Recommend me a Sega JRPG for the PS2

[WesternYokai]

Yeah, I'm in a Halo frenzy right now but want to going back to more retro jrpg next.

I have a bunch of preloaded Sega JRPGs on my PS2 HDD, like some Shinning and Phantasy Star.

What do you guys recommend? Don't need to be something "THE BEST JRPG I EVER PLAYED", a mid game that you had a good time is fine. An short explaination why are you recommending would be nice too.

 

[Yuki Senoue]

Phantasy Star Universe (don't play Ambition of the Iluminus first, AOTI is Episode 2).
It got some annoying loads in the PS2 version, tho.

 

[Stookymalarkey]

Since Sega owns Atlus now, would you consider games like Persona 4 or Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne?

 

[Shameless]

Rogue Galaxy is good fun, its a ARPG and has voice acting for alot of it so its generally a lot easier to get into. Story is also nice.

 

[Yuki Senoue]

Rogue Galaxy is good fun, its a ARPG and has voice acting for alot of it so its generally a lot easier to get into. Story is also nice.

Since when is Rogue Galaxy a SEGA RPG?

I wish people could read the questions with more attention...

 

[nobitakun]

Shining Wind is one of the best Shining RPG's :)

 

[bjork]

I haven't played them, but I'd go with one of the Shining games, because I have played PSU and that thing is rotten. I even imported it just to get at it early, and you spend so much time watching the main character stand around emoting instead of actually playing a game, it's frustrating to get through.

 

[Grumpy_Old_Man]

The thing is you already mentioned most of all that I know, for the system the shining games that are Diablo clones(The ones that I've played), similar to the Lodoss war game in the Dreamcast and the Phantasy Star ones, the Universe duology and the remakes of Phantasy star 1 and 2.

 

[χKai]

How about a Namco one? Tales of Legendia is pretty good.

 

[UnDubious]

Sega didn't develop many RPGs for the PS2. The Shining games have various devs, there's pretty much just Phantasy Star Universe, which is awful in single-player (impossibly horrible writing). Phantasy Star Portable on the PSP refines the PSU battle system into a good game, I recommend it much more.
Their big RPG from that era is Skies of Arcadia, which isn't on the PS2.

 

[bubbyrude]

try Sakura Wars V i guess
no, you don't need to play the others

most of the time it's a visual novel but occasionally you'll play a tactics RPG, i didn't finish the game but it was pretty fun. i like the characters a lot more than the most recent entry in the series at any rate.

 

[Yuki Senoue]

Dang, lots of hate for PSU LOL

I don't think it is a bad game, of course PSO1 is WAAAAAAAY better and way more fun (but very few games are as fun as PSO1) but its not this disaster

 

[WesternYokai]

Since Sega owns Atlus now, would you consider games like Persona 4 or Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne?

Would be a nice response but I already played and love Atlus output on the PS2. I want to play the PS4 version of SMT3 one day.

How about a Namco one? Tales of Legendia is pretty good.

Already played this one! Namco is another good output this gen.

try Sakura Wars V i guess
no, you don't need to play the others

most of the time it's a visual novel but occasionally you'll play a tactics RPG, i didn't finish the game but it was pretty fun. i like the characters a lot more than the most recent entry in the series at any rate.

Oh, nice suggestion. I never played any Sakura Wars game and don't mind a good visual novel.

 

[prnzo x BOOZE-o ka-BEER-o]

yea outside of if you count Atlus Shin Megami Tensei/Persona games, there really isn't any JRPGs to speak of by Sega since the OG Phantasy Star JRPGs n the PS2 remakes of PS1 & 2 (I like the 3rd but would understand them skippin a remake of it but... not remaking PS4 is far beyond unforgivable). startin with PSO1 n on they became action RPGs but I still feel a JRPG vibe experience from PSUniv/PSPort/Shining games so close enuph. this is PhanStar's (n in-house Sega devs') entire history of goin by strict-JRPG classifications that made it into English (or import either? [not including Saturn's PhanStar Collection comp] idk):

Phantasy Star - SMS/mkIII
Phantasy Star II - Gen/MD
Phantasy Star III - Gen/MD
Phantasy Star Gaiden - GG
Phantasy Star IV - Gen/MD
Phantasy Star [remaster] - PS2
Phantasy Star II [remaster] - PS2

...wow does Bernie Stolar's ghost (even if he's not dead he proLLy should be who cares just go widdit) haunt Sega's breakrooms or bathrooms or the parkin lot or something? "doooooon't make RPGs!!! especiaLLy JRGPz or uhm shit JRTEs ?? *ahem* J-RPGs!! no!! don't make any of these!! or I'll seize your keys!! drive your car into some trees!! I can't haunt Sony cuz they go..."

- 'bisch pLz! - we'll get Ghostbusters to be on you like bees!!! brvh peEp the stEez !!! we don't fuk wit coRn n ch33ze!! why am I amateur rhymin like I got Dr. Seuss disease?!?!!!(!!!!!) oh fuck I gotta sNEEZE *A-CH00000000* shit ack mucus ain't no joke....'

- "...anyweys this be Bernie n that's meh policy, follow me? I'll get stupid on you like a Wallabee (???) - Prof Stolar the enigmatic anamoly!! ....ok now I'm spittin crap lyrics at a waLL"

^^ totally self-indulgent n unnecessary n is dogwhistling uhm... spoilerage. wut am I spoiling? the vibe. there ya goooo dammit prnzoooo


I have not delved into the Shining PS2 games but they seem compelling enuph. they're mandatory anywey at some point wut with meh bein a Sega Phanboi. Shining Wind is not translated IIRC but I've got a huge stack of Japanese language/cultural tutelage books n even a Rosetta Stone for nihongo so I can brush up on it but I main eigo for now.

playin Shining Resonance Refrain (which I think is from 2013) on Steam n itsss DoaP so Pharrr.

