Summary
- Obscure PS2 RPGs like EverGrace and King’s Field 4 may never get mainstream recognition due to their unique gameplay.
- Unlimited Saga and Inuyasha: Secret Of The Cursed Mask offer unconventional RPG experiences with distinctive storytelling elements.
- Games like Jade Cocoon 2 and Shadow Hearts provide unique gameplay mechanics and dark, mature themes for RPG enthusiasts.
Over the past few years many obscure RPGs hiding in the darkness have come to light thanks to various remasters and remakes. However, a lot of games in the genre are still unknown to the masses. Will the PS2 RPGs below ever get their time in the sun like some of their peers have?
Related
7 Best PS2 JRPGs With No Random Encounters, Ranked
Classic JRPGs are great, but those pesky random encounters can really be a downer. Thankfully, these PS2 JRPGs skip that mechanic entirely.
Only time will tell. For now, though, RPG aficionados have no choice but to locate an old PS2 and buy a copy of the game to experience it the way gamers did twenty years ago. Some of them are well worth the effort, while others are hard and directed toward hardcore fans of the genre, explaining why they never broke into the mainstream.
1
EverGrace
An Action RPG Following Two Characters
Evergrace
- Released
-
April 27, 2000
- Developer(s)
-
FromSoftware
FromSoftware has a huge catalog of niche RPGs from before they made gaming history with Demon’s Souls. EverGrace is an action RPG that tells two distinct stories that players can switch between in the middle of the campaign, almost like Alan Wake 2.
The two characters, Darius and Sharline, also play differently based on their abilities and weapons. The game was developed to run on both the PS1 and PS2, but the former was canceled. This allowed the game to look and run better, but it also meant a lot of wasted development time.
2
Unlimited Saga
Seven Stories That Lightly Intersect
Unlimited Saga
- Released
-
June 17, 2003
- Developer(s)
-
Square
The SaGa series has been chugging along since the late 1980s. Many of its entries have not reached the same heights as other series like Final Fantasy, so one cannot be blamed if they never heard of the PS2 game Unlimited Saga. Players do not gain experience and level up traditionally, but instead get stronger through gear and equipment.
They also have to be sure to maintain their weapons and items through the durability system. Unlimited Saga tells seven different stories that briefly interconnect, which explains why a traditional leveling system perhaps would not have been optimal for this title.
3
King’s Field 4
The Precursor To Demon’s Souls
King’s Field: The Ancient City
- Released
-
March 25, 2002
- Developer(s)
-
FromSoftware
King’s Field and its sequels are seen as spiritual predecessors to Demon’s Souls. Do not expect to have a soulslike experience when playing King’s Field 4, however. The PS2 game is played from the first-person perspective with slow and heavy combat.
Related
8 Easiest Games By FromSoftware, Ranked
FromSoftware is known for its punishingly difficult games, but the developer has released a few easier titles in the past.
Similarities to the more famous games from the developer will include the brooding atmosphere, esoteric story, and a stamina meter that limits how often the player can attack. It was a tough action RPG to play even back in its heyday, so modern gamers will probably have a harder time with it.
4
Arc The Lad: Twilight Of The Spirits
Turn-Based Tactical RPG
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
The first two Arc the Lad games came out on the PS1 and tell one large story. Players’ progress even carries over into the next game. Twilight of the Spirits continues the tradition of unconventional structures in RPGs by having two characters with two different storylines to play through.
They briefly interact and some locations are visited by both parties, but they are wholly unique campaigns. The story follows two twins, the product of an interspecies relationship, who were separated by birth and live different lives up until the events of the game.
5
Inuyasha: Secret Of The Cursed Mask
A Low-Budget Adaptation Of The Popular Anime
- Platform: PS2
- Released: November 2, 2004
- Developer: Bandai
- Genre: JRPG
Inuyasha was a big deal in the early 2000s thanks to its run on Adult Swim. Young teenagers would stay up past their bedtime to watch the adventures of the titular half-demon and the high-school student Kagome who traveled back in time to feudal Japan.
Two video game adaptations were made for the PS2, one of which was the JRPG Secret of the Cursed Mask. The player is a new character from the present who falls into the past and joins the popular characters from the series on a journey.
Secret of the Cursed Mask clearly feels like a budget title. Battles lack smooth animations and the overworld exploration looks more like a PS1 game than what RPG fans would expect from the PS2 after playing games like Final Fantasy 10. Most would recommend it only to hardcore fans of the series.
6
Jade Cocoon 2
A Cult Classic Monster Collecting Game
Jade Cocoon 2
Jade Cocoon 2 is a monster-catching game, but thankfully it does enough to separate itself from obvious Pokemon comparisons. Battles let players unleash multiple monsters at once and they surround the player. This game is definitely for those who are more interested in the gameplay and battle system than the story.
Related
6 Best PS2 RPGs That Never Came To America
These PS2 RPGs spread across Japan, and Europe in some cases, but never North America.
This sequel takes place in the same world as the first Jade Cocoon, only a century afterward. Even so, some characters from the debut entry make an appearance in this sequel, rewarding those who have played both games.
7
Shadow Hearts
Lovecraftian Horror Meets JRPG Gameplay
Shadow Hearts
- Released
-
December 12, 2001
Long before Bloodborne took cues from Lovecraftian horror for its JRPG setting, Shadow Hearts did it and added in a healthy dose of historical fiction. The first Shadow Hearts takes place right on the verge of World War 1 while its sequel is set during the grand conflict.
The Judgment Ring adds flair to the turn-based combat, integrating a QTE mechanic into certain turns to determine how effective certain attacks are or whether they land at all. Considering the gothic vibe and real-world setting, Shadow Hearts is a lot darker in tone than most other JRPGs of the time.
More
PlayStation 2’s library had a few noteworthy RPGs that received the M rating for their mature themes. Here’s how they rank up.