Best PS2 RPGs

[NardBasket]

I know this topic has probably been beaten to death, but what are your favorite PS2 RPGs? I just bought a PS2 again to go back and play all the greats I missed. What are your favorite or lesser-known RPGs for the system?

 

[Olikunmissile]

Digital Devil Saga, rather good.

Eherm... Can't think atm, will get back to you.

 

[NardBasket]

I just picked up Persona 3 FES, Star Ocean, and .Hack. I hear the Digital Devil Saga is awesome, so I'll probably order that next. The only Shin Megami Tensei game i've played so far was Devil Survivor for the DS and I loved it, so i'm really looking forward to the PS2 entries

 

[StBishop]

Not lesser known at all but perhaps unknown to you, and honestly must owns of any PS2 owner:
Bauldar's Gate: Dark Alliance
Bauldar's Gate: Dark Alliance 2
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts 2
Final Fantasy Series.

I'm sure there's others that I know of, but I can't recall them now.

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

Oh god you don't want me doing this but I'll do it (note these might be hard to find).

Ar tonelico
Ar tonelico 2 (this has a nasty glitch on the last boss where it crashes the game due to memory
Atelier Iris 1,2, and 3
Devil Summoner
Devil Summoner 2
Digital Devil Sage 1 and 2
Disgaea
Disgaea 2
Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 12
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
Nocturn
Makia Kingdom
Metal Gear Solid 3:Subsistence
Persona 3 (just find FES)
Persona 4
with the text)
Mana Khemia
Mana Khemia 2
XenoSaga 1-3 (REMEMBER THIS these games are LONG LONG LONG WITH CUT SCENES )

 

[TitanAtlas]

Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2
Final Fantasy X, X-2, i dont recommend XII because i really hate the main character...
Persona 3/4
Dragon Quest
Drakengard 1 and 2 (i really liked drakengard series)

 

[dogenzakaminion]

Well someone has to say the Kingdom hearts games. The Tales of Symphonia game is good too, although I think the PS2 version wa Japan exclusive.

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

.Hack // Infection
.Hack // Mutation
.Hack // Outbreak
.Hack // Quarantine

... .Hack is awesome

 

[busterkeatonrules]

Okami comes to mind. Delightful artwork, UNIQUE (but still perfectly intuitive) gameplay mechanics and an epic, yet lighthearted story. The player controls Amaterasu, a goddess currently trapped in the form of a wolf. Ancient Japan is overrun by demons, and Amaterasu has to fight them - and solve a variety of puzzles - using a magic paintbrush that can control the wind, start fires, conjure bombs out of thin air, and more!

Also, Steambot Chronicles! You really should try this one. It's a quirky little game with something for everyone. Freely customizable steam-powered battle robots are the main attraction, and if that's not enough, there's everything from dungeon crawling and prize fighting to musical minigames and romantic subplots to get immersed in. Or, you can just screw it all and JOIN THE BAD GUYS! Seriously.

 

[NardBasket]

Oh god you don't want me doing this but I'll do it (note these might be hard to find).

Ar tonelico
Ar tonelico 2 (this has a nasty glitch on the last boss where it crashes the game due to memory
Atelier Iris 1,2, and 3
Devil Summoner
Devil Summoner 2
Digital Devil Sage 1 and 2
Disgaea
Disgaea 2
Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 12
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
Nocturn
Makia Kingdom
Metal Gear Solid 3:Subsistence
Persona 3 (just find FES)
Persona 4
with the text)
Mana Khemia
Mana Khemia 2
XenoSaga 1-3 (REMEMBER THIS these games are LONG LONG LONG WITH CUT SCENES )

Dragon Quest 8 is awesome, though I've never gotten very far into it because of how slow it moves. Still a great game though, i love the humor and the music. I've never heard of Mana Khemia though, i'll have to check that out- and i haven't played the Xenosaga series yet either

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

Oh god you don't want me doing this but I'll do it (note these might be hard to find).

