10 PlayStation 1 Games With Graphics That Have Aged The Best

From amazing platformers to scintillating stealth games, there’s no denying the library of the PS1 was truly immense. Many still hold up well today.

After a falling out with Nintendo, Sony decided to embark into the console gaming landscape on its own two feet and the company’s first attempt was nothing short of spectacular. The PlayStation is one of the most successful video game consoles of all time, serving as a bridge to the more mature side of gaming.

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From amazing platformers to scintillating stealth games, there’s no denying the library of the PS1 was truly immense. In fact, there are some games that are just so brilliant that fans simply can’t miss out on them. Some people argue that the games on this console have aged pretty poorly from a graphical standpoint, but the following titles beg to differ.

10

PaRappa The Rapper

Not all games on the PlayStation 1 needed to be genre-defining epics that pushed the system to its very limit. Some of them could be fairly muted experiences with solid presentation and a great core gameplay loop.

Such was the case with PaRappa the Rapper, a rhythm game that was devilishly hard despite looking like a welcome experience. Players who got the hang of this title could witness a great story with a unique art style that turned the title into a cult classic.

9

Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

Castlevania is one of the most legendary gaming franchises of all time, but it took a while to attain such a legacy. Mainly, it was the launch of Symphony of the Night that led to the series becoming incredibly popular.

Symphony of the Nightintroduced many elements that most people associate with the Metroidvania genre. Getting new powerups to reach new stages of the map is a blast, with the slow and satisfying sense of progression being accompanied by a gorgeous 2D art style that was able to breathe new life into each and every part of Dracula’s castle.

8

Final Fantasy 8

Final Fantasy 8 is easily one of the most visually striking games on the PlayStation. Even now, the animation for all the Guardian Forces in the game is truly awe-inspiring.

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The character models might look slightly dated nowadays, but there was a time when seeing real-life character models in both battles and the overworld was absolutely mind-blowing. The game might have its fair share of critics, but most people agree that everything from the gorgeous animated cutscenes to the pre-rendered backgrounds looks beautiful to this day.

7

Silent Hill

Silent Hill is one of the most legendary horror games ever made. It was the first time that most people were exposed to the idea of psychological horror in gaming, with Silent Hill’s thick and oppressive atmosphere being downright chilling.

The game still looks beautiful, even if obvious graphical imperfections might be all too apparent now. Regardless, it’s a testament to the visual design of this game that players have to think twice before entering a room or going to a different corner of the town.

6

Parasite Eve

Parasite Eve is another great Square Enix RPG that is highly underrated. The focus on body horror and a hybrid of both turn-based and real-time combat was welcomed by the fanbase.

The title might be short, but Parasite Eve isn’t defined by its length. Rather, it’s the amazing art style and unique story that has turned this title into an underrated masterpiece that deserves way more attention than it gets.

5

Valkyrie Profile

There’s something about the more advanced 2D art styles present in the fifth generation of gaming that made them so impressive to behold. No title embodies this point more than Valkyrie Profile.

The tough yet flashy combat coupled with a rather mysterious story made Valkyrie Profile one of the standout JRPGs in a lineup that was absolutely loaded with amazing experiences. All of this was wrapped up in a neat 2D package that helped to bring the game’s various areas and cutscenes to life.

4

Crash Bandicoot: Warped

Crash Bandicoot is one of the most beloved Sony mascots. After three great hits in a mainline series that was a massive hit on the original PlayStation, the series was shelved until fairly recently.

All three games in the series still look great on the PlayStation to this day, with Crash Bandicoot: Warped getting a special mention in this regard. The third game was a great evolution of the Crash Bandicoot formula that added a ton of flair to a series already brimming with style.

3

Wipeout 3

There’s something about futuristic racing games with high-speed action that make them so timeless. A great example of this is Wipeout 3, which is easily one of the best-looking racers on the PS1.

Wipeout 3’s tight racing and impressive visual fidelity make it a great game to play even to this day. The graphics still hold up quite well today, which can’t be said for most of the 3D titles of that era.

2

Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver

If there’s one game that pushed the PlayStation hardware to the very edge, it’s undoubtedly Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. This title looks absolutely beautiful and atmospheric to this day, with each and every level having a sinister identity of its own.

The dark gothic story further added to the allure of this amazing and underappreciated game. It’s easy to see why fans are still hoping for another Legacy of Kain title to this day, given the strong impression left behind by this title.

1

Tekken 3

Fighting games were quite prevalent on the original PlayStation and pushed graphical boundaries to new levels. One standout example in this regard is Tekken 3.

The game revamped the fighting mechanics of the series to a new level, with the enhanced visuals being quite a treat to witness. Tekken 3 is another great entry in a series absolutely brimming with quality, with both the graphics and gameplay being absolutely top-notch.

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