PS2 RPGs

[Jonrea]

So. I have a PS2. And KH1 and KH2. And nothing else.

Which games should I get (PS1 games are valid)? I love RPGs (Phantasy IV may be my favorite game of all time), so I'd probably want to stick to those.

If there's already a thread for this, can I have a link?

[Nerd-o-rama]

Well, there's an insane amount of good RPGs for the original Playstation, and all except Final Fantasy Anthologies should work. Limiting myself to PS2 releases, there's Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter, Final Fantasies X and XII, several sequels to Grandia that I haven't played, Suikodens III-V, the Tales of... series, and several several Xenosagas.

Of course, this is based solely on word of mouth of quality, and the GameFAQs listings. I suddenly realized I haven't played any PS2 RPGs all the way through. What the hell...

Pretty sure I played all five RPGs that were released for Gamecube, though.

[Jayabalard]

If you can get a ps1 memory card, you can also do the ps1 final fantasy games...Those were good as well.

If you want to hit some old games, and you were interested in computer games, you could hit up the ultima (I-VII) games.

[Jonrea]

Well, I'm definitely not limiting myself to PS2-only games. And I have the slim-design PS2 (does that make backwards compatibility issues?) and a "MAX Memory 16 GB" memory card, so everything is fair game as far as I know (not that I would actually know).

[Jayabalard]

Well, I'm definitely not limiting myself to PS2-only games. And I have the slim-design PS2 (does that make backwards compatibility issues?) and a "MAX Memory 16 GB" memory card, so everything is fair game as far as I know (not that I would actually know).I think you actually need a real ps1 memory card to play the ps1 games, but I haven't tried it with a 3rd part card.

you should be good to play psx games on the slim ps2... they didn't drop ps1 support until the ps3.

I've personally been meaning to do some emulated gaming and play back though some of the original Nintendo (Dragon Warrior) and Sega master system (Phantasy Star) RPGs.

[Iron_Mouse]

I use my PS2 to play PS1 games right now, so yes, you can only save PS1 games on a PS1 card, and you can only save PS2 games on a PS2 card.
I don't recommend 3rd party cards, though, I often hear they can cause problems...and I really don't want to risk my precious savegames just to save a few bucks :smallsmile:

[Innis Cabal]

okami is good, like zelda only with a wolf. the .Hack series is pretty good, the new ones are amazing. Star Ocean is never a bad deal either

[Daze]

Cant go wrong with Final Fantasy X or XII, I'd always recommend those. Baldur's Gate has 2 titles on PS2 (different from the PC versions).. they're ok, I enjoyed em (albeit a bit simple at times).
Lord of the Rings Third Age wasnt the greatest RPG ever, but if you like Tolkien you'll enjoy the story.
I wasnt crazy about Xenosaga, but many disagree with me.
Overall, PS2 isnt that deep in RPG's unfortunately (much to my chagrin). But good news is, the ones they do have you can get pretty cheap now... so worse case scenario, you dont waste as much $$ if ya dont like it.

[Setra]

Shadow Hearts
Koudelka
Xenogears

[Abacab]

I thought the PS2 game Dark Cloud was pretty fun (the weapons system, to me, was original),
and hmmm... there's Chrono Trigger that I haven't played but I heard it was cool.

Definitely try the Final Fantasies. They may be dissed on many occasions, but all of them that I have played have a reserved place in my video game-loving heart (even FFVIII).

[Daze]

Definitely try the Final Fantasies. They may be dissed on many occasions, but all of them that I have played have a reserved place in my video game-loving heart (even FFVIII).

Well said. They only get dissed by people that deep down dont really like RPGs.. they like action games.. but I wont get started on that...

[Ranis]

Arc the Lad: Twilight of Spirits.
Magna Carta.
Xenosaga 1+2, both fantastic if you don't mind hour-long cutscenes.
Shadow of the Colossus.
The Silent Hill games are very good suspense thrillers.

I've heard Rogue Galaxy is good too, but haven't played it.

I know there's more, I'll fill you in when I think of more.

[Jonrea]

Well, based on reviews, Xenosaga I and III are pretty good, but Xenosaga II is supposed to be kind of bad. Any comment?

[Vonriel]

It was only partially mentioned, but Star Ocean was pretty good, and it's a greatest hit, so only 20 bucks. You can't go wrong with that. If you liked the mechwarrior games and want more of a tactics-style fighting, I really liked Front Mission 4. Other than those two.. final fantasies all the way.

As for PS1 games: Get Chrono Trigger and a PS1 memory card. Now. No, not later, now. Second best SNES RPG there was, behind FFVI - and both still list highly on my favorite RPGS of all time. Unfortunately, they put the two on two separate discs (It was.. V & VI, and IV & CT, right?) so you get to get IV & V as well! Other good RPGs include Breath of Fire 3.. and.. Well, I never played many others.

[Calamity]

I thought the PS2 game Dark Cloud was pretty fun (the weapons system, to me, was original),
and hmmm... there's Chrono Trigger that I haven't played but I heard it was cool.

