Beat’em up brawlers on the PS2 were some of the most addictive games ever. Sony’s PlayStation 2 back catalog is ripe with a treasure trove of games of diverse genres. It was the height of experimentation and creativity, and devs could really cut loose. The beat’em up brawling games are an example of this period’s excellence, and we commend Sony for not policing the devs back then.
So, as you can already tell, today’s list is about those awesome beat’em up brawlers from the PS2 days. We’ve got a decent number of slots for our list, 8 to be exact, so there’s a chance your favorite or 2 might make the cut. However, like with all our lists, we love throwing out surprises at our readers, so expect the unexpected again.
Which PS2 Beat’em Up Brawlers are the Greatest?
The thrill of combat in video games is a high like no other. This feeling magnifies greatly when you’re in the zone playing a beat’em up brawler on the PS2. We feel a strong attachment to the beat’em up titles because they remind us of the retro era when NES games were all the rage. Anyway, before diving into our list, let’s get a few things straight.
- The PS2 beat’em up brawlers we’re picking must have a unique aesthetic to them. After all, we’re looking for style and substance, and we’re not settling for anything less.
- Secondly, the games should have innovation in their combat, which makes them super fun. There’s no point in picking generic games that have no hook to them.
Okay, with those 2 things outta the way, let’s not waste any more time and kick off this brawl-fest party! Here we go!
8. The Warriors – The Classic Game Pays Tribute To The Classy 1979 Movie
We’re kicking off the PS2 beat’em up brawlers list with a game that’s got a lot of 80’s era cheese and spunk, The Warriors. This game is an absolute delight to play from start to finish and adopts the term adding insult to injury as its core theme. You go around beating people up and use spray cans to mark your turf over rival gangs. How awesome is that?! The answer is that The Warrior is pretty freaking dope.
Gameplay-wise, players have access to one of 8 playable characters from the movie of the same name. Each character, while having the same basic attacks, also has access to special attacks and finishing moves. Combat inThe Warriors is full of two-three hit combos, but you can also use the environment to your advantage by smashing the enemies into walls or curb-stomping them on the ground. The animations are pretty great for the time.
The Warriors is a throwback-era PS2 beat’em up brawler that will give you classic arcade gaming vibes. The are several missions, and each one has a fairly decent length with even pacing. Players can even tap into the rage mode to deliver a series of powerful blows and combos that can drain even bosses. The Warriors has a unique mechanic for upgrading stamina. Players can train between missions in the hub area to increase their character stats.
7. Jet Li’s Rise To Honor – A Fun Action Beat’em Up Game that Pleasantly Surprises
Jet Li: Rise To Honor is a PS2 beat’em up brawler that mirrors the modern gaming features we have now. If you’re wondering about how that’s the case, well, it’s simple. You see, Jet Li: Rise To Honor doesn’t have loading screens between levels. It’s one big seamless transition after the next. The game’s other big appeal is the titular action hero Jet Li in all his mind-boggling and physics-defying combat prowess.
There are two aspects to the beat’em up style fighting in Jet Li: Rise To Honor. The first, and by far the more compelling of the two, is melee attacks, and the second is shooting. The hand-to-hand brawling is such a delight that you’ll prefer it to firearms. Players can perform strikes, grab and throws, and counters to build up the focus meter. Once it’s full, you go into adrenaline mode, which is like if Jet Li became Neo from the Matrix.
Jet Li: Rise To Honor’s shooting segments are also over-the-top, and players can enter bullet-time. Just like watching a DVD from back in the day, players can select a scene to choose as their starting point in the game. This feature gives the game an interactive movie vibe, similar to cinematic games. Overall, we had a great time in Jet Li: Rise To Honor, and it’s one of the most enjoyable PS2 beat’em up brawlers.
