Top 10 RPGs for PS2

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In a crazy attempt to actually discuss GAMES...

What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?


(I'm specifically excluding PS1 titles here, I'm asking about the newer
stuff)

Archived from groups: alt.games.video.sony-playstation2 (More info?)

In article <1125594921.296568.80360@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
>In a crazy attempt to actually discuss GAMES...
>
>What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?
>
>
>(I'm specifically excluding PS1 titles here, I'm asking about the newer
>stuff)
>
Discussing games, what a novel concept. ^_^

1) Disgaea
2) Xenosaga
3) Final Fantasy X
4) La Pucelle Tactics
5) Dark Cloud
6) Kingdom Hearts (I guess it's a RPG)
7) Dual Hearts (well, I guess it's a RPG too)
8) Final Fantasy X-2
9) Legend of Legaia 2 (that was a PS2 game, right?)
10) Err... I'm sure I played some other RPGs, I just can't think of them
right now.

Stuff I haven't even gotten to because I play Disgaea too much:
Xenosaga II
Phantom Brave
Dark Cloud II
Growlanser Generations
Unlimited SaGa
plus there are a few other RPGs on the shelf I don't even remember the
names of right now.
==========
Steve Liu
"There's the right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power way." - Homer
"Isn't that the wrong way?" - Bart
"Yes, but faster."

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Doug Jacobs <djacobs@shell.rawbw.com> once tried to test me with:

> knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
>> In a crazy attempt to actually discuss GAMES...
>
>> What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?
>
> Hm.
>
> I don't think I've actually played 10 PS2 RPGs (time has been a
> problem...)
>
> One's I've liked, in no specific order:
>
> Kingdom Hearts
> Shadow Hearts
> Shadow Hearts Covenant
> Disgaea

So far that's 2 mentions of Disgaea I guess I need to pick that one up.
I've got Shadow Hearts in my "to buy" queue also.

> Okage (was really sweet in some places, but felt unfinished
> Xenosaga

> Dark Cloud2, FFX, FFX-2, Xenosaga 2 and Star Ocean are in my queue,
> and Kingdom Hearts 2 is a must-buy when it comes out.

I've finished FFX and enjoyed the heck out of it. I've played about 10 or
so hours of Star Ocean Til the End of TIme and enjoyed it but got
distracted by other games. Wasn't that impressed with Xenosaga so I'm not
sure I'll get 2.

I also have Dark Cloud in my to play list.

--

Knight37 - http://knightgames.blogspot.com

Once a Gamer, Always a Gamer.

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knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
>What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?

I haven't played 10 PS2 RPGs yet, either but here's my mini-reviews of
the ones I've played:

Star Ocean - Till the End of Time

My favourite traditional console RPG for the PS2. Good story and
characters and some interesting places to explore, including
a number of "sci-fi" enviroments. It has a deep character
development system that allows for a fair bit of customization.
You can see monsters on the field/dungeon maps and avoid them.
The game uses a 3D action combat system and there's good variety
of tactics you need to use depending on the circumatances.

La Pucelle: Tactics

My favourite tactical console RPG for the PS2. It's the prequel
to Disagea (and actually came out first in Japan), and barely
edges out Disagea as my favourite because I like the story
and characters better. While this game doesn't let you hire
additional characters, but you can capture monsters in order
to expand your team. The story progress linearly through a
set of chapters, and mostly linearly through a set of fights
in a chapter. You can go back and fight on previous maps and
take side trips to the demon world to power up your characters.
There's wide selection of items, and you can customize your
characters and items. Combat is turned based, played on a
gridded map with differring elevations.

Disagea

Pretty much everything I said abot La Pucelle: Tactics applies
to Disagea. One difference is that you can recruit new characters
for your team, you're not limitted to capturing monsters. While
in number of ways Disagea is techincally better than La Pucelle:
Tactics, more items, more customization, and "item world" is a
lot more fun than "demon world", it's also a more open to abuse.

Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits

A traditional RPG with a turned based tactical combat system.
Decent story and characters, and overall prety much average.
Worth picking up though, because you find it really cheap.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance

An action RPG, though not in the mould of Japanese action RPGs.
Very linear with a good story, but forgettable characters.
While overall I liked this game, it didn't have me running out
and buy any of numerous other games based on the same engine.

