The magnificent seven

Celebrate the PlayStation 2 system's seventh birthday by taking a look at seven of its most significant titles to date. After all, what's a birthday without games?

As PlayStation 2 reaches the grand age of seven, it's no surprise that it hosts a wealth of titles to satisfy players of all tastes. Such a vast array of games glory can leave anyone spoilt for choice, so to celebrate this momentous event here's seven superlative must haves that demand space in your collection.

God of War

SCEA's Santa Monica studio reached deep within the guts of Greek mythology and pulled out a game that ended up being one of the most highly acclaimed titles across any generation - no mean feat for a new intellectual property. The hard-hitting adult-rated God of War is graced with the swords-and-sandals tone of classic myth and legend, featuring an anti-hero who lends extra gravitas to its brutal war between deities; the merciless Spartan warrior, Kratos.

God of War seamlessly blends exploration, deep fighting game mechanics and puzzle solving into a cohesive whole that is often visceral yet never anything less than intoxicatingly excellent, especially in its cultured level design and elegant battle system. Along with its sequel, God of War has revolutionised the action-adventure genre, creating something that's already been mimicked across the medium - and will likely continue to be so for many years to come.

Shadow of the Colossus

While the ever-present discussion of whether videogames can be deemed art continues, there's little doubt titles such as Shadow of the Colossus argue well in the medium's favour through its sheer scale, spectacle and splendour. Controlling a young man named Wander on his faithful steed, Argo, the Team Ico action-adventure explores the theme of morality as the quest to find and defeat 16 colossi leads you to some truly epic battles and utterly heart-breaking moments.

Like its equally essential predecessor, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus is novel in both its beautifully understated presentation and subtle gameplay. Mature without needing to be excessively gory, both titles are glistening examples of just how far games have come, art or not.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

When Gran Turismo first hit our screens on the original PlayStation it redefined the driving game genre through its stunningly realistic portrayal of racing. The PlayStation 2 sequels only serve to underline the lofty level of accuracy by raising the bar even higher, starting with Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec. If the sheer amount of detail on over 150 selectable cars isn't enough to be an automobile enthusiast's dream, then the expert physics, advanced Artificial Intelligence and massive career mode surely quench further oil-driven thirsts.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec and its follow-up, Gran Turismo 4, brought success to the genre few others have seen now or then - in both commercial and critical acclaim.

Final Fantasy X

Bringing one of videogames' most popular series into a new generation is not an easy task, yet Square Enix did the job to large fanfare through its hauntingly arresting role-playing game, Final Fantasy X. Taking a group of adventurers around the world of Spira in a quest to stop the deadly force known as Sin, FFX's use of the PlayStation 2 system's Emotion Engine processor to move the series from entirely pre-rendered backdrops to fully three-dimensional areas increases the scope of an already massive game.

Propelled by an immense story and luscious full motion video, Final Fantasy X's desire to evolve the series' principles creates a captivating experience that no RPG fan should miss.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Konami's stealth-spurred action series took a massive leap into a world of Hollywood style production values with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, through glossily dramatic art direction and a bombastic Harry Gregson-Williams (The Rock) score. In the centre of this feast of filmic gaming is a tense espionage thriller, filled with guns, conspiracies, guns, political statements, guns, spectacular combat and, yes, more guns.

For all its big bangs and swagger, there's a challenging post-modern story in Metal Gear Solid 2 that twists and turns like the series protagonist's namesake, making the game an engaging experience much like its sequel, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Kingdom Hearts

Licensed games are not a rarity. However, one which combines licensed characters and teams them up with a videogame roster for an original product was virtually unheard of until Kingdom Hearts smashed expectations on PlayStation 2. Some of Disney's most endearing creations (such as Donald Duck and Goofy) are paired with Square Enix's manga/anime inspired characters to form a memorable and charming action role-playing game, with a stunning soundtrack and visuals to match.

Like a fan-fuelled fantasy, Kingdom Hearts boasts guest appearances from not only the likes of Peter Pan and Bambi, but also Final Fantasy's Cloud and Sephiroth. Rounding off a gorgeously comprehensive package are the vocal talents of Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings) and many more of Tinsletown's finest.

Grand Theft Auto III

Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto III changed the game landscape on release, ushering a new era of open-ended, sandbox style 3D action gameplay. While previous iterations kept the series strictly on a 2D plane, GTAIII pushed it into the third dimension with little compromise, taking full advantage of the PlayStation 2 system's power with a startlingly big and unique experience.

Very much an adult title to broaden the already diverse range of software on PS2, GTAIII altered the way 3D games were perceived and created, seamlessly melding genres into something new. Its polished driving mechanics are married to varied action sequences, all matched with unprecedented detail and freedom around the game's massive cityscapes.  While sequels Vice City and San Andreas expanded on its success, Grand Theft Auto III remains significant for shaping generations of freeform gameplay that are still seen today.