As someone who grew up in the PSX and PS2 era, I often find myself lamenting a simpler time when mascot platformers ruled the roost and the polygons on screen were so jagged they would have taken your eye out. When compared to modern gaming offerings, the games of yesteryear may not have the graphical fidelity or polished mechanics we have come to expect, yet I find myself rolling back the clock and replaying retro hits any chance I get. Which, granted, is because I love that feeling when a wave of nostalgia washes over me. But, putting that to one side, these older titles are still great in their own right.
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Unless you own a bunch of retro systems like me, it can be hard to play these old relics, but one way you can do this is courtesy of the PS Classic Catalog, a service that PS Plus Extra customers can enjoy. There are excellent retro titles available to play any time you like, and to help you sift through the duds to find the hidden treasures, I will be listing the best titles. So, whether you want to jog your memory or respect your gaming elders, these are the games you should check out.
After many years, Playstation NOW and the current PS Plus streaming service have done nothing to improve their pretty abysmal game streaming functionality. So because of this, I will be focusing solely on PSX and PS2 titles currently in the PS Classics Catalog. But if your internet is better than most, be sure to try out some of the streamable PS3 classics too!
10Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear To The Rescue
You Play This, And I’ll Be Proud Of You, Cowboy!
Traveller’s Tales
Metacritic Score
Let’s kick things off with the game that was the inspiration for this list, because as soon as I heard this game was given trophy support, I was running around playing as Buzz Light-year faster than you could say “Star Command.”
This classic platformer, courtesy ofTraveller’s Tales, is an example of one of the finest licensed retro games ever made, right up there withGoldeneye 64andSimpsons: Hit and Run. It offers a selection of beautifully-crafted levels that mirror the plot points of the second movie in theToy StoryFranchise and it has one of the best PS1 soundtracks ever composed.
I will concede that the controls are a bit janky by modern standards, but if you managed to battle withTomb Raider’stank controls back in the day, this will feel as smooth as butter by comparison. It’s one of the first PS1 games I ever played, so I’m biased, but any platforming fan will be able to recognize that this licensedDisneytitle is a little gaming gem.
9Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Before Jak Got All Edgy
Naughty Dog
There are so many top-tier PS2 mascot platformers to be enjoyed on PS Classics right now, such asRatchet and Clank, Sly RaccoonandKlonoa, courtesy of thePhantasy Revelrieremastered collection. Of all those available on the PS Classic Catalog, however, I want to recommendJak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, as it is the full package. It features a stunning setting, colorful characters, comedic and punchy writing, tight platforming, a wealth of mini-games and interesting bosses.
But above all, the most amazing aspect of this game is that it’s one of the first examples of a truly interconnected world with no load screens separating each level or biome. It’s a surprisingly immersive pseudo-open-world experience in many ways.Jak 2: Renegademay have taken the series in a darker direction, but we will always have the Unadulterated, feel-good vibes of this initialJak and Daxterromp.
8Dark Cloud
We Built This City On RNG Dice Rolls
Back in 2000,The Simswas a franchise that many gamers were enamored with, and fresh off the back ofSim City 2000, the city builder sub-genre had never been more in demand. Which is probably what we have to thank for the RPG meets City Builder mash-up that isDark Cloud.It seems like a terrible pairing, but in practice, Dark Cloud offers punishing, addictive and nuanced dungeon-crawler survival gameplay, which facilitates city-building mechanics when you aren’t spelunking for treasure.
With the power of Alta, you can revive aspects of the down taken by the Dark Genie, and in turn, get new quests, items and utilities from the villagers you brought back to the town. It’s a game that pulls no punches in terms of tricky systems to master, but this only adds to immersion when playing.Dark Chronicleis also one that you should check out if this appeals to you, but be sure to check out the original first, because it’s an RPG gem of the 6th generation.
7Forbidden Siren
Back When Zombies Weren’t a Tired Cliché
Project Siren
Every horror fan will be aware ofSilent Hilland will be eagerly awaiting Bloober Team’s upcoming remake of the second title in the franchise. But there were plenty of amazing cult classic horror titles from this era that could give it a run for its money in terms of spookiness. Those that spring to mind include games likeProject Zero,The SufferingandRule of Rose. But the one that the PS Catalog has waiting for you isForbidden Siren. A truly twisted masterpiece.
This title sees you play as a string of different characters as they try to navigate Hanuda while avoiding the Shibito, a terrifying infestation of zombie creatures. It’s a genuinely horrific and atmospheric horror game with several mechanics like the butterfly effect and Sight-jacking that felt so ahead of their time. It’s a masterful horror game that will still frighten the pants off of you in 2024, so hop on the PS Classic Catalog and give it a try.
6Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare
Fancy A Getaway to Shadow Island?
Not scary enough for you? Allow me to double down with another classic horror epic. Alone in the Dark is a staggeringly-good horror game fromDarkworksthat I often credit with establishing the framework that would become theDevil May Cryseries, as in terms of the camera work, environmental design and the way combat plays out, this game is a bit of a middle ground betweenDMCandResident Evil.
