PixyJunket

Maybe I've been saying this for a long time now but it may have to actually happen now. Maybe you can help with some suggestions. Take a look at my lists below (and click on the link in my sig to see what I have for GC/Xbox) and maybe you can list some PS2 games I'd enjoy.

Edited from suggestions.

Definite Buys:
Tales of Destiny 2 (import)
Ys I & II Eternal Story (import)
Gitaroo Man
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quater
Gradius III & IV
Maximo
ICO

Maybe Buys:
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
Klonoa 2
Devil May Cry

Look Into:
Mark of Kri
Drakan 2

..and a quick question, I hope I can get an answer here.. will PS2 memory cards share files with Japanese and US games like the PS1 memory cards did?

So.. help me fill my lists.

Lastblade

Final Fantasy X (coming from a guy who really didn't like any of the FF's, heck, I generally dislike Square's games, but FFX is really fun and story is gripping, once you get used to the main character)

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (This game is fast and damn fun when you are being chased by 2 police, and the helicopter is shooting missiles AND dropping oil drums while trying to get 1st place without running over the spike strip.... awesome game)

Rez (if you can find it)

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, best fighting game ever, super deep 1 player mode (will take you months and months, if you dig it), and at $20, it is my game of the year.

illennium

Here are a few suggestions tailored to my sense of your tastes (e.g., I am leaving Final Fantasy X off this list):

Ape Escape 2
Klonoa 2
The Mark of Kri (you may not like the linearity, but trust me, this is a beautifully designed game)
Mister Mosquito
Pac-Man World 2

You may also like:

Drakan 2 (criminally underrated, simple and elegant sword and exploration game that looks like but doesn't play like Tomb Raider)

PixyJunket

Final Fantasy X: NO

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2: Eh.. I think it'd be hard for me to play any racing games after Gotham 2.

Rez: Cool game.. a possibility.

Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution: Not really into fighters anymore.

Noonan

It sounds like you're a RPG fan. If that's the case, I can't say enough good things about Suikoden 3. Even if you never played the first two for PS1, this game is absolutely epic. My personal GOTY for 03.

dom56

Well, if you really liked playing those games then definetly go get the PS2. Don't know anything about the memory card issue, since I don't owned any import in my part. Here a list of must have.

Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
Jak
Jak 2
Devil May Cry
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
Kingdom Hearts
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Josh H

I'm sure you'll be happy with it. I'm a diehard lifelong Nintendo fan, but I have no problems saying that Sony has the best game library this gen in terms of having the most good games and the most variety.

Metroid Prime, Zelda and Eternal Darkeness are better than anything on the PS2, but the PS2 has a much larger quantity of games I'd rate as AAA.

Joshic

I have Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 for PS2. A great game... if you played it a year and a half ago. Seriously, the graphics are like PS1 level. They are utter crap. Worst graphics of any decent racing game this console generation. BUT the gameplay is extremely fun. If you've played PGR2, it will be really, really, really hard to go back to the graphics level of NFS:HP2.

PixyJunket

Ape Escape 2: Anything that seperates it from other platformers reccomended?

Klonoa 2: YES. Love this game!

The Mark of Kri: Hmm.. what kind of game is it?

Mister Mosquito: ???

Pac-Man World 2: NO.

Drakan 2: You have my interest!! Anything like Maximo?

---

Jak: Eh.. R&C sounds more fun.

Jak 2: No thanks.. don't like EXTREME games.

Devil May Cry: Possible budget buy. I like it.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus: Like the graphics.. anything to seperate it from R&C?

Kingdom Hearts: Kinda fun and cute, but I think I have better RPGs already on queue.. $20 sounds good though.

Final Fantasy X-2: <blink>HELL NO</blink>

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence: I dunno.. I'm a big CV fan and this does nothing for me.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty: NO.

---

Suikoden 3: Well.. to say I'm an RPG fan is strange. I'm not fond of this "new" style of RPGs like FFX or Xenocaca at all. I really like action based RPGs, and to be honest, with all the games I may want on the PS2, the 2 imports listed above are what's making me buy one.. both action RPGs.. Never played the PS1 games.. what are it's good points? Bad points? Is there lots of dialouge? Do you have to think about battles?

Ginwen

Suikoden 3: Yes, lots of talking, especially in one of the towns. A couple things distinguish Suikoden games from other console rpg-type games.

1. In all the Suikoden games, you are making this town by recruiting people. Not everyone you recruit relates to fighting, or at least not directly (like you recruit a guy for weapon shops, or you recruit a cook and then find different ingredients and then buy food that has different effects on you or your party). It's kind of dumb, but breaks things up.

