My 5 Favorite PlayStation Games

Last Updated on April 24, 2023

The original PlayStation was released in 1994 and changed the gaming landscape forever. The console had a phenomenal impact on the video games industry, and there’s a reason the brand is still going strong to this day.

So many blockbuster IPs had humble beginnings on Sony’s grey box. With such a vast game library, it’s only natural there were plenty of stinkers, but there were also many hidden gems and weird experimental titles you wouldn’t see anywhere else.

These are my top PlayStation games, and the hardest part of writing this is picking just 5.

1. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile

It’s widely theorized that Klonoa was destined to be a mascot for Namco. Sadly, Klonoa never reached mainstream popularity, and physical copies of the original game go for ridiculous prices on the 2nd hand market.

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is a relatively simple 2.5D platformer with a few gimmicks that make it really stand out. Klonoa can grab enemies and either throw them or use them as a platform to double jump.

Phantomile is beautiful, and each level and boss battle is charming and unique. The last couple of areas ramp up the difficulty significantly, and what started as a casual romp through Phantomile becomes a gauntlet of challenging jump puzzles and precision platforming. Without diving into spoilers, the ending blindsides the player with a real tear-jerker, so prepare for that.

Fortunately, if you want to give the Klonoa games a go, they recently got remastered and released as part of the Klonoa Phantasy Reverie series.

2. Wipeout 2097

Wip3out certainly improved a few aspects from its predecessors, but for me, nothing captures the magic of anti-grav racing quite like Wipeout 2097.

The graphics are great for the time, and each track is instantly recognizable. There are a few grimy industrial future scapes, but Wipeout 2097 also offers a few natural-themed courses that stand out. Every ship feels completely different, and the unique ‘Air Brakes’ (directional brakes on the shoulder buttons) allow for some insane maneuvers with practice.

The soundtrack is always a big deal for me in racing games, and oh boy, there are some bangers in 2097! “Body in Motion” by Cold Storage is good, but who can turn down a race around Talons Reach to “Firestarter” by The Prodigy? Wip3out’s Soundtrack was far less memorable for me, even though they nailed the ‘future’ theme.

3. Exhumed

Exhumed (aka Powerslave) is undoubtedly the anomaly on this list, and many wrote it off as a ‘Doom Clone’ with a sandy lick of paint. Based on the screenshots, I totally get it.

The gameplay is a completely different story. In Exhumed, you’re stranded in Egypt while an alien race called the Kilmaat ravages the planet. Your goal is to stop these invaders, but you’ll only be able to do so with the aid of King Ramesis and powerful Egyptian artifacts. These artifacts allow you to jump higher, breathe underwater and even fly. There are puzzles to solve and a light ‘Metroidvania’ system, as many levels will have to be revisited when you’ve earned new abilities.

Many artifacts and weapons are themed on the Egyptian Gods, and the combat is surprisingly fast-paced and snappy. Exhumed is also relentlessly difficult. On the original PlayStation, I was stuck on the same level for at least 6 months, and when I finally beat it, I got stuck again within the hour. From about the halfway mark, many obstacles will kill you instantly, and if you die, it’s a trip back to the beginning of the level. Gotta love that old-school difficulty!

Exhumed got a remake in 2022 called Powerslave Exhumed by Nightdive Studios. This title blends a few elements from the Sega Saturn and PlayStation versions and is far more forgiving as they added checkpoints. If you want to give this thrilling Egyptian adventure a shot, the remake is a superb way to do it.

4. Oddworld: Abes Exodus

This entry was a toss-up between Oddysee and Exodus, as both are phenomenal games, but as Exodus builds on the original in so many ways, I have to go with the sequel.

Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee was a breath of fresh air and offered a new style of platforming game that I’d never seen before. Abe isn’t a traditional hero. He’s a ground-floor worker at a meat processing plant who finds out his boss wants to put his entire species on the menu. He’s not strong, he can’t fight, and most enemies will kill him on sight. You need to be innovative and patient to survive Oddworld, and your platforming and puzzle-solving skills will be tested. Abe can speak, fart, and even possess his enemies. It’s a unique skill set and something you won’t see anywhere else.

It’s the same in Oddworld: Abe’s Exodus, but every facet of the gameplay is improved. There are more speech options and possession targets. You can even possess your farts and blow up enemies with them; what’s not to like?

This is another game on the list that’s had a remaster/reimagining in recent years, but honestly, Oddworld: Soulstorm doesn’t hold a candle to the PlayStation original. I don’t know what they were thinking with that one.

5. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

On the original PlayStation, it seemed Crash Bandicoot could do no wrong, boasting an impressive trilogy of platformers and a brilliant cart racer. Crash Bash was a little hit-and-miss but fun with friends nonetheless. Sadly, the series never reached the same lofty heights on the PlayStation 2.

Crash Bandicoot 3 will always be my favorite, as I love the time-themed levels, and it’s the game that got me interested in speedrunning. Warped is a stunning game and boasts some of the tightest platforming controls I’ve ever experienced. The difficulty curve is perfect, even if some of the extra stages are a lesson in frustration, and the Time Trials are a genius way to add replayability.

Arguably, there are a few too many vehicle stages in Crash Bandicoot 3, and the blimp levels are awful, but it doesn’t detract from the experience as a whole.