Words by Ewan Moore and Georgina Young
The original PlayStation (and its successor) are two console that very rarely missed, and with the welcome news that PS1 and PS2 games are finally coming to PS4 and PS5 via the shiny new (but not all that different) PlayStation Plus, what better time to take a look at the games we most want to see made available when the service rolls out in June?
Oh, and before anyone comes at us, we’ve purposefully left out the likes of Crash, Spyro, and Tony Hawk. I feel the recent remasters do such a good job of preserving the feel of the originals - wouldn’t you rather have access to games you simply can’t play anymore?
PlayStation
Spider-Man (Neversoft, 2000)
As far as Spider-Man games go, it doesn’t get much better than Marvel’s Spider-Man. But fans of the webhead shouldn’t sleep on Neversoft’s celebrated 2000 adventure. Spider-Man really did have it all, from large 3D levels filled with Easter eggs, to a fantastic story that gave us everyone from Venom and Scorpion to Punisher and Daredevil. A real love letter to classic Marvel comics, in perfect playable form. - EM
Parasite Eve 2 (Square Enix, 1999)
Most people think of Silent Hill and Resident Evil when it comes to survival horror on the PlayStation, but Parasite Eve 2 more than deserves some of that love.
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Weirder, more ambitious, and arguably more focused than its other horror-based cousins, Square Enix managed to combine horrifying scares with surprisingly robust RPG mechanics in a title quite unlike anything else seen on the PlayStation - apart from the first Parasite Eve, obviously. - EM
Tomb Raider II (Core Design, 1997)
Because I think everyone should be able to experience the unique joy of trapping the butler in the freezer, if only so they can understand what Boris Johnson was referencing that time he slipped into one. It wasn’t to avoid a difficult question, see, it was a TOMB RAIDER REFERENCE. Also Tomb Raider II is brilliant, so… there’s that. - EM
Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver (Crystal Dynamics, 2000)
Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver blends the best of Metroid, Zelda, and Tomb Raider, and throws in a ton of vampires for good measure.
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An incredible technical achievement for its time, Soul Reaver offered players an impressive (semi) open world to explore filled with smart puzzles, great combat, and a genuinely great story. Soul Reaver deserved way more love than it ever got, and this could be its chance to win over a new audience. - EM
Metal Gear Solid (Konami, 1998)
Given how important Metal Gear Solid is to the PlayStation legacy, it’s genuinely shocking to me that there’s still no way to play it on PS4 or PS5. The new PS Plus is the perfect opportunity to address this glaring oversight, of course, and introduce a whole new generation to one of the most important - and arse-achingly tense - stealth-action games of all time. - EM
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (Argonaut Games, 2001)
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FLIPPENDO! Because that’s what Harry says in the game, remember? Course you do. It’s highly unlikely that the original PlayStation version of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone will make it onto the new PS Plus service, if only because of licensing issues, but we can dream. As GAMINGbible wrote just last week, it remains one of the best ways to experience Hogwarts. - EM
Driver (Reflections, 1999)
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Much like the Daily Mail-reading father who thinks kids today should be okay with rising energy bills and cold houses because central heating didn’t exist when he were a lad, I feel every child should be made to experience the horrendous tutorial in Driver. If only to see how far we’ve come. - EM
PlayStation 2
Ape Escape 2 (Japan Studio, 2003)
When it comes to PlayStation, two is the magic number. The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time, the second version of each console is always the superior, and Ape Escape 2 absolutely slaps. The first Ape Escape forced us kicking and screaming to learn how to play games using analogue sticks, but the second refined this. You play as Spike a time-travelling monkey-catcher who must make excellent use of the gadgets at his disposal. Collecting coins lets you unlock mini-games, and it would not surprise me if I spent more time on these than the main game. -GY
Ico (Japan Studio and Team Ico, 2002)
People remember big brother Shadow Of The Colossus fondly, as predecessor Ico has faded into obscurity. It's the whimsical story of a horned lad attempting to lead a princess through a dilapidated castle, all the while warding off shadowed beasts. What is beautiful about Ico is how much the two characters need each other. You need Yorda to open the path forward, and you sit together hand in hand to save. Play it twice to hear the dialogue. -GY
Persona 3 FES (Atlus, 2008)
If you are new to visual novels then Persona 3 FES is a great entry into the genre. A coming-of-age high school relationship simulator, mixed in with demon-based, dungeon-crawling action. There are so many sides to Persona that there must be one which takes your fancy. Whether that's the alchemy of mixing your inner psyches into new stronger beasts, or just hanging with the goodest boy Koro-chan. The soundtrack also slaps the hardest out of the whole franchise, which is a high bar to meet. -GY
Silent Hill 2 (Team Silent, 2001)
When publisher Konami cancelled spiritual successor P.T., and then deleted all proof of its existence, a Silent Hill 2 comeback became increasingly unlikely. We live on in hope as over 20 years later, it is still one of the most iconic horror games ever made. The dense fog surrounding the town of Silent Hill prevents you from predicting what's ahead, while the monsters acting as physical manifestations of the protagonist's rotting ego still give us the willies. This is one we are eager to play again. -GY
Gitaroo Man (Koei and iNiS, 2002)
When people think of iconic PlayStation rhythm games, their minds often go to PaRappa The Rapper. While cr-cr-cracking the egg into the bowl is incredibly catchy, Gitaroo Man offers a more fully rounded experience. The rhythm gameplay has both attacking and defending sections so you have a chance to make a comeback even when your chips are down, and the soundtrack comes from such a diverse range of genres while also holding together stylistically. The whole package makes it a must play. -GY
Featured Image Credit: Square Enix / Konami / Japan Studio / Crystal DynamicsTopics: PlayStation, Playstation Plus