The best RPGs on the PS2 mostly fall in the E for Everyone or T for Teen categories. For example,Kingdom Hearswas marketed toward kids who loved Disney. It was a wild action RPG platformer that bridged the gap between Disney movies likeAladdinand well-known franchises likeFinal Fantasy.
Speaking of,Final Fantasy 10was also a huge hit on the PS2 and was more for teenagers who initially grew up with the series starting on the NES. Were there even any RPGs that were M-rated on the console? The pickings were slim but there were indeed, so let’s take a look.
Drakengard, orDrag-on Dragoonas it is known in Japan, was an action game from Square Enix. It’s also tied into the NieR series which branched off from this and became a bit more popular thanks to entries likeNieR: Automata. This first game followed Caim and his dragon, Angelus, as he waged war against an enemy faction.
The gameplay style was similar to an action game likeDynasty Warriorsas hundreds of troops stormed the battlefield during missions. The great thing aboutDrakengardcompared toDynasty Warriorsthough is that Caim could hop on his dragon to decimate rows of villains in fiery blazes which never ceased to be satisfying. It’s certainly far from Square Enix’s best on the PS2 but it, and its sequel, are good mindless fun.
Some may think thatFallout 3jumped the shark fortheFalloutseriesby making it a first-person, open-world shooter instead of a top-down RPG. Fallout 3 was not, however, the first genre change for the series and many either missed or forgot aboutFallout: Brotherhood of Steelduring this PS2 era. It was top-down like the classic entries but it was an action RPG modeled after games like Diablo.
Players began in a dilapidated town wherein they had to take care of some infestation troubles as was a classic way to start any RPG campaign. As the name might suggest, eventually things became a bit more involved with the Brotherhood of Steel showing up in all of their glamorous post-apocalyptic armor. For aDiabloclone, it was not half bad and the addition of co-op helped its case as well for those starving for a good multiple RPG on the system.
Castlevania: Curse of Darknesswas the second 3D game in the series to hit the PS2 with the first beingCastlevania: Lament of Innocence. While that game had the Metroidvania formula, it lacked the RPG elements that this one had. It was also rated M compared to the T for Teen rating which felt criminal as any horror-based game should be M-rated or R-rated if it’s a movie. The star of this game was Hector, a Devil Forgemaster who could create demons from a cauldron.
These demons would make contracts with him and follow Hector around like a more villainous version ofPokemonor theShin Megami Tenseiseries would be a more fitting comparison. They could be leveled up and Hector could get stronger too and equip new gear.Castlevania: Curse of Darknessis not as good as any of the 2D Metroidvanias that followedCastlevania: Symphony of the Night, but it is up there as one of the best in the series overall.
4Yakuza
Metacritic Score: 75
It’s incredible to playthe originalYakuzaon PS2 now, thinking about how far the series has come in almost two decades. There was even a remake,Yakuza Kiwami, that helped iron out a lot of kinks. Taken on its own, the original version is rough but it’s still a great and underrated PS2 game of its era.
But as clunky as some of the things are on PS2, there’s nothing quite like punching thugs and leveling up while experiencing the majesty that is Kamurocho. It was great to go back to Kazuma’s first story and to play it in English too. It’s fun to imagine what the series would have been like if Sega kept English actors like Mark Hamill around.
3Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha Vs. The Soulless Army
Metacritic Score: 74
There could be an entire list based onShin Megami Tenseigamespublished and developed by Atlus during the PS2 era, all of which were rated M for Mature. Among the many that were turn-based, this one stands out as it had an action combat system.Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Armytook place around 19th century Japan and followed Raidou, a young detective in Japan, who gets roped into helping an older private detective deal with paranormal cases.
There is an overarching narrative but it is also an episodic adventure with a case-by-case investigation. Battles are randomized which is a pain to go back to now, but the combat in these instances is fun thanks to the aforementioned action gameplay. It, and its direct sequelDevil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, are two of the great forgotten entries in this franchise.
Shadow Hearts: Covenantis often regarded as the best entry in this PS2 trilogy. This sequel takes place during World War 1 and follows the hero from the previous adventure, Yuri, out to stop a plot involving Rasputin. Yuri will butt heads with several other historical figures, but Rasputin is the main baddie and his interpretation in this game is wild.
Battles are turn-based with an active system somewhat similar to theMario RPGgames. When players attack a wheel will appear and if timed right, attacks can do more damage. Active turn-based systems like these are always appreciated as they help make players feel more engaged.
Persona 4is without a doubtthe best M-rated RPG on the PS2 and one of the greatest M-rated games on the system overall. The graphics may be simple and a bit cartoony since it is an anime, but the subject matter is dark. A bunch of teens start investigating murders around their school and there is a supernatural twist to it.
These teens gain powers to summon demons that they use in dungeons found inside TVs. It’s a bizarre setup but that’s par for the course for thePersonaseries. There are hundreds of hours of gameplay between fighting monsters, investigating crimes, and hanging out with friends and none of it feels boring.
