Support NeoGAF

[KeioSquad2]

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....

 

[BocoDragon]

It's hard to say because nearly all the great games are getting HD ports, or are heavily rumored to get HD port (ie Final Fantasy).

A lot of what's left is the B tier, and it's hard to call that the definitive PS2 experience...

I'll leave this here, though: Gradius V.

 

[luka]

Klonoa 2

Gradius V.

And this.

 

[captoatz]

Time crisis 2!

 

[shadyspace]

Hmm, obscure but critically lauded RPGs are your best bet here. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocture's a good example.

 

[KeioSquad2]

It's hard to say because nearly all the great games are getting HD ports, or are heavily rumored to get HD port (ie Final Fantasy).

Which makes this even harder for me to have a small collection of games to go with it. But any help is greatly welcome.

 

[Wario64]

Breath of Fire Dragon Quarter
Okami
Katamari Damacy
Bombastic
Gitaroo Man
Frequency/Amplitude

 

[milkyjay20]

i wanted to say ico, but...

well, i'll still say ico

 

[TacticalFox88]

MGS2
Ico
Shadow of the Colossus
God of War
MGS3
Okami
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2

 

[randrews]

Psyops.

A one of a kind third person action game that is the closest thing we'll get to a North American Kojima game. Highly recommended and sadly needs a next gen sequel.

 

[Typographenia]

Nowhere else?

Metal Gear Solid 3 (until hd thinger)
Haunting Ground
Shadow of the Colossus (see MGS3)

 

[Pai Pai Master]

It's hard to say because nearly all the great games are getting HD ports, or are heavily rumored to get HD port (ie Final Fantasy).

A lot of what's left is the B tier, and it's hard to call that the definitive PS2 experience...

I'll leave this here, though: Gradius V.

There are still way too many great PS2 games that will never get the HD port.

Play GodHand, dammit.

 

[Seven Force]

One of a kind PS2 experiences, you say? Look no further:

 

[gunbo13]

A lot listed are getting remade...

Tough question. Do PC ports count against PS2 being the only system?

 

[Alligatorjandro]

I liked Final Fantasy 12

 

[Vice]

Devil May Cry 3
Zone of the Enders 2
Mark of Kri

 

[legacyzero]

Hail to the King.

 

[Grayman]

God Hand is what I thought of right away. It is not getting an HD remake and fills its own gameplay niche.

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is something that you cannot get another of if you want a wrestling game.

 

[KeioSquad2]

A lot listed are getting remade...

Tough question. Do PC ports count against PS2 being the only system?

Yea, cause if the better version is on pc, I can just get that...

 

[Sir Ilpalazzo]

Devil May Cry 1, God Hand, and Okami are the first ones that come to mind.

There's also Silent Hill 2 - even though it's getting an HD version, it's going to make other changes, and at this point there's no way to tell whether the HD version will end up being a superior product to the original.

 

[StuBurns]

Okami is probably the most 'must play' game that has not, or is not currently being HDified.

 

[KeioSquad2]

God Hand is what I thought of right away. It is not getting an HD remake and fills its own gameplay niche.

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is something that you cannot get another of if you want a wrestling game.

Is it better than 6 man scramble on the Saturn?

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

It depends a lot on what you're looking for. The following games, in my opinion, are pretty much system defining:

Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas

Final Fantasy 10 and 12

Okami

Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3

God of War

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

Virtua Fighter 4

ICO/Shadow of the Colossus

Ratchet and Clank (pretty much any of them)

Star Wars: Battlefront

 

[Archurro]

Shadow of the Colossus
Persona 3 fes

 

[BlazingDarkness]

Hail to the King.

.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Hail to the King.

I think you meant

 

[KeioSquad2]

It depends a lot on what you're looking for. The following games, in my opinion, are pretty much system defining:

Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas

Final Fantasy 10 and 12

Okami

Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3

God of War

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3

Virtua Fighter 4

ICO/Shadow of the Colossus

Ratchet and Clank (pretty much any of them)

Star Wars: Battlefront

Yes, but many of those are getting HD ports or have better versions available.

 

[JaskoX1]

Time Splitters 2

 

[legacyzero]

I think you meant

never actually played any of those

.

The last great game to carry the "SQUARESOFT" name. I miss those days.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Devil May Cry 3

 

[cj_iwakura]

never actually played any of those

They dominate the PS2. I'd get busy if I were you.


