Today’s post is the next one on my journey to releasing my top 50 games of all time. I find that it’s much easier to segment games off first, which is why I’m slowly ranking my top 10 games on each system before I release the full list. This has been a great feature when I’m low on things to write about, which is the case right now as I continue to slowly make my way through Metaphor: ReFantazio.
The PS1 was a weird console for me. I didn’t get one until the very end of its lifecycle. And I got it mostly with the intention to catch up on JRPGs. Because of that, there are several classics from this system that I never played. But I still found a lot of enjoyment from the PS1, even if I don’t have the same level of nostalgia for it as many people my age. With that, here are my top 10 PS1 games!
If you want to see my past lists, they are also linked below.
10. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
I know that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is often considered the gold standard of the series, but it’s just tough to ever top that first time experiencing a brand new gameplay loop. THPS felt like nothing else when it came out. The gameplay was so fun and fluid. The music was awesome, and the gameplay had nice variety with great level design and fun challenges to tackle. This was one of those games that everyone with a video game system played when I was a teen, and there was a good reason for that. This game came out at the perfect time, too, back when the X-Games were probably at the peak of their powers. Right place, right time, and a fantastic game. You can’t ask for much more.
9. Final Fantasy Tactics
I know that for many, this is one of their favorite games of all time. And I do really enjoy Final Fantasy Tactics for a lot of reasons. The deep story and the amount of customization are both amazing here. My problems with it come down to things that just slightly bug me with almost every pure turn-based SRPG. The general gameplay pacing can be a bit slow and plodding. This is why Ogre Battle 64 remains the SRPG king of this era for me, but there’s no doubt that FFT is fantastic at what it does and still deserves a lot of praise.
8. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
My journey to Symphony of the Night is a weird one. Mostly, because my first exposure to this type of Castelvania game was actually with the GBA games. I loved those, so it only made sense to pick this up when I finally had the chance. By the time I played it, I had already been spoiled on the upside down castle, so that never had the impact for me that it probably had for many others. But there’s no doubt this is just a rock-solid Metroidvania that does damn near everything right. I imagine if I played it exactly when it came out, it may have hit even harder for me.
7. Chrono Cross
Chrono Trigger is a game that I considered the best ever for much of my life. When I booted up Chrono Cross for the first time, it was almost impossible not to be disappointed a little bit. It was just so dramatically different in ways I wasn’t ready for. And while this game never quite reaches those highs for me, I still really enjoyed it and have tons of respect for it. I love how unique the battle system is. I am a big fan of how the game is basically anti-grinding. The music was phenomenal as you would expect, and the story at least goes in some interesting directions. I think a lot of us just wanted more Chrono Trigger but with new fancy graphics. Chrono Cross goes its own way, and at times, that feels like a bad decision. At other times, its bravery must be applauded
6. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Most of the RPGs that make it on these lists for me tried to do something different. While I love JRPGs, anything that is very standard fare gets old for me fast. I’m not sure how, but Lunar: Silver Star Story has always stuck for me, despite the fact that it doesn’t really do anything remarkable. I’m not even sure if I love the battle system all that much. But it just does everything else right. The characters, the music, the art, and the story are all fantastic. You feel so attached to Alex and crew that nothing else seems to matter. It’s a heartfelt story and a franchise that I would love to see return with new games one day.
5. Grandia
I truly love when a JRPG really does something different with a battle system. It can make up for a whole lot of other sins. Grandia is not a game that particularly excels for me with its characters or story. It’s very standard fare all around. But man, this is one of the coolest battle systems out there. There are mechanics here that allow you to delay your opponents attacks, and it’s really exciting and fun to play around with. It’s somehow more strategic than many other battle systems of the era, but it’s still relatively fast-paced and fun, too. That is not easy to pull off, and that is why, despite the downsides to it, it is a game I still think about to this day.
4. Suikoden 2
Suikoden 2 was the ultimate JRPG of this era for those who wanted real variety in the gameplay loop. This game features an extensive recruiting and townbuilding system, as well as cool war battles and duels. But then, it also nails the standard JRPG stuff, too, with a fantastic story and one of the most iconic game villains all time with Luca Blight. Suikoden 2 was when the Suikoden series was at the absolute peak of its powers, and it has been chasing that same high ever since.
3. Final Fantasy VII
From the first minutes of Final Fantasy VII, you know you are in for something special. This game features one of the most iconic introductions of all time. I still remember my shock and excitement when a real timer to escape the mako reactor popped up on the screen at the end of Avalanche’s mission to blow it up. That was not something I was used to with any RPG, and it set the tone for things to come. When this game came out, it was cinematic on a level that almost no other game was. It still has one of the most iconic casts in all of gaming and still features some of the most memorable moments in all of video games. The battle system is also solid, and the materia system allows for nice customization without allowing the game to get overly complex. The soundtrack was legendary, too. This was just such a cool ass experience, and reliving it in the modern day through the remakes has been one of my favorite gaming experiences ever.
2. Xenogears
Xenogears is one of those very few video games that I can say was legitimately influential in my entire life. The game tackles themes like religion in ways that I hadn’t personally encountered as a teen, and it truly made me at least think about the world in some slightly different ways. It taught me to question things a little more than I did at that point.
But also, it’s just one hell of a video game in its own right. It has an excellent battle system and a deep plot full of intrigue and interesting characters. The only thing holding the game back is that the whole conclusion of the game ends up being a giant text dump, due to what I assume were budget and time issues. But despite all that, this is still a classic JRPG and one of the best in the genre of all time to this day.
1. Metal Gear Solid
Of all of the games on the list, this might be the one I’d be most afraid to recommend to someone to play for the first time. I have to imagine a lot of elements of the gameplay might not age wonderfully if picked up today. But in the moment, it’s tough to describe how incredible this game was. It felt ahead of its time on so many levels. The storytelling and voice acting were both on levels that I hadn’t quite experienced to the point where I played it.
The game also has some of the most fun and creative boss fights of all time, as well as some of the most iconic characters ever. I like the MGS series well enough, but no game in the series ever hit the same way that this one did for me. And of all the games in the PS/N64 era, this is the one I hold up as the definitive best. Maybe one day I’ll take the plunge and experience it again. But for now, I’m content to just savor many incredible memories from it.
Big Nerd Gaming 
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