The PlayStation is one of the most influential series of consoles ever made. The PlayStation series of consoles has thousands of games in their libraries, from instant hits such as 1997’s Metal Gear Solid to sleeper hits such as Eternal Sonata, released for the PS3 in 2008. PlayStation games have inspired gamers young and old to create their own or other works of art.
The PlayStation 2 remains one of the highest-selling consoles ever, with approximately 160 million units sold worldwide. It also had the longest lifespan out of every console released, with a lifespan of 13 years (from 2000 to 2013).
These games are some of the best that were released for various PlayStation consoles. These highlight the best each console has to offer. These games are ranked in no particular order, but I hope that you learn more about each of PlayStation’s greatest hits.
1. Einhänder (1997, PS1)
Einhänder was released by Squaresoft (now Square Enix) in 1997 for the PlayStation 1. With a techno/trance soundtrack composed by Square Enix and Konami alum Kenichiro Fukui, Einhänder’s soundtrack is worth checking out. The Einhänder itself is considered one of the most difficult shoot ‘em ups out there. It is also considered one of the best shmups released for the PlayStation.
While Einhänder’s English version doesn’t have the bonus content, which reveals the identity of the Einhänder pilots, the Japanese version is considered the most complete version of the game. The physical version of Einhänder is very rare, with copies ranging from $60 to $90 and higher.
The game features a “lone daredevil pilot,” tasked by the Moon colony Selene, who goes on a kamikaze mission to invade Earth for its resources. The pilot controls a “one-armed” spacecraft, which can only use one sub-weapon at a time. Bullet management is key in Einhänder, on top of the obvious bullet-dodging.
2. NieR: Automata (2017, PS4)
2017’s NieR: Automata, like its distant relative Bayonetta, saved Platinum Games from near-bankruptcy. A spin-off of the NieR series, which itself is a spin-off and continuation of the Drakengard series, NieR: Automata’s hack-and-slash gameplay, mixed with shoot ‘em up mechanics, makes the game stand out among the other games created Platinum Games: Transformers: Devastation, Anarchy Reigns and Mad World.
NieR: Automata stars YorHa Units 2B and 9S, two androids who must stop the endless swarms of machines from conquering Earth. Without spoiling the game too much, the duo meets friends, foes and some characters that can fit in both categories.
3. Persona 5 Royal (2020, PS4)
Persona 5 Royal is the expanded and remastered version of 2016’s Persona 5. Released in 2020, Persona 5, like Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable, added a new character by the name of Kasumi Yoshizawa. Persona 5 Royal plays the same as vanilla Persona 5, with the exception of a new Palace, Kasumi’s inclusion to the story and a new area of Tokyo called Kichijoji.
Shoji Meguro, with accompanying vocals by Lyn, adds new music to Persona 5 Royal, cementing the game’s place on the list of best video game soundtracks. Persona 5 Royal is available on PS4 and PS5, as well as the Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
4. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001, PS2)
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, released in 2001 for the PS2, is my personal favorite Gran Turismo game. People who grew up with the North American release might be familiar with the remix of “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz; “Dogg’s Turismo 3” by Snoop Dogg and “99 Red Balloons” by Goldfinger, but the original soundtrack by Isamu Ohira, Masahiro Andoh and Daiki Kasho is sorely underappreciated.
5. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997, PS1)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night for the PlayStation does not have all the castle’s hallways, which are in the Japanese Sega Saturn release. However, this game is one of the Castlevania series’s most popular titles. The game’s original English dub features Patrick Seitz as Dracula and Robert Belgrade as Alucard, Dracula’s son who originally appeared in Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse. (A fun fact: Patrick Seitz later voiced DIO in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, while Robert Belgrade later voiced O.D. in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.)
Symphony of the Night’s gameplay is great. Just remember that hearts equal mana and not health. This game has an active speedrunning community and is a mainstay at speedrunning events such as Games Done Quick and European Speedrunning Assembly.
The music, composed by Michiru Kamane, is among the best of the best video game soundtracks of all time. The ending, “I am the Wind,” was sung by Cynthia Harrell, the original voice behind the most iconic song in the Metal Gear franchise, Snake Eater.
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