On June 13, 2022, Sony's PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now will be fusing to create a brand-new subscription service named after the former. This system will be split into three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. The first option will be the equivalent of the current PS Plus service; Extra provides access to PS4 and PS5 games; finally, Premium adds PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP titles to the mix.
The final tier is especially enticing as it will mark the first time games from nearly every Sony console will be playable on the same system (the PS Vita has, unfortunately, yet to receive an invitation). So far, Sony has announced some launch games for the service, including nine PS1 titles. However, that is just a drop in the bucket of the service's potential. What are some other PS1 games that deserve to be on PS Plus Premium?
Only games published by Sony will be considered.
Wild Arms
Release Date (North America) |
April 30, 1997 |
---|---|
Developer |
Media.Vision |
Genre |
Turn-Based JRPG |
The PS1 was a JRPG machine, something PS Plus Premium does not currently highlight. The genre has plenty of games that would instantly improve the service, but Wild Arms is both synonymous with Sony's console and also somewhat underappreciated. Inspired by Westerns, Media.Vision's game blends top-down exploration with a 3D turn-based battle system, both of which are naturally dated but still enjoyable.
This JRPG boasts a fantastic world, charming visuals, and a decent story revolving around a likable trio of characters. The only reason Wild Arms should not be added to PS Plus Premium is if its PS2 remake, Wild Arms Alter Code: F, makes the cut in its stead.
Note: Wild Arms 3 will be included in the subscription service's library.
Twisted Metal 2
Release Date (North America) |
October 31, 1996 |
---|---|
Developer |
SingleTrac |
Genre |
Vehicular Combat |
The last Twisted Metal game came out in 2012 – that is criminal. Admittedly, the franchise was overexposed on the PS1, producing four games in the same number of years. As bad as some entries of the series were, Twisted Metal at its peak was phenomenal, and the second entry captured the pinnacle of the license's classic era.
Destruction is the name of the game here, and Twisted Metal 2 embraces the carnage without a shred of hesitation. The gameplay has aged reasonably well permitting someone goes in with realistic expectations, and the plot is the right type of nonsense.
That said, if only one entry in the franchise can be included on PS Plus, it should be 2001's Twisted Metal: Black.
Nightmare Creatures
Release Date (North America) |
September 30, 1997 |
---|---|
Developer |
Kalisto Entertainment |
Genre |
Survival Horror |
Like PS Now before it, PS Plus should not only highlight the best PlayStation games but also preserve projects that might otherwise be forgotten. Nightmare Creatures is an ambitious game that almost comes across as a precursor to something like Bloodborne; obviously, the PS1 title has more rough edges than FromSoftware's release, but it is still impressive.
Set in a nightmarish Gothic world and featuring a combat system that blends melee and ranged weaponry, Nightmare Creatures combines brilliant visuals with gameplay that is more complex than initially seems to be the case.
Tomba
Release Date (North America) |
July 16, 1998 |
---|---|
Developer |
Whoopee Camp |
Genre |
Platformer/Metroidvania |
Nowadays, Sony does not publish too many first-party platformer games, but that was not the case during the PS1's heyday. Everybody knows Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, so those have been left out of this discussion, however, the same cannot be said for Tomba.
Although mostly controlling like a fairly typical side-scrolling platformer, Tomba is a Metroidvania that provides players with access to the eponymous hero's island. Compared to other platformers, Tomba is far less restrictive as it focuses heavily on exploration.
Time Crisis
Release Date (North America) |
October 31, 1997 |
---|---|
Developer |
Namco |
Genre |
Light Gun Shooter |
Light gun shooters are not much of a thing nowadays, even if occasionally something like The House of the Dead remake might be released. A staple of arcades during the '90s, Namco's Time Crisis also made a home on Sony's first two PlayStation consoles, with the PS1 receiving a port of the first arcade game along with a spin-off called Project Titan.
The original Time Crisis is a classic that helped perfect the light gun shooter formula, or at least set the groundwork for its sequels to push the genre to the next level.
Pac-Man World
Release Date (North America) |
October 15, 1999 |
---|---|
Developer |
Namco Hometek |
Genre |
3D Platformer |
Pac-Man is timeless; conversely, Pac-Man World is very much a product of its time. In the late '90s, 3D platformers were on the range, many of which found their way to the PS1. The majority of them are best left in someone's memories, but there are a couple of titles that are still fun to play all these years later.
Pac-Man World is a fairly typical example of the genre, albeit one that handles the basics well and does a fairly decent job of implementing elements from the classic Pac-Man experience.
Gran Turismo
Release Date (North America) |
May 12, 1998 |
---|---|
Developer |
Polys Entertainment |
Genre |
Racing Sim |
Sony seems reluctant to include Gran Turismo as part of its subscription services. Currently, PS Plus Premium looks set to continue this bizarre trend of ignoring one of the most beloved PlayStation properties. Perhaps there are some licensing issues that are stopping the series' older games from being included in these types of services; whatever the reason might be, hopefully, a solution is on the horizon.
All the early Gran Turismo games rank among the greatest racing sims of all time. Sure, they are dated in quite a few ways, but they are still lightyears above almost any other racers available on the PS1 or PS2.
The Legend Of Dragoon
Release Date (North America) |
June 13, 2000 |
---|---|
Developer |
Japan Studio |
Genre |
Turn-Based JRPG |
Despite coming out really late in the original PlayStation's lifespan, The Legend of Dragoon managed to cement itself as a cult classic, one that fans have been clamoring for Sony to revisit. As a sequel appears unlikely, a nice alternative would be to add this PS1 game to PS Plus Premium, making the JRPG readily available to a modern audience.
The Legend of Dragon's turn-based combat system introduces a few touches that allow it to stand out from the likes of Final Fantasy 7. While the story is long but nothing too special, the game's characters are great, both in and out of battle.