As one of the best-selling consoles of all time, the original PlayStation has a massive gaming library that includes both blockbuster franchises and plenty of one-off hits. That said, there are tons of underrated PS1 games that you may have missed. With the PS5 on the horizon, it seems that gamers nowadays are more focused on what's ahead than what's already come before. The original PlayStation may not have kept up in terms of graphics or processing power, but it has an outstanding library of games that players still enjoy to this day. While PS1 series that originated on the console like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, and Resident Evil have all gone on to be the most iconic in gaming, there are tons of other titles out there that deserve way more love. Vote up all the overlooked and underappreciated PlayStation 1 games you think deserve more attention, and vote down the titles you think are best forgotten. And if you know of a few great criminally overlooked PS1 games you’re still playing today, add them to the list so other players can give them a go.
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This action RPG by Square really packs a punch with its engaging story, where you, as Musashi, are summoned to save Allucaneet Kingdom from the Thirstquencher Empire. Combining hack and slash gameplay and mouth-watering RPG elements, it absolutely hit the nail on the head with its innovative 'day-night' system. Exceptionally capturing gamers' imaginations, Brave Fencer Musashi left its fingerprints all over the genre - kick-starting a new era of action RPGs.
Don your shielding as a LAPD officer in this third-person shooter, where the aim of the game is to rid futuristic Los Angeles of crime. With its intuitive controls and thrilling gameplay spanning across two modes - Crime War and Precinct Assault - Future Cop: LAPD spiced things up in the shooter genre. As a trailblazer, the game’s innovation rippled through the industry, setting the stage for countless third-person shooters to come.
Strap yourself in for a wild ride with Galerians, a survival horror game where you, Rion, harness psychic powers and go head-to-head against an eerie AI entity set to eradicate humanity. This game throws typical combat gameplay out the window, instead putting your brain to work by solving puzzles and managing limited resources strategically. Frighteningly fresh at the time, Galerians added a jolt of originality to the genre, ensuring that it was not just another fish in the survival-horror sea.
Wild arms 2 weaves a story of ragtag heroes brought together by fate to stamp out a world-threatening force. The gameplay is a quiet tornado of traditional turn-based RPG action, puzzle-solving, and navigating a beautifully crafted world. It positively shook up the PlayStation RPG landscape and ended up emerging as a cult classic for fans digging into the PlayStation's growing pile of RPGs.
Evil Zone presents a daring tale of heroes challenging an all-powerful villain trapped in the titular Evil Zone, combining elements of fantasy and science fiction. The gameplay reinforces traditional one-on-one fighting mechanics with an innovative 3D twist, introductions some players found as hard to swallow as a pill. However, its creative presentation and flashy graphics crafted a distinctive impact that contributed to the diversity of PlayStation's fighting game panorama.
War has never been as hilariously chaotic as in Hogs of War, a turn-based tactics war game filled with pigs armed to the teeth. Gameplay involves navigating 3D terrains where strategy and cunning are the keys to bringing home the bacon. Its tongue-in-cheek humor and addictive gameplay gave the game its own hog pen in the gaming world - standing out as a cult favorite among PlayStation aficionados.
G-Police transplants players into a dystopian future where evil corporations rule the roost and you’re taking to the skies to enforce justice. This game combines flight simulation with thrilling shoot-em-up sequences, testing your mettle as you twist and turn through an intense labyrinth of skyscrapers. Its captivating storyline and innovative controls took gaming to atmospheric new heights and it gained a reputation for pushing the envelope for vehicular combat games.
Tobal 2 is a knockout of a story about a tournament fighter navigating a world teetering on an alien invasion. This fighting game ushers in a dimension of depth with its dungeon explorer mode that meshes hand-to-hand combat and exploration RPG. Tobal 2 goes down in history as a revolutionary title that flavored the fighting game genre with role-playing elements, and is also remembered for its strikingly fluid character animations.
Take flight in an anime-styled world with the action-adventure game Tail Concerto, where players control a police officer dog named Waffle. It flawlessly combines 3D platforming and mech combat gameplay that dovetails beautifully with its whimsically enchanting storyline. A diamond in the rough, Tail Concerto has been lauded by fans for its imagination and uniqueness.
Command your submarine in this unique and thrilling underwater shooter, In the Hunt. Blending tactical maneuvering with intense shoot-'em-up gameplay, the game torpedoed players straight into its engaging narrative. Its fluid, detailed graphics, and engaging gameplay cemented its place as a memorable title in the PS1’s shooter rooster.
Glover is a 3D platformer that rolls out a unique mechanic twinning players with a magical ball. Platforming gameplay and ball-rolling physics align with a whimsical story, making Glover a standout in the genre. This game successfully engineered a niche for physics-based platformers, paving the way for future hits.
Ghost in the Shell is as gripping as a vise, and it puts players in the shoes of a rookie cop in a futuristic world dealing with profound existential questions. The blend of fast-paced tactical espionage action, puzzle-solving, and mech warfare created a creative cornucopia rarely seen in gaming. It stands out as a trendsetter for merging cerebral storytelling and kinetic gameplay, a constant reminder of the boundless potential of video game narratives.
Dragon Valor's gallant story of a hero's quest to vanquish a reigning dragon packs enough punch to keep players glued to their screens. The gameplay is a heated amalgamation of hack-and-slash action and RPG elements, allowing players to beef up their characters abilities through gameplay. It's a milestone title that left an indelible mark on PlayStation's action RPG landscape, remembered for its engaging gameplay and mesmerizing story.
