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The definitive PS2 experience?

params7 said:
God Hand
Indigo Prophecy
GTA VC
MGS3
MGS2
LoTR : RoTK



There's shitloads more, been a while since I even thought about the PS2 but these came to my mind first.

None of those meet the OP's requirements.
 
Speevy said:
Most of the best PS2 games are getting remade for HD consoles? This is news to me.


Do you disregard a game just because it's gotten a sequel? There are still some pretty good PS2 games that have received sequels on the PS3 and/or Xbox 360.

Well, here's a list of some games that are well loved by some person or another.

-Dark Cloud 2
-Dragon Quest 8
-Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria
-Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando
-Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal
-Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
-Amplitude
-Frequency
-Gitaroo Man
-Culdcept
-Bombastic
-Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
-Devil May Cry 3
-Metal Gear Solid 2
-Metal Gear Solid 3
-Aggressive Inline
-Metal Arms: A Glitch in the System
-Psychonauts
-Gladius
-Spartan: Total Warrior
-Shadow of Rome
-Ghosthunter
-Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
-Phantom Brave
-Ape Escape 3
-The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
-Mercenaries
-Super Monkey Ball DX
-Final Fantasy X
-Final Fantasy X-2
-Final Fantasy XII
-Viewtiful Joe
-Grandia 3
-Maximo: Ghosts to Glory
-Maximo vs. The Army of Zin
-Clock Tower 3
-Radiata Stories
-Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
-Zone of the Enders 3
-Odin Sphere
-Kingdom Hearts
-SSX3
-Katamari Damacy
-Okami
-Silent Hill 2
-Silent Hill 3
-Resident Evil 4
-God Hand
-Grimgrimoire
-Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
-Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3/FES/4
-Skygunner
-Ace Combat series
-Kessen series
-Tales of the Abyss
-Hitman 2/3/Blood Money
-Yakuza 1 and 2
-Time Splitters 2
-Red Faction
-Soul Calibur 2
-Tekken 5
-Virtua Fighter 4
-Street Fighter Collection
-Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
-Splashdown
-Wipeout
-Twisted Metal Black
-Gran Turismo 4
-Black
-Suikoden 5
-The Mark of Kri
-Gradius V
-Burnout 3
-Fatal Frame series
-Hot Shots Golf: Fore
-Growlanser Generations
-Onimusha series
-Monster Rancher 4
-Rogue Galaxy
-Buzz and Singstar series
-Bully

Thanks for a comprehensive list, although some of the mentioned are getting the HD treatment, like MGS2 and 3, have superior ports on the xbox, like hulk and aggressive, or already have hd ports, like SF collection (both sf and sf3).
 
I clicked on this thread specifically to mention Radiata Stories thinking I'd be the first, but I'm not. I am however, surprised and pleased that someone else mentioned Radiata Stories

Also pretty much every game mentioned here.
 
KeioSquad2 said:
I bought a ps2 before they become extinct, and I realize that most of the best games on the system are being remade for high def, but what of those that aren't? My first two games that i got with it are Dragon Quest 8, and Persona 4.

Those are two games that won't be on another system, at least for a long while. Are there any others? I'm looking at games you can't get anywhere else other than ps2. Those experiences that the system will be remembered for....


And then you have people responding MGS2, MGS3, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War 1/2, Zone of the Enders 1/2 etc. All of these games confirmed to be remade in HD soon except God of War 1/2 which already have HD versions. SMH, reading comprehension fail.

My take - Okami (IMO PS2 version > Wii version), FFX, FFXII, Persona 4, Jak and Daxter (the ORIGINAL), Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando.

If you don't want to get them on PC, then Onimusha 3 and DMC3 as well.
 
Lucky Number Seven Force said:
One of a kind PS2 experiences, you say? Look no further:

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:)
 
Cels said:
And then you have people responding MGS2, MGS3, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War 1/2, Zone of the Enders 1/2 etc. All of these games confirmed to be remade in HD soon except God of War 1/2 which already have HD versions. SMH, reading comprehension fail.

My take - Okami (IMO PS2 version > Wii version), FFX, FFXII, Persona 4, Jak and Daxter (the ORIGINAL), Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando.

If you don't want to get them on PC, then Onimusha 3 and DMC3 as well.

Thank you man, I'm glad to see that you realized this as well....
 
P3's still totally worth playing even if you've played through P4. Fantastic story, which I preferred over P4's. Oh, and FES is way better than P3P.
 
