What overlooked PS2 games should I pick up cheap now?

Cafe Society
1

The PS2 was probably the greatest game system of all time thus far; the fact that even after getting a Wii and a 360, I’m about to buy yet another PS2 game (“Hot Shots Tennis”) is testament to the system’s greatness and longevity. I have strongly nostalgic feelings for my system and the time spent with it.

But now that it’s pretty much reached its twilight, what are some great overlooked games that one can go out and pick up for reasonably cheap? I’m looking for all of those great games that may have slipped through the cracks.

Feel free to throw in games from smaller publishers like Atlus or Nippon Ichi, even if they’re stupid expensive on the used market.

2

Honestly, PS2 is my least favorite console, despite the massive amount of games. With that said, there are some true gems on there.

Rez: Fucking awesome…for an hour. But man, that hour is how I imagine sex would be…(cries self to sleep) Although the core on-rails shooting gameplay isn’t anything to write home about, the way its blended into the visuals and audios make for one of the most unique experience yet. For you see, there’s a specific “rhythm” to each level – each time you destroy an enemy, a musical note sounds, which ties directly into (surpisingly good) techno soundtrack

Beyond Good and Evil This is perhaps my favorite game of the last generation, and certainly among my top 10 of all time. It offers an epic storyline, along with Zelda-esque gameplay, yet always feels completely fresh and inspired. The pacing is perfect, the graphics are still great, and the game play is top-notch. Play it now.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit: Forget about those poser “Underground” spinoffs, this is the real deal. You race exotic cars around while trying to avoid being rammed off the road by the police, who somehow have the budget for equally exotic cruisers. I don’t know if you like racing games or not, but this one certainly leads the pack. Also, I loved the police chatter – some great stuff there.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence: Yeah, this game isn’t exactly a low-key title, but perhaps you missed it. I’m not a huge fan of the MGS series, but I’ll be damned if this game didn’t humble me. Amazing graphics, stellar story (not so much for the actual plot, but the execution), and one of the most engaging conclusions I have ever experienced (the last two hours are non-stop action). Oh, and the stealth system is actually fucking awesome in this game, between the camouflage system, and the surprisingly good AI (no more 5ft cones of vision here).

3

Beyond Good and Evil.

A wonderful adventure game with some really amazing characters, side quests, and a cool photography activity. As a former hardcore gamer, I would say it is just as good as any Zelda game. Do yourself a favor and buy it. You will love it.

4

I would just like to add that Beyond Good and Evil also has some of the best music in any videogame ever. That is all.

5

Huh. Used to be I was the only person on this board singing the praises of BGaE. Nice to see everyone else is catching on.

If you happen to see a copy of either Klonoa 2, Ico, or Shadow of the Collosus, pick those up as well. You stand less of a chance of finding these in most bargain bins, but if you happen to come across them they are some of the most overlooked gems in the PS2 library.

6

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus were two of my favorite games. I played the hell out of MGS3: Snake Eater, but never picked up the “Subsistence” edition - should I? I really hated the top-down only camera mode in MGS3, but I heard that this was fixed with a more pannable camera in “Subsistence.”

I always forget about Beyond Good and Evil! Everyone says what an incredible game it was, but I never played it. Is the Gamecube version significantly better? I have a Wii now and would go for the GC version if I need to.

7

Man, I’ve been singing this game’s praises since you were in diapers, regardless of whether you’re older than me or not.

I’ve been spreading the word whenever and wherever I can, even if it doesn’t make any sense contextually. The game is that fucking good (as you clearly know).

8

Depends on how much you enjoyed it I guess. I mean, fundamentally it’s the same game, but the new camera makes it so much better, imo. I tried playing it by switching to the old camera, and omg, I couldn’t stand it. But again, it’s still the same game. Whether that warrants another playthrough or not is up to you.

According to IGN, it was Xbox > GCN > PS2. Though they concede the differences are minimal; honestly, the platform doesn’t really matter, from what I’ve heard and played briefly. Just buy it and be done with it!

9

Wow…glad I checked in. Will have to add Beyond Good and Evil to my Gamefly queue.

I was going to write in with Amplitude, by Harmonix (the makers of Guitar Hero). It’s another rhythm game, where you build songs by such artists as Weezer, Garbage, David Bowie and Blink-182, track by track, by getting down the rhythm of the guitar, the drums, the vocals, etc. Although it was preceded by Frequency, I like the gameplay (and music) of Amplitude much more. It’s also got a great two player simul-play mode, which is excellent fun if you can find someone of your approximate skill level.

10

I understand the appeal of Rez, but I honestly could never get into it. The synthesis of the sound effects and music was neat, though. Isn’t this one of those games that goes for hundreds of dollars on the used market?

11

I liked Amplitude a lot.

12

I’ll throw in a vote for Beyond Good and Evil as well. And if you come across it for cheap, Kya is a decent platformer.

13

Let me add my praises for Beyond Good and Evil and my all time favourite Ico.
I liked Shadow of the Collosus as well, but did find it quite annoying how you have to replay large parts time and time again if you fail.
I would like to add Okami, although I haven’t played it (I sold my PS2 just before it got released) but I have heard very, very good things about it.
I am not sure whether it is a budget title yet.

14

Psychonauts, by the creator of Monkey Island and Grim Fandango, among others. It was very much overlooked; it is often mentioned in Top 10 “Why didn’t you play these games?” lists. It’s a collection based platformer, and god knows there isn’t a shortage of those, but the atmosphere, humor, and versatility make it worth it.

15

I’ll second Psychonauts.

16

So VCO3, try Beyond Good & Evil yet? :wink:

17

Whoa, Daddy. Big “Amen” there. This is by far the best PS2 game I’ve played and is my number three favorite game of all time. The depth of it is stunning - the amount of technical detail, shocking. For example, talk to Sigint over the Codec with any given weapon or item equipped, and he’ll tell you all of the technical specs of it and its history and everything. Talk to Para-Medic and you’ll learn all about all the different animals and plants in the game. If you’re like me, you can be entertained for hours just listening to the Codec conversations alone.

The Getaway is also worth a purchase. Overlooked and underrated, in my opinion. Amazing cutscenes, a cast of characters right out of a Guy Ritchie movie, and all real cars (as opposed to GTA which has made-up ones.) The map of London is recreated pretty faithfully, at least according to those who have been there (I haven’t.) It can be a frustrating game and requires a lot of patience, but just watching the cutscenes is enough of a reward for me.

(I’m one of those people who prefers movie-style games with lots of cutscenes - if you’re a fan of arcade-style gameplay, these games are definitely not for you.)

18

Because it’s so old and its your favorite console, I’ve no idea what you’ve overlooked. Also, just about ANY PS2 game can be picked up on the cheap.

My vote: Diablo…and curse the heavens for them not creating a PS2 version of its sequel or any of the expansions

19

I made a similar thread here:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=401657&highlight=games

20

I’ve been thinking of picking up a PS3 just to play Katamari Damacy again (my PS2’s controller went down and I gave it to a friend who fixed and kept it). Awesome and addictive game.