The PS2 era was a time when some of the most iconic games have been introduced to the market. Popular titles like God of War, Guitar Hero, Devil May Cry, Resident Evil 4, and a whole lot more made their debut on the PS2 console at this time.
Fast forward several decades later, a lot of PS2 titles still remain popular among the most avid fans. Now that the latest PS5 console hit the market, it seems that gone are the days of the most well-known PS2 games.
Now we know that the previous console, the PS4, cannot read PS2 discs, but it has a lot of compatibilities, like connecting your PS4 controller to a smartphone.
But how about the PS5? Is it possible to enjoy some nostalgic games on the current-gen console?
PS2 Games on PS5 – Is It Possible?
I’m personally a fan of the PS2. In fact, the PS2 console was the very first platform that introduced me to the world of gaming. I can still recall those days playing games like Bloody Roar, Army Men, and Cabela’s Big Game Hunter, among others.
Suffice it to say, the PS2 console paved the way for some of the most well-known games that kick-started entire gaming genres.
But as time passed by, with new PlayStation console generations being released, it seems that most of those iconic PS2 games become obsolete. Luckily, there is some good news with a few bad ones mixed in.
If you own a PS5, it is possible to play certain PS2 games on your console. Sadly, you won’t be able to play disk-based games since those are not compatible with the console. This means that if you have a stack of PS2 game disks at home, you can just keep them as a collection – a relic of the past.
The only option you have to scratch that itch of playing PS2 games is to pay for a PlayStation Now subscription. It’s a bummer, I know, but if you really want to play your favorite PS2 titles, this is the only option you have.
You can also play some PS2 games that have been ported to the PS4. However, this means you’ll have to spend money on the PS4 version of the game you want to play.
What PS2 Games are Available on PlayStation Now?
In case you’re wondering, PlayStation Now is a cloud-based subscription service where you pay around $10 monthly to gain access to more than 700 games on your PS5. This means that there’s a high chance your favorite games are included in the list.
If you’re not subscribed to the service yet, you can try their 7-day free trial so you can check their catalog of games available. It’s pretty similar to a Netflix subscription where you just have to browse from a list so you can start playing.
You don’t even need to download a game to your console. Just make sure you have a stable internet connection to start playing.
As far as I know, most of the games included in PlayStation Now are games from the PS2, PS3, and PS4 consoles. There’s an extensive list of available games on the service that you can check to see if your favorite games are included.
What If Your Favorite Games are Not There?
Unfortunately, not all PS2 games are available on the service. So if you can’t find your favorite games on the list but are still dying to play them anyway, my personal recommendation is to use a PS2 emulator and play them on your PC.
There are free and open-source programs out there such as PCSX2 that allow you to play tons of PlayStation 2 games on your PC for free! However, this will involve a handful of steps that you need to follow before you can start playing.
For now, there’s really not much we can do if that feeling of PS2 nostalgia kicks in. It’s either we subscribe to the PlayStation Now service (which costs a substantial amount for most of us), or just play them on PC using an emulator.
Personally, I think paying $10 for a subscription to play PS2 games is a lot, and you are far better off buying a saved PS2 console and enjoying the good old games there or on PC.
