My 10 Favorite PS2 RPGs

So, today is my sister's birthday. I got her a PS2 last year, but she still doesn't have many games for it. For her birthday she asked me to recommend a few that she could choose from. I made up a fairly comprehensive list of 10 RPGs that I feel are truly the cream of the crop of the PS2 to date (so it doesn't include Persona 4, Ar Tonelico II, or Kuzunoha Raidou vs. The King of Abbadon for obvious reasons), and I decided I would post them here for anyone else who would like to see them.

You'll note that my list may differ from your own, especially considering I haven't included any Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts titles. This is completely on purpose, as I feel the following 10 games easily offer much more compelling experiences than either of the previously mentioned series. You are of course free to name your own favorites in the comments below, but please bear in mind that flaming, trolling, or spamming will ensure your comment goes straight to the garbage bin.

Without further ado, here are my ten favorite RPGs on the PS2 (in no particular order):

Tales of the Abyss

The story of young noble, Luke von Fabre, who lost his memory due to a kidnapping by his country’s rival kingdom 7 years ago, and has since been confined to the royal complex. During an attempted assassination on his sword teacher, he is mysteriously thrown to a far away location in enemy territory with the cool but beautiful assassin, Tear Grants. As Tear attempts to return him to his manor, Luke discovers that all in the world is not as it seemed…

ToA is an action RPG with an involving story, deep but accessible battle system, and interesting relationships. It boasts over 60 hours of playtime, tons of optional quests and extra content, and an expansive world to explore. It is often cited as the best game in the Tales of series to date, and the spiritual predecessor to the upcoming Xbox 360 game Tales of Vesperia. Quite possibly my favorite game on PS2.



Tales of Legendia

Unlike most RPGs that have you traveling all around the world, trying to save it from an evil power, Tales of Legendia takes place entirely on an enormous ancient boat known as the Legacy. Senel Coolidge, a young marine, sails to the Legacy in hopes of protecting his younger sister Shirley, but she is kidnapped almost immediately upon landing. Blind to the plights of others around him, Senel rushes off to save Shirley, entirely unaware of greater powers at work on the ship…

ToL, like ToA, has a very accessible real time battle system, though is much simpler. Though the game is often touted as a “love it or hate it” experience, the game’s cast is generally considered one of the best, and the different take on JRPG storytelling is refreshing and often laugh-out-loud funny. A definite recommendation.



Star Ocean 3: ‘Til the End of Time

Set in the distant future, Star Ocean 3 tells the tale of Fayt Linegod, a college student vacationing on a resort planet with his family and his childhood friend, Sophia. When the resort is attacked by a mysterious alien army, Fayt narrowly escapes with Sophia, separated from their parents. Marooned on a distant, undeveloped planet, Fayt’s journey takes him across the stars, and brings him face to face with a secret hidden within his own identity.

Another action RPG, SO3 features deep customization, various character recruitment options, and the ability to interact with other party members in order to change how they feel about each other. While possibly not as accessible as Tales of, Star Ocean 3 is an exciting experience that will challenge your perceptions of “what is real.”



Persona 3

The story of a young transfer student to a new high school, the hero of the story is almost instantly thrown into the dark truth of a “hidden” hour in the day, where most humans are basically frozen in time, and demons prowl the streets. The few that remain awake during this “Dark Hour” are either preyed upon by the Shadows, or will awaken to an inner power known as “Persona” in order to combat them.

P3 features a turn-based battle style, where knowing your enemy and playing to their weaknesses become the key to victory. However, the game’s main draw is arguably the ability for the hero to establish and nourish his ties with others around him, Persona-user or otherwise, (known as his “Social Links”). Learning to balance school, relationships, and saving the world is actually a lot more fun that you might think. The game grants the player roughly one year of school activities and dungeon exploration, all tied to a greater evil that lies where no one expected. For turn-based battles, P3 is probably the best RPG in the current PS2 library.



Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia

Taking place in a destroyed world, the hero, Lyner Barsett, an elite knight from the upper levels of the tower of Ar tonelico, crashes into the lower levels during a mission to eradicate the viruses that plague the world. His encounter with Reyvateils, women with the abilities of song magic, leads this young warrior into a complex plot of power, greed, and subjugation.

Ar Tonelico is a turn-based game with the importance set on front row fighters protecting your party’s Reyvateils as they sing. The game also features a “dive” system, which allows Lyner to dive into the Reivateyl’s subconscious, learning more about them on a personal level, and raising their abilities in battle. The game features a very emotionally-engaging story, and will change based on Lyner’s decisions regarding the Reyvateils. Possibly the best sleeper RPG of 2007.



Okami

Taking the role of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, the player awakens from a deep sleep to find that ancient Japan is now shrouded in darkness and devoid of life. Using magical Celestial Brush strokes, Amaterasu takes upon herself the quest of ridding the world of its demons, and restoring the gods to their rightful positions.

Featuring a Zelda-esque take on role-playing, Okami features innovative puzzle solving and intuitive real time battle controls. “Magic” is available using the Celestial Brush, a system that allows the player to paint directly onto the world. The game also features a very unique artistic look reminiscent of traditional Japanese painting. A very big recommendation for a very underappreciated game.



Odin Sphere

Every tale has another side to it, and Odin Sphere examines one story from five different perspectives. Gwendolyn, a princess valkyrie in Odin’s army; Cornelius, a prince of a distant country betrayed and turned into a beast; Mercedes, the newly crowned Queen of the Fairies; Oswald, the demon knight; and Velvet, the forsaken princess. Each one of these characters is inevitably connected with each other, and their quests will eventually see the destruction of their own world.

Odin Sphere is unique blend of 2D side-scrolling with action role-playing. Each character controls differently, and learning to use each according to his or her strengths is challenging and rewarding. The story is illustrated in some of the most beautiful hand-drawn 2D ever seen in video games, and weaves a tale few can forget. A very enthusiastic recommendation.



Digital Devil Saga 2

Having been freed from a prison of constant war known as the Junkyard, Serph, the leader of a battle detail formerly known as the Embryon, seeks out his former companions and the mysterious girl Sera as he tries to unravel the mystery of the Solar Pollution and the Avatar Tuners.

Though technically the direct sequel to Digital Devil Saga, DDS2 is very much a complete experience on its own. The game features a turn-based battle system that requires the player to consider his enemies’ weaknesses and his party’s strengths. The game is quite dark, but is a very involving experience. Perhaps a little too difficult for newcomers to the series, but still an enthusiastic recommendation.



Grandia 3

Yuki always dreamed of flight, and he and his friend Rotts have spent every spare moment designing and building airplanes. However, when they finally get it right, Yuki crashes his plane and gets involved in the escape of a mysterious young woman called Alfina. His journey with her forces him to search for his own reasons for fighting, and challenges him to fly higher than he ever dreamt before.

The latest game in the fan-favorite Grandia series, G3 features a unique blend of real time action and turn based commands. The game’s story is a bit shallow occasionally, but overall presents an inspiring, exciting experience that any gamer can find something to like about. A definite recommendation to anyone who likes RPGs, but is not sure how “hardcore” they are.



So, there they are. I regret that a few quality titles didn't quite make the list (Rogue Galaxy, Valkyrie Profile 2, Xenosaga, Radiata Stories, etc.), but I guess that's how these things go.