[PS2] Must Own PS2 Games, or how many middling JRPGs can you suggest?

ICO - The best playstation 2 game ever. Period. A near-perfect fairytale of mystery, atmosphere, deep melacholy and enchanting warmth. A 3D platform puzzler of sorts, you follow two cursed children in their struggle to escape a massive, abandoned, haunted castle, unable to understand each other's language, yet drawn together by fate and growing companioship. A beautifully built title to charm and move you, it's certainly not for everyone, but if you are an experience gamer, this is the gem to go through.

Shadow of the Colossus - Another distressingly beautiful and melancholic experience from the same team as ICO, this tells the tragedy of a giant slayer driven to travel a forbidden land in a bid to bring back a loved one to life. Minimalistic in cutscenes or plot twists; like ICO, it tells its story through your actions and travels, rather than dialogue or other usual non-interactive story devices. Breathtaking battles with massive creatures involved, but it's not a title for surface gamers.

Okami - If you're a poorfag and never owned a Nintendo machine or otherwise never played a Zelda game but always wanted to, Okami is the closest thing you can get on a Sony console. Instead of being a cheap clone, Okami borrows the best parts and mixes it up to form a wonderful whole that is very much its own game and experience. Very long and rich, impeccable in presentation and design.

One of THE most beautiful games ever deviced, the aesthetics of the title are so well done even most of its fans don't quite realize how perfect they are. The idea of old japanese drawings come to life to tell an epic tale of ancient gods and adventure is emphasized through every minute detail, from the bold cel shaded brush outlines to the wonderful little paper filter acting as the rough surface of the paper the story is drawn on.

REZ - Tetsuya Mizuguchi's audio masterpiece. A wonderful on-rails shooter in Panzer Dragoon style, combined with excellent electronica soundtrack and Kandinsky inspired trippy visuals, Rez is a beautiful triumph of the interactive entertainment form.

Final Fantasy XII - Controversial for many, FFXII stands as one of the best RPGs of our generation. Rich and beautifully designed, its revised battle system with gambits and lack of random encouters will enchant and infuriate alike. I felt the system was welcoming and thoughtfully designed, providing flexibility and freedom, while just as many probably balked at the deviations from the norm and old standards. Some bemoaned an apparent lack of story while many felt it was simply written different (hint, there is very much a story). Play it and see for yourself, it didn't win EDGE magazine's game of the year award for nothing~

Gradius V - One of the best 2D scrolling shooters ever. Treasure succesfully updates a classic series with a stunning entry, filled with magnificent setpieces, music and tight, tight controls. DESTROY THE CORE.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Dragon Quarter for 8 bucks is a goddamn steal. Excellent game, relatively simple story but the atmosphere is superb, the journey and ending especially are haunting. And then you play it all over again~

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Syndrome

The Red Star
...
It's supposedly based on some novel, but I haven't read that.

A comic book series, actually. Props for mentioning it, a very overlooked little gem.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Syndrome

I have it on PS2, and I find it pretty much unplayable with the frame rate being so incredibly shitty.

I have it on GC, like Spartan and Sands of Time. But they're all games worth owning on PS2 if you don't have anything else. So long as you have ze game.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

That is the worst joke ever. Zone of the Enders 1 for a few bucks is too meh, yet you recommend Brotherhood of Steel?

FFXII is admittedly very time consuming, but no more time consuming than any other large jRPG on the system. I'd argue you can easily play it in bunches of a few hours, sometimes spending that time on story bits and sometimes planning new gambit systems and grinding for treasure. Certainly would be getting a lot of value for money.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I thought it was a short but sweet title. Fairly simple, but what it did it did with great flair. The controls worked well, the visuals still look nice and the story, while short and simple still managed to be gripping. Plus it came with the MGS2 demo with jap audio. It was the trailer that was better than the actual movie! And!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I think that was more God of War 2's fault (the bullshit cliffhanger was one more nail) rather than the general lenght of 7-8 hours.

Gears of War, Max Payne, ZOE(2), Portal, Call of Duty 4, etc are all relatively short games, but it's all quality time instead of 20 extra hours of filler. To complain about surface length is completely silly, especially at so low prices.

How ya doing, buddy?

Looking at their website, you can pick up either Manhunt, Sands of Time or R-Type Final for $9.99

I see Castlevania: Lament of Innocence and Freedom Fighters as well.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Lament of Innocence is for PS2 only.

You're thinking Curse of Darkness.

Jam it back in, in the dark.