Ever Quest RPG

Since EverQuest is a Sony product, don’t be surprised that the only console spin-offs are for their consoles alone. And — like it or not — EQ is largely a last-generation phenomenon, so that means PS2. There has been some rumors of an EverQuest II game for PS3, but nothing serious yet.

Champions of Norrath – if the MMO is too complicated and slow-moving, or if you just want a hack-n-slash RPG-lite with the EverQuest ‘feel’, Champions will do the trick for PS2 owners. As a big fan of the “Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance” games, I was just happy to see another game based on the engine. Plus, Fallout is one of my favorite game series of all time, and the approach is quiet similar (though, of course, the tone and subject matter are much different!). If you happen to have a Network Adapter (or a newer PS2 slim with built-in Ethernet), you can even hack-n-slash with other online players!

Champions: Return to Arms – just as Baldur’s Gate had Dark Alliance 2, Champions has Return to Arms. It’s such an integrated sequel that you can even import your character (via PS2 memory card) from the first game. Though there are numerous minor improvements and tweaks, the big changes consist of the Arena and the additions of Iksar Shaman and Vah Shir Berserker as playable characters. Well worth playing, especially if you don’t have the time or patience for a full-on MMO experience.