Underrated PS1 games

[ChucklesTheJester]

I’m not sure how underrated it might be to some, but where I live, no one knows about this game except for me:

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Oh hey that game. I remember a few years ago when playing it viva emulator, I some how got into a weird loop with the flame thrower boss where I just kept running around him in a circle and his flames always missed me. Over and over and over untill i stopped moving and let myself die.

 

[Naamaleipuri]

Kula World, starts as an easyish platformer, ends as a nerve wracking fight against the time limit as you try to solve the current level puzzle.

 

[MasterCylinder]

Not really overlooked, but Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee and it’s sequel Abe’s Exoddus are some of the finest games on the PSX.

If you love 2D stealth/puzzle platformers like prince of Persia then these are the games for you.

For a truly overlooked game I recommend Sheep Raider (also known as Sheep, Dog ‘N Wolf in pal regions)

it’s a looney Tunes puzzle platformer where you rely on Acme gadgets to steal sheep from Sam Sheepdog to clear the level, the puzzles have that pure classic looney style with a neat graphic style and funky fresh OST.

Kula World and Intelligent Cube were already mentioned above but I still say those are excellent puzzle games to check out.

 

[Marissa Moira]

I'm going to say both Discworld games

Yeah there's a third one and it's PAL only called Discworld Noir. But none of the Discworld Games are available on GOG and the rights to them are all up in the air because you have the holy trifecta of Sony currently owning what remains of Psygnosis, Pratchet now being dead and his Estate is run by incompetents, the voice acting was done by people from Monty Python(who I presume are also dead) and they need money too.

Once these get an official re-release there's going to be quite a story behind them, probably on par with how they got Harlan Ellison to OK the GOG release of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream".

The Japanese release was on the Sega Saturn and that had japanese voice acting.

 

[Trashfire Garbagefuck]

Shadow Tower

you always hear about kings field when people talk about pre-dark souls from software games, but I hadn't heard about this rpg until just last year. it's similar, but the monsters are freakier and you use HP as currency. very neat.


Einhander

I love how square would randomly make games in genres nobody expected back in the 90s. but until I finally play parasite eve, this will be my absolute favorite of those games, likely after too. it's a horizontal shootemup with incredible music that doesnt' just sound like the other incredible shmup soundtracks, a great cyberpunk aesthetic that looks even better when rendered at higher resolutions in an emulator, and a clever gimmick where all your powerups are stolen from other random enemies. each has an alternate fire setup. one of your choices for a ship lets you use two at once, one in regular fire mode, and one in alternate fire, with he ability to swap them. you really end up thinking about how what weapons you take from what enemies.


Elemental Gearbolt

it's just a lightgun game, but the visual aesthetic is some good shit.


Jade Coccoon

maybe the least talked about pokemon clone that isn't shit. it's also kinda SMT-ish because you can fuse, but the fusions combine elements of both monsters iirc. cool game with good monsters, if a bit repetitive at times.

 

[Coolio55]

Jade Coccoon

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maybe the least talked about pokemon clone that isn't shit. it's also kinda SMT-ish because you can fuse, but the fusions combine elements of both monsters iirc. cool game with good monsters, if a bit repetitive at times.

Also worth mentioning that this game has an absolutely jawdropping twist. Not going to spoil but holy shit you won't believe it when it happens.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Tail of the Sun. It's a caveman game with an open world. The gameplay is meh and it's more of a novelty. Still a really cool game just because of how different it is. You're supposed to get mammoth tusks and build a tower to the sun. You don't have to build that tower, you can just run around hunting or foraging. If you ever find a copy of this, get it. It's worth having if you enjoy odd games.

 

[Marissa Moira]

Shadow Tower had an official reprint a few years ago. They were going for $10 dollars new because they thought that so few people would be buying them.

Now look at the prices of it.

 

[Trashfire Garbagefuck]

Shadow Tower had an official reprint a few years ago. They were going for $10 dollars new because they thought that so few people would be buying them.

Now look at the prices of it.

first result on ebay is 90 dollars for just the booklet god damn lol

 

[Islamic Creampie]

Love the aesthetic of Shadow Tower, but Goddamn if they didn't somehow make it even more cryptic than King's Field despite coming out after them.

Someone mentioned the first game early on, but I'm only familiar with the second. While it was a fighting game, it didn't focus on combos and you had no life bars. You could choose from a bunch of different weapons, and change your stance at will to alter your fighting style. The focus wasn't so much to wail on your opponent, but to get past their defenses and kill them with that one decisive strike, but you could also cripple limbs by damaging them enough, which would make it harder for them to attack or defend.

Like NASCAR Rumble, this is another game where they took a sport and made it totally off the wall. There's not really much to say. It's essentially fast paced hockey without the rules and a big focus on beating the shit out of the other team with ridiculous moves.

 

[uncleShitHeel]

There's also MediEvil II, the original MediEvil got a remaster for PS4, but nobody seems to remember the second game which is a shame as I thought it was better.

