By 1998, Sony Computer Entertainment had dethroned video game giants SEGA and Nintendo, both of which hadcomplete dominance in the global game market. And it was all thanks to the use of third-party game developers, something that SEGA and Nintendo lacked since they preferred keeping their developers in-house. And to keep the momentum going, they released a new console in the early 2000s, which became the best-selling video game console of all time, the PlayStation 2.
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The PlayStation 2 went on to sell 155 million units and featured thousands of game titles that would impact the lives of gamers all over the world. The PS2 was so popular that it continued to make sales even after the release of thePlayStation3 and didn’t stop production until 2013. And with the hardware advancements the PS2 brought into the gaming world, game developers would be able to create some of the best Real-Time Action games that gamers to this day continue to play.
6Summoner 2
Summoner 2was released only a year after the first installment of the series (Summoner)due to its popularity in the Western market. And whileSummoner 2had several of the same gameplay mechanics as its predecessor, it brought a few new features that made it a classic in Action RPG games.
For example, players would be able to influence certain events in the game by donating gold collected from quests to improve the kingdom or by deciding on political issues. By not donating to these sectors or making poor political decisions, certain events would be triggered and players wouldwitness a not-so-happy endingfor their characters.
5X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
Real-time Action superhero games were non-existent during the early days of the PlayStation 2, so when Raven Software (one of the current developers for theCall of Dutyfranchise) releasedX-Men Legends, gamers and Marvel fans were ecstatic. And continue with their success, Raven Software releasedX-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypsea year later, and itfeatured over 20 playable characters from the X-Men and Brotherhood of Mutants teams.
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Moreover, every hero/villain had an extensive list of skills players could upgrade with experience points. But, the most remarkable feature ofX-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypsewas the addition of Online multiplayer, which allowed other players to play the Campaign mode Co-op. Raven Software also made a PC and Xbox version, but it was far less popular than the PlayStation 2 version.
4Dark Cloud 2 (Dark Chronicle in EU)
At first glance,Dark Cloud 2seems like a run-of-the-mill Action RPG, but there’s much more going on than simply hacking and slashing through enemies. And that’s becauseDark Cloud 2was also a city-building game since players could build houses, trees, lights, or rivers throughout the game by obtaining Geostones. After a player built a town, they could populate it by recruiting villagers found on various levels.
Moreover, players could fish anywhere there was water and then place the fishes they caught in a fish tank. But, the real icing on the cake was the ability to construct a customizable robot called the “Ridepod,” which they could use in battle. Unfortunately, Sony Computer Entertainment never released a PSP version ofDark Cloud 2, but if they had, it would have beenone of the best open-world games on it.
3The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Peter Jackson’s LotR movie adaptation created a newfound interest for newcomers to the LotR universe, so EA decided to take advantage of its popularity to publishThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towersvideo game. And while the game may seem like a quick cash grab of the LotR franchise, it still sold over four million copies worldwide. This Real-Time Action RPG turned out to be a near-perfect adaptation of Peter Jackson’s movies, so much so that critics praised it for re-creating sets and scenes from the film.
Players could choose from Aragorn, Gimli, or Legolas and play through most of the epic battles seen in the movies. And once the player beat the game with all three characters, they could replay the campaign as Isildur. The best part was that Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) provided the in-game voice lines for Aragorn.
2Shining Force Neo
Shining Force Neowas one of the forerunners in introducing the gaming community to “EXP grinding,” and that’s because for players to level up their character, they would have to battle enemies found around the map. Moreover, these enemies had a slight chance of dropping a special item (Mithril), allowing the player to level up their skills.
And whilesome players didn’t enjoy the RNGor farming aspect ofShining Force Neo, it quickly became a favorite for Real-Time Action RPG fans. Players could choose from various weapons, ranging from daggers, great swords, and even a magical staff. So players had complete freedom in choosing a playstyle they felt comfortable playing, even if that was dual-wielding great swords.
1Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Due to the large success ofX-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse, Sony Computer Entertainment decided to go all out in their next superhero RPG, which happened to beMarvel Ultimate Alliance.Players could create their own team of superheroes (or villains) from a roster of 22 playable characters, ranging from The Hulk to Doctor Doom.
And even though the main story was short, players could complete over 30 optional missions to lengthen their playtime, which would unlock more characters. Players could also customize each hero\villian with costumes they would earn by competing challenges. And while Sony released an updated version ofMarvel Ultimate Alliancefor the PS4, it didn’t perform as well as the original.