Unlimitted Saga

In one word: Special. It's the most non-linear of any PS2 game
I've played, really the only one the can called non-linear.
Like previous games in the series, Saga Frontier 1 and 2,
you choose one a number of different and varied characters as
your main character, and go out in the world looking for various
quests to do, while from time to time making progress on your main
character's overall goal. You can meet additional characters
and add them to your party, including some of the other "main"
characters. It has a pretty good character developmment and
customization system and fair selection of items. The "problem"
with this game is the it's very abstract. Towns are menu based,
movement between towns and in dungeons is *turned* based,
"hopping" from area to another. If you liked Saga Frontier,
you might like this game. If you don't find the ASCII graphics
in NetHack or Angband too abstract, then you might not mind
Unlimitted Saga's presentation either. But, I'd have hard time
recommeding the game to anyone. I'm not really sure if I like
the game or not.


Ross Ridge

--
l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
[oo][oo] rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
-()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/u/rridge/
db //

Archived from groups: alt.games.video.sony-playstation2 (More info?)

Ross Ridge wrote:
> knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
> >What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?
>
> I haven't played 10 PS2 RPGs yet, either but here's my mini-reviews of
> the ones I've played:
>
> Star Ocean - Till the End of Time
>
> My favourite traditional console RPG for the PS2. Good story and
> characters and some interesting places to explore, including
> a number of "sci-fi" enviroments. It has a deep character
> development system that allows for a fair bit of customization.
> You can see monsters on the field/dungeon maps and avoid them.
> The game uses a 3D action combat system and there's good variety
> of tactics you need to use depending on the circumatances.

Yeah, I got that and am mabe 1/4 or 1/3 through it, I should probably
finish it before I buy more RPGs but the thing is sometimes RPGs can
get rare and I hate having to go back and spend extra money on a used
copy because I didn't buy it when it was in the stores.

> La Pucelle: Tactics
>
> My favourite tactical console RPG for the PS2. It's the prequel
> to Disagea (and actually came out first in Japan), and barely
> edges out Disagea as my favourite because I like the story
> and characters better. While this game doesn't let you hire
> additional characters, but you can capture monsters in order
> to expand your team. The story progress linearly through a
> set of chapters, and mostly linearly through a set of fights
> in a chapter. You can go back and fight on previous maps and
> take side trips to the demon world to power up your characters.
> There's wide selection of items, and you can customize your
> characters and items. Combat is turned based, played on a
> gridded map with differring elevations.

It sounds a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics which was one of my
favorites on the PS1. I guess if this is a prequel to Disagea I should
pick it up too, since that one seems highly regarded. Maybe I should
budget for RPGs instead of an Xbox 360.

> Disagea
>
> Pretty much everything I said abot La Pucelle: Tactics applies
> to Disagea. One difference is that you can recruit new characters
> for your team, you're not limitted to capturing monsters. While
> in number of ways Disagea is techincally better than La Pucelle:
> Tactics, more items, more customization, and "item world" is a
> lot more fun than "demon world", it's also a more open to abuse.
>
> Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
>
> A traditional RPG with a turned based tactical combat system.
> Decent story and characters, and overall prety much average.
> Worth picking up though, because you find it really cheap.

I have this one, and it's on my "to play" list.

> Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
>
> An action RPG, though not in the mould of Japanese action RPGs.
> Very linear with a good story, but forgettable characters.
> While overall I liked this game, it didn't have me running out
> and buy any of numerous other games based on the same engine.

Finished that one. Loved it. Am about 1/2 through "D&D Heroes" on the
Xbox which is basically a clone. It's okay, I think I liked BGDA
better. I'm tempted to get the ones bassed on EQ's Norrath. Oh, and
BGDA2.

