Complete RPG List for the PS2 - Updated 2017

[Daria]

Same here (not exactly, I love guides )...but I liked the bookformat of the recent Doublejump guides a lot (granted, very small print) like I loved the WD guides for Alundra and Lunar. I'd even opt for hardcover guidebooks like we have in Japan or had in the US from WD for Arc and Vanguard Bandits; but then, probably the market isn't lucrative enough for such elaborate guides in hardcover.

(BTW, Daria, I loved your collections in the Dragon Quest and Zelda threads! VERY IMPRESSIVE.)

However, I doubt what you and heybtbm said about Sony. It is probably PRIMA that insists on a magazine format for (what else?) money reasons, not Sony. Sony has no power over companies who publish guides.

Well whoever's decision it was. It stinks. :Þ

(thanks for the compliment though!)

[heybtbm]

However, I doubt what you and heybtbm said about Sony. It is probably PRIMA that insists on a magazine format for (what else?) money reasons, not Sony. Sony has no power over companies who publish guides.

The info on Sony making the decision comes directly from the source...the people at Doublejump...

http://www.doublejumpbooks.com/yabbs...p?topic=4709.0

[eternalblue81]

Question: I removed the deluxe pack-note from Dot Hack GU. I remember to have read something about a deluxe pack for this game and made even a note, but can't find a thing about a deluxe set offering now. Maybe it was a cancelled EB/GS offering? Let us know if you have any information on this.

Yes, there is a special edition version of .hack//GU that I believe was a GS/EB exclusive. It comes in a larger cardboard box that includes the game, a figurine of the character Haseo, and Terminal Disc, which has a video digest of the prevous .hack games.

[lendelin]

Yes, there is a special edition version of .hack//GU that I believe was a GS/EB exclusive. It comes in a larger cardboard box that includes the game, a figurine of the character Haseo, and Terminal Disc, which has a video digest of the prevous .hack games.

Thanks, guy, you were right and my dim memory correct. I added the deluxe set to the listing. Strangely, I've never seen that thing. It comes with an Haseo action figure and a "Terminal Disc." Someone who has the set might be able to clarify what is on this disc for a more accurate description in the listing?

I changed slightly the deluxe set lists at the end with more accurate and detailed content. This might be very helpful since we all know the evergreen Qs of collectors hunting after the WD sets for the PS1-RPGs like "what the hell was exactly in there?"

EDIT: Sorry, I overlooked in your quote about the disc the part "which has a video digest of the prevous .hack games." I edited the list accordingly. Thanks guy.

[eternalblue81]

Thanks, guy, you were right and my dim memory correct. I added the deluxe set to the listing. Strangely, I've never seen that thing. It comes with an Haseo action figure and a "Terminal Disc."

No problem. Happy to add toward the list. I was wondering if it would be helpful if the games that were only sold in deluxe/special edition form, like Dragon Quest VII, Magna Carta, and those that had the choice between standard and deluxe like Growlanser and .hack//Gu were differently marked?

By the way, I'm a gal, not a guy.

[lendelin]

No problem. Happy to add toward the list. I was wondering if it would be helpful if the games that were only sold in deluxe/special edition form, like Dragon Quest VII, Magna Carta, and those that had the choice between standard and deluxe like Growlanser and .hack//Gu were differently marked?

By the way, I'm a gal, not a guy.

I'm sorry, gal!

Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I think Dragon Quest VIII, Magna Carta, and Star Ocean were only sold in the special packages.(??) All the other titles wree available in standard or deluxe if I'm not mistaken.

[lendelin]

I added the Action/RPG Shining Force EXA (Sega, Sega) which was released just a couple of days ago to the normal RPG category.

For all you guide maniacs, there is a guide released for the game by Brady.

A heads up:
Circuit City has some pretty good games on clearance in their bargain bins for some time now, among them Grandia III, Xenosaga III and Tales of Legendia for $16.96 each. (Also in the bins is Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360 for the same price and Onimusha Dawn of Dreams)

...not as good as a $5 or $10 sale, but still worthwhile checking it out.

[carlcarlson]

i was just looking through gamespots rpg database, and there are still a few rpgs coming out for the ps2 yet. oddly enough, they are all slated to be released within a month of each other. dawn of mana is may 22, odin sphere is may 29, atelier iris 3 is may 15, and persona 3 is in june. grimgrimoire is also supposed to be out in june, though its rts (nippon ichi though). anyway, i think that's pretty exciting, because all of those games look pretty good, and I can't wait to play persona 3. does anyone know anything about these games?

[heybtbm]

I can't wait to play persona 3. does anyone know anything about these games?

Based on the Gamestop/EB website, it looks like we will be getting the "Fes" special edition of Persona 3 when it's released this summer. Persona 3: Fes is a directors cut of the game that adds 30 hours after the final boss. The Fes Edition will be released in Japan in 2 weeks. Pretty cool.