Beyond that, Sakura Wars: So Long My Love, Frequency & Amplitude, Space Channel 5 Special Edition, Rez, and the Digital Devil Saga games are my recommendations. Can't go wrong with anything that bears the SMT mandala.

 

[TheShampion]

Beatmania for the PS2 is a game you will not see in the US (and maybe even in Japan) on a home console for a very long time. It is pretty much a niche music game, but it is pretty unique to the PS2.

 

[Radogol]

This might be an unusual suggestion - and certainly not a definitive ps2 experience - but it's something you will never get on HD twins.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent is supposedly second only to Chaos Theory in terms of gameplay quality.

 

[gunbo13]

Devil May Cry 1, God Hand, and Okami are the first ones that come to mind.

There's also Silent Hill 2 - even though it's getting an HD version, it's going to make other changes, and at this point there's no way to tell whether the HD version will end up being a superior product to the original.

DMC1 is also likely to get a remake, maybe this year.

Okami should actually last through for awhile at least. FFX right now before it gets packaged with with the FFX/FFX-2/FFXII eventual bundle.

Jak games? I'm a big fan of those titles.

Devil May Cry 3

PC

 

[Nix]

Shadow hearts- You will not regret it; preferrable 2 but you may want to read up on 1.

Final Fantasy 12

Zone of the enders 1+2

 

[Admiral Bone to Pick]

Yes, but many of those are getting HD ports or have better versions available.

Oh, well my post was mainly just an excuse for me to nostalgia.

In that case, I would say the PS2's definitive game is either God of War or Final Fantasy 12. Both are pretty much pinnacles of their respective genres.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Beatmania for the PS2 is a game you will not see in the US (and maybe even in Japan) on a home console for a very long time. It is pretty much a niche music game, but it is pretty unique to the PS2.

The US version is terrible, though. Buy the controller, import the good titles.

 

[sublimit]

Excluding those that are getting the HD treatment and those already mentioned...
Dark Chronicle
Chaos Legion
Onimusha1,2,4
Suikoden V
Rogue Galaxy
Yakuza 2
Project Zero 1,2
Forbidden Siren 1,2

 

[klee123]

Valkyrie Profile 2

Klonoa 2

Haunting Ground

God Hand

Shin Megami tensei Nocturne

Gradius V

Time Crisis 3

Beatmania IIDX 3rd style to current using Arcade Controller

Persona 4

 

[Diebuster]

If you have any interest in horror, you need to play the Fatal Frame games.

Also the Xenosaga series for more JRPGs and the Yakuza games for general butt-kicking awesome.

 

[Varna]

I think you meant

Bar none the best PS2 RPG. My pick as well.

 

[3N16MA]

Jax and Daxter series (the ones developed by Naughty Dog). On no other platform, no remakes, PS2 exclusive.

 

[Ichabod]

May I suggest:

Shinobi - Hard as balls but there's nothing like dancing through a room full of enemies with your sword in hand and watching them fall apart seconds later.

Maximo - Think Ghouls N Goblins in 3D. Very fun. Also hard as balls.

 

[tekumseh]

Is it better than 6 man scramble on the Saturn?

No, it's not. But it IS pretty good, regardless...

 

[Gaspode_T]

Dunno why but for me the games that really defined the "cool" feel of PS2 were the SSX series

 

[Speevy]

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

 

[TheSeks]

I think you meant

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/megaten/smt3a.jpg

Correct. FFX is no where near Nocturne or FFXII:I:ZJS's boots to lick.

 

[RedSwirl]

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 ones that aren't.

Yeah, there's a lot, and not even just niche games either.

 

[params7]

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.

 

[Grayman]

Is it better than 6 man scramble on the Saturn?

I have not played SMS. As far as I know there was a straight evolution from SMS to Returns that only added to the games without taking anything away. It is up to you if the minor additions add up to enough. If you use a PS3 or have a way to move PS2 saves around there is tons of already made edit content available on the net.

I think the major changes would be:
-moves on the apron
-mma positional grapples (doesn't work as good as King of Colosseum 2 spikes 3d wrestling game, JP only)
-the small handful of moves made after 1996
-near limitless storage space, I think you can have up to 500 edit wrestlers loaded at once
-8 men on screen and all the match variations that allows