PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now and joining forces beginning in June 2022. These two separate services will now becombined into one spectacular deal where players can enjoy the benefitsof just PlayStation Plus in the Essential tier, a mix of PlayStation Plus with a host of PlayStation 4 and 5 games in the Extra tier, and most importantly, the all-encompassing Premium tier which includes hundreds of PlayStation 1, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PSP games.RELATED:PlayStation Plus: Essential, Extra, Premium Tiers ExplainedThe PlayStation library, especially that of the PlayStation 1 and 2, is downright staggering in terms of games released.There are hundreds, if not thousands of games that could be includedin this PlayStation Plus Premium tier. However, what about the hidden gems or the underappreciated games? The following PlayStation 1 games have often been overlooked but absolutely deserve a spot in the Premium lineup.
10Hogs Of War
It’s such a shame that PlayStation 1 cult classic,Hogs of War, never took off like its counterpart,Worms. For the uninitiated,Hogs of Waris a strategic 3d arena battler where a plethora of quirky pigs must duke it out across a World War 2 adjacent setting.
Much like the belovedWormsseries,Hogs of Warhas players control each of the pigs in large turn-based battles where plenty of shenanigans ensue. By modern standards it’s an incredibly dated game, both in terms of visuals and gameplay, however, it still remains unique in the gaming landscape.
9Cool Boarders 2
The late 90s and early 2000s producedsome of the very best snowboarding gamesincluding the likes ofSSXand1080 Snowboarding. Unfortunately, this meant that the PlayStation 1 snowboarding gameCool Boarders 2was often overlooked by players.
Cool Boarders 2built upon the already fun 3d snowboarding goodness that was created in the first title. This second installment upped the ante when it came to tricks, mountain runs, customization, and visual fidelity. Getting to playCool Boarders 2again in the PlayStation Plus Premium service would bring back some serious nostalgia for many players.
8MDK
MDKwas and still is one of the strangest third-person shooters.MDKwas an underrated gem on the PlayStation 1. It features a strange-looking alien creature protagonist who also happens to be a janitor from Earth, and sometimes even resembles the look of a Xenomorph fromAliens.
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The gameplay here was fast and frenetic with the main character hopping around surreal alien landscapes, destroying baddies with a host of powerful weaponry, and even finding plenty of secrets and collectibles along the way. While it hasn’t aged that well, many PlayStation 1 and PC fans will fondly rememberMDK.
7Blood Omen: Legacy Of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kainis a thrilling andchallenging gothic action-adventure game taking place from a sort of 2d top-down perspective. Players take on the role of Kain, a powerful and murderous vampire who lives in the land of Nosgoth, where humans and vampires attempt to cohabitate.
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kainis the epitome of a brutal dark fantasy game. Players become immersed in Nosgoth’s lore and citizens while guiding Kain through various spooky locations. Of course, there will be plenty of bloodshed as Kain revels in his newly found vampiric powers.
6Croc: Legend Of The Gobbos
The PlayStation 1 was no stranger to 3d platformer games with the likes ofGex,Spyro, andCrash Bandicootall taking the limelight at one time or another. Due to the popularity of the aforementioned titles, this often meant other platformers went under the radar. One such 3d platformer wasCroc: Legend of the Gobbos.
Croc, as his name implies, is a quirky cartoon-like crocodile who hops and jumps through myriad colorful stages, stomping on baddies, finding tons of collectibles, and rescuing as many furry Gobbos as possible.While the actual platforming gameplaywasn’t quite as refined as that ofSpyroorCrash,Crocstill managed to gain a cult following with its vibrant personality.
5Clock Tower
Fans of late 90s survival horror often scream from the rooftops about the originalClock Tower. The originalClock Towerwas a survival horror point-and-click adventure game featuring one of the most terrifying baddies of the time, namely, Scissorman.
Players control Jennifer Simpson through a series of macabre and increasingly challenging scenarios that require patience and poise. Scissorman is always hunting the player which means thoughtful decision-making is key to success in this horrific game. Later games in the series went for a more traditional exploration-based survival horror but the original conception of this game refined horror point-and-click elements that were all the rage in the 90s.
4Klonoa
Klonoa, often referred to asDoor to Phantomile, is probably best known as one of the earliest platforming games to feature a blend of 2d and 3d perspectives. Players guided the eponymous fluffy hero through vibrant ethereal stages where gameplay took place in 2d, albeit with a 3d background and world-spinning effect.
RELATED:Things You Didn’t Know The PlayStation 1 Could Do
This incredibly underrated PlayStation 1 platformerfeatured a unique combat and traversal mechanic wherebyKlonanawould use a wind ring blast to defeat enemies and gain higher ground. Don’t worry,Klonoaalso had plenty of collectibles to discover around every corner.
3Mega Man Legends
Eschewing the traditional 2d side-scrolling nature of previousMega Mangames,Mega Man Legendswent for a decidedly bolder approach, that of a 3d action-adventure game. Fortunately forLegends, this risk was successful with fans enjoying the perspective shake-upwhich affected both gameplay and narrative.
The futuristic story inMega Man Legendsrevolved around the titular hero saving Earth from being completely consumed by water. Players had to tackle the Bonne pirates to stop their nefarious plan. The challenge level was much less in this game when compared to the punishing difficulty of previousMega Manincarnations, however, it was still a top-notch experience overall.
2Vagrant Story
The PlayStation 1 was and still is a bastion for JRPGs, only really eclipsed by the PlayStation 2. Given the sheer number of JRPGs on the system, it should come as no surprise that many were overlooked. One such title wasVagrant Story, an underappreciated gem of a game that should certainly make a return to form on the updated PlayStation Plus Premium service.
Vagrant Storyditched the popular turn-based battle mechanics of other JRPGs and took a decidedly more linear action-oriented approach, something that worked in the game’s favor. Instead of focusing on expansive exploration and character interactions, players would guide Ashley Riot through the world of Leá Monde. This action JRPG focused more on weapon upgrades and modifications than it did more traditional leveling and experience systems.
1Nightmare Creatures
Nightmare Creaturesis a tense and moody survival horror game set in a Victorian-era whereall things “bump in the night"have come to wreak havoc. Aside from the “in-your-face' action combat, it was the horror story that truly made fans' spines tingle.
Taking place from 1666 up through the late 19th century, players had to stop a demonic cult known as the Brotherhood of Hecate who sought to swallow the world through darkness and evil. Along the way, players had to battle horrific monsters and other aberrations. While a full-on remake of this game would be amazing to see, at the very least, getting to experience this underappreciated horror game on the updated PlayStation Premium service would be a real treat for many people.