Definitely try the Final Fantasies. They may be dissed on many occasions, but all of them that I have played have a reserved place in my video game-loving heart (even FFVIII).

Whatchu mean, even FFVIII?:smallannoyed: Fine, I'll say, I like them all, even FFVII. :smallwink:

But yeah, You get get PS1 games that work on the PS2, so there's quite a few Final Fantasies you can get. If you like KH and KH2 well you'll like them.... I hope :smallsmile:

[WampaX]

Two games not mentioned yet, but pretty good old school RPGs (both for the PS2)
Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana
Atelier Iris - The Azoth of Destiny

Unmentioned RTS
Front Mission 4

All three are worth the price of admission.

[Toastkart]

for ps1, I'd also recommend Legend of Dragoon, Legend of Mana, Valkyrie Profile, Final Fantasy Tactics (better than any other FF), and Star Ocean 2

For ps2, Disgaea and La Pucelle were both pretty good, as was Growlanser 2 (bundled with 3 as Growlanser Generations. Haven't played 3 yet). Star Ocean 3 was good, but didn't really live up to 2.

[elliott20]

kind of a left field suggestion, but depending on your taste, Romancing Saga - Minstrel's Song can also be pretty good. That game features an extremely open ended storyline with 8 different main characters to pick from. Game has got really good replay value.

However, coupled with the extreme openness of the storyline is the problem that a lot of people pan the game for... the lack of a definitive narrative in it's place to lead you through the storyline. Often, you have to really SEARCH for your next adventure/quest as opposed to have a pretty clear direction pointed out for you.

So, a lot of the game will be spent talking to people and trying to find new locations to explore and new quests to do.

I understand that some people really dislike the game for that reason since the story can feel disjointed.

[Daze]

Bard's Tale was good for some chuckles (and the opening Beer song). The game itself lacked in places, but its got most of the basic RPG elements in it.

[CardinalFang]

If you shop around a bit before getting a PS1 memory card, you can find an authentic Sony card for like...$8. You can even get them in other colors. The slim PS2 shouldn't be a problem, as far as I know (although I admit to having the big clunky one), but the PS1 memory card is, as someone said, a must for playing PS1 games. Some games won't even let you start if they can't detect a place to save to.

As for RPGs, if you like both Kingdom Hearts games (and I assume you do, since you own them, and the two are synonymous :D), I would recommend hunting down a copy of FFVII (which is a bit hard to do, admittedly) and playing it through if for no other reason than to understand the FF characters a bit better in KH -- the only FF character not from VII is Leon. Personally, I think it's a very good game, but I'd rather not get into a debate on FF fanboyism/hating. Also, definitely go for FFX, but unless you fall in love with the characters and are desperate for more games with them, FFX-2 is 110% optional. And if you fall in love with VII, Dirge of Cerberus is nice (if not an RPG at all) for a bit more story, but you probably won't like it as much as VII itself if you end up a raving FFVII lover.

The Baldur's Gate games were ok, but not that fantastic. They're REALLY dumbed down from real D&D, so if you're expecting authentic Black Isle goodness on the PS2, it's a bit of a letdown. There are only pre-made characters, and levelling up is a lot simpler; you just pick a couple stats and kind of homebrew feats which are designed around it being a solo gig. But they're still fun, and you can find them cheap at this stage.

Other than that, I don't really have any good advice. If you find that you become a JRPG person, though, that opens up a whole range of OK RPGs which may be fairly cheesy and unoriginal, but ooze Japanese RPG goodness.

[Vonriel]

... If you liked the mechwarrior games and want more of a tactics-style fighting, I really liked Front Mission 4. ...

Way to ignore me Wampa :smallwink:

I'll forgive you though, because it was is an awesome game.

And if you've a need to sratch an adventure/platformer itch, the Jak & Daxter series is really fun. Though, I imagine others may have a different opinion..

Edit: I will finish that game.. eventually.. maybe..

[Krade]

I've heard Rogue Galaxy is good too, but haven't played it.
As someone who has played Rogue Galaxy, I can go into a little more detail here.

All in all, it's a good game, I won't go so far as saying it was great, but definitely good. At least worth a rent. It's pretty different from most RPGs I've played (which now that I think about it, most RPGs I've played are made by Square).

The battle system is a little similar to KH from what I remember (I never really got into the game). You can control any one of three characters at once, there's an "action gauge" that depletes whenever you attack/use an item/ability, and every character get's two weapons (ranged and melee).

As it says on the box, there really is NO LOAD TIMES when your exploring. The only events that cause load times are teleporting to another save point, changing planets, and the various story sequences. There is a lot of side quests, including a whole "hunter" thing that's a lot like FFXII (but it's only a small portion, not ALL of the side quests). The characters (and story) are half and half unique/cliched. Some unique, some cliched.

The Level up system is both normal experience leveling AND a "Revelation Flow." Which is kinda like FFX's sphere grid, only everyone's grid really is unique and there's an actual choice what you learn next. You advance in the Revelation Flow by putting items in slots (like the sphere grid), only a lot of the items you put in have a use outside the grid.

There's more, but this has gone long enough. If you want a Sci-FI/Fantasy RPG, you can't go wrong with Rogue Galaxy.

