Summary
Usually, the consensus about a video game’s quality is that it is good, bad, or somewhere in between with very few divergences. Naturally, this follows suit for role-playing games, with many of the better entries in the genre regarded as some of thebest games ever made.
Still, there are times when not everyone is in agreement. Sometimes a story does not connect with some in the way it does with others, or there are differences of opinion on other aspects like gameplay, control schemes, or art-style. Whatever the case, Sony’s mighty PlayStation 2 is packed with such polarizing RPGs, and it’s worth dusting off the old console and seeking out a copy to give them a try.
A game within a game,.hack//G.U. vol. 1//Rebirthis set in an MMORPG called ‘The World’. Ridiculous game name aside, it is a spin-off of the wider.hackuniverse. This entry is the first in theG.U.trilogy, and is the most polarizing of the three, since the latter two were more negatively received.
Controlling Haseo, players seek out another mysterious player known as Tri-Edge, who deliberately caused Haseo’s friend Shino to fall into a coma in real life due to his in-game actions. The game received legitimate criticism for the repetitive nature of some aspects, but the immersive elements andthe unique premisemake this game a curiosity.
There are several major changes inDevil Summoner – Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Armycompared to the rest of theDevil Summonerseries. The most notable is the move to real-time combat, as opposed to the more traditional turn-based battles that fans were used to. Another is the more historical setting.
As Raidou Kuzunoha, a private detective in the 1930s in Tokyo, players are able tofreely explore the Japanese capital, battling various demons with Raidou’s sword, gun and summons. The short length, underwhelming graphics, and major gameplay changes were met with a mixed reception, but the choice of location and time period, as well as demons appearing in historical Tokyo, intrigued both players and critics.
Clearly inspired by Tim Burton films,Okage: Shadow Kingdoes not appeal to all players. Controlling Ari, a quiet and ordinary boy in the land of Tenel, players must venture out to defeat evil spirits after Ari’s sister is cursed by a ghost. Assisted by Stan, an evil spirit who has infiltrated Ari’s shadow, combat is turn-based.
Much like the art-style, the story and humor have a “love it or hate it” vibe. Taking over 20 hours to complete left some reviewers feeling that the game overstayed its welcome, but players who enjoy wacky characters and zany comedy should view this title as a must-play.
Perhaps the most heavily criticized game on this list,Dawn of Manareceived negative reviews at the time, despite being part of the popularManaseries. Combat is like a less-refinedKingdom Hearts, a game that was already five years old by that point. Rather irritatingly, the player’s levels and equipment are reset after every chapter.
Despite these poor qualities, Keldric’s whip is acool weapon that is funto use, allowing him to throw nearby objects or enemies. While many balk at the derivative story, it’s still somewhat enjoyable with its charming characters, and the stunning visuals make up for other flaws.
The sequel toLegend of Legaia,Legaia: Duel Sagais much more divisive than its predecessor. The story and characters don’t seem to appeal to everyone, but fans of the first game will likely enjoy it, especially since it has more features like weapon and armor customization.
Like the first game,Duel Sagafeatures the unique“Tactical Arts System” for turn-based combat, which is surprisingly intuitive and makes it feel more like a fighting game. This, along with some other fun gameplay mechanics and timeless art-style, make it an enjoyable experience for any players willing to give it a go.
A remake of the Game Boy Advance game,Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memoriesreceived a mixed response from fans. The main improvements include a complete change in art-style from 2D to 3D and the addition of voice acting and full-motion video in cutscenes, keeping this entry on a par with otherKingdom Heartsgames on the PS2.
Maintaining the card-based battle system from Nintendo’s handheld port received some criticism, with many feeling that the game was not well-balanced. Despite this, fans of the series enjoy the story here, and many of their favorite characters from theKingdom Heartsgames feature prominently.
A game that draws a lot of ire fromFalloutfans,Fallout: Brotherhood of Steelis vastly different from the rest of the series. However, it can still be enjoyable if notcompared to otherFalloutgames. Very much of its time in terms of edgy dialogue and humor, it’s now the butt of many jokes, rather than a serious entry in the post-apocalyptic franchise.
The game plays more like a dungeon-crawling shooter with platforming elements, and features six playable characters. The skill tree functions in much the same way as the rest of the series. Perhaps ifBrotherhood of Steelhad been a standalone game with similar themes, rather than part of theFalloutseries, it wouldn’t receive the same amount of vitriol.
It’s amazing to think thatsuch an iconic seriescould get off to a rocky start, but the debut titleMonster Hunterwas not the roaring critical success one would expect. High sales were undoubtedly responsible for more releases because there are myriad issues with this game, most notably the nonsensical control scheme.
Sadly, most of the game is inaccessible for most nowadays, since online servers have closed down. However, a dedicated fanbase has found workarounds. Featuring 30 monsters and five weapons, it is still a fun game to play, though players should prepare for a high amount of grinding if they wish to progress. There are three main mission types inMonster Hunter:
The second installment in the trilogy,Xenosaga Episode 2: Jenseits von Gut und Böseis a sci-fi RPG set in the distant future, long after humans have left Earth. As in the other entries, the title refers to a Nietzsche quote and translates to “Beyond Good and Evil”, due to the themes of morality, religion and the afterlife.
Players and critics enjoyed the more polished visuals and character designs compared to the first game, and the narrative has largely been praised. The main issues in this entry are the unnecessarily complicated changes to combat and the removal of customization options which were present in the previous entry. Prospective players should prepare themselves for ludicrously long cutscenes too.
Departing from the roots of the series,Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7is a third-person shooter with some familiar role-playing elements. Set three years after the events ofFinal Fantasy 7, players take control of Vincent Valentine in his battle against the mysterious Deepground organization.
The major change to a third-person shooter baffled many fans, and sluggish controls made matters even worse, especially for players with modern sensibilities. Still, the story is decent, providing more information about theenigmatic and fan favorite character, Vincent, so it’s worth playing. Players just need to be a bit patient.