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It’s also a game that will likely appeal toAlan Wakefans, as your light source plays a vital role in repelling monsters and solving puzzles. I will point out thatResident Evilis also in the catalog and is well worth seeking out as well. But considering the fact thatRE1has a remaster, and more people will have heard that iconic ‘Jill Sandwich’ line already, I’m going to championAlone in the Darkas the fixed camera angle horror epic you need to check out.
An Escort Mission We Can Get Behind
Escort missions suck, right? Whether it was Ashley inResident Evil 4or Emma Emmerich inMGS2, there’s likely one that comes to mind and immediately puts you in a bad mood. Well,Icois a game that bucks that trend, as this award-winning masterpiece effectively serves as one giant escort mission from start to end. But in the case ofIco, it’s so brilliantly paced and designed that you won’t mind one bit.
TheShadow of the Colossuscreator manages to create a puzzle platformer where you’re only as competent as your weakest party member, which makes each section a puzzle to solve to help Yorda get from A to B. It’s a game I firmly believe was the blueprint for later puzzle platformers that limited player’s capabilities and forced critical thinking such asLIMBOandINSIDE.The Last Guardianwas a letdown as far as direct follow-ups go, but if you’ve never playedIco, it might just be the game to change your mind on escort missions.
4Okage: Shadow King
A Criminally-Underrated JRPG Gem
Zener Works
For everyFinal FantasyorDragon Quest, there was a JRPG within the sixth generation of gaming that slipped through the cracks despite being just as well-designed and fun as the others on the market. It was a tragedy back then, but thankfully, some gamers out there are rediscovering these games courtesy of the PS Classics catalog.Arc The LadandRogue Galaxyare top-tier contenders for your attention, but the one I want to highlight above all others isOkage: Shadow King.
In this title, you play as a young boy who makes a deal with an evil king to serve as a dark shadow’s apprentice to save his young sister, leading to you traveling the land and slaying other evil shadow lords of the realm to help your master achieve their true evil potential.
It’s a wonderfully-humorous game that sort of plays like an extension ofA Hat In Time’sSnatcher levels, but with the addition of dungeon crawling, fun turn-based combat and vast open spaces to explore. It’s a criminally-underrated JRPG that deserves a moment in the spotlight, so do your bit and dive into this one!
Help Heihachi Take Down Their Son
I’m not going to pretend that fighting games are my thing. I am a living example of those cliché players who spam crouch kicks and hope for the best. But, that being said, I still had a fondness for these games back in the day. I poured an ungodly amount of hours into old relics likeSoulbladeandBloody Roar,but this was mainly due to my love ofTekken 2. My love for theTekkenseries started and ended there, but I completely understand the appeal for those who continued refining their combos thereafter.
The cast of characters was distinct, the gameplay felt more than just button-mashing for the sake of it and the variety of game modes for the time was impressive as well. But I think it was the fact that there were story beats to uncover with each character, which made every fight even more rewarding. I still hold a great deal of animosity toward Devil Kazuya as I don’t think I ever beat them, but putting that childhood trauma aside,Tekken 2is a brilliant fighting game and it’s well worth revisiting in 2024.
2I.Q: Intelligent Qube/Kurushi
Solve Puzzles Fast, Or Go Splat Trying
Back in the days of the PSX, truly-brilliant puzzle games weren’t exactly a dime a dozen. You’d get the occasional tough puzzle thrown into standout horror or action games, but out-and-out puzzle games were mainly tied to the PC due to their point-and-click format. You would, however, get the occasional exception to the rule, andIntelligent Qubewas that. This was a game where you would need to run around a 3D environment in real time and trigger certain blocks to destroy huge cubes slowly bundling toward you.
Essentially, it was like being at the bottom of aTetrisgrid and being tasked with getting rid of the incoming blocks, or being doomed to the fate of becoming a pancake. It was a simple format to understand, but one that would force you to think under pressure and move with precision, and it was also strangely atmospheric, as if you were inside the PS2 start-up screen when playing. Was this foreshadowing? We’ll never know, but we do know that this puzzler is still a brilliant time in 2024, so give it a go.
1Secret of Mana
A Genuine JRPG Golden-Age Classic
Then, lastly, we finish off with an absolute cult classic JRPG. Back in the PSX era, every JRPG was playing second fiddle to Final Fantasy, but despite this, there were a lot of games that were just as good, if not better. Those that spring to mind includeChrono Trigger, Vagrant StoryandXenogears. But of all the non-Final FantasyJRPGs of this era,Secrets of Manajust might be the pick of the bunch. This may or may not have something to do with Square being responsible for this one too.
This game was a revelation in 1993, offering real-time combat instead of the tried and tested turn-based model. Not to mention, it offers a compelling fantasy story, the ability to play the campaign in co-op with up to two other players,and one of the best gaming soundtracks perhaps ever.
The remake was a let down, so the 1993 version still remains the best way to experience this piece of JRPG history. Plus, considering thatVisions of Mana, the next game in the Mana series, is imminent, there’s no time like the present to brush up on this series ahead of the next Mana fantasy adventure.
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