Published on February 25, 2022
Updated on October 26, 2023

15 Best PlayStation 2 Beat 'Em Up Games

The Beat ’em Up genre has been running since the 80s with Kung Fu Master, building up the grounds for games such as Renegade that would go on to add a spin to the formula. Similar to the hack and slash genre, the beat ’em up platform is a rich field when it comes to interesting titles. It’s crucial to note that the genre is also unique for its easiness of marrying with other territories such as the third-person shooting, Japanese role-playing, and platforming genre.

Today we take a look at the best beat em-ups on the PlayStation 2 had to offer, including popular, underrated and obscure games.

Table of Contents

God Hand


2006 ゴッドハンド (Goddo Hando)
About
Release Date
September 14, 2006
Developer
Clover Studio
Publisher
Capcom
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Graphics
3D
Perspective
Third-Person
Interaction
Real-Time
Concept
Martial Arts
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2006-09-14
2006-10-10
2007-01-11
2007-02-16
2007-02-21

God Hand sees you controlling Gene who was given a powerful arm known as the God Hand. He has to stop a group of villains who are plotting to resurrect the Demon King Angra who has once been exiled from earth never to return. The gameplay is played from the third-person perspective where the player goes through stages. As you progress, you unlock new moves and upgrade your stats. Just bear in mind that the game gets challenging the further you dive deep into it. For fans of beat ’em ups, God Hand is a recommended game.

The year 2006 saw the release of one of the best beat’ em ups ever created in the history of gaming. Shinji Mikami and his crew at Clover Studios gave in to their imagination and went on to create pretty much a peerless title.

Urban Reign


2005 アーバンレイン (Aban Rein)
About
Release Date
September 13, 2005
Developer
Namco
Publisher
Namco
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2005-09-13
2005-09-29
2006-02-09

Urban Reign had its flaws like every game out there, but it was absolutely fun to play. The game played similarly to other titles such as Final Fight: Streetwise, and Death by Degrees . The game featured several sick combos and mind-blowing finishing moves that still kick ass. The best thing about Urban Reign was probably the co-op mode where two players could bash and smash anything that comes their way. All in all, Urban Reign was a good game, and it’s never too late to give it a shot.

Namco has developed several beat’em ups throughout the years, but games such as Urban Reign never managed to shine amidst the overcrowded market at the time. The reason why games such as Urban Reign died instantly can be probably credited to the emergence of critical hits like Devil May Cry 3, Yakuza, and Resident Evil 4.

Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance


2005 ビートダウン (Bīto Daun)
About
Release Date
August 23, 2005
Developer
Cavia
Publisher
Capcom
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2005-08-23
2005-09-30
2005-11-02

Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance is a beat ’em up in the style of Urban Reign, and Final Fight: Streetwise features breaking combos, awesome finishers and an interesting cast of characters. However, one thing the game suffers from the most is the controls which may be considered awkward these days. The game’s difficulty on the one hand isn’t as brutal as God Hand, but eventually, some enemies will put your skills to the test.

Before Drakengard came into existence, Cavia‘s foray into the gaming industry actually started with a couple of obscure titles that only a few are aware of their existence. Believe it or not, the company has made around 5 beat em ups while it lasted. And Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance is one of them.

Yakuza


2005 龍が如く (Ryū ga Gotoku)
About
Release Date
December 08, 2005
Developer
Amusement Vision
Publisher
SEGA
Franchise
Yakuza
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Perspective
Third-Person
Concepts
Crime, Martial Arts
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2005-12-08
2006-01-27
2006-09-05
2006-09-14
2006-09-15

Yakuza stands tall as one of the best beat’em ups on the PS2, thanks to its exceptional combat system complemented by an RPG element that turns Kiryu into an unstoppable force by the end of the game.

Picture this: You step into the shoes of a Yakuza member who unwittingly stumbles into a whirlwind of high-octane drama, backstabbing galore, emotions running wild, and enough fistfights to put your foes on a first-name basis with the hospital staff. It’s a rollercoaster of chaos, with your fists as the boarding pass. Real beat’em up fans play Yakuza on the PS2!

Yakuza 2


2006 龍が如く2 (Ryū ga Gotoku 2)
About
Release Date
December 07, 2006
Developer
Amusement Vision
Publisher
SEGA
Franchise
Yakuza
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Perspective
Third-Person
Concepts
Crime, Martial Arts
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2006-12-07
2007-12-21
2008-09-09
2008-09-19
2008-09-25

Yakuza 2, the sequel to the original game, hit the scene just a year after its predecessor. Just like the first one, it’s a non-stop rollercoaster of excitement from beginning to end. If you loved the first game, there’s no reason to ignore this one.

