I've been collecting movie tie-in PS2 games for years, though my penchant for collecting "stuff" around my favorite films has been with me since childhood. From a Halle Berry's Catwoman Barbie doll – and its questionable Game Boy Advance platformer – to shakily painted Lord of the Rings Warhammer minis, my favorite part of going to the cinema was visiting Toys R' Us straight after. The Holy Grail of all my collector's items, though? The PS2 game adaptations.
Every so often I revisit my proud stack of treasures, flipping through my old PS2 CD book like a proud grandmother would a photo album, and get hit by an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Once upon a time, every blockbuster hit seemed to have a video game counterpart released alongside it. Things seem to be staggered differently now, with no shortage of upcoming video game movies riffing off some of the biggest and best open world games ever to grace our consoles. But these big budget hits are a far cry from the simple joys of PS2 adaptations. It's a forgotten art, one I'd taken for granted in my wide eyed youth, and my favorite one of all demonstrates that long lost artistry at its very best.
