Summary
- The PS2 had a vast library of obscure games, including kaiju bikini battles and anthropomorphic dog performers.
- Simple Series games offered quirky gameplay mechanics like gun-toting maids and bug-infested buildings.
- PS2 saw unique spin-offs like mahjong with Dynasty Warriors characters, a 3D Metal Slug, and a bizarre Seaman sequel.
The PS2 quickly became the most popular console during the early 2000s. It was thanks to Sony taking a chance with the PS1 that led to the console’s success. Everyone wanted a piece of it, creating one of the largest libraries and a hard one to complete for collectors.
7 Best Games You've Probably Never Heard Of
These are some of the best but hidden titles that you are probably not familiar but are worthwhile to play.
Tracking them down is one thing, but the prices are another. That’s because a majority were never released outside of Japan, leading to some cultural obscurity in the West. Even games that did release over here didn’t always get the biggest press. Here's a breakthrough of some obscure games that are probably just waiting to be revisited on the PS2.
8 Demolition Girl
Too Many Games To Name
- Developer: Tamsoft
- Publisher: 505 Games (EU Version)
- Released: November 18, 2005 (EU Version)
- Platform: PS2
The Simple Series began on the PS1 and offered Japanese players cheap games with silly gimmicks. It ballooned with the release of the PS2 as there were dozens of games, and some even grew into real franchises separated from the Simple Series, including Onechanbara and Earth Defense Force. They offer some of the weirdest gameplay mechanics and premises around, like Simple 2000 Series Vol. 50: The Daibijin, or as it was known in Europe, Demolition Girl.
It’s a kaiju game except that the “monster” is a bikini-clad model that players have to blast with military vehicles. Other Simple Series highlights include Simple 2000 Series Vol. 105: The Maid Fuku to Kikanjuu, which supports gun-toting maids, and Simple 2000 Series Vol. 113: The Tairyou Jigoku, which features a school girl running from bug-infested buildings.
7 Dog Of Bay
Before Cats There Was
- Developer: Cavia
- Publisher: Marvelous Entertainment
- Released: December 14, 2000 (Japan)
- Platform: PS2
Remember when the 2019 version of Cats was released and viewers were so appalled that the studio had to reissue a patched version in theaters? Now imagine playing a game with anthropomorphic dog people instead, who look just as off-putting as the cat people in Cats, and that’s basically Dog of Bay.
It’s a rhythm game featuring various performers trying to put on a show through basic interactions. It’s hard to watch, let alone play, thanks to the character designs, unlike another PlayStation rhythm game, Parappa the Rapper, as the anthropomorphic animals in that game are cuter and stylized better.
6 Dragon Quest 5: The Heavenly Bride
There’s A 3D Remake?!
- Developer: ArtePiazza
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Released: March 25, 2004 (Japan)
- Platform: PS2
Dragon Quest 5: The Heavenly Bride was originally released in Japan in 1992 for the SNES, and most have probably heard of it. It was groundbreaking for several reasons, including the ability to recruit monsters Pokemon-style, except that this was four years before Game Freak made their hit games in Japan. The first time North America got a chance to play the game was on the DS in 2009, which was a remake of sorts, but graphically it was a minor upgrade from the SNES version.
6 Best RPGs You've Probably Never Heard Of
While there are many well known and beloved RPGs, there are quite a few lesser known games in the same genre.
The bigger remake happened on the PS2 in 2004, which most probably don't know about. Exclusive to Japan, this was a full 3D remake and the only one of its kind for the early games in the series, making it a real letdown for English fans who want to enjoy it.
5 Fengshen Yanyi 2
Mystic Hero Fans Rejoice
- Developer: Fu-Qi
- Publisher: Examu
- Released: June 27, 2002
- Platform: PS2
While not a huge game, PS2 and GameCube fans might remember Mystic Heroes, which looked like a Dynasty Warriors spinoff if it were more childlike, akin to Kingdom Hearts. Most fans of that game probably had no idea of its legacy in Japan, as there were several other games directly and indirectly tied to it.
It began with Fengshen Yanyi on the PS1, which was a tactical RPG that used typical grid-based gameplay. When it made the leap to the PS2, Fengshen Yanyi 2 was an action RPG, which then led to Mystic Heroes as the third title. Mystic Heroes had a GBA port as well, but it, too, remains trapped in Japan.
4 Gekibo: Gekisha Boy 2
Look Out For Creepers
- Developer: Tomcat System
- Publisher: Irem
- Released: May 31, 2001
- Platform: PS2
Gekibo: Gekisha Boy was released for the TurboGrafx-16 in 1992, which then got a PS1 port. This then led to a PS2 exclusive sequel, Gekibo: Gekisha Boy 2, which almost got a European port entitled Polaroid Pete, but it was canceled even after a prototype was made.
Both games are like a 2D version of Pokemon Snap, wherein players had to snap weird photos of NPCs while they were set on a guided path similar to on-rail shooters. The games are beyond weird and not family-friendly like Pokemon Snap, but that doesn’t mean that they’re bad either.
3 Jan Sangoku Musou
Put The Weapons Down For Tiles
- Developer: Omega Force
- Publisher: Koei
- Released: March 23, 2006
- Platform: PS2
Dynasty Warriors started as a fighting game on the PS1 before becoming a giant action RPG franchise with tons of spinoffs from Samurai Warriors to Hyrule Warriors. Most Musou-style spinoffs were also action-based, but that was not the case with Jan Sangoku Musou, which featured many Dynasty Warriors characters competing in mahjong tournaments.
7 Deckbuilding Roguelikes You've Probably Never Heard Of
While the "deckbuilder roguelike" genre might seem niche, there are a ton of them. Here are some of the best ones not enough people know about.
It should come as no surprise that it wasn’t released outside of Japan since mahjong isn’t that widely popular in Western territories. It’s also strange that it received a standalone title because there have been board game-style mini-games packaged with bigger releases like Sugoroku in Samurai Warriors 2.
2 Metal Slug (2006)
There’s A 3D Game?
- Developer: SNK Playmore
- Publisher: SNK Playmore
- Released: June 29, 2006 (Japan)
- Platform: PS2
Similar to the PS2 remake of Dragon Quest 5: The Heavenly Bride, the Metal Slug series saw a new 3D entry in the series, and the only one of its kind. What makes it weird is that most of the game's menus can be read in English, and the voiceovers are dubbed, which isn't completely unusual for Japanese exclusives.
Metal Wolf Chaos is another example from this era that was a Japanese exclusive, for the original Xbox, that featured English voice talent. The 2006 Metal Slug game featured similar gameplay mechanics as the 2D entries, such as multiple characters and weapons to play with and a goofy story. It's a curiosity for sure if players have a decent Japanese PS2 setup.
1 Seaman 2: The Peking Man Rearing Kit
A Hidden Sequel
- Developer: Vivarium Inc.
- Publisher: Sega
- Released: October 18, 2007 (Japan)
- Platform: PS2
Seaman was one of the weirdest titles that players could buy for the Sega Dreamcast, featuring a fish with a man’s face that they had to feed and interact with. Strange yet, Leonard Nimoy was the narrator, adding some class to the experience.
As obscure as it was, it got an even more buried sequel called Seaman 2: The Peking Man Rearing Kit, which was only released on the PS2 in Japan following a PS2 port of the first game. The gameplay was expanded to offer more sim elements beyond just feeding a man-fish, but it sadly lacks Leonard Nimoy as a voiceover.
8 Square Enix Games That Are Immediately Fun
From their very first moments, these Square Enix games grab their players' attention, and they don't let go until the credits roll.