Kiryu is back in action, and this time, he’s facing an even more intense storyline where he’s pitted against some seriously tough yakuza, all of whom share a common goal: to bash his skull. Armed with a lethal arsenal of moves and a handy supply of healing drinks, Kiryu dives headfirst into the fray. There are several sidequests for you to explore here, as well as mini-games. So for an RPG beat’em up hybrid, it’s fantastic.

The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction


2005
About
Release Date
August 23, 2005
Developer
Radical Entertainment
Publisher
Vivendi Games
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2005-08-23
2005-09-09

The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction revolutionized the way people would look at open-world game titles featuring superheroes. It is also one of those games that paved the way for titles such as the Saints Row franchise, Spiderman: Web of Shadows, and Prototype. The game came packed with tons of action featuring Hulk as he wreaks havoc in the city while confronting tanks, choppers and giant robots. Using only his bare hands, Hulk proves to be a threat to anything that comes his way.

It is quite sad that Hulk may never receive another game as incredible as Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, but thankfully, grabbing a copy of the game shouldn’t be that hard. And if you’re a PC player, the game runs fine on the PCSX2 and Dolphin emulator.

Oni


2001
About
Release Date
January 26, 2001
Developer
Bungie
Publisher
Rockstar Games
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2001-01-29
2001-03-09

Oni is a beat’em up third-person shooter that seems to have obviously taken quite of an influence from Ghost in the Shell and Akira anime. The game focuses heavily on traditional melee combat mixed with gun-shooting sequences. The controls may prove to be a challenge as they may feel clunky at times, but on the one hand, the action is still solid. If you’ve played Bloodrayne, you may find Oni quite similar.

Bungie is known for the making of the critically acclaimed Halo franchise and Destiny, but looking back, the company has had quite a humble start with interesting titles such as Myth, Marathon and Pathways to Darkness. Still, these games wouldn’t introduce Bungie to the mainstream table until Oni happened.

Jet Li: Rise to Honor


2004
About
Release Date
February 17, 2004
Developer
PlayStation Studios
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2004-02-17
2004-04-08

Jet Li: Rise to Honor, while featuring the famous actor Jet Li as the lead protagonist, isn’t part of any movie or comic. It is actually an original video game made to mimic an action movie.The PS2 was home to a cavalcade of movie tie-in games such as The Matrix: Path of Neo, The Thing, and Peter Jackson’s King Kong that proved if a team consisting of dedicated talents is present, movie tie-in games won’t turn out to be a mediocre, forgettable or plain awful experiences

The game puts heavy emphasis on beating the crap out of your enemies using your martial art techniques. To make Rise to Honor better, the game also features gun shooting sequences where the player could enable bullet time. A technique heavily used in games such as Max Payne and Stranglehold. Jet Li: Rise to Honor is now pretty forgotten, but thankfully, you can always dive into this one if you never played it before.

Viewtiful Joe


2003 ビューティフル (Byūtifuru Jō)
About
Release Date
June 26, 2003
Developer
Clover Studio
Publisher
Capcom
Franchise
Viewtiful Joe
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2004-08-24
2004-09-09
2004-10-22

Viewtiful Joe is colourful, beautiful, wonderful and most importantly, Viewtiful. A 2D side-scroller beat’em up by Hideki Kamiya who brought you critical hits such as Okami, Bayonetta and the original Devil May Cry. Similar to Okami, Viewtiful Joe features an incredible cel-shaded art style that still holds up to this day, especially if you’re playing on an emulator at 1080p, the visuals look cleaner than running the game on the original hardware.

Viewtiful Joe includes combos, the ability to either slow down time or make it run faster while executing beautiful finishes. The first game had Joe as the only playable character, while the sequel included his girlfriend, Silvia as a side-kick too. If you are a fan of beat ’em ups and enjoy challenging titles, Viewtiful Joe got you covered.

War of the Monsters


2003 怪獣大激戦 ウォー・オブ・ザ・モンスターズ (Kaijuu Daigekisen: War of the Monsters)
About
Release Date
January 14, 2003
Developer
Incognito Entertainment
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2003-01-14
2003-04-17
2004-03-25

War of the Monsters will please fans of destruction and havoc. A hidden gem title that pays homage to classic films such as The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, Kaiju, and King Kong. Upon its release, the game was also compared to Midway GamesRampage since both focus on the element of destruction and controlling a giant entity wrecking havoc everywhere. The ability to inflict destruction upon the surroundings while hearing the screams of innocent people was something new and fresh at the time.

While War of the Monsters may be considered a fighting game in its essence, it also features elements that make it a beat ’em up too. You can pick up objects and throw them at your opponent, inflict a sort of combo, or even grab your enemies and throw them at a building while watching innocent people running for their lives.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks


2005
About
Release Date
September 16, 2005
Developer
Midway Games
Publisher
Midway Games
Franchise
Mortal Kombat™
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2005-09-16
2005-09-30

Shaolin Monks, unlike its predecessors, breaks the ice by introducing a completely different experience. Shaolin Monks is an incredibly fun-to-play beat-em-up featuring four playable characters: Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, Scorpion and Kung Lao. Each character possesses his own set of combos and abilities, making each character in the game unique. There’s a co-op mode too where you and your friend go on a beating marathon, slamming and bashing anything that comes your way.

