Backwards compatibility is an odd topic these days. In an era of so many remasters and remakes, it seems to be getting less popular to digitally re-release an old game with the minimum necessary resolution and system-level upgrades. Apart from the fondly remembered Virtual Console of Nintendo’s Wii/Wii U days, Sony also made an effort to bring many PS1 and PS2 titles to the PS3 and PS4. Many will recall the PS1 Classics line for PS3, that included a fairly large number of Final Fantasy games, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and various other beloved games for that era. Sony took some steps to continue that line into the PS2 era for the PS4, but stopped at an odd point.
As it stands, the list of PlayStation 2 titles for the PS4 include 54 games, the vast majority of which were re-released between 2015 and 2018. The two 2018 games were fighting games from SNK, and the lone 2019 title was Bandai Namco’s Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War. Even more bizarrely, only six PS2 games were re-released in Japan, with most of the effort going into putting games out in North America and Europe. It has been over two years since a PS2 game has been re-released as an emulated title on a PlayStation system. With many of the PS2's classics turning 20 this year, it’s about time for Sony to step up to bat with more old games.
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One of the most surprising things to realize when looking back at the PS2 titles not on modern systems is how many iconic Sony titles are missing from the lineup. God of War 3 Remastered and the 2018 God of War soft reboot are the only God of War games present on the PS4; God of War 1 and 2 being conspicuously absent. The original Ratchet & Clank trilogy, including the first game, Going Commando, and Up Your Arsenal, are also absent on the PS4, despite the first game's remake being there, and Rift Apart coming out soon for PS5. All of these games have been released in past collections, but it’s prime time to bring them to modern consoles.
The original Sly Cooper trilogy, while not as relevant as those other games, is also missing from the PS4 despite its PS3 re-release. Having those games back would be a great leadup to a revival, as would Guerrilla Games’ classic first-person shooter Killzone. Killzone 1 is dated, but a package of Killzone 1, 2, and 3 would still drum up some hype for the old series.
Genji: Dawn of the Samurai would be a great game to remind players that there was another, better game in that infamously meme'd hack-and-slash franchise. Finally, it is a real shame that ICO’s last appearance was on a PS3 collection with Shadow of the Colossus. The beautiful old puzzle platformer deserves new life on a console that can really let its visuals shine.
Of course, the PlayStation 2 was a massive system, sporting game variety fueled by developers all over the world. Third-party titles like Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King and the original Burnout trilogy added a lot of spice to Sony’s already strong first-party offering, and it would be great to have them back.
Capcom could bring forward its Clover Studio classics Viewtiful Joe and God Hand to add a healthy dose of stylish action to the PS4 and PS5’s lineup. Ubisoft could bring Rayman 2, 3, and Beyond Good & Evil forward to delight many fans without too much hassle. Tecmo Koei’s older Ninja Gaiden games are finally reaching modern platforms, but some of the older Dynasty Warriors games, like 3 and 4, deserve to come with them.
Namco Bandai has always been a very strong supporter of PlayStation platforms, and it could finally remaster Soul Calibur 2, Tekken Tag Tournament, and Tales of Symphonia for the PS4 and PS5. Atlus could bring Persona 3 and 4 to the PS4 to stand beside Persona 5, and Konami could even give remastering Silent Hill 2 and 3 another shot. And of course, many a fan would kill to have TimeSplitters 2 on modern consoles, especially with online multiplayer. There is an incredible excess of great PlayStation 2 games that deserve to be brought to the PS4 and PS5, and many are hoping that Sony will start authorizing their releases once again.
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