With the PlayStation 2 library being so massive, featuring over 4000 titles to choose from, it’s easy to see why not every game became a smash hit, likeResident Evil 4orGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Sometimes games just slipped through the cracks and became overlooked gems or practically forgotten.
This kind of fate fell on multiple fantasy games for the PlayStation 2. WhereFinal Fantasy XIIexploded onto the scene, others went under the radar even though they featured well-executed gameplay in all kinds of genres, from role-playing games to 3D action-adventures, even if some borrow heavily from other famous games.
WhenDiablo 2came out, isometric RPGs exploded into fame and many games were to try capitalizing on the fad, such asChampions Of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest. It does not reinvent the genre, but it did present male and female versions of classes beforeDiablo 3did, allowing for more customization.
Set in theEverQuestuniverse,Champions Of Norrathis rather simple, with the player slaying monstersacross realms as a Barbarian, Ranger, Cleric, Wizard, or Shadowknight. In terms of being aDiabloclone, it is stronger than others and manages to translate to a controller scheme, with gameplay that is fun and addictive.
Not only doesDarkwatchpresent strong first-person shooter gameplay set in the Old West, but it alsomixes shooting with vampiric superpowers. It tells the story of rogue gunslinger Jericho Cross joining the Darkwatch organization to fight an undead scourge across the American frontier, with the player able to choose between light and dark outcomes.
Over the years,Darkwatchhas gained a following as a gem from the 2000s, but at first, it was not a successful game as it mixed the niche of steampunk with action and gothic fantasy horror. It also came out in 2005, when other games such asResident Evil 4,Call Of Duty 2, andF.E.A.R.came out, leading to it remaining a cult game for people to rediscover over the years.
The Gauntlet series has always been apioneer of the dungeon crawler subgenre, inspiring future games such asMarvel Ultimate AllianceandDarkest Dungeon.Gauntlet: Dark Legacybrought the franchise to the PS2 era and remained true to the formula, with one to four players traversing from level to level taking on hordes of enemies.
There is not much depth toGauntlet: Dark Legacy, but it did continue to advance the long-running series, as it was the seventh game. It added the mechanic of turbo attacks, in which two players can unleash a combo for devastating damage. Like other Gauntlet games, it is often considered an ideal game for friends to play together.
Of themanyPrince Of Persiagames out there, most gamers think ofPrince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, hence why it is receiving a remake. However,Prince Of Persia: Warrior Withinis often forgotten, despite it being of the same quality, but with a far darker story that mixes parkour and mystics together.
It not only continues the story from The Sands Of Time, but adds more lore to the time-based magic by featuring the Island Of Time as well as a powerful entity known as Dahaka. With a mix of parkour and the new dual melee combat, Warrior Within was still praised for its 3D exploration and action with a darker tone while also laying the foundation for the third game.
Still the earliest pointin the convolutedCastlevaniatimeline,Castlevania: Lament Of Innocenceimpressed longtime fans by showing the origins of not only the Belmont family but their immortal enemy: Dracula. It stepped away from the 2D Metroidvania style and embraced a 3D action style, but not to its detriment.
Lament Of Innocenceis an example of how a franchise can change styles drastically while maintaining its identity, but sadly, is not as well-known as otherCastlevaniagames. Fans praised the story for its dark and tragic origins of the Belmont family, as well as the addictive gameplay that felt like a middle-ground between the oldCastlevaniagames and the Metroidvania style.
4Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows
An Updated Take On Dungeon Crawling With A Hack-And-Slash Twist
After the rise in popularity of hack-and-slash games,Gauntlet: Seven Sorrowsadopted that kind of melee combat while maintaining the dungeon-crawler RPG elements that make the Gauntlet franchise. It also featured an impressive leap in quality to the visuals fromGauntlet: Dark Legacy.
On top of the new gameplay style,Gauntlet: Seven Sorrowsswapped the bright colors and exaggerated designs for a grittier aesthetic and more ominous atmosphere, which was a common trend in the 2000s. It resulted in mixed reviews at the time, but over the years,Seven Sorrowshas gained a reputation for being an underrated game in the franchise.
There had been a couple of Mortal Kombat spin-offs beforeMortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, but they were lackluster at best among fans. This led to the unfortunate result of Shaolin Monks falling short in sales, but it was considered leagues above the others as a beat ‘em up version of games like the originalGod Of Warrather than a traditional fighting game.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monksremains an underrated entry in the Mortal Kombat franchise, taking place between the originalMortal KombatandMortal Kombat 2. Aside from the voice-acting,Shaolin Monksis often praised for thrilling and evolving gameplay, as Liu Kang and Kung Lao travel between Earthrealm, Outworld, and Netherrealm, meeting many iconic characters along the way.
The PS2 was home to the Electronic Arts games based onThe Two TowersandThe Return Of The King, with both ending up being some ofthe most famous Middle-Earth games. As a result,The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Agewas overshadowed, with reviews harshly calling it a boring clone of other games.
Taking a page from turn-based RPGs likeFinal Fantasy,The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Agetells a story concurrent to the story of The One Ring inThe Lord Of The Ringstrilogy. It features original characters on their journey that are affected by the Fellowship’s story and even features familiar characters such as Gandalf and Saruman.
Not all rip-offs are inherently bad, as shown withOkami, which does not even try to hide that it is a blatant clone ofThe Legend Of Zelda.There are dungeons to conquer, breaking pots for currency, and even the wolf protagonist’s controls are uncannily similar to Wolf Link fromThe Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess, but that never stopsOkamifrom being a beautiful and fun game for the PS2.
The cel-shaded art style ofOkamiallowed the visuals to age like wine and the game was praised by gamers and critics alike for executingThe Legend Of Zeldaformat well, but it didn’t sell as well as Clover Studio hoped, leading to their shutdown. With the fantastical lore based on Japanese mythology,Okamiwon over everyone who played it, and it slowly generated a strong cult following.