2. Most of it is a fairly standard console RPG (talk to somebody, find out what you need to do, try to do it or level up a bit then do it), but periodically, you have these little strategy battles, with a defined goal (which might be defeating somebody, or might just be living for X amount of turns). That part of the game is kind of like Shining Force or Vandal Hearts. Since I love these games, this is probably my favorite part.

Suikoden 3 is kind of slow and long, but I thought it was worth playing (but I also like Final Fantasy, which you appear to detest).

tonyc3742

Pixy: Why do FFX and FFX2 get a No and a HELL NO!?

I just got a PS2 for Christmas, so I'm enjoying this thread also, the PS2 has got a lot of excellent Greatest Hits, pre-owned, or clearance ; ) games available--the only trouble is deciding what to get, and when to play.
I currently have
ATV Offroad 2 [came with the unit]
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance [awesome and fun, but SHORT]
Grand Theft Auto III and VC
Final Fantasy X
Karaoke Revolution [my wife's actually]

And I am quite enjoying FFX--it looks beautiful [I hooked it up with the component cables last night, and it does make a difference--subtle but present], the characters seem to have a lot of personality, and I like the sci-fi aspects of the storyline [so far.]

Ginwen: Some of my favorite games of all time are Shining Force, Final Fantasy Tactics and Vandal Hearts I/II. What are the better strategy/RPG's on PS2? I'm currently looking at Disgaea, because it sounds very unique, and i have previously enjoyed Atlus's other releases.

Josh H

He hates games that are real story driven in which you spend a lot of time reading text and watching cinemas.

sararekuforever

Shining Force is THE best

If you want to play a game that is almost idenetical to Shining Force, play "Arc the Lad: Twilight of Spirits"

Also, Front Mission 3 [which I just started playing] is wonderful as well.

Of course, if you hate storylines, you might want to stay away from Arc the Lad and Front Mission 3..no huge FMV's..but lots of text.

PixyJunket

Pretty much what Josh said. I like to play my games not watch them.

Groucho

There are actually three signs of the apocolypse:

1. Josh Hinkle buys an Xbox [IT'S HAPPENED]

2. PixyJunket buys a PS2 [ABOUT TO HAPPEN]

3. Trigger buys a Gamecube [???]

Superboy

You mean if you want to play a game that bears little to no resemblance to Shining Force games, then yes, get Arc the Lad. It sucks BTW.

Don't play FFX or X-2 if you're a long time FF fan. You will wonder what the hell Hironobu Sakaguchi has been smoking.

Breath of Fire is one of the best RPGs i've played in a long time. You'll actually enjoy the part real-time part turn-based battle system. Seriously. Story isn't half bad and it's not overly wordy with pages and pages of useless dialogue. There's also a great deal of tension while playing the game, something not present in most RPGs.

For shooters, don't forget Mobile Light Force 2. For $10, you can't go wrong with a port of the Shikigami no Shiro series.

mtucker

The only two reasons I bought a PS2 are GTA3 and FFX.

Lastblade

Maybe you would consider Mobile Light Force 2.... It is a vertical shooter and only $10. Not the best shooter by any means, the translation is awful, but who cares, it is a shooter game.

Joshic

I have Mister Mosquito. Kind of a quirky Japanese game where you play a mosquito, flying around a Japanese family's house and try to suck blood from everyone. It's a unique concept.

I also played Drakan 2 to completion. Definitely a underrated game. Kind of a action/adventure/RPG type game. It's cool to walk around the areas & fight, then call your dragon and fly around the same areas. Story is nice, action is aplenty, controls are good. No real complaints, other than the huge 1.5MB save file for each save game. Really quite fun. I enjoyed it a lot.

msdmoney

I have played Mr. Mosquito and while it is quirky and unique the novelty wears off pretty fast. If you can find it cheap great, but if not I wouldn't spend to much on it.

jrutz

Everyone:

There are a lot of recommendations out there but for the life of me why are people giving recommendations of games which are cross-platform? If that's the case, why would PixyJunket get a PS2 in the first place? So let's stick to PS2 exclusives, shall we?

Using that mindset, I have recently been picking up PS2 titles in anticipation of a PS2 price drop. Didn't happen before Christmas, so at least I have 18 games standing by that I can't play on my Xbox. But my selection criteria for PS2 games had been:

1. Games exclusive to the PS2
2. Quirky Japanese titles which aren't available on the Xbox

I can get all the online play and awesome graphics from my Xbox - the best reason for someone who already owns one console to buy a PS2 is all those niche titles that aren't available anywhere else. Saying that, here are the titles I picked up over the past couple months:

Ring of Red - Strategy game from Konami, set in an alternate-history 1960s Japan that never surrendered to the Allied forces at the end of WWII.

Kinetica - Largely underated futuristic racer from SCEA.

Wipeout Fusion - Another futuristic racer, this one a continuation of the Wipeout series.

