Good Playstation Games?

[Mr. Freeze]

Hydro Thunder

R-Type Delta

Loaded

Twisted Metal 1 and 2

Parasite Eve

Myst and Riven

[pilottobombadier]

I don't have much experience with the PSX, skipped it when I was younger and have a hard time going back to it now, but there were some titles worth mentioning:
 

1. Mechwarrior 2: 31st Century Combat
2. Die Hard Trilogy
3. Alien Trilogy
4. Syndicate Wars (plays similarly to Syndicate on the SNES, so pretty esoteric controls)
5. Norse By Norsewest (a port of Lost Vikings 2)
6. Tomb Raider 2
7. Gran Turismo
8. Alundra (like Legend of Zelda; it's an action-adventure game, not an RPG)
9. Star Wars: Dark Forces
10. Powerslave
11. Urban Chaos
12. Megaman X 4 
13. Crusader No Remorse
14. Ravenloft: Iron and Blood (DnD Ravenloft-universe fighting game)
15. Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire (also on the SNES, PSX version is at least as good)

[Rudolph]

5 hours ago, pilottobombadier said:

Crusader No Remorse

Oh, Crusader was ported to the PS1? Does the game become more playable on a controller?

 

I bought No Remorse on GOG and that crap is simply unplayable on a keyboard. Shame, because the music is really good!

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

On 9/9/2022 at 1:23 AM, Mr. Freeze said:

Loaded

Yeh

 

I had a copy, a good twenty years ago, in one of those big cardboard boxes.

 

"BODY BAG NOT INCLUDED"

 

One of my friends used to work with Pop Will Eat Itself, the band whose music is used in the game. It's a shallow shooter, but its morbid style, gore, and fucking viscous sound design made it unforgettable for me. I can still hear that *splat* noise when I close my eyes.

[Azuris]

On 9/8/2022 at 11:02 AM, Kinsie said:

Armored Core
Einhander
Jackie Chan: Stuntmaster
Rage Racer
Spider-Man

 

Armored Core is mentioned so often here, i surely should try it.

 

Einhander i played today, i remember seing it back then on the locan Store here about 2002/3, used for 50 € beside Resident Evil 2 (N64) for 30€... I was thinking those Prices will fall :D

 

Game is so far fun, has good Music and seems fair (many Continues).

 

Stuntmaster is loaded, Rage Racer looks good and Spider Man 2 is also ready to go.

Had it back then, was a good Game.

 

On 9/8/2022 at 9:33 AM, Jello said:

Edit: Oh, and Medal of Honor and Medal of

 

Played one and it is really not as bad as i remembered it from seing at a friends house.

 

On 9/9/2022 at 3:49 AM, scalliano said:

Nuclear Strike

 

 

Oh that seems also easy to pick up easily.

 

Also, so many Shooter mentioned here, i think it is a good Way to use my 8Bitdo arcade Stick :D

On 9/9/2022 at 3:57 AM, heliumlamb said:

 

nanotek warrior: one of the less than 20

 

Sounds and looks good, very arcady, but should do its service for quick rides.

Somehow i have to think about Hyper Zone on the Super Nintendo.

 

Thank you all for the Games (can't commend every haha) i still have to look up much of them.

 

Edit: I played once through Megaman X6 and when i am replaying Megaman Games nowadays, i have no Clue how i had the Nerves :>

[Koko Ricky]

Twisted Metal 1 and 2: Slightly awkward driving controls aside, the car combat games offer a slew of diverse vehicles, weapons and destructible environments. 

 

Twisted Metal 3 and 4: Not as good, but still fun and engaging. Controls are improved (even if TM3's physics are wack) due to thumbstick support.

 

Spyro the Dragon series: All three games are high quality platformers with lots of open roaming and well-constructed hub worlds. Casual gameplay that manages to challenge 100 percenters. 

 

Warhawk: Underrated flight combat game from Singletrac, the TM studio. Not a simulation game but does offer a lot of freedom of movement. 

 

Battletanx: Global Assault: Tank combat with lots of levels, weapons, and vehicles. I've only played the N64 version (which is excellent), but the PS1 version appears to have significantly better graphics and music. 