Hands down one of my most favorite games of all time and one I genuinely hope the remake for PS4.

I also remember Tomba/i 1 & 2 with fond memories, alongside G-Police and C-12 Final resistance.

Oh to be 11 years old again.

 

[Sir Wesley Tailpipe]

Love the aesthetic of Shadow Tower, but Goddamn if they didn't somehow make it even more cryptic than King's Field despite coming out after them.

View attachment 1251116
Someone mentioned the first game early on, but I'm only familiar with the second. While it was a fighting game, it didn't focus on combos and you had no life bars. You could choose from a bunch of different weapons, and change your stance at will to alter your fighting style. The focus wasn't so much to wail on your opponent, but to get past their defenses and kill them with that one decisive strike, but you could also cripple limbs by damaging them enough, which would make it harder for them to attack or defend.

View attachment 1251117
Like NASCAR Rumble, this is another game where they took a sport and made it totally off the wall. There's not really much to say. It's essentially fast paced hockey without the rules and a big focus on beating the shit out of the other team with ridiculous moves.

Rock the Rink was a blast! The commentary was the guys who did the mainline NHL games just being insane idiots, and it didn’t even feel like a grind to fully upgrade every team.

Also, NASCAR Rumble got a port to the PS2 minus the license, as Rumble Racing, and it’s awesome.

 

[Just_a_Bored_Guy]

I've got a handful to list off.
Ghoul Panic

Similar to Point Blank, this is a series of light-gun challenges involving shooting targets. The difference was here you had to shoot ghosts to stop an evil witch. It was only released in Japan and Europe.
Namco Anthology 1 and 2

The lesser known PS1 compilations of Namco arcade games, certainly because they were Japan-only. Unlike the Museum games, these had a website aesthetic, and each game also included a remaster. The Pac-Attack revamp should look very familiar to Pac-Man World 2 players.
Ore No Ryouri

A cooking game which prioritized the use of the analog sticks. It's probably best known for inspiring what would become the Cook, Serve, Delicious series.
Bishi Bashi Special

A series of arcade games focused on puzzle and skill minigames. The PS1 had several ports of the games, including 2 which were packed onto a European release.
Bust a Groove 1 and 2

Despite jump-starting the genre, the PS1's line-up of rhythm games tends to get ignored outside of Parappa the Rapper and kin. Here was a competitive dancing series which featured a great and varied soundtrack. Difficult, but a lot of fun.
Rhythm N Face

Another rhythm game, this time by Osamu Sato, best known for games like LSD: Dream Emulator and Eastern Mind: The Lost Souls of Tong Nou. Here, you would create pictures of faces with squares, circles, and triangles. It even had an art book.
Playstation Underground

A quarterly magazine which consisted of two CDs: one with videos about upcoming games, PS1 hardware, etc., and one with demos. It lasted for 17 issues until it merged with Official U.S. Playstation Magazine, shortly after the PS2 launched.

 

[Naamaleipuri]

Ghoul Panic

Holy crap! I used to dual G-Gon that game with my friends all the time!
I thought almost no one knew about it! Point Blank 3 was always good too, but you couldn't beat Ghoul Panic story mode together with your pals!
..Now I want to go find a good big CRT TV just for the old light gun games.
PS2 had Vampire Nights and it was really fun with friends.

 

[DiceindaMirror]

Speaking of non-JRPG Square games:

I played this on a Japanese demo disc and just had to get the full game. I especially love the music (and you can use your own CDs).

 

[Hummingbird]

I'd go with Brigandine, a tactical RPG.

The characters are likable (where else can one of your main characters be over 35 and chaotic neutral) and the gameplay is good. I know they're making a sequel; too bad it's not for the PS.

 

[ShortBusDriver]

Kula World, starts as an easyish platformer, ends as a nerve wracking fight against the time limit as you try to solve the current level puzzle.

Kind of reminds me of Marble Madness on the NES.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvlbZwoWMgA

 

[fag0t]

 

[Hummingbird]

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is another good one. Though Katchua will test your patience after a while.

 

[Detrogen]

I thoroughly enjoyed the third-person Duke Nukem games on the PS1 (Time to Kill and Land of the Babes). Essentially they were Tomb Raider clones with Duke copy-pasted in and with a time travel twist to vary up the environments. There was also a third one named Zero Hour on the N64, but it felt a bit clunky compared to the PS1 games.

Boombots is another game that doesn’t get a lot of love. One of Doug Tennapel’s less talked about projects, it was a weird 1v1 arena fighter with a ton of poop jokes. It reviewed really poorly and I haven’t played it in years so I don’t know if it actually holds up, but I at least recommend watching the claymation cutscenes online.

I can’t say if they hold up or not, but I also had a soft spot for the Coolboarders games. Simple downhill snowboarding games, but I enjoyed them.

Same for Street Sk8er. I never owned any of the old Tony Hawk games so Street Sk8er was my skateboard game as a kid. It’s basically the same as Coolboarders in that you have to get from one end of the course to another within a time limit, amassing as many points as possible by doing tricks along the way.