The first PlayStation console may be a thing of the past now, but it was an important piece of gaming history. Sony’s hit console kickstarted a legacy that has spanned over three decades. PlayStation is now a juggernaut of the industry, spawning massive franchises like God of War, The Last of Us, and Ratchet & Clank, but there are many fantastic games that have been lost to time.
PlayStation wouldn’t be where it is today without the PS1. Heavy-hitters like Metal Gear Solid and Crash Bandicoot are some of the best PS1 games that immediately come to mind for many gamers. However, there are plenty of great titles that didn’t leave the same mark on the console.
Galerians Is A Forgotten Survival Horror Gem
A Resident Evil Clone Featuring Psychic Powers
After the success of the first Resident Evil , there were several titles that were dubbed clones. The term “clone” shouldn’t be taken to mean a copycat, though. Other classic survival horror games like Dino Crisis were simply inspired by the formula and gameplay and offered unique twists that made for a fresh experience.
Galerians is all about an amnesiac boy named Rion who discovers that he possesses psychic powers. That’s only the beginning of Rion’s problems, though. He also discovers that he’s humanity’s only hope of destroying the titular Galerians, beings that are actually genetically enhanced humans.
At the heart of this conflict is Dorothy, a supercomputer that has become sentient and is determined to rid the world of humans. Complete with old-school survival horror staples like fixed-camera perspectives and tank controls, Galerians is a sci-fi remix of the original Resident Evil formula that deserves more recognition.
Heart Of Darkness Puts A Dark, Spielberg-esque Twist On Cartoonish Platformers
Willing To Do Anything To Save A Dog
Heart of Darkness follows a young boy named Andy who ventures into a dangerous world called the Darklands in order to save his dog, Whiskey. Shadowy beings from the Darklands steal Whiskey during a solar eclipse, and Andy simply won’t stand for it.
Gamers who also happen to be dog lovers will immediately relate to Andy’s journey, but the animated storytelling and platforming make it a worthy PS1 game even for those who prefer cats. Between Andy’s tree house spaceship, a dangerous alien world, and a beloved pet, Heart of Darkness feels like Pixar by way of Spielberg.
It’s a game with a lot of heart that remains one of the best PS1 platformers around. Heart of Darkness was a showcase of how cinematic platformers can be, and it’s well worth jumping into.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Silent Bomber’s Combat Was A Tactical Breath Of Fresh Air
Bombs Away
Silent Bomber looks like a run-of-the-mill top-down shooter on the surface, but just as the name implies, there is one major twist to the gameplay: bombs, and lots of them. Instead of traditional shooting, players have to use bombs to create chain-reaction attacks and blow up enemies.
The more enemies that are killed with a chained bomb attack, the more points are earned. It creates an incredibly addictive and satisfying gameplay loop, but it also requires some careful tactical thinking. In order to make attacks have an even bigger bang, bombs can also be stacked.
Gameplay centered entirely around bombs sounds restrictive, but it actually opens the door to some creative solutions for enemy encounters. Bombs can be enhanced to open black holes, spread Napalm, or disable nearby electrical devices. It’s a blast.
Trap Gunner: Countdown To Oblivion Is Packed With Action And Mind Games
Staying One Step Ahead
What makes Trap Gunner: Countdown to Oblivion so special is that it features plenty of action, but also requires players to outwit their opponents in a fun cat-and-mouse-style gameplay loop. Trap Gunner is just as much of a brain game as it is an action-packed arcade experience. It’s one of the best strategy games of the 90s that seemed to fly under a lot of people’s radars.
The main premise is that players have to lay traps throughout levels in order to trick enemies. Trap Gunner‘s experimental approach to combat was ahead of its time, which likely kept it from being as successful as other great PS1 strategy games.
Part arcade-style shooter, part trap-filled strategy game, Trap Gunner could have potentially been a bigger hit if it had launched during a different time. Regardless, it’s still a great PS1 game that is criminally overlooked.
Vagrant Story Reveals A Dark Side To JRPGs
No Time For Shopping
JRPG fans who love the genre’s shopping hubs might have overlooked Vagrant Story simply because it doesn’t include this staple feature. Unlike a lot of JRPGs of the time, Vagrant Story is a much darker story filled with cults and political intrigue. There are a lot of great PS1 RPGs out there, but Vagrant Story‘s more mature take on the formula still makes it a standout 90s title.
Players take on the role of a main character who might have one of the coolest names I have ever seen in a game: Ashley Riot. She is investigating the connection between a prominent parliament member and a cult leader. The game is set in a gritty, gothic city called Lea Monde that has been struggling ever since an earthquake hit the area 25 years prior, adding to the dark atmosphere.
Dystopian vibes and mysterious political intrigue make Vagrant Story one of the most unique JRPGs of the era. The real-time tactical and body-part targeting combat balances out the gameplay against the deeper story. It might take a second to get used to Vagrant Story‘s trope subversions, but it’s well worth it.
No One Can Stop Mr. Domino Truly Lives Up To Its Title
Seriously, He Can’t Be Stopped
Don’t let the cartoonish art direction fool you. No One Can Stop Mr. Domino is a deeply challenging PS1 puzzle game. Mr. Domino might look all smiley on the game’s cover, but players will quickly find themselves sweating while trying to clear each level.
The main goal is for players to control an anthropomorphic domino, but once each stage starts, that domino will not stop moving. Throughout each level, players have to trigger specific glowing trick tiles in order to complete the various stages.
No One Can Stop Mr. Domino requires a lot of quick thinking and puzzle skills, but the high challenge level is what ultimately makes it so brilliant. The constant movement and ticking clock make for some fun pulse-pounding moments.
Legend Of Legaia Is An Essential Post-Apocalyptic PS1 RPG
No Button Mashing To Be Found Here
Gamers who love more tactics-based combat instead of feeling like all they’re doing is mashing buttons will be happy to hear about Legend of Legaia. This RPG was a modest success at the time and has earned a bit of a cult status. Wildly successful RPGs like Final Fantasy 7 overshadowed Legend of Legaia, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have just as much to offer.
Instead of the standard attack commands of the 90s, Legend of Legaia utilized a system that required players to input specific direction-based commands. It was a more complex take on RPG combat, but it also made enemy encounters feel more rewarding.
This approach to combat combined with Legend of Legaia‘s fascinating post-apocalyptic world made for a strong blend that stood out. Legend of Legaia‘s combat system may not seem as unorthodox now, but it was pretty groundbreaking at the time.
