The 20 BEST PS2 RPGs
“Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance” (2001)
Dungeons and Dragons has had no shortage of video game adaptations over the years and out of all of them, the Baldur’s Gate series is the one most highly regarded and synonymous with the tabletop RPG. Forgoing the turn-based combat of many other adaptations, Dark Alliance uses its hack and slash combat to keep players constantly engaged in battle, running the many calculations and dice rolls off screen so players never need to worry about anything beyond the many creatures right in front of them. The addition of couch co-op gave fans of Diablo a console friendly version of the dungeon crawling RPG and its straightforward approach to the often complicated tabletop game brought in many new fans who would have never known it was something everyone could enjoy.
“Dark Cloud 2” (2002)
Level 5’s follow-up to their first ever game managed to not only build on everything that made the first title great but also expand on the mechanics and create an all-encompassing RPG that still puts many modern RPGs to shame with its breadth of content. Tasked with rebuilding the world, players must battle through randomly generated dungeons to collect GeoStones and rebuild the destroyed villages while also contending with the many requests of the rescued villagers for a better version of their hometowns. Along with a new art style also came the implementation of time travel that allowed players to travel to the future to see the fruits of their efforts that makes the many battles they faced in their quests all the more rewarding. It’s a shame the series hasn’t continued as we’d have loved to see how Level 5 could have improved on the series even further.
“Kingdom Hearts II” (2005)
The original Kingdom Hearts was a concept that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. Combining elements of Final Fantasy games with beloved Disney properties sounds like a fever dream but ended up being the start of a franchise with a legion of fans still trying to decipher its overarching plot. Kingdom Hearts 2 streamlined everything fans loved about the first game and improved upon it. Combat was faster, the story was much easier to follow, there was more diversity in the worlds you visited, Donald was useful, and the much-maligned Gummi ship sections were actually fun. Square Enix even tapped into the coveted Disney vault and allowed players to explore the worlds of Steamboat Willie and Tron! Kingdom Hearts II improved on nearly every aspect and remains many fans' favorite entry in this increasingly convoluted series.
“Final Fantasy X” (2001)
The first entry in the long running franchise on the PS2, every new Final Fantasy game was an event, but there was something different about Final Fantasy X’s release. Thankfully Final Fantasy X more than met the hype and made some huge leaps for the franchise going forward. The first FF title to feature voice acting, as we’ve said for better or worse, fully voiced characters added an extra level of depth to their struggles as opposed to simply reading about their pain and frustrations, now you could hear it. FFX was also the first entry to use fully 3D backgrounds bringing more life to the world as Tidus and his companions openly explored the vast and vibrant landscape. Final Fantasy X marked a turning point for the franchise that every future entry has built upon but at its core this is the best and most accessible title for new and old fans alike.
“Persona 4” (2008)
Yes, believe it or not, Persona 4 released on the PS2 almost a full 2 years into the PS3’s lifecycle. While many experienced the title on Sony’s PSVita, longtime series fans eagerly dusted off their PS2s for what some would argue is the best entry in the franchise. Arguably one of the most stylistic RPGs on the market, Persona 4 just oozes charm with instantly likeable characters living their day to day lives going to class and building friendships all while investigating a series of murders connected to the TV World. You would think that living out the daily lives of school children would grow tiresome but the clever writing and numerous twists and turns in the narrative kept players engaged and constantly guessing until the very end. Persona 4 has been re-released numerous times with extra content and has even seen multiple spin offs including rhythm and fighting games.
What was your favorite RPG on PS2? Let us know down in the comments.