6. Def Jam: Fight For NY – A Hardcore Brawler that You’ll Never Get Enough Of
Enter the rapper melee slugfest with one of the most fun and exciting beat’em up brawlers on the PS2, Def Jam: Fight For NY. All the big names and some of the hottest celebrities from back in the day get a chance to shine. Def Jam: Fight For NY is this wonky, and bizarre action game with such an interactive and engaging appeal, that it will hook players immediately. Through the fighting moves of hip-hop artists, players are in for a wild ride.
The fighting in Def Jam: Fight For NY has great depth where different styles offer various move sets. In addition, players can also inflict some serious damage by capitalizing on environmental opportunities. Slamming the door of a car against an opponent’s face, or disorienting them with crowd throws, all add to the game’s enjoyment. You can even use foreign objects to deliver brutal beatdowns. Oh, and there are also flashy blazin moves, too.
What’s great about Def Jam: Fight For NY is that it’s a PS2 beat’em up brawler where you have quite a lot of customization options. Players can tweak their character according to their tastes. Famous brands and celebrity endorsed locales such as gyms and parlors add panache and zing to the protagonist’s appearance. If you’re into character creation in games, then you’ll love our piece about the best starting stats in Fallout 4 for a fun start.
5. Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance – One of the Most Enjoyable PS2 Beat’em Up Brawlers
Next up we dive into 90’s style edginess with Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance, one of the most cheesy but highly satisfying beat’em up brawler on the PS2. If you know anything about us, you know. The arcadey vibe of this retro game is full of awesomeness, from flashy movesets with exciting finishers to unlockable perks. You’re in for a rollicking good time with Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance.
Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance has plenty of innovative ideas that the game implements. The game has a negotiating mechanic which ties into the gameplay elements brilliantly. Players start as one of the 5 playable characters, and it’s gang warfare. Players can use the negotiating tactic after knocking some sense into formidable foes. You can either recruit them into working for you, rob them, even interrogate them, or go for the jugular and finish them off.
Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance has a plot full of intrigue and can easily hang with the best story-driven games, but the the combat is also top-notch. Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance brings a complex parry system, that allows players to avoid damage, but also perform counter attacks. The brilliance of Beat Down: Fists Of Vengeance on the PS2 is homaging the classic beat’em brawlers but also bringing new ideas.
4. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks – The Most Ambitious Beat’em Up Co-op Game Ever
Mortal Kombat is unquestionalbly one of the best fighting games of all time. To really shake up the fighting game formula, players got Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. This was a taste of what Mortal Kombat’s take on beat’em brawlers would be on the PS2. Suffice to say, the result was absolutely phenomenal. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is like a buddy cop movie where Liu Kang and Kung Lao take the stage.
The game’s story is equal parts compelling, and full of fan service. You see how certain characters met for the first time, and how Shang Tsung plays into his trecherous role of manipulating our heroes. Also, how far Shao Kahn’s conspiracy to brainwash Kitana goes. There’s Reptile, too, presented as a menacing threat rather than a punching bag. The combos and button-mashing fun is an absolute joy to experience when you nail the moves.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks also has incredibly epic multitality feature, which is basically performing fatalities on multiple opponents. Players can unlock Scorpion and Sub Zero as playable characters, without changing the story. Any chance you get to nail Scorpion’s spear and hellfire with Sub Zero’s ice bending, is a winner in our book. Take it from us, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is one of the best PS2 beat’em up brawlers ever.
3. Viewtiful Joe – The Wacky, and Over-the-top Beat’em Up Brawler is Tons of Fun
From the bloody and brutal realm of Mortal Kombat we transition to hilarity with the parody extraordinaire, Viewtiful Joe. This is Capcom’s peak quirkiness of the beat’em up brawlers during the heyday of PS2. In Viewtiful Joe, the players will play as Joe who will ran across 2.5 D levels in back and forth movement. As it so happens, his movie star persona actually give him superpowers.
