10 PlayStation 2 JRPG Series That Deserved an HD Remaster

By the mid-2010s, several JRPGs from the PlayStation 2 era had received HD remasters for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, such as Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster and the Kingdom Hearts HD Remix collections. However, the genre’s presence on consoles had declined since the PS2’s peak, leaving many of its best titles behind. For newer players who started with the PS3 or PS4, this meant missing out on some of the most influential and unique role-playing games ever made. A number of PS2 classics were strong candidates for an HD update.

Cult Classics and Unique Mechanics

10. Shadow Hearts Trilogy The Shadow Hearts series remains one of the most underrated JRPG franchises. Set in the early 1900s and featuring a family of vampires, its setting was distinct. The combat was built around the “Judgment Ring,” a timing-based mechanic where players had to press buttons at the right moment to execute actions effectively. The second game, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, is often considered the high point of the trilogy, which also includes the original Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: From the New World.

9. Dark Cloud & Dark Cloud 2 Before their work on Ni no Kuni, developer Level-5 gained prominence with the Dark Cloud series. These action JRPGs combined dungeon-crawling through procedurally generated levels with a town-building simulation. Players explored dungeons to find special items needed to rebuild the world. Dark Cloud was released in 2001, and its 2002 sequel, Dark Cloud 2 (also known as Dark Chronicle), refined the formula to great success.

8. Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter The fifth and final major console release in the Breath of Fire series, Dragon Quarter, was a departure from series norms. The game was designed for multiple playthroughs, with certain areas and story scenes only accessible after meeting specific stat requirements. It also featured a limited save system, adding a layer of challenge. These design choices made it one of the most distinctive JRPGs on the PS2.

7. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria As a sequel to the PlayStation classic, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria continued the series’ blend of 2D side-scrolling exploration and deep, combo-driven combat. Each of the four party members was mapped to a controller face button, allowing for strategic, fast-paced battles. The game also let players target specific enemy body parts, adding another tactical layer. It was already one of the best-looking titles on the PS2, making it a natural fit for an HD upgrade.

Beloved Sagas and Epic Stories

6. Suikoden III, IV, & V While the PS1’s Suikoden II is often held up as the series’ peak, the three installments on the PS2 are excellent RPGs in their own right. They continued the tradition of recruiting 108 unique characters, or Stars of Destiny, to build an army and participate in large-scale strategic battles. Though Suikoden IV was seen by some as a disappointment, Suikoden III and Suikoden V delivered the epic scenarios and political intrigue the series is known for.

5. Grandia 2, 3, & Xtreme The Grandia series is celebrated for its battle system, which skillfully mixes real-time and turn-based elements. A time meter at the bottom of the screen shows when characters and enemies will act, allowing players to plan attacks, use defensive moves, and even cancel enemy actions. This created an engaging and tactical combat flow. The PS2 port of Grandia 2, considered the best of the three PS2 entries, suffered from performance issues that a remaster could have easily fixed.

4. Xenosaga Trilogy Before creating Xenoblade Chronicles, developer Monolith Soft crafted the Xenosaga trilogy for the PS2. This ambitious sci-fi saga featured an intricate, philosophical plot, memorable characters, and connections to the PlayStation RPG Xenogears. Although the series was originally planned to be much longer, the three episodes form a complete narrative arc. Due to its continuous story, a remastered collection of Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse, and Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra was the only sensible approach.

Genre-Defining PlayStation 2 Hits

3. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 & Persona 4 Released late in the PS2’s life, Persona 3 and Persona 4 left a massive impact on the JRPG genre. They successfully merged dungeon-crawling with social simulation, where building relationships with characters directly impacted combat effectiveness. Both games featured compelling stories, stylish presentations, and memorable soundtracks. While both had received updated versions on portable consoles, many fans hoped for definitive HD versions on a home console.

2. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King For years, the Dragon Quest series struggled to find a large audience in the West. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King changed that. Developed by Level-5, its beautiful cel-shaded art style brought Akira Toriyama’s character designs to life in a vibrant, fully 3D world. The game’s epic sense of adventure and traditional-yet-polished gameplay made it a landmark title. With Dragon Quest Heroes announced for PS3 and PS4, a remaster of VIII seemed like a perfect way to reintroduce the mainline series to PlayStation fans.

1. Final Fantasy XII Square Enix had already found success with HD remasters, making Final Fantasy XII feel like an inevitability. Released at the very end of the PS2’s lifespan, it was overshadowed by the impending launch of the PlayStation 3. Those who played it discovered a massive world, Ivalice, and a revolutionary combat system. The “Gambit” system allowed players to program the AI of their party members with a series of conditional commands, leading to complex and satisfying battles. An HD remaster would give this excellent game the second chance it deserved.

With major JRPGs like Persona 5, Final Fantasy XV, and Kingdom Hearts 3 on the horizon in 2015, there was hope that a genre revitalization would encourage publishers to bring these PS2 classics to a new generation of hardware.