A sequel titled Mortal Kombat: Fire & Ice was considered, but due to Midway Games financial struggle at the time, the plan ended up being cancelled. We can only hope that one day a sequel or a remaster will happen.

The Warriors


2005
About
Release Date
October 17, 2005
Developer
Rockstar Toronto
Publisher
Rockstar Games
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2005-10-17
2005-10-21

The Warriors is one of Rockstar’s best titles that left a footprint in the gaming industry. Before Rockstar Games only focused on Grand Theft Auto titles, the company developed and published a slew of diverse titles ranging from beat ’em ups, shooters and even arcade racers. One of these titles was The Warriors. A beat ’em up video game developed and published by Rockstar Games back in 2005. The former is based on the 1979 movie of the same and features voice actors from the film as well.

Similar to Jet Li: Rise to Honor, Rockstar Games proved that making a memorable tie-in movie game is possible if a dedicated team consisting of great minds exists. The consequences of such work have resulted in The Warriors receiving high praise about the combat, soundtracks and overall execution. Every Rockstar Games fan recommends The Warriors, not only because it is still popular, but because it’s just done right.

The Red Star


2007
About
Release Date
April 20, 2007
Developer
XS Games
Publisher
Archangel Studios
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
United States
PS2 Releases
2007-04-20
2007-04-23

The Red Star is a budget beat ’em up that is obscure these days and is based on the original graphic novel of the same name that debuted in 2000. The PS2 was the bastion to many old-school beat ’em ups that were sadly overshadowed by high-budget brawlers at the time.

The game is played through the isometric perspective and features three playable characters that can perform melee combos and shoot enemies to death. The Red Star also features an RPG system where the accumulated points can be used to upgrade your character’s stats. While you may think this will make the game easier, the only downside to this title is that losing is the end. Meaning, if you die once in the game, you’ll have to start all over. It doesn’t matter if you’ve reached the final boss or you’re in the final stage, death means the end. If you’re into this sort of challenge and want to put your skills to the test, The Red Star is recommended.

Death by Degrees


2005 デス バイ ディグリーズ 鉄拳:ニーナ ウィリアムズ (Desu bai Digurīzu Tekken: Nīna Wiriamuzu)
About
Release Date
January 27, 2005
Developer
Namco
Publisher
Namco
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2005-01-27
2005-02-08
2005-04-14
2005-04-15

Death by Degrees has been generating quite the recognition lately, and it’s great that more and more gamers are discovering it for the first time. Something about the old Namco that makes it unique to look back to is its diverse library of games with experimental titles such as Dead to Rights, Katamari Damacy, Kill. Switch and more. Adding to the library of its games, Namco developed a spin-off to the highly critical Tekken franchise titled Death by Degrees. It features the world-renowned assassin, Nina Williams in her mission to stop a notorious criminal organization known as Kometa and expose their true identity.

Part of me wishes that Death by Degrees was successful enough to guarantee the release of several spin-offs featuring other characters from the Tekken universe, but I think we can make do with what’s available at the moment.

Crimson Tears


2004 クリムゾンティアーズ (Kurimuzon Tiāzu)
About
Release Date
April 22, 2004
Developer
DreamFactory
Publisher
Capcom
Genre
Beat 'Em Up
Players
Single Player
Monetization
Buy to Play
Country of Origin
Japan
PS2 Releases
2004-04-22
2004-07-21
2004-11-05

Crimson Tears has got to be one of those games that took me years to get used to simply because it’s a mixture of different genres. Believe it or not, the game is a blend of beat’em up, role-playing and even roguelike. You’ll spend most of your playthrough diving deep into dungeons fighting enemies using different sets of tools like a sword, gun, gauntlets, two swords and more.

Three playable characters exist in the game and can be switched in between at any time. However, upgrading all of their stats will require an eternity of grinding, although it’s not worth it as the game can be finished with any character.

What makes me recommend Crimson Tears is the art style. It features incredible cel-shading visuals similar to that of Viewtiful Joe. While they may not shine during the gameplay, the cutscenes are seriously gorgeous to gaze at.

This marks the end of this article. Thank you for reading.

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FreeckyCake

I'm just your average gamer who enjoys hunting hidden gems and underrated games. My love for Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is like a truck and I recommend that you play it.

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2 responses to “15 Best PlayStation 2 Beat ‘Em Up Games”

  1. Douglas Oliverio says:

    Old time gamer looking for beat up games for ps2 simulator to the warriors

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