The PlayStation 1 enjoyed a very successful lifecycle and allowed Sony — a newcomer to the console market at the time — to enter the video game industry in commanding fashion. By the end of its run, the PlayStation had 1,284 titles released in North America, giving it one of the vastest game libraries in console history. The PlayStation was home to some of the most influential games of all time and gave rise to several new genres such as survival horror and rhythm-based games. In celebration of the outstanding quality of the PlayStation, here are the 25 best games ever released for the console. How well they hold up today is weighed equally with the lasting mark they left on the industry.
25. Tomb Raider II
The Tomb Raider series has managed to survive multiple console generations and while the older games don’t hold a candle to the modern ones when it comes to visual fidelity or gameplay, Lara Croft’s early days on the PlayStation made quite an impact. With her signature outfit and twin pistols, Lara Croft quickly became one of gaming’s most recognizable heroes at a time when playable female characters were few and far between. Released in 1997, Tomb Raider II looked and played very similarly to the first game but expanded upon core concepts while also introducing new mechanics, such as actually allowing players to ride in vehicles as opposed to just watching Lara drive around in cutscenes. This was also the title that made Tomb Raider synonymous with the PlayStation brand, as it was a Sony console exclusive after Eidos Interactive decided to pass on the struggling Sega Saturn.
Eidos Interactive