Summary
- Pepsiman, Vib-Ribbon, Silent Bomber, and Dino Crisis stand out as unique PS1 games that deserve attention today.
- Policenauts and Vagrant Story offer compelling narratives and gameplay that showcase the console's diverse library.
- Bushido Blade 2 provides a distinctive fighting experience with one-hit kills and deserves recognition for its unique approach.
1994 to 1995 was a big time for gaming as Sony entered the console race in Japan and North America. Could they occupy the same space as Nintendo and Sega and succeed? It turns out that they were even more successful than both of those companies to some degree, with the PS1 dominating the Sega Saturn and N64 in the 90s. This victory can be accounted for because of a classic lineup of platformers, RPGs, action games, and more. While it would be fun to go through the best games the console had to offer, today it is time to dive deep into the library.
Some of these titles are all-timers, but others ar one-offs that are too weird to describe and instead need to be played to get the vibe of the console. These games are sort of like alternatives to the most popular PS1 games. They often live in the shadows of the greats, but are secretly better representations of genres and what the PS1 was capable of. Plus, some of them are just bizarre, and gamers need to play them to believe them. Games will be ranked based on quality, regardless of the weird factor.
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8 Pepsiman
The 90s Were Truly Wild
Pepsiman
- Released
- March 4, 1999
- Developer(s)
- KID
- Publisher(s)
- KID
- Genre(s)
- Action
Pepsiman is not an understood conventional good game on the PS1, but it is a game that needs to be experienced firsthand. Even though all dialogue in the game is spoken in English, it was released only in Japan. It featured live-action cutscenes, or FMV, to tell the story of a super Pepsi fan who adores the superhero, Pepsiman, who goes around town to quench thirsty citizens. Pepsiman was ahead of the auto-runner genre that exploded on cellphones in the mid-2000s and is strange beyond belief.
7 Vib-Ribbon
Simple Graphics, Killer Music
Vib-Ribbon
- Released
- December 12, 1999
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- NanaOn-Sha
- Genre(s)
- Music
PaRappa the Rapper moved the agenda of rhythm-based games forward by offering a story alongside the music puzzles. While it is still a knockout, Vib-Ribbon is perhaps a more focused experience, with extremely simple graphics but a more challenging and rewarding set of gameplay hooks. As a semi-polygonal rabbit-like creature, players will have to skip to the beat of the songs. It’s another great example of how experimental Sony was at this time, which is why it’s great to play today as a reminder of what the company used to be.
6 Silent Bomber
Is That Your Bomberman?
Silent Bomber
- Released
- October 28, 1999
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PS Vita
Bomberman: Act Zero was an Xbox 360 reinvention of the character that did not go over well. Silent Bomber is not connected to Bomberman in any way and yet it feels like a better spiritual successor. Players go through top-down levels armed with bracers that can drop explosives quickly.
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It’s one of the earliest CyberConnect2 games, a company now well-known for the .hack series and anime games based on Naruto and Dragon Ball Z. Not only is Silent Bomber a must-play based on the fun factor, it’s a good history lesson that shows how far CyberConnect2 has come as a developer.
5 Dino Crisis
The Best Jurassic Park Sequel
Dino Crisis
- Released
- August 31, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Resident Evil dominated the horror genre on the PS1, and while there are a lot of good entries on the system, the zombie genre is not fully unique, and Resident Evil went on to have a bigger presence elsewhere. Instead, PS1 fans should turn their attention to Dino Crisis, another Capcom series that was set on a remote island wherein a dinosaur outbreak occurs. It’s a lot like the plot of Jurassic Park, but way more intense. There is nothing else like it on the system.
4 Policenauts
Kojima’s Hidden Masterpiece
Policenauts
- Released
- July 29, 1994
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
Metal Gear Solid is a great PS1 experience that blends storytelling and stealth in one package. However, Hideo Kojima fans may not know that he made another game on the PS1, Policenauts. This title was only released in Japan, but it has since been patched by fans into English.
Policenauts is a remake of a PC game from 1994, and it sets up the origins of Meryl Silverburgh, an important Metal Gear Solid character, albeit not in a connected sense. It’s an adventure game with a short runtime and an even tighter narrative that is simple and complex all at once. If fans play one adventure or story-heavy game on the PS1, let it be this.
3 Mega Man Legends
A Unique Art Style And Twist For The Blue Bomber
Mega Man Legends
- Released
- August 31, 1998
- ESRB
- e // Animated Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom Production Studio 2
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
In the 90s, classic 80s franchises were making the leap from 2D to 3D, including Mega Man. Mega Man Legends wasn’t a smash hit compared to other 3D transitions like the Mario and Zelda games on the N64, but its legacy shows how ahead of the time it was.
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The game still looks good thanks to the cel-shaded graphics placed upon polygonal models, which is one reason why it is a must-play. Also, it’s a relatively short, humorous action-adventure game that perhaps even outdoes the aforementioned N64 Zelda games.
2 Bushido Blade 2
A Fighter Like No Other
Bushido Blade 2
- Released
- October 29, 1998
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Light Weight
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
The PS1 has a lot of great fighting games where mastering combos is part of the fun. However, Bushido Blade 2 had a more unique approach to fights. Players could choose a variety of feudal-era characters and weapons to match. Players and their opponents would die in a single hit, but parries were possible. There are spiritual successors to this concept now, but this short-lived PS1 series still hits decades later, and it deserves to be rediscovered.
1 Vagrant Story
Shadow Hearts’ Origins
Vagrant Story
- Released
- May 15, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
PS1 fans could easily fill up their arms with just Squaresoft titles and be happy for months between the various Final Fantasy games. One game that often gets high praise but did not blossom into a franchise is Vagrant Story. As far as RPGs go, there’s almost nothing like it on the console, and certainly not many games since. The player character is a knight of sorts, Ashley, who gets lost in a castle and has to fight his way through alone. It’s part horror, part fantasy, and altogether an unforgettable experience with hybrid action and turn-based gameplay.
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