> Unlimitted Saga
>
> In one word: Special. It's the most non-linear of any PS2 game
> I've played, really the only one the can called non-linear.
> Like previous games in the series, Saga Frontier 1 and 2,
> you choose one a number of different and varied characters as
> your main character, and go out in the world looking for various
> quests to do, while from time to time making progress on your main
> character's overall goal. You can meet additional characters
> and add them to your party, including some of the other "main"
> characters. It has a pretty good character developmment and
> customization system and fair selection of items. The "problem"
> with this game is the it's very abstract. Towns are menu based,
> movement between towns and in dungeons is *turned* based,
> "hopping" from area to another. If you liked Saga Frontier,
> you might like this game. If you don't find the ASCII graphics
> in NetHack or Angband too abstract, then you might not mind
> Unlimitted Saga's presentation either. But, I'd have hard time
> recommeding the game to anyone. I'm not really sure if I like
> the game or not.

This sounds somewhat similar to the Wizardry game they did for PS2
which was very "abstract" in that way. I never got very far into it.
Seems like I might have played Saga Frontier a long time ago but I have
no idea what the story was about.

Thanks for your reviews.

Knight37

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On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 16:08:22 +0000, Ross Ridge wrote:

> knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
>>What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?
>

I have not played many but I can tell you which ones I liked.

1. Dark Cloud 2
This is a nice game but can be long. I think I'm roughly
1/2 through and have 35hrs. I stopped because I wanted to
play other games.

2. Kingdom Hearts
Awesome. this one does not seem too long. I'm not far from f
finishing. sometimes I think Donald does stupid things.


I like the RPG's with real-time combat. I'd like to see a top 10 list of
only those with real-time. I don;t know much about all that is
available so I usually go to http://www.gamespot.com to see if
one mentioned is turn-based or real.

Chris

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knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
>Yeah, I got that and am mabe 1/4 or 1/3 through it, I should probably
>finish it before I buy more RPGs but the thing is sometimes RPGs can
>get rare and I hate having to go back and spend extra money on a used
>copy because I didn't buy it when it was in the stores.

That's the reason why you didn't see Final Fantasy X on my list, I
know I can pick that up any time. Unfortunately, you may have missed
your chance to pick up Disgaea. It's about two years old now, and it's
already had a second printing.

>> La Pucelle: Tactics
>
>It sounds a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics which was one of my
>favorites on the PS1.

Yah, La Pucelle: Tactics and Disgaea are a lot like Final Fantasy Tactics.
They're more story and character focused and more linear, but if you
like Final Fantasy Tactics you should like these games.

> I guess if this is a prequel to Disagea I should pick it up too,
>since that one seems highly regarded.

You'ld probably enjoyit more if you played it first, like I did.
If you can't find Disgaea it's definately worth picking up, but it may
not be any more easy to find. You might still be able to find the third
Nippon Ichi tactical RPG, Phatom Brave, online.

>> Unlimitted Saga
....
>This sounds somewhat similar to the Wizardry game they did for PS2
>which was very "abstract" in that way.

Well, the Wizardry PS2 game is basically just classic Wizardry with
better graphics. Unlimited Saga is even more abstract than that.

>Seems like I might have played Saga Frontier a long time ago but I have
>no idea what the story was about.

Story isn't a big factor in the Saga games. With multiple main characters
to choose from, each of them with their own unique story, leaves the
story spread a bit thin on the ground.

Ross Ridge

--
l/ // Ross Ridge -- The Great HTMU
[oo][oo] rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca
-()-/()/ http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/u/rridge/
db //

Archived from groups: alt.games.video.sony-playstation2 (More info?)

Oh no! I forgot Suikoden! Let's try this again:

1. Final Fantasy X
2. Disgaea
3. Xenosaga I
4. Suikoden III
5. Grandia II
6. Kingdom Hearts
7. Phantom Brave
8. Dark Cloud
9. Suikoden IV
10. Xenosaga II

There, I'm happy with my list now. I never played the first two
Suikoden games which I heard were the best, but I loved the third one
anyway. The fourth wasn't as bad as many people say, because there IS
a fast forward button that I held down pretty much the whole time (even
walking through towns). The story wasn't as good though. You reminded
me how much I enjoyed Grandia II, so that moved up one, and you
convinced me about FFX-2, so Xenosaga II also moved up. I got further
through that one anyway, even though they ruined the skills system.

