PlayStation 2 RPGs (and hidden gems) for me.

[Soldier Blue]

The Xenosaga Series is fantastic. Don't listen to all the losers saying the long cutscenes ruin the game. KOS-MOS is a BAD-ASS and the boss battles from what I remember were incredibly challenging and rewarding.

[Jmustang1968]

[Both Dark Alliance games are fun, I think they are a bit better on the oXbox though

I've always wanted these games. Why do you think they are better on the Xbox?

Graphics are better and it runs smoother.

[brunoafh]

I've never really liked Valkyrie Profile 2. I've tried to get into it more times than I can count (very big fan of the original), but it just never clicks. I started typing a list of complaints, but basically, I don't think I like anything about the game outside the composer

The original is so much better.

Those are interesting thoughts on Suikoden, pierrot. It's not the first time I've seen someone claim the 3rd game is their favorite on the PS2, but it is the first time I've seen someone have such negative thoughts about the 5th game. I thought III had a really interesting story and narrative, but I did not like the gameplay very much and that deterred me from ever finishing it.

[Xeogred]

Yeah that's the thing, I have some friends who say they even think the plot in III surpasses II. But I just couldn't get into the combat system at all. The weird tag team thing and every battle felt like they literally took 20 minutes or something.

I had a complete blast with V. So you just gotta play it for yourself. Had one of the coolest castles too.

[pierrot]

Those are interesting thoughts on Suikoden, pierrot. It's not the first time I've seen someone claim the 3rd game is their favorite on the PS2, but it is the first time I've seen someone have such negative thoughts about the 5th game. I thought III had a really interesting story and narrative, but I did not like the gameplay very much and that deterred me from ever finishing it.

I know exactly how you feel, and I'm going to take a shot in the dark here and guess that you gave up around the point you fought one of the red golems on the mountain path in Gedoe's story, perhaps? Initially I hated the battle mechanics, but in hindsight I can admit that it was mostly out of ignorance. The thing that was really souring for me was how easily I was able to collect all 108 SoDs in one playthrough, without any help. One of the main things that kept me coming back to I and II was figuring out where all the characters were, and how to recruit them (and by a certain point in the game) in order to get better endings. After replaying them to death almost, I now have much different reasons to replay them, so the characters feeling 'fed' to me in III isn't the same issue that it was eleven years ago.

I do think the story, which is very good, would be the main draw for anyone starting out with the game, at least until the very end where it admittedly falls apart a bit. The thing I like so much about III is how much character is actually given to each SoD not just in story events and interactions, but in character abilities; and I think that's where the game really shines, for me. Many more characters can be used in battle in a way that is almost wholly unique to that character, and the actual battle mechanics make figuring out those roles more important, as well as party management more important, by adding area of effect, and character movement, along with character actions being tied to a partner. The game is not very gentle to players on their first time, though. I guess one other knock I would give against the game might be that it's also two to three times as long as I or II was, and that is potentially significant. At least, I find it harder to replay III, even though I love it so much. It's not without its faults, but I still find it endearing for them.

As far as V goes, it may not be a popular opinion, but I just find it to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. I'm not nearly as entertained by sequels where the original intent is lost with the departure of the series' original writer/director, though. The developers for V did everything they could to make it feel like it belongs in the numbered series, while making it as marketable and popular as possible. It just comes up short for me, and I actually hate them a bit for even trying. Murayama o nada.

I had a complete blast with V. So you just gotta play it for yourself. Had one of the coolest castles too.

I don't even remember the castle in V. There was something like four or five bases in that game.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I've never really liked Valkyrie Profile 2. I've tried to get into it more times than I can count (very big fan of the original), but it just never clicks. I started typing a list of complaints, but basically, I don't think I like anything about the game outside the composer

The original is so much better.

There's no doubt the two games are very, very different. I think they're both some of the very best around, but they're the best individually, not as a group. Even when they succeed in the same areas (graphics, music, ARPG combat) they do it in almost completely different ways. The story was in an alternate timeline and so was the rest of it

It probably helps that I played the PS2 game first, but I think VP2 would be more liked if it wasn't always compared to the first. It's cheap and, even if you don't like it, you've got to admit that it's interesting. I think it's worth a try if you're looking for new PS2 games.

Don't get me wrong, Lenneth's game is still my favorite.

[Xeogred]

I don't even remember the castle in V. There was something like four or five bases in that game.

It was some underwater temple thing (wait isn't 1 or 2 like that... lol) that kept "raising" the further you got when it expanded.

I will say I never finished V myself, it was a pretty long game. Think I had like 40-50 hours.

@Valkyrie-Favor: Will you send me a copy of Valkyrie Profile? I don't' think I'll ever be up for gambling $100+ on a game I may or may not enjoy...

[isiolia]

@Valkyrie-Favor: Will you send me a copy of Valkyrie Profile? I don't' think I'll ever be up for gambling $100+ on a game I may or may not enjoy...

PSP version is relatively cheap (though, like a number of PSP RPGs, it seems to be more expensive than a year or two ago).

[Valkyrie-Favor]

@Valkyrie-Favor: Will you send me a copy of Valkyrie Profile? I don't' think I'll ever be up for gambling $100+ on a game I may or may not enjoy...

I don't have a bunch of copies I can just give to people Wish I were that rich. I only have the PSP version, and for my True Ending replay I burned the PSX version.

If you have a PSP, that version is quite good. Slightly inferior, but it's not a big deal. Best played in a dark room with headphones if you ask me. It looks better on a smaller screen than a big CRT, and of course it's ruined on an HD LCD. Not sure how it would look scaled on the Vita, since it relies on sprite art, but be sure to run in the original colorspace. Muted colors are huge for the art design.

If you don't have a PSP, that system and the game will be cheaper than the PSX version, and you won't regret the system purchase.

Of course, you can always pirate it or use emulation. Buy a new Tri-Ace game if it makes you feel bad. I don't think anyone will arrest you for trying a $100 game before you buy.

[Xeogred]

I actually have it on the PSP, just... not big on handhelds ever. But I think I should look into getting some kind of HDMI->TV connector with my PSP and make use of it. lol