There are so many games still stuck on old systems these days, and while there are collectors out there who still have access to these consoles, most of the gaming world has moved on.

When you move on, however, you leave the games behind that never got their PC adaptation or jumped onto the newer consoles. That leaves so many great games just stuck in the past, alone on older consoles and undiscovered by so many gamers that forget to look at how great we really had it back then.

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But we don’t forget the past here. Instead, we celebrate it, and if you’ve got a few old dusty systems that you want to fire up and see what you can find, this list is for you. We’re going to check out some games that have been left behind on old consoles.

8

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel

A Different Wasteland

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel is a different kind of Fallout game. Instead of the slow-paced exploration of a massive open world, you’re instead treated to a more linear experience here, though this one is also full of plenty of sidequests to check out and people to talk to, so while the combat is much more the focus, the vibe of the world still remains.

The big difference is that this one is co-op, so some friends were able to fight together in a Fallout game back in 2001, and that was a novel experience for the time. The combat is fast-paced here, with over 40 different weapons to choose from and multiple characters. It’s not the deepest game by any means, but it’s a hidden gem of the Fallout world that may appeal to those looking for a more action-first RPG.

7

King’s Field: The Ancient City

The Start of a Genre

King’s Field: The Ancient City is one of FromSoftware’s opening games in the soon-to-be gargantuan Souls-like genre. It’s a much different experience, though, feeling distinctly western in its build, from the visuals to the enemies, this was very much your standard swords and sorcery type of RPG. It’s slow, deliberate, and while it resembles what would become Dark Souls later in the company’s future, it also strongly resembles early Elder Scrolls in its dungeon crawling.

You’ll be fighting off skeletons, wielding swords and shields, and facing both the oppressive nature of the dungeons and the increasingly strange enemies to fight. It’s a rough experience, as this was kind of the prototype series for what the Souls genre could be. But that tense combat and the character progression are there and although the atmosphere is much different than you might be used to, there is still a dark and chilling nature to it all. It’s a must-play for anyone with a PS2 trying to experience a unique action RPG.

6

Summoner 2

Open World Before It Was Cool

Summoner 2 was a hell of an innovative game for 2002. This was before open worlds and even semi-open worlds were really seen in anything outside of Grand Theft Auto. But Summoner 2 did it and did it right. Despite the, let’s say, unappealing graphics, this is a kick-ass action RPG with towns to explore, a rather thorough main quest, and side quests to take on too.

It’s been stuck on PS2 since its launch as it really didn’t take the series to the next level like it was clearly meant to, but that doesn’t mean it’s not absolutely worth your time if you’ve got some old consoles and have a hankering for experiencing what a great action RPG felt like to play in the early 2000s. You’ve got multiple characters, multiple playstyles, and a cool world to explore with some challenging combat and satisfying progression. Hard to ask for much more.

5

X-Men: Legends

The Perfect Comic Book Game

X-Men: Legends is not only one of the first comic book RPGs ever made, but it might just be the best one. With a completely original story starring all of your favorite X-Men, engaging and challenging combat that requires a decent amount of skill and strategy, and some great, interactive environments that give you endless options for taking out enemies, it’s one of the best games that doesn’t have any modern ports. There is also fantastic local multiplayer for you and 3 other friends to play the long-lost art of couch co-op with.

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It’s a surprisingly lengthy game of this ilk for the time, too, and you can customize your characters in multiple ways, from the skills you choose for them to items they have equipped that have various features as well. It’s a brawler that is disguised as an RPG and has some of the best combat and gameplay of the era. The follow-up is great too, but the original is the one to play.

4

Folklore

Once Upon a Time

Folklore is one of those games that feels so distinctly 2007. It’s a super edgy take on Folklore from all over, putting you in the shoes of a detective who is trying to solve a murder mystery, or in the shoes of someone closely affected by said murder. It’s grimy and gritty and not a game for kids despite the subject matter. To support this dark fairy tale, there is some great combat that feels like a character action game in motion, but still has several tricks up its sleeves regarding how powerful you can become.

But the highlight here is the vibe itself. It’s majestic and creepy and everything that fairy tales have really always been under the surface. It shines a light on some of the darker tales, while telling an original story of its own that’s pretty great in itself. It has aged quite a bit and feels as much while playing it. But if you can get around the rough edges, this gem on the PS3 still deserves your time.

3

Marvel Ultimate Alliance

A Team Up For the Ages

Marvel Ultimate Alliance is one of the best superhero games ever made, and it also just happens to be a multiplayer RPG that is, for some reason, stuck back in time on older consoles. You can find a remastered version on the PC, but it’s now delisted, so unless you want to comb the internet archives, then you’re out of luck, as there is no way to play it on PC anymore, and there is also no backwards compatibility, which is equally baffling and makes this one eternally left behind on the systems of the path, mainly the PS3 and Xbox 360.

But anyway, this game is just the absolute greatest hit for any Marvel fan out there, with tons of characters, ways to build your character, levels that constantly shift scenarios so that you never let the grind get you down, and a rather gripping story on top of all of that.

It’s got one of the best combat systems for any action RPG I can think of, with generally fully reactive environments, huge attacks to unlock that can clear the battlefield in seconds, and tons of combinations for heroes to play as.

2

The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age

A Different Fellowship

The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age is possibly the best non-Japanese, turn-based game that was on the first wave of next-gen consoles. It basically looked at Final Fantasy 10 and went, “That, let’s do that.” At the time, that wasn’t a bad idea at all, and sure enough, the combat system was identical to Square Enix’s juggernaut.

The story follows a group very similar to the main Fellowship, but not quite. It’s more of an adjacent mission to the main quest, which is done fairly well and keeps the action interesting, as many of our tasks have a direct effect on the story we all know and love. It’s done in a similar way to The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, so if you enjoyed your time there, you will undoubtedly get a lot out of this game. The reviews never did big things though, so this underrated and really quite deep turn-based affair has stayed put on consoles for years.

1

Champions of Norrath

Ever the Quest

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Champions of Norrath is an awesome action RPG that is long stuck on the PS2, and it’s actually a spinoff of the Everquest games. While that name means little these days, back in 2004, it was one of the biggest MMOs of all time and really the first to kick it into the mainstream world. Champions of Norrath is a much different type of game though, and it more closely resembles Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance than an MMO.

The action is what you’re here for, though, and luckily, it succeeds on all fronts here. You’ve got a great character creator, multiple classes to choose from, and also full co-op for the entire game. It’s got such a gritty, more mature feel to it than most hack and slash of the time, and a surprising amount of depth to the combat.

You’ve got multiple abilities per class, tons of enemy types to fight, and wildly challenging boss fights too. The co-op is also great, and while the story is rather lackluster, it’s the type of old-school, somewhat mindless dungeon crawling that we really don’t get in any games these days. Unfortunately, it’s trapped on the PS2 for the foreseeable future.

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