Plunge into futuristic chaos with Omega Boost, offering players a thrill-ride across time and space. The exhilarating gameplay fuses a narrative-driven campaign with on-the-edge-of-your-seat aerial combat. Regarded as a sleeper hit, it broke the mold in the genre by blending fast-paced action with a compelling storyline.
The second installment in the Colony Wars series, Vengeance brings players back into the cockpit for an exhilarating space-combat game. Its branching mission paths and flight combat gameplay intertwine with its riveting plot twists and turns, never missing a beat. This game blasted off into the gaming realm, setting a new benchmark for space-faring video games to follow.
Step into the ring of the future with Star Gladiator, a 3D fighter set in a sci-fi universe. The gameplay amalgamates weapon-based combat with the narrative of intergalactic good versus evil. Its remarkable contribution to the genre put a feather in PlayStation's cap, making sure the name Star Gladiator was not just another cog in the machine.
Bombs away! Silent Bomber shifts the driver's seat of a professional saboteur tasked to barge through enemy lines, exploding chaos as you go. The game's inventive combat system and heart-racing plot made it a blast in the PlayStation library, detonating a wave of acclaim among action-lovers.
Vib-Ribbon sends gamers on a wild trip down the rabbit hole with its minimalist visuals, rhythm-based gameplay, and a storyline that's charmingly absurd. It pushes the envelope with gameplay mechanics, where the game generates levels based on the music. An avant-garde masterpiece, Vib-Ribbon left an indelible mark on rhythm gaming, sparking a wave of innovative games in the genre.
Gradius Gaiden catapults you into a space odyssey where you're the last line of defense against a belligerent alien invasion. This shoot-em-up makes a bang by offering a plethora of ship customization options and new power-up mechanisms to survive amidst a storm of bullets. It stands up as an essential staple of the Gradius lineage and a testament to just how deep the roots of the scrolling shooter genre can go.
Chaos Break spins a chilling tale of an abandoned research facility teeming with grotesque creatures after the unleashing of a biological experiment gone wrong. The game itself blends heart-stopping survival horror with shoot ‘em up action, invoking a palpable sense of tension and fear. It made waves as an underappreciated gem of the PS1 era, etching its mark on the horror genre with its innovative gameplay and macabre story.
Team Buddies is a wild ride that brings to life the story of playful yet chaotic creatures in a world brimming with ample doses of action. You can't take a step without some sort of riotous activity kicking off, as you engage in real-time strategy with a hearty pinch of third-person shooting, making for an unusual yet riveting gameplay mix. Its unique combination of strategy and comedy shooting underpinned a cult status among PS1 game enthusiasts, offering a different breed of fun;
LSD cranks up the weirdness level by throwing players into an abstract dream world where their actions shape the ever-changing environment. Purely exploratory in nature, the gameplay mechanics are as unpredictable as the British weather, offering gamers incomparable unpredictability. Known for its surreal aesthetics and largely incomprehensible gameplay, LSD remains an unforgettable touchpoint in the exploration of video game as an art form.
No One Can Stop Mr. Domino! sets the stage with a puzzle game unlike any other, sending players on a domino-toppling adventure. Gameplay unfolds across varied levels, built upon a one-of-a-kind fusion of action and strategy. A hidden gem, this game's unique game mechanics echoed in the league of other innovative puzzle games.
Eternal Eyes offers a compelling brew of strategy RPG mechanics with monster-taming gameplay in a lively, anime-inspired world. As you guide Luke, the young puppeteer, the narrative and gameplay ingeniously merge, pulling you into a world of tactical battles and compelling lore. Over time, the game has turned heads in the genre, cementing its place as a classic.
Monkey Hero is a top-down adventure game that spins on Chinese folklore, delivering charm in spades. The gameplay cleverly mixes puzzle-solving with action elements, creating an engaging gaming recipe. Despite being under the radar upon its launch, Monkey Hero has swung into gamers' hearts over the years, earning itself a dedicated niche following.
In Cold Blood is a simmering pot of intrigue and espionage spun around a British spy thrown in a world riddled with conspiracy and treachery. The gameplay is as nimble as a cat, blending elements of traditional adventure games with solid stealth-based action sequences. It's remembered as a game that gave the classic spy tale some serious teeth, and has since become something of a cult classic.
Battle Hunter compels players to step into the hunt for a powerful artifact, entwined in a devious tapestry of shifting alliances. The gameplay is crafty as a fox, blending strategy RPG mechanics with board game elements custom fit for entertainment. It cemented a neoteric foothold in the PlayStation lineup, adding a distinctive dash of unpredictability and randomness to strategy games.
Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness goes all guns blazing with a storyline revolving around mech pilots navigating a world scarred by war and rebellion. The game redefines traditional fighting games by incorporating customizable robots that influence your style of combat. Its revolutionary gameplay and mechanical design solidified its place in PlayStation's premier fighting lineup, marking an era where Japanese mecha culture started to thread into mainstream gaming.
Carnage Heart catapults players into futuristic corporate warfare where they're tasked to design and program mechs to edge out competitors. Combining strategic gameplay with a unique programming aspect, the challenge and complexity are nothing to sneeze at. Despite flying under the radar for many, the game's originality and challenging learning curve created a niche following among those who crave unorthodox game mechanics.
Blaster Master: Blasting Again narrates an inspiring coming of age story where Roddy, the heir of the Sophia tank legacy, takes up the mantle against invading extraterrestrials. The game sticks to the lone wolf DNA of exploration-based gameplay except with new 3D graphics that breathes new life to the series. This sequel managed to rekindle the Blaster Master franchise in an era filled with 3D remakes, managing to fill huge boots effectively.