Each ability in Viewtiful Joe is themed around Hollywood and camera tricks, dubbed the Viewtiful Effects. These come in handy and add the special effect bonuses to Joe’s movement and attacks. A favorite of ours is the time-stop ability which activates after filling up Joe’s meter. He can then go ham on his enemies. Viewtiful Joe requires players to jump around a lot, so, in addition to a beat’em up brawler it can also hang with the best PS2 platform games.
Viewtiful Joe has a lot of great things going for it. From exciting powers that far exceed most PS2 beat’em up brawlers, to its gorgeously eye-candy visuals, not to mention the hilarious writing, Viewtiful Joe is almost the perfect game. Heck, you can even unlock chibi versions of Dante from Devil May Cry, as a cheeky little easter egg. From start to finish Viewtiful Joe is dynamite.
2. God Hand – Our Runner-Up Pick for the Best PS2 Beat’em Up Brawlers
Our runner-up choice for the best PS2 beat’em up brawlers is another over-the-top nonsensical pick, God Hand. This is a bonkers game which perfectly sums up why we love it so much. So, Capcom, if you’re reading this, give us a darn sequel already! Anyway, what God Hand brings is a level of cringe and cheesy dialogue that’s unprecedented. Except, instead of shying away, God Hand embraces it wholeheartedly.
Aside from the cheesiness, God Hand also delivers one of the most fulfilling combo-based beat’em up brawlers ever. God Hand’s story depicts Gene, a novice owner of the titular God Hand, and the guy’s got a mouth on him. However, Gene’s also got the moves and the brawns to back up his words. Players can perform rapid-fire combos, and throw in dashes and other abilites to keep the chain going. More techniques are unlocked through purchasing scrolls.
The moves have a lot of variety but the real fun is when you see what the God Hand can actually do. It’s like the Devil Trigger mode, and only available for a limited time, but when you do use it. It’s like a hamster on steroids situation, where Gene can actually mop the floor with even the toughes of enemies, including bosses. The satisfaction of landing hit after hit in God Hand is what makes it one of the most delightful PS2 beat’em up brawlers.
1. Streets Of Rage 3 – Our Top Choice Eclipses Other PS2 Beat’em Up Brawlers
Alright, this is it, the big one, the best game that trumps all other beat’em up brawlers on the PS2, is Streets Of Rage 3. The magnificent side-scroller beat’em up title is beyond fantastic and instantly fills us with nostalgia. The game is simplistic but its solid level structure and enemy placements with highly gripping gameplay helps Street Of Rage 3 stand out. Players will experience a grand melee session with returning veterans and some new faces.
The music is top-notch adding to that 90’s era vibe. The attack animations and sound effects are what make Streets Of Rage 3 so entertaining. The games aren’t mindless button-mashing, as there’s a lot of strategic element to the gameplay. Streets Of Rage 3 includes some much welcome additions like all characters can perform dodge rolls. Also, the weapons have a special attack instead of simple melee or throwing animations.
Another highlight of Streets Of Rage 3 are the blitz attacks. Players can recharge them using successful combos and not getting hit. Enemies in Streets Of Rage 3 also have gotten an upgrade, they’re more formidable plus, they can block a lot of player’s attacks. Oh, and if you’re into co-op games, then you’ll be happy to know that and Streets Of Rage 3 is fully playable in 2 player co-op. Nuff said!
Final Thoughts About the Best Beat’em Up Brawlers On PS2
Well, that’s another list done and dusted. We sure hope you all had a blast going through our picks, as much as we had choosing them. So, what do you think? Pretty nifty collection of beat’em up brawlers on the PS2, huh? Anyway, critique away in the comments below and don’t forget to include your own favorites as well. We look forward to your feedback.
If you’re still craving more PS2 gaming suggestions, never fear, for we have plenty of those. Let’s compare notes with our top 10 PS2 games of all time, and see which ones do we have in common. Anyway, that’s all we got for you today, and we’re signing off for the weekend. So, until next time, take care everybody, and happy gaming!
