Most Overlooked PlayStation 2 Games - Part One

Last night, we looked at a slew of overlooked and under-appreciated Gamecube titles. Tonight, we're going to be showcasing some of the dominant PlayStation 2's games that went without much celebration. There's a huge catalog of games to choose from, so we'll have plenty of installments for you in the future. So settle down if your favorite overlooked game isn't mentioned this time around!

Mega Man X8

After a horrible attempt at taking the franchise into true 3-D, the developers behind Mega Man X8 decided to go with a 2 1/2-D perspective with colorful 3-D models and backgrounds. As usual, there eight Mavericks to take down, each with their own themed levels and weapons to obtain. While two of these levels were throwaway cycling missions, the others were quite good. This was the first game in the series whose final boss was not Sigma. Instead, you took on the maniacal Lumine in an epic showdown for world supremacy. With familiar characters such as X, Zero, and Axl which could team-up to take down bosses and foes and play through levels, and dozens of secrets to unlock, Mega Man X8 is a brilliant way to cap off the series.


God Hand

This brutal brawler is all about bashing foes in as many ways as possible from fists of fury to supernatural powers from the one and only God Hand. For gamers who have played something like MadWorld, you'll feel right at home with the action. It's quite similar. For everyone else you have a beat-em up title from the makers of such great games as Okami and Viewtiful Joe. The game seldom takes itself seriously from the simple story to the hilarious end credits theme, God Hand is one overlooked and underrated game that is sure to please.


Fire Pro Wrestling Returns

Forget the WWE and TNA! Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is where it's at! Using customizable 2-D sprites that allow you to make everything from ring apparel to ring patterns to your very own created wrestlers, Fire Pro is more akin to something like Super Wrestlemania as opposed to Wrestlemania 2000. There's a host of match types from cage matches to one-on-one brawls to win over the crowd. If you have a special flash drive, you can actually save other creator's creations to your own game and use them! Not bad for a wrasslin' game!


Hot Shots Golf Fore!

Foooooooore! The best of the Hot Shots Golf franchise brings more characters, more courses, and more options than ever before! Choose from one of sixteen characters including Ratchet from Ratchet & Clank and Jak from Jak & Daxter. Play on one of twelve uniquely-designed courses each with their own world location and theme. You can even play in any of the four seasons. If that's not enough there's a host of options including online, mini golf, several mini-games, and an in-depth career mode to collect new characters and costumes for them. If you're jonesing for some golf action, check out the best cartoon golfer around with Hot Shots Golf Fore.


Graffiti Kingdom

This title was merely a blip on the radar compared to other Eastern games. In Graffiti Kingdom, you controlled a prince who, with a special wand, could transform into any monster he wanted. I say any because it was true. You could create your own monsters with the in-game tool or just edit preexisting ones to your liking. There were hundreds of monsters to defeat and collect their cards that grant you the ability to transform into them. While Magic Pengel was more a monster battling game, Graffiti Kingdom is more of an action-RPG with high focus on fighting and exploration. Add in a soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger/Cross fame, and you have a nearly irresistible package that was overlooked by millions of PS2 owners.


We Love Katamari

Roll with it in We Love Katamari, the sequel to the sleeper hit, Katamari Damacy. The game was pretty much the same only with new areas and levels to explore. The premise was basically the same, roll up small items first. When you've rolled up enough, your katamari will expand, allowing you to roll up larger objects and reach new areas. The cycle continues until your katamari is at the specified size. Then it's just a high score affair afterward. New to the series was the ability to play with a friend, trying to roll your katamari around in unison. While nothing earth-shatteringly new, We Love Katamari is often considered the best in the franchise which it's a shame it didn't sell all too greatly.

There you have it. Another installment of Most Overlooked and the premiere edition for the PlayStation 2. Have a game you'd like to see? Let us know in the comments.