Nobody has mentioned these three newer games, probably because they
didn't want to buy full price. But I'm watching for price drops:
Atelier Iris (an Atlus game...they've really been coming through on
RPG's lately)
Makai Kingdom (another game in the same vein as Disgaea)
Radiata Stories (I think it's a sequel to Valkyrie Profile for PS1
[another game I never got around to buying but wished I did])

I'd also like to hear what people thought about games that haven't been
mentioned yet, like Wild Arms 3 and the .hack series.

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Knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:

> > 6) Kingdom Hearts (I guess it's a RPG)

> Got this also. I got to the first town and kind of got bored. Been meaning
> to pick it up again sometime.

The game doesn't really take off until you team up with Donald and Goofy
and go to your first Disney world. Unfortunatly, the game is a bit
confusing when you first arrive, as I wandered all over Traverse Town 3x
over, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go and who I was
supposed to talk to...

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"Ross Ridge" <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> wrote in message
newsf9tdm$k3p$1@rumours.uwaterloo.ca...
> knight37 <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote:
>>What are your top 10 RPG titles on the PS2?
>
> I haven't played 10 PS2 RPGs yet, either but here's my mini-reviews of
> the ones I've played:
>
> Star Ocean - Till the End of Time
>
> My favourite traditional console RPG for the PS2. Good story and
> characters and some interesting places to explore, including
> a number of "sci-fi" enviroments. It has a deep character
> development system that allows for a fair bit of customization.
> You can see monsters on the field/dungeon maps and avoid them.
> The game uses a 3D action combat system and there's good variety
> of tactics you need to use depending on the circumatances.

I was actually pretty disappointed with this one. The story took too long
to develop, plus there are just too much going on, and too many little
things - the crafter/crafting system annoyed the heck out of me, and I
thought the 3D action combat was just too fast and hectic... And I could
never quite get used to the camera...

> Disagea
>
> Pretty much everything I said abot La Pucelle: Tactics applies
> to Disagea. One difference is that you can recruit new characters
> for your team, you're not limitted to capturing monsters. While
> in number of ways Disagea is techincally better than La Pucelle:
> Tactics, more items, more customization, and "item world" is a
> lot more fun than "demon world", it's also a more open to abuse.

Hee hee, I've been playing this game for a while, but I'm still near the
beginning - chapter 3 or so... Been spending all my time in the item
worlds...

> Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
>
> A traditional RPG with a turned based tactical combat system.
> Decent story and characters, and overall prety much average.
> Worth picking up though, because you find it really cheap.

It was a bit too short I thought, but I really enjoyed it.

> Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
>
> An action RPG, though not in the mould of Japanese action RPGs.
> Very linear with a good story, but forgettable characters.
> While overall I liked this game, it didn't have me running out
> and buy any of numerous other games based on the same engine.

Great game this one. A better hack and slasher though IMO would be the
first Champions of Norrath - slightly longer story, plus randomised levels
for added replayability.

> Unlimitted Saga

One of the few RPGs that I haven't played for the PS2 - I really wanted to
though, but just haven't got the time for it... maybe if I could find a
cheap copy...

What about games like Wizardry? FFX? Loved those. I've also got King's
Field IV and Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter in my linbrary, but at this rate
I'll probably never get to them... Recently got Shin Megami Tensei and
Shadow Hearts: Covenant too - plus a few other PS2 games AND a PSP (along
with 7 games for it)... Not to mention the half-dozen or so games I have on
preorder for the next month or so, and the 50+ games I've got in my library
that are still on my "to play" list...

....

I spend too many money on games I think...

<=[BC]=>

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"knight37" <knight37m@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1126705081.041262.93950@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> BC wrote:
>> > Unlimitted Saga
>>
>> One of the few RPGs that I haven't played for the PS2 - I really wanted
>> to
>> though, but just haven't got the time for it... maybe if I could find a
>> cheap copy...
>
> $15 at Amazon.com or even cheaper if you buy it used.

I'm gonna need a PAL copy - besides I'm in NZ and Amazon don't ship software
overseas...

Thanks anyways... but I'll probably take a look on e-bay or something...

<=[BC]=>

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