Top 10 Hidden PS2 Gems
8. Growlanser Generations
Growlanser is just one of those odd series that could never get off the ground in the US. Of the six titles of the series, Western audiences received Growlanser Generations (which is a compilation of Growlanser II and III) and Growlanser: Heritage of War (Growlanser IV) during the PS2 era, and Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time (the fifth entry) as a PSP port.
Heritage of War… isn't really as good as the two entries of Generations, and two games are usually better than one anyway. Growlanser II is a direct sequel of the first game, and while there are a lot of cameos from the original title, it's not required to play through in order to understand II. Growlanser III is a prequel to the entire series, taking place well before the other games.
What sets the Growlanser games apart from the pack, other than the very shiny art style, is its battle system. Battles take place in semi-real time, with a character's speed stat affecting when they can move. It's not quite like a real-time strategy title in which you are constantly moving and micromanaging characters, but it's also unlike a turn-based game wherein you have plenty of time to map out your moves. Much revolves around this aspect of time, as you have to balance how to move your characters, spell casting times, and other elements as you defeat enemies or complete other tasks. It's certainly a different flavor of strategy RPG, and well worth a try for fans of the genre.
Tags: SkyGunner, PlayStation 2, Skygunner, Klonoa 2, Okage: Shadow King
Rogue Galaxy was lots of fun - i agree
freedom fighters
If you haven't played the original Shadow Hearts, do so now. It is an amazing game, and was left off of this list for no good reason. Covenant is okay at best. Sure the transformations are better, but the characters overall are weaker. A vampire who's a wrestler and wears a butterfly mask? Really? Play the original trust me, it's awesome. Skip the rest, they get progressively worse.
Dark chronicle is amazing and I don't know Many who have played it.
How good/accurate can this list be when they can't even spell the name of their #9 correctly?
Shadow Hearts Covenant is an amazing game, one of the best of that generation. Another amazing game that is a bit of a hidden gem is Rogue Galaxy.