[hybridial]

Can't believe no one's brought up Suikoden and Suikoden II.

 

The latter in hindsight is the best game I played on the PSX, and hey it's getting remastered now.

 

Only other game I can think of bringing up that hasn't been mentioned already is Bloody Roar 2, I got a lot out of that one, best one in that series. 

 

 

[Rudolph]

I have heard about Suikoden and I even considered giving it a shot, only to change my mind upon learning that it features so many playable characters.

 

In a way, it reminds me of games like Borderlands, where at the end of the day, there is only really a handful of weapons you will use.

[Dragonfly]

1 hour ago, hybridial said:

Can't believe no one's brought up Suikoden and Suikoden II.

 

 

Because most people read the OP which states "No RPGs" ;)

[Rudolph]

Yeah, but as I pointed out, it would be helpful to suggest RPGs for those of us who are looking for those games on the Playstation.

[StodgyAyatollah]

Baroque, which recently received an English fan patch. Technically an RPG but is more of an action roguelike so it's easy to pick up and put down from my experience so far. Really cool atmosphere and music. Castlevania Chronicles is a personal favorite. If you like shmups you could check out Einhaender, Gekioh: Shooting King,  R-Type Delta, Two-Tenkaku, Stahlfeder and Gunbird. Of course there are the classics FPS on the platform like Powerslave, Quake 2, Hexen, Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown, Doom and Final Doom. 

[Gregor]

Can't believe nobody mentioned it yet - G-POLICE.

 

Belongs on any list of hidden PS1 gems and the very definition of the kind of game you specified in the OP.

[StodgyAyatollah]

6 minutes ago, Gregor said:

Can't believe nobody mentioned it yet - G-POLICE.

I had a friend that was obsessed with the Colony Wars series back in the day which was another Psygnosis flight sim that I remember being pretty good. 

[Gregor]

46 minutes ago, StodgyAyatollah said:

I had a friend that was obsessed with the Colony Wars series back in the day which was another Psygnosis flight sim that I remember being pretty good. 

 

Yeah, the first two Colony Wars games are really good. Loved them as a kid. But G-Police isn't really a flight sim. It's more of a cyberpunk Mechwarrior but with sc-fi helicopters instead of Mechs.

[StodgyAyatollah]

21 minutes ago, Gregor said:

Yeah, the first two Colony Wars games are really good. Loved them as a kid. But G-Police isn't really a flight sim. It's more of a cyberpunk Mechwarrior but with sc-fi helicopters instead of Mechs.

Flight sim isn't the best descriptor for Colony Wars either. It's just more fitting than a generic "shooter" tag.

That reminds me that the Descent port on the ps1 was pretty good if my memory from way back in the 90's can be trusted.

[Gregor]

56 minutes ago, StodgyAyatollah said:

Flight sim isn't the best descriptor for Colony Wars either. It's just more fitting than a generic "shooter" tag.

 

"Combat space sim" is the official term.

[hybridial]

6 hours ago, Rudolph said:

I have heard about Suikoden and I even considered giving it a shot, only to change my mind upon learning that it features so many playable characters.

 

In a way, it reminds me of games like Borderlands, where at the end of the day, there is only really a handful of weapons you will use.

 

Play it anyway, I really doubt you'll see that as an issue if you actually tried it, it's something the series makes work. Suikoden 2 has one of the best stories in one of these types of games, in fact it has a lot to do with changing my attitude about JRPGs early on because I played FFVII, back when it was newish, and I liked it, sure. And I guess I wouldn't be as harsh to say it is a bad game or anything like that but... it doesn't have a particularly good story. And the FF series in general doesn't for almost the same reasons every game, messy world building and lack of focus I feel.

 

Suikoden II made me realise that by presenting a very tight and well constructed fantasy war story where I was never questioning things feeling they made no sense... a problem with a lot of JRPGs I played back in the day frankly; that or they were just quite light, Suikoden II had a dark streak to it I appreciated. 