Sega recently doctored-up a Virtua Fighter 5 remaster that I'm enjoyin n have DotEmu (devs who did Streets of Rage 4) releasin a 2-D Shinobi in August for $28 (I pre-ordered that shit at Steam Store screens like a Target Combo) - so with Sega gettin a lil more frisky with reviving legendary risk-franchises perhaps we'll see another Act-RPG to parallel/coalesce with PSO2 MMO jackasseriez n we'LL riZZide off into the sunset in our sicks-FOE

 

[bjork]

Dang, lots of hate for PSU LOL

I don't think it is a bad game, of course PSO1 is WAAAAAAAY better and way more fun (but very few games are as fun as PSO1) but its not this disaster

It might be my biggest gaming disappointment, because like you said, PSO 1 is stellar and I knew anything after that would fall short, but I didn't expect it to fall so much. I think the part where you play it isn't bad, but getting to it felt like an eternity.

 

[Ikagura]

Dang, lots of hate for PSU LOL

I don't think it is a bad game, of course PSO1 is WAAAAAAAY better and way more fun (but very few games are as fun as PSO1) but its not this disaster

Phantasy Star Universe tried to be both PSO2 and Phantasy Star V (as seen in the first trailer) but it clearly didn't excel in either...

Also in a post-WoW and post-FFXI industry they couldn't keep making the same as PSO with the instanced missions...

That makes me wish they actually made PSV then PSO2 as two separate games. At least Ambition of the Illuminus fixed most of the issues but I'd rather recommend Portable 1&2.

 

[DJPlace]

Arc The Lad: Twlight of the spirt's kinda play's like Shining Force a bit but not quote. still it's worth a look.

 

[Yousef]

Sega RPGs

Shining force Shining blade Shining resonance refrain Shining ark Phantasy Star Sakura Taisen/Wars Valkyria Chronicles I’m playing shining blade.

retrogametalk.com

Check here. Might help!

 

[prnzo x BOOZE-o ka-BEER-o]

Phantasy Star Universe tried to be both PSO2 and Phantasy Star V (as seen in the first trailer) but it clearly didn't excel in either...

Also in a post-WoW and post-FFXI industry they couldn't keep making the same as PSO with the instanced missions...

That makes me wish they actually made PSV then PSO2 as two separate games. At least Ambition of the Illuminus fixed most of the issues but I'd rather recommend Portable 1&2.

I like the rapport/learning process of the (numan? jeez I can't even remember Phantasy Star 'races' atm - -_-) Vivian? (like our Vivi Santos? ^_^) ... the feisty tiger-Liger gRRL is likeable too, I was lv 8 joined up with some unlikely ppl hittin a mission - saved it on PPSSPP as usuaL... next day tried to load the savegame n the fiLe was corrupt O_o the other older savefiLes worked... but they were back at lv 3 or w/e ughhh put me off from PSPort for a long time... water underr the bridge now though - I might even give it a go today

 

[Sinmenon]

The thing about PSU is that not everyone vibes with Ethan, the protagonist. I didn't mind him, even if he wasn't one of my favorite protagonists. You need to play as him to unlock the "play as your own character" option. And AotI is the one that you can create your character out of the gate. I also recommend the Phantasy Star Portable 1 and 2 on the PSP but they are continuations of the two PS2 games.

Well, there is also the Phantasy Star I and 2 remakes, which have fan translations.

Strictly Sega-owned?

• Phantasy Star Universe
• Phantasy Star Universe : Ambition of the Illuminus
• Sega Ages 2500 series Phantasy Star Generation: 1 (PSI remake)
• Sega Ages 2500 series Phantasy Star Generation: 2 (PSII remake)
• Shining Tears
• Shining Force Neo
• Shining Force EXA
• Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (Sakura Taisen V)

It was during this generation that SEGA bought Atlus and SAMMY, so Persona 3 and 4, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne and both Raidou Kuzunoha games technically apply.

 

[WesternYokai]

Sega RPGs

Shining force Shining blade Shining resonance refrain Shining ark Phantasy Star Sakura Taisen/Wars Valkyria Chronicles I’m playing shining blade.

retrogametalk.com

Check here. Might help!

Why I'm not surprised that you're a Sega specialist huh

Nice thread, even Sakura Wars PS4 mentioned, I need to play something from this franchise asap

 

[UnDubious]

It was during this generation that SEGA bought Atlus and SAMMY, so Persona 3 and 4, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne and both Raidou Kuzunoha games technically apply.

Sega bought Atlus in 2013, so no, none of those PS2 games count. Besides, Sega never merged Atlus into itself. Atlus remained its own company creatively, with most of the same people still working there in key positions.

 

[What's His Face]

Yeah, I'm in a Halo frenzy right now but want to going back to more retro jrpg next.

I have a bunch of preloaded Sega JRPGs on my PS2 HDD, like some Shinning and Phantasy Star.

What do you guys recommend? Don't need to be something "THE BEST JRPG I EVER PLAYED", a mid game that you had a good time is fine. An short explaination why are you recommending would be nice too.

Sega-developed, or published?
If you want developed... Phantasy Star Universe is all you get.
If you want published (in US)...
Shining Force EXA - Neverland
Shining Force Neo - Neverland
Shining Tears - Nex Entertainment