ThePlayStation 2was home to a bevy of stellar JRPGs, some of which managed to be genre-defining in their own right. From the legendaryFinal Fantasy Xto the marvelous nature ofPersona 4— even though itsGoldencounterpart was an improvement in every way, shape, and form — there’s no shortage of incredible JRPGs on the PS2 that has been quite notable in their own right.
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However, that being said, there are certain JRPGs on Sony’s console that are also heavily underappreciated, in no small part due to the genre’s golden age slowly fizzling out around this time that made a ton of games go under most people’s radars. Keeping this in mind, here are ten of the greatest JRPGs ever made for the Ps2 that didn’t receive the love they deserved.
10Jade Cocoon 2
TheJade Cocoonseries is easily one of the most underrated JRPG series of all time, with the second game in the series serving as a noteworthy improvement over its already excellent predecessor.
It’s a shame that most JRPG veterans have absolutely no clue about theJade Cocoonfranchise since these titles are brilliant in nearly every department. They are, undoubtedly, still worth tracking down in this day and age.
9Shadow Hearts
A JRPG that uses Lovecraftian themes and elements to deliver a brilliant tale that’s further augmented by stellar combat, it’s a shame that not many people have played theShadow Heartstrilogy properly.
Any fan of unique JRPG stories should definitely give these games a whirl. WhileShadows Hearts: Covenantis generally considered to be the best in the franchise, each entry is notable for being a highly memorable experience.
8Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy
Featuring a massive cast of characters, a story that manages to keep things fresh — for the most part, at least — and an excellent alchemy system that takes on the role of crafting in this game,Mana Khemia 2deserved a ton of praise and sales upon release.
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Unfortunately, the game received neither and ended up being one of the forgotten JRPGs for the PS2. A shame, since there are many good concepts inMana Khemia 2that are still enjoyable to this day.
7Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana
While the rise ofAtelier Ryzamight’ve finally given this JRPG franchise the plaudits and fame it deserves, there was a time when theAtelierseries was nothing more than a niche product. The franchise has excellent titles across the board, even if most garnered little to no attention in the West.
The title that suffered the most in this regard wasAtelier Iris: Eternal Mana. By all accounts, the mechanics and polish present in this title should’ve made it an instant classic…yet, instead, it became a forgotten gem of the past.
6Dark Chronicle
Dark Chronicle— also known asDark Cloud 2— is one of the most impressive sequels ever made for a JRPG. It was clear that the developer, Level-5, absolutely adored this concept and the fans that played them, as seen in the fact that the sequel improved on pretty much every aspect established in the first game.
The end result is a title with an imaginative combat system and excellent graphics, held back only by a story that treads on familiar ground and ends up being somewhat of a chore to get through.
5Suikoden V
TheSuikodenseries is in dire need of a revival. The fanfare surroundingthis once-massive JRPG seriesbecame rather muted after the third game, which split fans down the middle as many saw it as a sign that the series was in decline. The release ofSuikoden IVwas also pretty disappointing, and fans lost all hope in the next game in the series.
While the first few hours ofSuikoden Vmight make it clear as to why fans had given up on this franchise, it’s only after people get through this slow burn that this entry shows its true colors and transforms into one of the greatest JRPGs of all time. This slow start might be a pain to get through, but players with enough patience will be rewarded with engaging gameplay, a great story, and some of the best characters in a JRPG.
4Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
Upon release,Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarterended up being a highly divisive experience due to its stark departure from the usual modus operandi of this franchise. Consequently, most gamers wrote off this title as a failed experiment.
However, in the modern era, the retrospective forDragon Quarterhas been quite positive, with people finallyenjoying the massive challenge posed by the game’s combatwhile simultaneously getting thrilled by the darker twists and turns in the game’s story.
When most people seek out a great JRPG to try out, there are two factors that receive the most attention: the story andthe combat.Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spiritsexcelled in both these departments, which makes it rather disheartening that the game never received the adoration it truly deserved.
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The tactical combat is an absolute blast to engage in every single time, and the story is brilliantly interconnected and makes for some truly exciting moments indeed.
2Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song
Originally released on the Super Famicon in Japan,Romancing SaGaended up being a fairly notable JRPG series over the course of its run. Therefore, it seemed like a rather pragmatic move toremake the first gamefor the PlayStation 2 so that international audiences could experience the introductory entry in the series for themselves. Naturally, that is not counting theFinal Fantasy Legendgames that precededRomancing SaGa.
Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Songexcelled in this regard, serving asone of the greatest remakes of all timeand a fine entry point for the series itself. It’s a shame that more people don’t talk about this series, since it warrants all the plaudits it has received and more.
1Xenosaga Episode II
When most people think of Tetsuya Takahashi, the first game that would come to mind is eitherXenogearsorXenoblade Chronicles. However, there’s one particular franchise that Takahashi was at the helm of which isn’t nearly as popular:Xenosaga.
The second game in the series received a ton of fan backlash for changing the tone of the story and the design of the characters a bit too much. However, people who try outXenosaga Episode IInow will be able to enjoy what is easilya stellar character-focused entryin the trilogy.