 

Suikoden V on the PS2 might be even better, would be great to see that get remastered because it absolutely went underappreciated and was my second favourite JRPG on the PS2 after Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne. 

[sincity2100]

Spider-Man

Tekken 3

Megaman X4

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Mortal Kombat Trilogy

The Spyro Games

Apocalypse

Fighting Force

[PKr]

I remembered another good game. 🤔

 

Gunfighter, The Legend of Jesse James. In case if you are going to skip the game, at least check this ost:

 

[dasho]

If you have two controllers/players, Destrega was an interesting fighting game that I wish had gained more traction. Felt like Power Stone meets Dragonball.

[Devalaous]

10 minutes ago, dasho said:

If you have two controllers/players, Destrega was an interesting fighting game that I wish had gained more traction. Felt like Power Stone meets Dragonball.

 

I enjoyed the demo for it a lot, apparantly the full game got really low ratings or something though. Never found a real copy at any rate.

[Howerton]

I enjoyed the Light Gun titles on PS. Time Crisis, Crypt Killer, Point Blank. But I will warn you, you will need a CRT tv and a GunCon and a Justifier type light gun. Some Light guns have dual compatibility, some don't. But if you are like me a controller will do. These games are mindless fun!

[Teh_Gallardo]

• Marvel VS Capcom
• Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
• Batman Forever: The Arcade Game
• Agent Armstrong
• Nightmare Creatures II
• Rollcage Stage II
• Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
• Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins
• X-Men: Mutant Academy 1 & 2

[Azuris]

16 hours ago, Gregor said:

 

Yeah, the first two Colony Wars games are really good. Loved them as a kid. But G-Police isn't really a flight sim. It's more of a cyberpunk Mechwarrior but with sc-fi helicopters instead of Mechs.

 

Ah played the first couple of Levels in Colony Wars, somehow i never heard of them, but it is pretty fun.

 

G-Police remembers me from Future Cop LAPD, had it on PC but i do not remember if it was fun, was crashing too often :D

 

14 hours ago, sincity2100 said:

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Mortal Kombat Trilogy

 

 

I found my peace with Mortal Kombat 4, the NPC in Trilogy seems to be as cheating as in 2 and i just don't like to "exploit" the Logic to win.

 

Street Fighter i somehow play the original second on Super Nintendo or the fourth.

But you nearly never can go bad with a Street Fighter :D

 

12 hours ago, Teh_Gallardo said:

• X-Men: Mutant Academy 1 & 2

 

Those are good, i used to have a copy of the first one, strange that it isn't with the other Games.

Normally i keep my original Games like Treasures :>

 

Btw. i also can recommend Dino Crisis 2 to everyone.

For me personally it is the better Resident Evil, as i am not so much into Horror :P

It is much more Action than Survival, you can even walk and shoot!

This Game also was the Reason why i bought a Playstation.

Yes, born in the late 80s, Dinosaurs still sell to me haha

On 9/10/2022 at 10:27 AM, pilottobombadier said:

1. Mechwarrior 2: 31st Century Combat
2. Syndicate Wars (plays similarly to Syndicate on the SNES, so pretty esoteric controls)

 

Have Mechwarrior 2 on PC, maybe i test out the PSX Version, Mission Structure is simple enough to jump in even after a Pause.

 

I played Syndicate Wars more than i should on the Super Nintendo a few Years ago (yes was my first real attempt), even if i have also the PC Version.

The Mission Structure is also easy enough to jump in.

I think i'll give it a try.

 

That logic:

Theme Park could be worth a Try.

(played the snes version also more than on pc...)

[Rudolph]

15 hours ago, hybridial said:

Play it anyway, I really doubt you'll see that as an issue if you actually tried it, it's something the series makes work.

Tell me more.

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

14 hours ago, Devalaous said:

I enjoyed the demo for it a lot, apparantly the full game got really low ratings or something though. Never found a real copy at any rate.

