Summary
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 revolutionized the series with manuals and a level editor for endless replayability.
- Vagrant Story's deep crafting and New Game+ mechanics allow for hyper-specialized gear and multiple runs.
- Castlevania: Symphony of the Night's exploration, variety, and hidden content make every playthrough unique.
The age of the PS1 was packed with one-and-done classics, but some games just refused to let go. Despite limited memory space and blocky graphics, a handful of titles created wonderful gameplay loops or branching story paths that made starting a new playthrough just as rewarding as finishing one.
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The original PlayStation featured lots of licensed games, plenty of which were entirely forgettable. The games here are the best ones on the console.
Whether it was genre-defying mechanics, branching narratives, or pure player expression, these PS1 titles found ways to reinvent themselves each time players hit New Game. Here are the best PS1 games that made “Game Over” feel like a subtle suggestion.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
Manuals, Mayhem, And Millions Of Points
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
- Released
- September 20, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Neversoft
- Genre(s)
- Sports
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Windows, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Game Boy Color, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, iOS
Widely considered the pinnacle of the THPS formula, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 introduced manuals, which allowed players to chain ground tricks for massive score chains, ushering in a new era of huge numbers and incredible skill expression. The roster featured various characters with distinct stats and unlockable boards.
Add to that the ability to create a custom skater as well as jam packed levels full of multiple objectives, hidden tapes, and high score thresholds that encourage mastery, as well as a full level editor that lets players design and save their skateparks, and it’s clear why Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is fondly remembered to this day.
Vagrant Story
Dungeon Crawling With A Blacksmith’s Brain
Vagrant Story
- Released
- May 15, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PS1
With a mature, politically layered plot set in the fictional ruined city of Leá Monde, Vagrant Story’s gameplay blends tactical action combat with deep weapon crafting, damage types, and stat-based gear systems. Although the layout of dungeons remains the same, players can carry over weapons and key items in New Game+.
The replayability stems from building hyper-specialized gear to counter enemy types, unlocking secret areas, and experimenting with risk-reward mechanics tied to combos and affinities. The game also offers multiple weapon classes and magic types, making ample room for experimentation and replayability.
Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
It’s Dangerous To Go Alone. Take Alucard Again
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
- Released
- October 2, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
The iconic 1997 2D action-platformer that helped define the Metroidvania genre features a sprawling, interconnected castle that doubles in size halfway through the story. With multiple endings and a plethora of secret bosses, it’s impossible to scratch the surface of everything Symphony of the Night has to offer in just one playthrough.
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Alucard can equip a massive array of weapons, spells, relics, and familiars, all of which dramatically change the feel of combat. Freedom of exploration, hidden content, and the ability to do challenge runs with self-imposed gear limits all drive replayability. If all that wasn’t enough, there’s also Richter mode, which allows fans to play as a different character entirely, with a new moveset and abilities.
Final Fantasy Tactics
One Battlefield, Infinite Possibilities
Final Fantasy Tactics
- Released
- June 20, 1997
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original)
A tactical take on an RPG classic, Final Fantasy Tactics carries a political war narrative and branching class system. With over 20 job classes, each with dozens of skills to unlock and combine, the possible party builds are limitless. Permadeath and terrain mechanics force players to adapt, keeping battles fresh even on repeat playthroughs.
Although the main story paths are mostly linear, the tactical variance and character customization make for a drastically different gameplay experience each time. There’s also missable hidden story battles to uncover. Final Fantasy Tactics encourages replayability not through baked-in mechanics but with sheer breadth of gameplay options, all of which are impossible to experience without hitting “New Game” a couple more times.
Gran Turismo 2
License To Grind (And Love It)
Gran Turismo 2
- Released
- December 11, 1999
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Polyphony Digital
- Genre(s)
- Racing
- Platform(s)
- PS1
One would be hard pressed to find a game that’s as big of a step up from its predecessor as Gran Turismo 2. Featuring over 600 cars and a complex progression system, the game was split into two discs to scratch a different itch: arcade or simulation, each one offering dozens of hours of content. It emphasized tuning, maximizing car performance, and vehicle-specific events that rewarded mastering different driving disciplines.
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Replayability was fueled by collecting and upgrading different cars, tackling endurance races, and completing all license challenges with top marks. The ability to turn driving assists on or off added another layer to master. Gran Turismo 2 was the foundation on which the series cemented itself as a titan of the racing genre.
Metal Gear Solid
Big Boss Energy Never Gets Old
Metal Gear Solid
- Released
- October 20, 1998
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Violence
The stealth-action landmark from 1998, which brought cinematic storytelling in video games to the mainstream, also included plenty of content to coerce players into hitting the replay button a few times. Multiple difficulty levels are unlocked with each completion, and new AI behaviors, as well as stricter item limits.
The New Game+ mode allowed players to keep key items like the stealth camo or infinite ammo bandana, depending on which ending they chose. Post-game playthroughs also reveal alternate dialogue, different nuances to the story while also rewarding experimentation with stealth vs. Combat approaches. There are also easter eggs and Kojima-style fourth wall breaks to find, making replays feel fresh.
Suikoden 2
108 Reasons To Hit New Game
Suikoden
- Released
- December 15, 1995
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), Sega Saturn, PC
Though the massive cast of 108 recruitable characters was the main selling point, Suikoden 2 had a lot more than just that going for it. Even choices made in the first game can carry over to the sequel via save data, altering how some characters appear or behave. Branching dialogue and character recruitments depend on specific actions that players take or side quests they complete.
Multiple endings and late-game decisions that can change the fate of characters or whole factions make sure to give players an itch to have one more go. Suikoden 2’s replayability thrives on different party builds, trying alternate political outcomes, and seeing how different choices affect the outcomes of the war effort.
Armored Core: Master Of Arena
Build. Fight. Rebuild. Repeat.
Armored Core: Master of Arena
- Released
- February 4, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t // Animated Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Genre(s)
- Action, Third-Person Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PlayStation 3, PS Vita
The third Armored Core title on the PS1 and one of the deepest mech simulators of its time, Master of Arena featured an extensive part customization system that let players build an entirely unique AC from hundreds of components. An arena mode featuring dozens of 1v1 battles against rival ACs with unique designs and tactics heavily encourages experimentation in terms of build and playstyle.
The story mode also included branching missions and decision points that affect key outcomes and unlock different story paths. Armored Core: Master of Arena features the classic mecha gameplay loop of tinkering, testing, and refining builds, creating an infinite tune-refine-test replay cycle that mech enthusiasts are sure to crave.
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