PlayStation Classic Had Better Include These 15 Games or We Riot

PlayStation Classic will be a misnomer if it didn’t include Metal Gear Solid. Metal Gear Solid became a cultural phenomenon when it dropped in 1998, cementing itself as one of the greatest stealth games ever made. By balancing third-person stealth, gunplay, and innovative boss battles, the title has stood the test of time and is a shoo-in to appear on the PlayStation Classic. Kojima’s first steps in the 3D world set the bar for innovative and cinematic experiences, which only a rare few have dared to reach. PlayStation Classic games.

PlayStation Classic games. Symphony of the Night is industry veteran Koji Igarashi’s crowning jewel, perfecting the 2D Castlevania format. As his peers were daring to move into the world of 3D, Igarashi stayed the course on 2D design, leading to perhaps the most finely balanced action game ever made. From the pacing to the enemy design, Symphony of the Night oozes class. Konami was really killing it in the late nineties, weren’t they? PlayStation Classic games. PlayStation Classic games.

PlayStation Classic games. People do not remember Chrono Cross as fondly as they recalled the iconic Chrono Trigger, which is a shame. Perhaps the game’s lack of visibility outside of the US and Japan has tainted its legacy, but there is no discounting the title’s credentials as a densely-layered and rewarding JRPG. Porting it the PlayStation Classic would be a perfect way to re-introduce people to this underrated gem, which added to the Chrono lore in surprising ways. PlayStation Classic games.

Looking at Wipeout now, it sort of exists as a time capsule of wider cultural trends of the late nineties. The game ticks all the boxes of the wider cultural undertones that were at play during the time, from its superb jungle and rave inspired soundtrack to its gritty retro-futuristic courses. Underneath its refined aesthetics, however, lays a cohesive and fun ant-grav racing game. To put it simply: Wipeout was bloody cool.

Before Skate dominated the market, Tony Hawk’s was unparalleled. Perfecting the pick-up-and-play ethos, the game’s now-iconic stages were designed to reward replayability. Many memories of local co-op sessions, pushing each other to 100% each brutal 2-minute stage will be invoked if this is ported to the Classic. The soundtrack is superb, too, but this may be a stumbling block in terms of licensing.

There haven’t been many games like Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee, whose idiosyncratic take on stealth and puzzle elements would be right at home on the PlayStation Classic. The title’s level design is still a marvel, with its finely aged graphics, sound design, and forever comedic story being no barrier to its guaranteed popularity on Sony’s new console. PlayStation Classic games.

Despite performing excellently with critics when it released, Suikoden II remained as a cult item for many years. Nowadays, the series and title are well-known, delivering an expansive story with a huge cast. The Suikoden franchise has aged excellently, with its gorgeous sprites and satisfying combat remaining as a high standard for the JRPG genre. PlayStation Classic games.

In a way, Silent Hill’s antiquated graphics makes it even scarier today. Due to the technological limitations of the PlayStation, the game, much like its PlayStation 2 successors, invested in the core element of great horror: show and don’t tell. By mixing its well-orchestrated music and sound design with outlandish takes on horror, the title is not only one of the scariest games of all time, but an extension of Japan’s unrivaled artistic tradition in the horror genre. PlayStation Classic games.

On the flip-side, Resident Evil 2 is the gold standard of classic survival horror gameplay. Leon Kennedy’s awful first day at work is now in the canon of gaming’s legends. By refining the excellent toolkit of Resident Evil 1, its sequel allowed for faster play, more claustrophobic fights, a higher skill cap, and a true Western-inspired horror experience. PlayStation Classic games.

Arguments about Street Fighter Alpha 3’s viability as a continuation of Street Fighter 2’s perfection has been waged since it released in 1998, but the game is still supported in all kinds of eSports tournaments to this day. Whatever your thoughts on the title, its timeless status makes it an almost certain addition to the Classic’s roster. Being much faster and more Marvel-esque than its predecessors, the game would be an interesting addition for today’s gamers. PlayStation Classic games.

Recently voted as one of the best Tomb Raider games of all time by Twinfinite, Tomb Raider 2 perfected the formula pitched by its predecessor. While it may not seem it now, Tomb Raider 2 existed as the high watermark for action-orientated games. Back then, the title honestly felt like the equivalent of an action movie, throwing surprises, tense moments and satisfying gunplay right at the gamer. PlayStation Classic games.

The PlayStation era was one of experimentation, producing games that combined systems that, nowadays, would seem incompatible. Parasite Eve is one such result of the period’s experimentation, blending a survival horror story with an odd RPG-lite combat system. The project is sort of a combination between Resident Evil’s brand of survival horror and JRPG combat systems. Parasite Eve was symptomatic of a time in gaming where the genre first realised it had endless possibilities. PlayStation Classic games.

Rhythm games are rarely injected with as much personality as PaRappa the Rapper. Simply put, PaRappa the Rapper is a game where the protagonist, Parappa, must imitate each stage’s teacher, or boss, and their rhymes. If the player achieves a certain threshold of points, they pass. How is a game this simple so good? Well, just look at the little guy! The title’s art style, cutesy story, and addictive gameplay lends it as a perfect addition to the Classic. PlayStation Classic games.

Ticking all the boxes of the late nineties’ Gothic revival, Soul Reaver told a brutal and deep dark fantasy story. Soul Reaver exists in the same universe as Blood Omen, taking placed 1500 years after that title. Players assume the role of Raziel, a now-disfigured vampire-turned-wraith as he exacts revenge on his former vampire lord, Kain. By centring its gameplay around an intricate two-worlds system, Soul Reaver would serve as an exemplary example of the PlayStation’s approach to Zelda-inspired dungeon crawling. PlayStation Classic games.

When discussions rage about the greatest Final Fantasy game of all time, the Tactics spin-off is not mentioned as much as it should be. Much more strategy-focused than its mainline counterparts, Tactics offers the most densely-layered combat system of the series, combined with a story rich with intrigue and surprises. When looking at each system in isolation, they shine, but when added together, there is little to no argument on whether Tactics should be included on the Classic’s elite roster. PlayStation Classic PlayStation Classic PlayStation Classic game

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