If you have the right setup, it's not to difficult to revisit a game that came out in the previous generation.

The best thing to do is have a PS2 around for your last gen cravings, and a PS3 slim for your current gen. stuff.

I wish Sony had released a backwards compatible system that wasn't a self-microwave, but there you go.
 
Shinobi
Valkyrie Profile 2
Viewtiful Joe
Contra Shattered Soldier
Dragon Quarter
God Hand
 
Speevy said:
If you have the right setup, it's not to difficult to revisit a game that came out in the previous generation.

The best thing to do is have a PS2 around for your last gen cravings, and a PS3 slim for your current gen. stuff.

I wish Sony had released a backwards compatible system that wasn't a self-microwave, but there you go.

That's the whole reason for this thread, it's so hard to find a last gen game though that has not been out done by it's sequel or ported or will be ported to hd.

So far I'm looking at Grandia 3, Okami, god hand, jack and daxter, and a few others.....
 
It's nice to see that someone else already mentioned Amplitude. Really, as much as I dislike the DualShock line of controllers, I couldn't imagine playing a game like Amplitude on anything other than a DualShock 2 controller. The controllers with analog triggers just wouldn't work as well.
 
edit: no mgs
edit: no ssx
god of war 1 & 2
edit: no ico/sotc thanks to the rereleases incoming
edit: no timesplitters
dmc1, 3 doesn't count apparently because of the pc port
godhand
persona 3 & 4
 
Lots of good suggestions so far. I'll add the Sly Cooper series to the mix, as it's a solid platformer. Also, if you can find it, pick up Shox. It's one of the best arcade-y rally racers ever made.

Oops, almost forgot. Try and find The Red Star too. Awesome retro throwback action title.
 
Onimusha 1 - 3 and Dawn of Dreams are pretty freaking bad-ass. Drakengard 1 + 2 are awesome as well and had some of the best story/music of last generation.

There are too many games for it that are defintely not being re-released on other consoles. I hope some others here point them out to you.
 
The PS2 is pretty much the system were Japanese gaming was at it's best. I would say some of it's best are being released in HD. Those games are Zone of the Enders 2 and both MGS2/3

So what's left. Some greats.

Final Fantasy X-Pretty much my favorite FF rpg and pretty much the best of the Nomura FFs.

Final Fantasy XII-The most interesting and different of the 3d FFs. A pretty great game.

Digital Devil Saga 1/2-Is this Atlus' attempt at a high production jrpg? I don't know but it's a pretty phenomenal game.

Devil May Cry 3-The best action game ever.

Capcom Vs SNK 2-Probably on other systems, but who cares. One of the best Capcom fighters out there.

King of Fighters XI-Probably the best KoF?

Shinobi-A hard as hell action game, but unqiue on it's own. It's not the combo driven game like DMC but more about being fast and precise.

Rumble Roses-An actually fun and great looking wrestling game. The xbox version ditches the quirky story mode.

Wild Arms 5-Perhaps one of the most underrated jrpgs out there. It's got a great battle system with lots of depth.

Tekken 5-The best Tekken, yeah the PS3 version is better, but whatever.

Some other fantastic PS2 games: RAD, Haunting Ground, Persona 3/4, SMT: Nocturne, Grandia 3, and Shadow Hearts.
 
Rahxephon91 said:
The PS2 is pretty much the system were Japanese gaming was at it's best. I would say some of it's best are being released in HD. Those games are Zone of the Enders 2 and both MGS2/3

So what's left. Some greats.

Final Fantasy X-Pretty much my favorite FF rpg and pretty much the best of the Nomura FFs.

Final Fantasy XII-The most interesting and different of the 3d FFs. A pretty great game.

Digital Devil Saga 1/2-Is this Atlus' attempt at a high production jrpg? I don't know but it's a pretty phenomenal game.

Devil May Cry 3-The best action game ever.

Capcom Vs SNK 2-Probably on other systems, but who cares. One of the best Capcom fighters out there.

King of Fighters XI-Probably the best KoF?

Shinobi-A hard as hell action game, but unqiue on it's own. It's not the combo driven game like DMC but more about being fast and precise.

Rumble Roses-An actually fun and great looking wrestling game. The xbox version ditches the quirky story mode.

Wild Arms 5-Perhaps one of the most underrated jrpgs out there. It's got a great battle system with lots of depth.

Tekken 5-The best Tekken, yeah the PS3 version is better, but whatever.