I usually don't even bother reading old reviews of old games. Everyone complains about critics these days, but they were way dumber back then. Especially in the early 3D era, where you'll find some of the dumbest complaints given by professional critics who thought the future of the industry should be determined by technical features:

 

"This fighting game has poor voice acting"

"This RPG is simply too short (50 hours) to recommend"

"This RPG has no voice acting"

"There are no CG sequences"

"This 3D mascot platformer has a poor story"

 

Oftentimes, reviews told you almost nothing about the game other than how fancy it was on a technological level, and many were so amateur that you can find better-written reviews here on Doomworld. I used to go on Gamefaqs and read user reviews back then, which usually had more effort put into them than professional reviews. Now, whenever a game comes out that features things that it would have been knocked for back in '98, it gets praised for "teh nostalgia" by reviewers who weren't even alive to experience the things they're nostalgic for. But it's still (usually) not as bad as it was back then, because reviewers today will at least (usually) actually describe the game that they're reviewing.

[hybridial]

1 hour ago, Rudolph said:

Tell me more.

 

I actually watched a really good video on the early development of the series which I didn't think to bookmark, I should have. What I remember is the vision for the story is an epic war story with a large cast. Yoshitaka Murayama was inspired largely by long running manga series, one of them was one of the famous soccer/football (it's football where I come from :P) mangas was cited as one source of inspiration. But in his pitch, he realised was pitching to someone in an older generation so he looked more to classic literature to expand on the pitch, looking to The Water Margin as his example. The pitch worked obviously and led to the series' creation.

 

The general idea in most if not all of them is you are a character who ends up thrust into a leadership role in a war, usually as the leader of a rebellion or defence force. The aspect of having so many characters is to justify a fairly large scope in terms of world building and showcasing different cultures and races, etc. Also not all 108 characters of are playable, honestly half of them typically can participate in battle and the rest have some role in the management of headquarters or a story role or you unlock something through them. A lot of them are optional and you have to explore to find some of them. Each game has a second battle mode for large scale battles that is never executed quite the same but offer something fairly unique in a story driven CRPG. The writing is generally quite intricate and focuses as it should on a digestable cast of story relevant characters, but certainly that whole idea of the 108 stars of destiny gives the series an epic flair of it's own. 

 

There is generally a fantastical aspect to the stories on some level, like there's always magic runes involved and some other stuff, but a lot of it stays quite focused on grounded stories about warfare and politics. 

[Rudolph]

13 minutes ago, hybridial said:

Also not all 108 characters of are playable, honestly half of them typically can participate in battle and the rest have some role in the management of headquarters or a story role or you unlock something through them.

Ah, okay. That makes more sense when you put it that way.

 

Something I grew to dislike in RPGs - the worst offender being Pokémon - is when a sizeable portion of your characters spend most of the game sitting out battles and doing nothing, so you can imagine my reaction when I learned that Suikoden featured so many playable characters.

 

I shall add the PS1 titles to my backlog then! Thanks for the recommendation.

[hybridial]

3 minutes ago, Rudolph said:

Something I grew to dislike in RPGs - the worst offender being Pokémon - is when a sizeable portion of your characters spend most of the game sitting out battles and doing nothing, so you can imagine my reaction when I learned that Suikoden featured so many playable characters.

 

Just a quick comment on Pokemon... I can't believe it hasn't evolved into team based battles yet.

 

The Shin Megami Tensei series does that and it makes so much sense and it makes for a far more intricate and satisfying system and Pokemon is still just tagging in and out to keep using effective attacks on the one opponent. The only one I ever played was Yellow and every single one since then has been the exact same goddamn game. 

[Rudolph]

12 minutes ago, hybridial said:

Just a quick comment on Pokemon... I can't believe it hasn't evolved into team based battles yet.

Yeah, I tried playing Pokémon FireRed and I got sick of it after a while.

 

It is such a bad RPG: you can only use one character at a time, the battle system is mind-numbing, the random encounter rate is infuriating and Pokémon management is tedious as fuck. I understand that the original game had to work with the Game Boy's limitations, but from what I can see, even more recent Pokémon games still feature battles that boil down to barely-animated sprites bumping each each other.

 

Around the same time on the Game Boy Advance, you had titles like Golden Age, which looked and played so much better.