The PS2 was quite the bastion for action games, but it was exceptionally well-served if you enjoyed being a swordmaster.
For some reason, as soon as gaming entered the new millennium, the first thing on many developers' minds was sword combat, and it came in many varieties and, most of the time, it went hand in hand with a damn good game.
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We’re going to check out some of the best sword-based games on the PS2, so let’s sharpen up those blades and take a trip back in time with me.
10Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
The Foundation Setter
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
If you’ve heard of a little game franchise called Assassin’s Creed, then you should be right at home withPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
This game is a spiritual predecessor to the Assassin’s Creed series, and everything from the parkour to the combat strongly resembles what would eventually be Ubisoft’s flagship franchise.
On top of that, it’s a great game that features a straightforward but well-told story and some unique time-shifting mechanics that play into the gameplay in a variety of ways.
It’s a remake of a game from the 90s, but this is where Prince of Persia made its big mark on the industry and started a franchise in the process.
9Kingdom Hearts 2
The Blade Is The Key
Kingdom Hearts 2
Kingdom Hearts 2managed to build in almost every way on the already groundbreaking original game and did so by expanding your options when it came to combat.
You’ll be armed with the Keyblade again, but there are so many more ways to use it this time around. There are special abilities to unlock, different modes to transform into, and overall, the combat is much more intricate than the first game.
It also expands on the story in a great way, introducing the mysterious organization 13, and this is the game credited with the mind-numbing complexity that the series would start to embrace.
If you’re looking for great sword-based combat on the PS2, you can do no better than this fantastic RPG.
8Shadow of the Colossus
A Mammoth Quest
Shadow of the Colossus
Shadow of the Colossuswas theonly game of its kind when it released, and though it’s been copied by several games since then, none can really contend with what the original did.
The concept is simple. Take down the Colossus and save your loved one’s life. That’s easier said than done, as all you have to work with is your horse and your trusty sword.
Each encounter is basically a boss battle and a puzzle to solve, and each of the Collosi requires different tactics to take down.
Most of the gam,e you’ll be figuring out how to access their weak spots, but once you do, you’ll be able to plunge your blade into these walking monoliths.
While the story is sparse, it slowly reveals itself until its incredible conclusion, which makes for one of the best endings on the PS2.
7Devil May Cry
A Legend is Born
Devil May Cry
WhenDevil May Cryfirst came out, it was clear it was playing by the rule of cool, but just because a game looks cool doesn’t always mean it will be great.
Luckily, Devil May Cry played the part and looked it to boot, creating a genre unto itself with thrilling sword and gun-based combat wrapped up in a creepy, Resident Evil-style castle.
Dante is a half-demon devil hunter, and with that comes a vast arsenal of destruction. You can slice enemies up, juggle them in the air with pistols and perform all sorts of awesome, acrobatic moves as you tear through the forces of the underworld.
The story is well done too, with that classic, Capcom-style hamminess to make everything all the more fun. I’ll never forget the first devil arm you get in this game, Alastor, and the cutscene where it implies you and forces you to pull the sword out of your own chest.
That moment spawnedone of the most popular and endearing action franchises of all time.
6Drakengard
Trauma in Fantasy Form
Drakengard
Drakengard isn’t a long game, but what’s in here are some of the most truly bizarre, disturbing and overall memorable moments of gaming you’ll ever have.
The combat is basic, you’ve got your melee weapons like swords, axes and the like, but on occasion, you’re allowed to take to the skies on your trusty dragon, to whom you are bound for life.
You’ll be taking onwaves and waves of enemies, Dynasty Warriors style, and the action is bloody and difficult to boot.
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But for my money, the real highlight here is the story. See, this is the first game in the Nier series, and Yoko Taro is operating at full tilt with no leash here.
If you thought the Nier games were weird, you haven’t seen anything yet. This game is filled with all sorts of psychological trauma, acts of mind-numbing violence, and some of the most absurd set pieces and boss fights you could ever imagine.
It’s a rollercoaster ride from hell, but one well worth taking on the PS2.