Thanks for reminding me of ultimate match 98........
 
This seems to be a misunderstood one. It did come out for PC and the graphics look way better. You just have to get the controller patch.
0fMIWl.jpg


A lot of other good recommendations though. I could only remember the Jak games off the top of my head and Shinobi.
 
3N16MA said:
Jax and Daxter series (the ones developed by Naughty Dog). On no other platform, no remakes, PS2 exclusive.

it's only a matter of time before Jak collection is announced. Naughty Dog is gaining rep, if Uncharted 3 turn out amazing, they can probably sell Jak collection by Naughty Dog name alone, probably won't sold much, but the cost is probably small too.
 
MetalFearSolid said:
Jak 1,2
DBZ Budokai games(2&3)if a fan
most of other games are already listed by other members

Jak 3 is a must, it may not be as memorable as 2 because it doesn't have hardcore difficulties, but the ending is awesome, it's so rare to see a series ends that nicely.
 
Jade Cocoon 2 -- Excellent JRPG with Pokemon elements
Sly Cooper -- All of them
Jak & Daxter
Ratchet & Clank
Kingdom Hearts

Don't forget the PS1 games too
 
kokujin said:
ffxii.jpg


Easily the best FF game in a long time.
Best one since VI, in fact. FFX was terrible. Run down 100ft road. Takes 3 hours due to random battles, even though you've been able to see the end of the road the entire time. Game design!

FFXII, on the other hand, kicked ass.
 
I'm going to go off and recommend a few (somewhat) lesser known titles. I don't know if any of these are considered part of the definitive catalog, but I like them.

2iud6x.jpg

Downhill Domination

4re0c7.jpg

Drakan: The Ancient Gates

291nmv4.jpg

Kings Field: The Ancient City

98555h.jpg

Splashdown
 
Personally I would go mostly with RPGs, although I love MGS and am a huge God of War fan.

If I had to go with a list form though would probably go something like this, in no real order.


1. Ico and Shadow of the colossus
2. Metal Gear Solid 3
3. Okami
4. Radiata Stories
5. Dragon Quest VIII
6. Suikoden 3 and 5
7. Champions of Norrath
8. Shin Megami Tensei : Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2
9. Growlanser Generations
10. Final Fantasy XII

This is by no means a definitive list, infact i'm sure many would argue some of my picks but these are a sample of the games that defined the system for me, and games that i still go back to from time to time even now.
 
I'm tempted to throw in Drakengard to this thread for good measure. You'd be hard-pressed to find anything else quite like it on the system.
 
ReaperXL07 said:
6. Suikoden 3 and 5


I am curious about this. Why not IV? III was easily the weakest of the bunch. V was indeed the best one for the PS2, but to skip IV altogether is weird.
 
SSX series and Dark Cloud 2. probably my favorite games from PS2 that wont ever get remade, although there is an SSX coming for ps3 soon.

fake edit: forgot ratchet and clank series. but there are new ones on ps3, i loved the ps2 ones.
 
KeioSquad2 said:
I bought a ps2 before they become extinct, and I realize that most of the best games on the system are being remade for high def, but what of those that aren't? My first two games that i got with it are Dragon Quest 8, and Persona 4.

Those are two games that won't be on another system, at least for a long while. Are there any others? I'm looking at games you can't get anywhere else other than ps2. Those experiences that the system will be remembered for....

There's no such thing.

As someone who doesn't enjoy JRPGs, my "definitive experience" would probably be different from yours. I'm more likely to play Gradius, or Contra, than I am to play Persona or Final Fantasy.

There are literally hundreds of games for the PS2 that will not get an HD remake.
 
TriAceJP said:
I am curious about this. Why not IV? III was easily the weakest of the bunch. V was indeed the best one for the PS2, but to skip IV altogether is weird.


I loved alot of the little things about the plot in 3 that just made it stand out for me for some reason in all honesty.

As for IV the only reason that I really remember having any issues with it was because of the ship traversal, I don't know maybe it's because I have not played it in quite some time but I seem to remember it taking a lifetime to get anywhere in the game. I don't remember alot of the plot from IV though, especially not enough to share my thoughts on it right now.

I'll have to dig it out sometime next week and see if my opinions of it have changed, or if i'm remembering it incorrectly.
 
TacticalFox88 said:
MGS2
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
God of War
MGS3
Okami
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
It's great when people thouroughly read the OP. Like 60% of that post was a waste of energy.
 
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