Ar tonelico
Ar tonelico 2 (this has a nasty glitch on the last boss where it crashes the game due to memory
Atelier Iris 1,2, and 3
Devil Summoner
Devil Summoner 2
Digital Devil Sage 1 and 2
Disgaea
Disgaea 2
Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 12
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
Nocturn
Makia Kingdom
Metal Gear Solid 3:Subsistence
Persona 3 (just find FES)
Persona 4
with the text)
Mana Khemia
Mana Khemia 2
XenoSaga 1-3 (REMEMBER THIS these games are LONG LONG LONG WITH CUT SCENES )

Dragon Quest 8 is awesome, though I've never gotten very far into it because of how slow it moves. Still a great game though, i love the humor and the music. I've never heard of Mana Khemia though, i'll have to check that out- and i haven't played the Xenosaga series yet either

Yeah I was just typing games that I could find in my drawer that I thought were good, and now that you mention dragon quest 8 I didn't see it in my drawer.....time to go searching. But Mana Khemia is good if you ask me, it's like part FF10 (battle system wise) meets full metal with having to make everything with alchemy. Beware it is niche so good luck finding it.

 

[pyrosaw]

Dothack series is fun.

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

Oh god you don't want me doing this but I'll do it (note these might be hard to find).

Ar tonelico
Ar tonelico 2 (this has a nasty glitch on the last boss where it crashes the game due to memory
Atelier Iris 1,2, and 3
Devil Summoner
Devil Summoner 2
Digital Devil Sage 1 and 2
Disgaea
Disgaea 2
Final Fantasy 10
Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 12
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
Nocturn
Makia Kingdom
Metal Gear Solid 3:Subsistence
Persona 3 (just find FES)
Persona 4
with the text)
Mana Khemia
Mana Khemia 2
XenoSaga 1-3 (REMEMBER THIS these games are LONG LONG LONG WITH CUT SCENES )

Dragon Quest 8 is awesome, though I've never gotten very far into it because of how slow it moves. Still a great game though, i love the humor and the music. I've never heard of Mana Khemia though, i'll have to check that out- and i haven't played the Xenosaga series yet either

Yeah I was just typing games that I could find in my drawer that I thought were good, and now that you mention dragon quest 8 I didn't see it in my drawer.....time to go searching. But Mana Khemia is good if you ask me, it's like part FF10 (battle system wise) meets full metal with having to make everything with alchemy. Beware it is niche so good luck finding it.

You play Atelier Rorona yet?

You're the only person I've seen (other than me) to mention Makai Kingdom anywhere. It was okay, but as far as NIS SRPGs go, it's one of their weaker entries (like Phantom Brave). Have you played La Pucelle Tactics?

I have Phantom Brave and I thought it was meh also (I have it on Wii so I didn't list it), and I do own La Pucelle Tactics but I never played it(it's in my psp drawer for the time being due to sorting issues). I'm mostly waiting for it to be released in the states on psp (although it doesn't seem to be happening, but Phantom Brave is getting a PSP release in the states). And yes I do own Atelier Rorona and it's not bad from what I played (I can't really play my console due to school although I am going to beat it doing winter break). But I like it a lot from what I played. And on a note I'm HUGE NIS fanboy (although I'm on the fence about Criminal Girls, I mean NIS made but wow I wouldn't play that in public if it hits the states), and I'm loving the new game ZHP Unlosing Ranger vs. DarkDeath Evil Man.

 

[Baralak]

The PS2 was the peak of the JRPG reign, methinks. Sadly, I've missed most of them, and thus LOVE topics like these!

My personal recommendations:

Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2 (I don't see why this game gets so much hate. It has one of the best incarnations of the Job system ever!)
Persona 4
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
Xenosaga

 

[BoredRolePlayer]

Let me also had the game Soul Nomad and the World Eaters.