5Way of The Samurai
Open-Ended Samurai Action
Way of the Samurai
Way of the Samurai does something different from any other game on the PS2. You play as a nameless samurai happening upon a town, and from there, what you do is up to you. The world will react to you based on your choices.
The first thing that happens is you’ll encounter some thugs harassing a woman, and it’s your choice whether to help her or not. You can fight them off, ignore them, or even find yourself joining their faction throughout the game.
The playtime is extremely short, but each time you replay it, you can take a different path, make new enemies, and see what the world will do to adapt to your choices.
The combat is fascinating here, with you learning combos, parrying, blocking, and taking very little damage before dying. It’s intense, and the dance between you and your enemies is a complicated one.
It’s part fighting game, part hack and slash, and it’s like nothing else on the PS2.The sequels are good too, but they drop the ball a bit on what the original tries to deliver.
4Zone of the Enders
You’ve Never Seen Mechs Move So Fast
Zone of the Enders
The way Zone of the Enders came into the public eye was very unique. Back in the early 2000s, games would often come with demos and, seeing as the game was made by Konami, it came packaged with the demo for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.
This was a massively anticipated game, so tons of people either bought or rented the game solely because of that demo.
What they were treated to when they actually played the main game they bought, though, was no slouch either.
Zone of the Enders is an extremely unique, melee-based mecha action game with a strong plot and great characters.
Your mech, named Jehuty, is armed with a sword and can move at lightning-fast speed, delivering some of the most cinematic and thrilling-looking combat the mecha genre has ever seen.
To this day, no game executes on this level of quickness and fluidity and I wish someone would revive this series because the two games that did release are bothall-time greatsand no other game in the mecha genre manages to reach those highs.
Be The Ninja
Shinobi is an adaptation of an old sidescroller, and while it didn’t set the world on fire when it hit the PS2, it definitely gave fans of sword combat something unique and fun.
The combat is the major selling point here, and it revolves around setting up your enemies to deliver one precise strike that takes them all out in a single blow.
It makes the basic combat feel a little like an appetizer while the execution move is the main course, but that’s okay because it lets you build the move so quickly that you won’t even notice the moments in between.
It’s a straightforward game, but for those seeking some fast, sword-based action, Shinobi gives you a power fantasy that is tough as hell and thoroughly rewarding from start to finish.
2Onimusha: Warlords
Samurai Evil
Onimusha: Warlords
Capcom was cooking with gas in the early 2000s, andOnimushais evidence of that.
They took their Resident Evil formula and put it into a Samurai world in Feudal Japan. Interestingly enough, the game uses historical figures to tell its story, like Oda Nobunaga, and that, plus the authentic atmosphere, gives Onimusha a unique identity.
You play as Samonosuke, a samurai who is trying to stop a dark ritual which is actually based on a real person as well. The combat is strategic and deliberate, emphasizing timing and blocking over all-out assault.
It’s a very creepy atmosphere that the game sets up and the Resident Evil camera angle works to sell that fear.
I remember being thoroughly creeped out by the sound design in particular, but soon enough, you’ll unlock an arsenal that will make any demon blush.
It’s a little clunky by today’s standards, but in many ways, it feels like the first Souls game, with interconnected areas, multiple checkpoints to discover, and a dark story to engage with.
Thankfully, we’ve finally got another title in this series coming in 2026.
1The Mark of Kri
The Mark of Kri is probably the most underrated game I can think of. On the surface, it looks like a Disney game, but once you dive in, you’ll find anabsolutely brutal action game that is ultra-violentand stands up today visually as well.
You’ll be playing as Rau as he cuts his way through swaths of bandits and other warriors on a mission to protect a captured boy.
You’ll be armed with a sword and various other weapons throughout the game, and the combat is absolutely fantastic here.
The concept is that you assign a different face button to each enemy when combat starts, and by pressing each one, you attack that enemy. It lets you manage big groups of enemies with ease and, in many ways, feels like the first form of the popular Arkham-style combat that many games use these days.
It’s a short game, but it’s full of great action and a decent amount of stealth, and stands strong as one of the most memorable PS2 games I’ve played with some awesome, sword-based combat.
