Summary
- PS2 classics like Dark Cloud 2 have native ports on PS4 but lack additional enhancements.
- Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 received a decent remaster in 2021, making it a great co-op RPG.
- .hack//G.U. Last Recode on Switch adds new epilogue content, addressing unanswered questions from original trilogy.
The PS2 has some of the greatest RPGs ever produced, and many of them are still playable on modern hardware. Others have not been so lucky, including the Xenosaga trilogy, the original Wild Arms remake, and Champions of Norrath, to name a few.
8 Best PS2 Games You Can Play On Switch, Ranked
The age of the PlayStation 2 is not dead yet, thanks to these ports of classic 6th-gen games available on the Nintendo Switch.
While those games are missed by fans, at least some high-quality versions of PS2 classics remain available. This list will take into consideration the quality of the original games along with the features added in their ports, remasters, or remakes. The greater the additions, the higher their ranking will be.
8 Dark Cloud 2
A Native Port
Dark Cloud 2
- Released
- February 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Dark Cloud 2 and its predecessor are PS2 classics that have native ports to the PS4. There was an initiative at Sony to re-release cheaper remasters on the console that looked and ran better, with any upscaling done by the PS4, rather than through actual developer work.
Level-5’s other PS2 action game, Rogue Galaxy, is available too. It’s great that PS2 classics like these are available on modern hardware, but their lack of additions makes these games less special compared to other selections.
7 Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2
Dungeon Crawling With Friends
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II
- Released
- January 20, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was a 2001 action RPG similar to Diablo, set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. It received a decent remaster in 2021 along with its 2004 sequel, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2, which got a 2022 remaster.
Not much work was done on either of these games beyond visuals and speed improvements from the hardware, but they're still excellent co-op RPGs. In some ways, it’s good they were left alone because there are many cheats that players discovered on the original hardware, like duplicating items. Of the two, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 is the game to check out.
6 .hack//G.U.
Diving Deep Digitally
.hack//G.U. Vol. 1//Rebirth
- Released
- May 18, 2006
- ESRB
- Teen // Fantasy Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- CyberConnect2
- Genre(s)
- Action, JRPG
.hack//G.U. Is the sequel trilogy to the original quadrilogy on the PS2. It started with .hack//G.U. Vol. 1//Rebirth in 2006 and two additional episodes would be released on the PS2, all connected by the same profile data.
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These horror games for the PlayStation 2 will not let up on you until the credits roll, and can be played through in one go.
The series remaster, .hack//G.U. Last Recode, was made available in 2017, with the latest version now available on Switch as of 2022. What makes this remaster stand out is the new epilogue content that answers some lingering questions left from the original versions.
5 Final Fantasy 10
Still Waiting On Some Missing Features
Final Fantasy 10
- Released
- December 17, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Final Fantasy 10 was the first game in the series to receive a grand remaster treatment instead of going for a remake. Combined with its sequel, Final Fantasy 10/10-2 HD Remaster made a splash in 2014 in North America on the PS3 and PS Vita.
The latest versions of these games were made available on the Switch and Xbox One in 2019. Besides offering better visuals, this collection also added content that was previously exclusive to Japan, such as the Dark Aeons. They do lack other Final Fantasy remaster perks that were introduced later, such as a cheat menu.
4 Disgaea: Hour Of Darkness
It’s Hard To Be King
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
- Released
- August 27, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, Strategy, RPG
Disgaea: Hour of Darkness was originally a PS2 exclusive in 2003, but over the years, it received many straight ports. Then, in 2018, it received the grand remaster treatment on the PS4 and Switch consoles, which almost felt like a remake due to all the work that was done.
Disgaea 1 Complete had a lot of quality-of-life improvements to make the menus easier to navigate, a huge deal for a tactical RPG known for its detailed menus. With the story and characters, it’s still the best entry in the series.
3 Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha Vs The Soulless Army
Demon Hunting In Alternate History
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army
- Released
- March 2, 2006
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Atlus Co., Ltd.
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army was a late PS2 release in 2006, which was well-reviewed at the time, but it remained a bit of a black sheep in the Megami Tensei family. That is, until Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army was released, which is the game that helped inspire this idea.
8 Best PS2 Action JRPGs, Ranked
From Kingdom Hearts 2 to Tales of the Abyss, there's no shortage of thrilling and high-octane action in these JRPGs from the PlayStation 2 console.
Beyond the visuals, the quality of life improvements make it impossible to return to the original game, with additional voice acting and save options being just a couple of examples. This is exactly how a remaster should be handled.
2 Odin Sphere
Revamping A Norse Classic
- Developer: Vanillaware
- Publisher: Atlus
- Platform: PS2
- Released: May 22, 2007 (NA)
Odin Sphere was released on the PS2 in 2007, marking a later release for the generation, and is one of Vanillaware’s best titles. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir expanded the platform selection when it launched for the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita in 2016.
Like Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, it added numerous quality-of-life features that made it easier to get into, including the map system, leveling up through plants, and a smoother flow to the combat. Going back to the PS2 original is hard now, even though it still looks good.
1 Kingdom Hearts 2
Opening The Keyhole
Kingdom Hearts 2
- Released
- March 28, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
Kingdom Hearts 2 was released for the PS2 a year after Japan in 2006, and it still holds up visually. Beyond that, the HD treatment it got via the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, which first hit the PS3 in 2014, is astounding. The most recent version was dropped for the Switch’s cloud-based gaming platform in 2022.
Like most Kingdom Hearts games, they are everywhere and easily accessible, from the first game to the last. Kingdom Hearts 2 stands out specifically because of its high base quality, combined with numerous improvements and additional content, which provides Sora with his best adventure to date.
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