[Daria]

You know I really want to be excited over these titles. Especially Persona 3, but The PS2 RPGs I've played so far (minus DQ8) have all proved to be so bland I find it hard to care anymore.

[lendelin]

You know I really want to be excited over these titles. Especially Persona 3, but The PS2 RPGs I've played so far (minus DQ8) have all proved to be so bland I find it hard to care anymore.

My attitude towards the titles as well. I have to say that my enthusiasm for RPGs decreased this console generation which has nothing to do with game quality. It is just that my gaming habits shifted from adventure games and RPGs towards...oh...the...shame...racers and tennis games. In particular racing games.

While Metropolis Street Racer and GT 3 and 4 with their rich gameplay value turned me into a fanatic who finished even Moto GP 3 (Xbox) and Burnout 3, I finished only a handful RPGs. At times I find the flood of RPGs truly overwhelming anyway. I have around 90 of the games now, and my reaction to new RPG announcements is simply "ANOTHER title to add to my list?"

...but I have to say that FFX and in particular Dragon Quest 8 were spectacular, some of the best gaming experiences I've had. DQ 8 captured perfectly the feel of the old Dragon Warriors, the gameplay, story, characters, and humor matched and was in balance. The game is a truly special treat.

BTW, I got lucky and got two deluxe sets of dot hack G.U. Rebirth, and put one of them up on ebay with detailed scans of the box and inserts. The link is here for the ones interested what exactly in the box and how the action figure and disc look:

http://cgi.ebay.com/hack-G-U-Vol-1-R...QQcmdZViewItem

...but I have also to say that I'm looking forward to Persona 3, not with the old enthusiasm, but with warm feelings nevertheless.

[vaportransmitter]

Wish I would of found this sooner. I have an almost identical list saved on my comp.

Some titles to consider:

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (Konami) / Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (Konami) - I'm always trying to find a reason to add these games. It has experience, levels, equipment, storyline, stats... but I still dunno if they should be counted.

Colosseum: Road to Freedom (Ertain) - I've never played. Looks like a hack n slash. Many places have classified it as an RPG.

Digimon World 4 (Bandai) - Hack n Slash RPG. Plain and simple.

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (Interplay) - Hack n Slash RPG. Plain and simple.

Gauntlet: Dark Legacy (Midway Games West) - Arcadey Hack n Slash.

Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows (Midway Games) - More traditional Hack n Slash RPG.

Pirates: Legend of the Black Kat (7 Studios) - Hack n Slash RPG of sorts, haven't really played it.

----

Samurai Legend Musashi is an RPG and should not be in borderline.
Furthermore, I remember hearing that monster Rancher EVO was an RPG this time around that abandoned many of the simulation elements of the previous games.

I've never understood why Harvest Moon (and RIver King for that matter) were considered RPGs. Enlighten me.

[lendelin]

Wish I would of found this sooner. I have an almost identical list saved on my comp.

Some titles to consider:

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (Konami) / Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (Konami) - I'm always trying to find a reason to add these games. It has experience, levels, equipment, storyline, stats... but I still dunno if they should be counted.

Colosseum: Road to Freedom (Ertain) - I've never played. Looks like a hack n slash. Many places have classified it as an RPG.

Digimon World 4 (Bandai) - Hack n Slash RPG. Plain and simple.

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (Interplay) - Hack n Slash RPG. Plain and simple.

Gauntlet: Dark Legacy (Midway Games West) - Arcadey Hack n Slash.

Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows (Midway Games) - More traditional Hack n Slash RPG.

Pirates: Legend of the Black Kat (7 Studios) - Hack n Slash RPG of sorts, haven't really played it.

----

Samurai Legend Musashi is an RPG and should not be in borderline.
Furthermore, I remember hearing that monster Rancher EVO was an RPG this time around that abandoned many of the simulation elements of the previous games.

I've never understood why Harvest Moon (and RIver King for that matter) were considered RPGs. Enlighten me.

Musashi Samurai Legend should be indeed in the standard RPG list and not in the borderline category. I updated the list accordingly.

Digimon World 4. It is indeed an action RPG which plays much like FF Crystal Chronicles. I guess the Digimon title threw me off, I added it to the standard RPG List. THANKS!!

About your other suggestions:

This goes in a direction I tried to avoid, namely the definition of a RPG since you address important fusion categories. No matter how we define a RPG (from a minimum definition to a maximum definition) and/or identify specific elements as necessary but not sufficient elements of a RPG (e.g. statistics for characters, leveling up by various methods of increasing these statistics, menu-driven combat systems, and others), there will always be hard to define cases, borderline cases, and exclusions of games we actually want to include and vice versa.

