Summary
- The PS2 saw the birth of new franchises and classics like Final Fantasy 10.
- Some PS2 RPGs were one-offs like The Bouncer, Okage, Radiata Stories, and Rogue Galaxy.
- Games like Odin Sphere and Stella Deus were unique gems that didn’t get sequels but still carved their own niche fanbase.
If Sony thought the PS1 was a hit, they were in for a big surprise regarding the PS2. It was a phenomenon and helped birth new franchises and continued classics. For example, Final Fantasy 10 pushed the genre and RPG medium forward thanks to great art design, the inclusion of voice acting, a unique new battle and leveling system, and so on.
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Not every RPG was a Final Fantasy 10 sensation though that led to continued success. Some were just one-off original ideas that were celebrated but went nowhere. Today, let’s spotlight some of those hidden gems and find out if they deserve a sequel or not.
7
The Bouncer
A Short But Energetic Brawler
The Bouncer
- Released
-
March 5, 2001
- Publisher(s)
-
Square
, Sony Computer Entertainment
The Bouncer was a one-and-done production published by Square Enix, then just Squaresoft. It was a brawler starring a few playable characters the lead of which was granted to Sion who looked a lot like Squall from Final Fantasy 8 in a more punk style. Levels ranged from clubs to the streets, with enemies always on screen like a typical brawler.
Thanks to the playable cast, it gave players more reasons to go through it multiple times. It was also incredibly short which is one reason why reviews weren’t uproariously high for it. Still, it had its fans in the early days of the PS2 generation and remains a niche treasure decades later flaws and all.
6
Odin Sphere
A 2D Norse Gem
- Developer: Vanillaware
- Publisher: Atlus (NA)
- Platform: PS2
- Released: May 22, 2007 (NA)
Odin Sphere was released on the PS2 originally and then it got remastered as Odin Sphere Leifthrasir for the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita. Beyond this enhancement, it hasn’t been ported to any other console nor has it received a sequel which is par for the course for most Vanillaware games.
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Players can take on the role of several characters with their own stories in a series of Metroid-like dungeons. Enemies will appear in these dungeons and combat will be played out in real-time. Leveling is a bit odd as players need to grow food and eat in dungeons to get stronger, but otherwise, it is a sound action RPG.
5
Okage: Shadow King
The Nightmare Before Final Fantasy 10
- Developer: Zener Works
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Released: October 2, 2001 (NA, PS2 Version)
- Platforms: PS2, PS4
Okage: Shadow King was like a Tim Burton game come to life aesthetically or sort of like the spookier evolution of the Mother series. The story follows a young boy, Ari, who befriends a shadowy demon named Stan. Ari and other party members use shadows like Stan in battle to perform actions sort of like Persona in the titular Persona series.
As interesting as it was, the game unfortunately debuted only a couple of months before Final Fantasy 10 dropped in North America which redefined RPGs on the system for years to come. This didn’t help keep it in the cultural zeitgeist but Okage: Shadow King did get an enhanced port on PS4 in 2016, which is a win for all fans of the game.
4
Radiata Stories
An Action-Based Suikoden
- Developer: tri-Ace
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Platform: PS2
- Released: September 6, 2005 (NA)
Radiata Stories was sort of like tri-Ace’s attempt at a Suikoden game. For those unaware, players can recruit over a hundred party members in most Suikoden games. While Radiata Stories isn’t as extreme, there are quite a few that the hero, Jack, can befriend.
Gameplay was action-based, similar to the Star Ocean games which tri-Ace also developed, wherein players would warp into instanced arenas to fight enemies. This RPG was focused on characters and bringing jolly adventurous vibes rather than sharing a typical save-the-world grim dark scenario. It was a refreshing change of pace and the game still looks great on the PS2 as it never left the system.
3
Ring Of Red
If The Cold War Was In Japan
Ring Of Red
Ring of Red was an early game on the PS2 which actually launched in Japan just a month before North America got their hands on the console itself. It’s an alternate take on history with World War 2 splitting Japan into occupied territories with the U.S. and Russia fighting over control of the nation.
Instead of ground warfare, most battles are fought with mechs called AFWs. They’re more tank-link in design and they control slowly too. Still, it’s amazing that Konami never put out a sequel for this as it’s such an interesting idea for a tactical game and the lore was unique too.
2
Rogue Galaxy
Pirates Looting Treasure In Space
Rogue Galaxy
- Released
-
January 30, 2007
- Developer(s)
-
Level-5
- Publisher(s)
-
Sony Computer Entertainment
Rogue Galaxy followed Dark Cloud 2 on the PS2 which was another game from Level-5. While the two games share similarities, they are different in several key ways. Jaster is a bounty hunter and the protagonist who gets party members to accompany him in dungeons to find treasure.
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Players can snap between one of the three party members at any point and everyone gets one melee weapon and one ranged weapon all of which can be upgraded and fused via an alchemy system. It’s an expansive game going from planet to planet and it focuses on the action RPG combat without any of the simulation elements found in the Dark Cloud series.
1
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Artistically Close To Persona
- Developers: Pinegrow, Atlus
- Publisher: Atlus
- Released: April 26, 2005 (NA)
- Platform: PS2
Among the many Shin Megami Tensei titles that Atlus produces, they also develop one-offs like Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity on the PS2. The box art and the character designs in the game should look like they came out of a Shin Megami Tensei game actually as they were designed by Shigenori Soejima.
The story should feel familiar too as it follows Spero through a political and religious affair in a series of challenging grid-based tactical battles. Instead of movement and attack phases, every character gets AP that they can use at their leisure. This can allow players to move great distances or attack multiple times if they want which is still a unique concept for the genre.
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