Zone of the Enders - The 2nd Running - Awesome anime-style robot combat from Konami and Hideo Kojima. Cell-shaded graphics make it look like an interactive anime.

Final Fantasy X - Picked this up because it was only $10 at Wal-Mart. Couldn't pass up that bang for the buck.

Virtual Fighter 4: Evolution - Also another $10 Wal-Mart purchase. I love the VF series, I'm just no good at it. Still, $10 for what is regarded as the best fighting game ever isn't too shabby.

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - A Japanese RPG that's pretty decent. For $15, it's a no-brainer for an Xbox owner who has no good Japanese RPGs.

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - an over-indulgent Japanese RPG that forces you to sit through cinemas 45 minutes long? I'm all for it! Plus it's in the Xenogears universe - I'm a sucker for mecha RPG action.

Onimusha 2 - Cinematic "survival-horror" from Capcom - with a samurai. I have Genma Onimusha for the Xbox, but the second title is supposed to be bigger and better.

Okage: Shadow King - I've always been interested in this title since it was released. A cute Japanese RPG that looks like it's right out of the world of Tim Burton.

Extreme G III - This one was regarded as the best in the series, and it only came out for the PS2 and GC. Me + futuristic racer = must buy.

Robot Alchemic Drive (R.A.D.) - Imagine running around Tokyo with a giant robot at your disposal. This game from Enix is just like those kaiju TV shows you loved as a kid. And on top of that it's different than anything you've ever played.

Soul Reaver 2 - I love the Legacy of Kain series, and I still have fond memories of the first Soul Reaver title on the Dreamcast. I saw, I had to have.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3 - Speaking of fondness for Dreamcast titles, the Tokyo Xtreme Racer series was and still is one of my favorite racing franchises. This one was only $20 new so it was automatic.

Ico - Here's another one from Sony that everyone loved but not too many people bought. Easy comparisons are to the new Prince of Persia game. The gameplay may not be as good but the story is better than anything you've experienced.

Stretch Panic - This is one you may or may not go for. It's by Treasure, the developer of many an awesome shooter. This is a little different for them though, it's a platformer with a character who uses a stretchy whip for a variety of functions. It may not be the most beautiful game but it has more originality than most other games.

The Document of Metal Gear Solid 2 - It's not really a game, but it goes into the making of MGS2. Sure MGS2 might not be everyone's favorite game, but there's no question a lot of effort went into it. This title "documents" everything - video, photos, and design notes on that specific element of the game's design.

I'm missing one, but you get the picture. In a few years when the PS4 is out, these niche titles will still standout as being different from everything else out there. Hope that helps.

Jeremy

Setzer

Final Fantasy X - One of the better games in the series. It's third on my list behind FFVI and FFIV.

Final Fantasy X-2 - One of the best sequels to an RPG ever made, imho.

Disgaea - Great Strategy/RPG

Hot Shots Golf 3 - If you like Golf, this game is awesome.

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando - Excellent game play...lot's of action and weapons. Most fun I've had with a game in some time.

Josh H

To be fair, I never professed my hatred/dislike etc for the x-box as the others you listed did for the respective consoles.

I didn't have one simply because there were no must have exclusives for me until KOTOR came out, thus I had no reason to buy one.

The size was a minor discouragement as well though, as I had to do a lot of rearranging in my HT setup to fit the behemouth in there.

Outlaw

I think you've selected some pretty good games, Gitaroo man, Klonoa 2 and the like.

Sky gunner is pretty good. Not super great but a nice, fun, little title.

Devil May Cry (the first 1 one) is good, heavy on the action and gameplay.

You might also like Shinobi. I've never played the 2D version so I'm not sure how you might feel about this one, but this version is pretty much an arcade game, there's no collecting or anything, just tons of action in level based gameplay. Its not too bad either.

Ape Escape 2, name might not be that appealing but its a very good game. It's one of the only games to use the analog sticks in a different way than most other games because you have to operate all kinds of gadgets to catch monkeys. Plus the game is somewhat quirky, and has a lot of funny unlockable stuff thats just as strange.

zero

Well Pixy no worries you'll always be l337 in my eyes. Well here are a few recommendations on my end.

Maximo (warning you now, the save system sucks but the game is tough as nails)
Maximo: Army of Zin
Gradius III & IV
Gradius V
R Type Final
Devil May Cry
Disgea: Hour of Darkness
Sly Cooper - this game is NOTHING like R & C namely because Sly has only one weapon, and that is his cane. Yes he learns new abilites to help him thwart the bad guys but no large guns and stuff.

You're already getting Klonoa 2 so im not gonna bother telling you why you should get it.

Castlevania- A very good game just very short. If you're looking for a Castlevania fix get Castlevania Chronicles.

Thats about all I can think of right now keeping your tastes in mind. Hope I've been of service.