When the PlayStation was released, it came with a demo disc that included a technical demonstration of T-Rex (which, at the time, felt photorealistic) and Wipeout. The latter was so incredibly good, but it was with the sequel Wipeout 2097 where everything fell into place. For the first time, the game was really cool and had some of the world's best designers and musicians complemented by a hell of an attitude and absolutely top-notch gameplay. I was absolutely floored by Wipeout 2097, and to this day, it's hypnotically good and the gold standard all futuristic racers are compared to.
The Castlevania series had completely charmed gamers on the NES, Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, and other more obscure formats with absolutely phenomenal titles. But it was on the PlayStation with Castlevania: Symphony of the Night that the pieces fell into place and the so-called Metroidvania genre was born. Alucard's adventure contained layers-upon-layers and semi-infinite amounts of secrets, and is one of the few titles that doesn't need a remake. Thanks to the 2D graphics, it looks as good today as it did when it was released, and the soundtrack is a serious contender for the best of all-time.
Sure, Tomb Raider was actually released on the Saturn just before it came to the PlayStation, but it was almost considered a beta. It was for the PlayStation that all the pieces fell into place and we were treated to an almost unreal action-adventure that was almost like an Indiana Jones simulator, and almost overnight made Lara Croft a global icon. Tomb Raider was a multi-stage experience where, mission-by-mission, I became increasingly surprised and blown away by what was being presented.
This game was so incredibly good that it feels silly to talk about what it has meant to the gaming world, when everything should really be about the entertainment value. But still, it's Hideo Kojima's seminal adventure that I would, in many ways, describe as the first modern and truly cinematic action-adventure. It had so many layers, so much story, so much gameplay, so many surprises and so much innovation that even I - who despises stealth - can't help but name this the second best game to come to the PlayStation.
A predictable choice? Maybe, but there's no doubt in my mind that Hironobu Sakaguchi created magic in 1997 when it finally came time for Europe to get acquainted with Square's classic role-playing series. Many of us had read about Final Fantasy in gaming magazines and a lucky few had played imported versions, but it was like being literally floored by an uppercut getting to experience it for ourselves officially. Cloud Strife's adventure was bigger, better and more lavish than any game ever before, and it has a depth that was downright mind-blowing. The story was also extremely well written, and combined with Nobuo Uematsu's soundtrack, it created game magic so special that gamers clamoured for a remake for nearly 20 years, before Square Enix finally caved in. We're not just talking about the best game for PlayStation, but one of the best titles in gaming history regardless of format. Pure magic.
What are your five favourite PS1 games?