Edit: And yes, Front Mission 4 was awesome, though I never beat the last stage(at least, I think it was the last stage). Also worth at least a rental.

[Alex Kidd]

Fully agree with Wampa on Atelier Iris 1, it's awesome. Haven't got my mitts on 2 or 3 yet though.

Shadow Hearts Covenant is truly sweet.

Dragon Quest 8, no one mentioned DQ8?! Yeah it's probably the best of the PS2 RPGs, personally liked it more than the PS2 FFs.

Though that's not disparaging the PS2 FFs, well not disparaging 12 at least, I though 10 and 10-2 were pretty sub par.

Shin Megami Tensei :Lucifer's Call(Nocturne if you're in the US) is good but brutally hard. Seriously if you like Contra and DMC3 this is your game, otherwise it will probably make you it's bitch in the first 5 minutes.

It's not an RPG but I cannot recommend Okami enough. Or MGS3:Subsistence for that matter. Or We Love Katamari.

For the PSone I suggest all the FFs (7, 8, 9 and Tactics all rocked), Vagrant Story(if you like FF12 well this is the prequel, mechanics, production team and game-world wise according to some hints in FF12). I've also heard nothing but good things about Xenogears.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Oh right. All three Metal Gear Solid games. Buy the re-releases of the latter two (MGS2: Substance and MGS3: Subsistence) for neat bonus stuff, like VR missions and Boss Tournament Mode.

As the good Kernel said, "this is a type of Role-playing Game."

[Alex Kidd]

On the off-chance you have a gamecube I'd get Twin Snakes instead of MGS1 for the Playstation. Oh and remeber MGS3 is far better than 2. Far better. If you're the kind of person who can be put off a series by a story I wouldn't play MGS2.

[DeathQuaker]

I'll emphatically second (or third) the Suikoden series and the Shadow Hearts series. If you like war/strategy/tactics stuff, I'd especially recommend Suikoden, as in addition to normal party style adventuring with turn based combat, the games feature series of "largescale battles" where you control units to try to overcome the enemy's army; in each game they work a little different (Suikoden IV, for example, is set in Island Nations, so they do Naval Battles; V has a quasi "real time" series of land battles moving infantry, archers, and cavalry).

Also have heard very good things about Star Ocean and Xenosaga.

If you enjoy mixes of action-rpg style games (i.e., you run through the world and hit things with your sword, and talk to the peasants afterward) and/or want something more with a "Western" feel, the Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance series, Demon Stone, and Bard's Tale are all fun (Bard's Tale is a parody of RPGs...quite amusing). Of those, the two BGDA games are best.

[Wojiz]

Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits is great. You control a small party of 2-5 people, always 5 later on in the game, and it's a tactics RPG. The story is nice and the music is kind of weird at partys but really catchy, and the game itself has its fair share of difficulty. It's pretty long, too. It's got all the RPG necessities, a plucky young hero who goes against an evil empire, swords and guns, airships, and the like. I highly recommend it, especially since you can pick it up for pretty cheap.

http://www.dailygame.net/Articles/Reviews/arcthelad.html

Here's a review for it, if you're interested.

[Jothki]

You'll probably either love FFX but be disappointed by FFXII, or love FFXII but be disappointed by FFX. If you liked FFIX I'd go with FFX, but if you didn't like it I'd go with FFXII.

[Nerd-o-rama]

On the off-chance you have a gamecube I'd get Twin Snakes instead of MGS1 for the Playstation.
Honestly, I felt that Twin Snakes is more of a tradeoff than a straight upgrade. You get better graphics, deeper gameplay, marginally better AI...but you swap it out for worse music and voice acting, far easier gameplay, and...well, those are the only real downsides that aren't fanboy nitpicks.

And as for MGS2? Well, it's overly convoluted and badly paced, but it's still an entertaining game. I agree, 3 is better.

[Jonrea]

Well, I bought FFX and am enjoying it. There's a buy two get one free sale for used games at the local Gamestop, so should I get all three Xenosagas or try some of the other suggestions first?

I know I've seen a Shadow Hearts: Covenant and maybe a few others there.

Oh, and on JRPGs: Phantasy Star IV may be my favorite all-time game, and it was half-manga/anime with its (awesome) illustrations and picture cutscenes. And as I am an anime nerd, I probably wouldn't mind a (good) JRPG (and I'm assuming JRPG just means more anime-ish in graphics).

[Bluesilver]

How come nobody has suggested Champions of Norrath Realms of Everquest yet? I'm not that far in the game yet, but so far the only downside is not being able to combine different races and classes.

[BrokenButterfly]

Surprised that this hasn't really been mentioned at all:

Dark Cloud is a fine game, but the semi-sequel Dark Chronicle is much better in every way. Fantastic to play, and just plain fun. It doesn't look like much, but believe me it is went you get into it.

Also recommend the Final Fantasy series, but also BoF4.

In terms of general PS2 gamery, I'd pick up copies of the stunning Shadow of the Colossus and any of the Timesplitters series (I'd say 2...but it's a tough call).