Best PlayStation 2 games of 2001
The 30 best PlayStation 2 games released in 2001, ranked from 9,686 critic and player ratings.
The best PlayStation 2 game of 2001 is Final Fantasy X, with a critic score of 95/100 — updated août 2026.
S
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X is the tenth main installment in the FF series and the first title released on sixth-generation consoles. It was also the first game to feature fully three-dimensional areas rather than including pre-rendered backdrops, and the first to include voice acting. Final Fantasy X tells the story of a star blitzball player, Tidus, who journeys with a young and beautiful summoner named Yuna on her quest to save the world of Spira from an endless cycle of destruction wrought by the colossal menace Sin.
95
/100
02
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
94
/100
03
Grand Theft Auto III
Featuring a fully 3-D living city, a combination of narrative driven and non-linear gameplay and a completely open environment, Grand Theft Auto III represents a huge leap forward in interactive entertainment. For the first time, players are put at the heart of their very own gangster movie, and let loose in a fully-realised 3 dimensional city, in which anything can happen and probably will. With a cast of hundreds, 50 plus vehicles, ranging from sports cars to ice cream trucks and from boats to buses, 3 hours of music, including opera, reggae, house, drum and bass, pop and disco, a huge array of street ready weapons and some of the seediest characters in video game history, Grand Theft Auto 3 is a sprawling epic which will show you that sometimes, crime can pay and sometimes it can pay you back. Available now for PlayStation2, Xbox, PC and Macintosh.
93
/100
Final Fantasy X
92
/100
05
SSX Tricky
92
/100
06
Twisted Metal: Black
91
/100
07
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the sequel to the espionage action game Metal Gear Solid. Much of the gameplay remains the same, as the game's protagonist has to sneak past guards, outsmart them using various gadgets and defeat the tricky boss enemies. The game expanded its predecessor's cover mechanic, with Solid Snake or Raiden able to take cover behind walls or objects and pop out to shoot at enemies, while the improved enemy AI allowed enemies to also take cover from the player. Metal Gear Solid 2 is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, as well as a leading example of artistic expression in video games.
90
/100
08
ICO
90
/100
09
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
90
/100
10
Commandos 2: Men of Courage
87
/100
11
Onimusha: Warlords
86
/100
12
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
85
/100
13
Devil May Cry
85
/100
14
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
84
/100
15
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
80
/100
16
Tekken 4
79
/100
17
Burnout
79
/100
18
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
77
/100
19
Fatal Frame
77
/100
20
Max Payne
74
/100
21
Oni
73
/100
22
Resident Evil - Code: Veronica X
72
/100
23
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
72
/100
24
STAR WARS Starfighter
71
/100
25
Red Faction
70
/100
26
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
68
/100
27
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
68
/100
28
Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
66
/100
29
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
60
/100
30
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee
55
/100
What is the best PlayStation 2 game of 2001?
Final Fantasy X currently tops the ranking with a score of 95/100 across 1,068 ratings. It holds a S grade from the Tier community — updated août 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.