments are beautiful and highly detailed.

Given the choice between Tiger Woods and Hot Shots Golf 3, I'd take Hot Shots any day.

An awesome package of gameplay, sound, and story to improve greatly on an already attractive package. Bravo LucasArts, bravo indeed.

Beautiful graphics and bumping Trance music with jovial shooting to boot is a wicked combination any way you look at it. Definitely one of the best games out right now.

Unfortunately, I found NFL 2K3’s online mode to be somewhat disappointing.

What Sly Cooper lacks in length, it makes up for in gameplay variation, character design, as well as level design.

The game seems to hearken back to the successes of "Ace Combat 2" by adding fair doses of realism with a good amount of action and intensity. The game's biggest fault lies in its brevity, as it ends much too soon.

Simply put, NBA 2K2 is the best basketball game on the planet. Although it is not perfect, it does emulate the look, feel, and intensity of NBA basketball.

An extremely satisfying experience and, if nothing else, certainly renewed my appreciation for classical music and for conductors, in general.

The graphics are great, the sound is great, the animation is great, the gameplay is great, and the whole package is just freakin' great.

May very well be the best FPS on a console ever...The story isn't the best you'll ever see, and "Red Faction" has it beat there, but Half-Life is all about the experience, and few other games suck you in as well as Half-Life.

A great game. It's simple gameplay will take you back to the old school days of pure gaming goodness.

The game is way fun, chock full o’ stars and actually a lengthy, deep game that’s appropriate for all ages.

A great game...And with beautiful graphical content and stunning sound effects, ICO is one heck of a production.

Well-presented, deep and involving.

A breath of fresh air and certainly a game any tennis fan or PS2 owner shouldn’t be without.

Takes the ideas presented in the original game and expands and improves upon its predecessor in every imaginable way, and by leaps and bounds at that.

It’s just too bad T:DoF didn’t aspire to be more than something standard.

It's certainly the best golf game you can purchase currently, and you know what? It's also one of the best sports games you can buy as well.

Fast, furious, not to mention loads of fun.

Easily the best college basketball game ever made.

In spite of some graphic flaws due to a short production timetable, Summoner is one of the most satisfying-to-play RPGs on the PS2 launch list; in fact, only "Orphen" comes close.

A solid game. It doesn't make anywhere near the full use of the PS2, nor does it add a lot to the mix in order to compensate for the natural lack of ubiquitous mouse/keyboard support and Internet play.

It’s easily said that SOCOM is the best console based tactical shooter ever, and it wins that throne quite handedly.

Fast gameplay and tons of features turn what could be an ordinary churned out sequel into a new benchmark for anti-gravity racers.

The best Blitz title since the original hit the arcade scene some five years ago.

The best DDR out right now. You get a plethora of songs, better graphics than those found on the PSone versions, the new freeze arrows, and more difficulty settings.

This is easily the best PGA Tour game for any console since "PGA Tour Golf II" for the Genesis.

By far a breath of fresh air on PlayStation 2, a system with far too many FPS games that simply have lackluster plots and characters that are basically on a mission to kill everything using the biggest explosions possible.

If you're a retrogaming fan (like I am), then Namco Museum is a no-brainer, if only for the Arrangements.

With an innovative gameplay system, and original combo system, The Mark of Kri is one of the best Beat 'em ups I have ever played.

The graphics have matured to push the bar higher for what a PS2 game should look like and despite flawed localization and some awkward moments in the voice-acting, it delivers the promise of "more, deeper, better."

Sure, the story is a little weird, and yes, the music isn't quite as good as it was in the first game, but PaRappa 2 is a solid effort, nonetheless.

NBA Street delivers in all the ways "NBA Hoopz" didn't.

The graphics should have been better and the sound could use some improvement but the gameplay and depth are practically untouchable.

Despite a few blemishes, it's hard to call this game anything but beautiful.

Although the improvements are small and some pre-existing flaws were ignored, it’s still a great fighter.

Without a doubt, the best arcade hockey game out there. If you're a hockey fan, or even a general sports fan, you should check this game out.

Very nice and very pretty, it's just too darn bad that there weren't more innovations included in the game.

A huge success. With great graphics, hilarious situations, and solid gameplay, MLB Slugfest 20-03 brings fun to a sport that is known for its slow-paced tempo.

A game no library should be without. Splashdown is THE game to own for fast-paced purified racing graphical gaming goodness.

The gameplay is tight (after a few initial tweaks) and it blurs the line between sim and arcade styles of gameplay.

Minor problems such as a cumbersome weapon selection system, tough difficulty which makes it tough to be stealthy, and unclear objectives can be frustrating, but they are overshadowed by this game’s overall package.

The storyline is engaging, and commanding an elephant to tromp through units and trample people is pretty hard to beat.

Falls just shy of a perfect platformer, but comes darn close to being one of the best I've ever played.

The graphics are solid, the gameplay is grand, and the possible parties are limitless.

A solid arcade racing experience which weaves dexterity, reflexes, and tension into a fairly deep arcade racing experience.

It's still great, but I felt that the original Red Faction was a bit more engaging.

An awesome music game that should be mentioned with the "Parappa"'s and "DDR"'s of the genre.

Stunning visuals, spectacular gameplay, and a realistic plot.

If you have a sibling or friend nearby with whom you can play, this game will keep you occupied for months.

It's basically the vehicular combat equivalent of a fighting game like "Tekken" or "Virtua Fighter"—each character has his reason for entering the tournament and you can play your way through a set of scenarios to complete their quest.

It's like going through "Silent Hill" as an RPG or playing through a Clive Barker or Ann Rice novel.

As we break down the plusses and minuses, it becomes a balanced equation with the gameplay detractors off-setting the great graphics and outstanding sound.

It is the originality of the story and the way the game takes shape that make this a recommended gaming experience.

Takes an established genre and gives it an SSX-style touch. Wipeout fans everywhere should give this game a try.

They have refined to near perfection what they started nearly five years ago, so take advantage.

While the PS2-level graphics make the game prettier than its PSone predecessors, the basics of gameplay remain essentially unchanged since the debut of the first title.

A groovy game surround by a "so what?" story. Here's hoping the inevitable sequel will see both aspects "get it right" at the same time.

A racing title that blends adrenaline-pumping racing action to its purest level. Excellent physics detection and even better physical car damage and being topped off with crisp sound makes Burnout a title that should not be overlooked.

If this game didn't have such a robust (yes, that's right, robust) track creation engine, then HSX would only be worth a weekend rental.