The fusion categories strategy/RPG, action/RPG, adventure/RPG, and simulation/RPG are not only the result of insufficient genre definitions which plague videogames since their origins (the unfortunate and non-sensical ‘arcade game’ comes to mind), but are the result of design development in the last twenty years towards hybrid games as well. Even sports games nowadays have trivial RPG elements, and the separation lines between the genres are awfully thin at times. (Thinking about Alundra, the Zelda games, or Shadow of the Colossus.)

In the end we can only evaluate certain RPG-elements of specific games if they dominate or are pushed into the background in order to flavor a certain genre of a game.

Castlevania games: nah, otherwise we should include Devil May Cry and many other games too. One or two elements we’d identify as necessary for an RPG isn’t enough to be recognized as an RPG, otherwise we might include Madden games as well. (otherwise I share your enthusiasm for Castlevania games completely, from the first NES Castlevania to Curse of Darkness the series is one of my all-time favorites. Too bad that the first Devil May Cry was what Castlevania LoI should have been - bad Konami, great Capcom!)

Fallout Brotherhood of Steel. The similarities to Baldur’s Gate are clear since the same game engine is used, but the few RPG-elements (exploration, leveling up with upgrading armor and weapons) are clearly minor and the action elements are emphasized. It is a hack’n slash game with RPG elements added as nice spices, but the action dominates to such a degree and in particular the story is pushed into the background to such a degree that I wouldn’t put it even in the borderline category.

Same as the above goes for the two Gauntlet games. To add some collecting elements and customization elements to an otherwise button mashing hack’n slash fest spiced up by some weak story isn’t enough to make a game a RPG. I regard the three games as much a RPG as the original Gauntlet or the new Ninety-Nine Nights.

Harvest Moon and River King: my weak defense/justification is to be as inclusionary as possible, and the weakest justification for listing them is the agreed fusion category simulation/RPG which is out there. I can’t justify the listing with gameplay elements since I never played a Harvest Moon game. Maybe you can argue for the inclusion or exclusion from the list, and others can provide their input too. I’d have no problems to remove them or putting them in the borderline category.

[lendelin]

Added to the MMORPG list:

Final Fantasy XI: Vana’diel Collection 2008.* Square Enix, Sony Online Entertainment, 11/20/07.

[lendelin]

Added to the standard list:

Digimon World: Data Squad.* BEC, Bandai Namco, 9/18/07.

According to reviews a bad RPG, but nevertheless a RPG.

[lendelin]

Added:

Wild Arms 5. Media Vision, XSEED, 8/28/07. (guide from Prima)

Added to the list of deluxe sets:

10) Wild Arms 5. The cardboard box (“Series 10th Anniversary Edition”) contains an art book covering the entire span of the series. Sold only in the deluxe set.

According to the publisher (XSEED) the game is only available in the set. Although the press release stresses this this goes for launch titles only, I doubt that the game will see a print run sold without the art book and box. However, if the game will be sold in a regular version without the box I change the entry of the deluxe set list.

[lendelin]

Added:

Standard RPG list:

.hack//G.U. Vol. 3: Redemption.* Cyberconnnect2, Bandai Namco, 9/11/07. (No guide)
Growlanser: Heritage of War.* Atlus, Atlus, 9/18/07. (No guide)

Deluxe set list:

06) Growlanser: Heritage of War. The cardboard box includes a hardcover art book, a multi-media disc with art and music from the game, a keychain, two lenticular cards, and three pins. Sold only in the deluxe set.

Updated # of games: 123

[lendelin]

Added to the regular list:
1)Soul Nomad & The World Eaters. Nippon Ichi Software, NIS America, 9/25/07.
2)Musashi Samurai Legend (changed from borderline list to the regular list)
3)Digimon World 4. Bandai, Bandai, 6/1/05.

Added to the borderline list:
1)GrimGrimoire.* Vanillaware, NIS America, 7/26/07.

Additionally, I removed the MMORPGs from the regular list and put them in a separate list after the borderline category. They really shouldn’t be in the regular list, and the entries include all FF XI games (added was FFXI: Wings of Goddess), Everquest Online games, and Monster Hunter.

[lendelin]

Just a heads up, not so new anymore but still available and an attractive offer for some of you:

$19.99 at GS/EB Games: (new)
Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner
Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 2

$19.99 at Walmart:
GrimGrimoire
Shining Force Exa
Rogue Galaxy

(NOTE: Rogue Galaxy is at Target, K-Mart and Sears between $9 and $20, and Circuit City has it since yesterday for $20))

[eternalblue81]

I'd just like to add that anyone looking for Final Fantasy XII for cheap might want to check out their local Toys R Us. They recently clearanced it to 9.98 and through 1/1 they have a half off sale for clearance games under $10. I couldn't help but buy one for $5 even though I already have the GS collector's version, so now I have a regular version in my collection, too.