It might not utilise the PS1 to the full but one of my favourites is Oddworld. The graphic art is simply beautiful and atmospheric. Some real talent, love and hard work went into creating those games.
NINTENDO 64 had the best version of RE2 since the graphics were presented in 480i (double the 240p of the PS1). N64 also had the analog joystick for movement & an extra mission included (so you could play the game 3 times as different characters) .
would have been unfair to show the original resolution in today displays since they are much less suited for this kind of graphics. They were legit good in old tvs
@@Supercecco85 Indeed. I still have the ps1 connected to a good 28" 4:3 CRT tv with a SCART-RGB cable. The picture is crystal clear, very low aliasing (in games like Crash Bandicoor for example) and overally is even better than emus on new tvs, since on crt you get perfect detail in motion.
@@papparaba5504 i recently emulated gran turismo in HD and overall the experience is the same of old crt tv with like 2x3 pixels... only the textures are very old, I mean final fantasy pre rendered backgrounds are completely shit and hopeless now without ai upscaling etc
@@Supercecco85 Yes I know, I also use epsxe and pcsx2. But I'm used to perfect motion resolution, I don't take seriously into account static resolution when it comes to gaming (since usually you're moving the camera most of the time). But that's a general thing, not related to retro-gaming. For getting the very best possible picture, I use emus on the CRT monitor (Also I have a great quality hd-crt tv, but the crt monitor is capable of higher resolutions and refresh rate).
Using emulators with high-res settings doesn’t really show what made these games graphically impressive. Would have enjoyed original resolution alot more.
lie, the use of emulators shows games better and we see better how they are made, why in the past it was crt and low resolution, You know one thing, this is correct, because the game design is not linked to the resolution, ok? Or is it that you no longer remember that some ps1 games also came out in game cube, ps2 dreamcast, there they are also seen with more resolution, and they were not remakes, they were the original ps1 games only in other ported consoles, What else is more resolution? It is still original, because also, those games, as you saw them on ps1 was not original either, ahahhaah, in fact, those games were created in the environment of a 3d studio pc , and there the resolutions were not so low, a completely clear environment, the emulators, make the originality look more closely, the physical ps1 lowers those creations a lot, so the image of ps1 is false, also ps1 was a 2d console, even more false the image, not to say trembling in textures, because the ps1 was only created for the 2d, it got 3d because it appeared virtual fighter, if it weren't for that the ps1 would stay in a 2d console with cd, competition a sega cd ,, stopped their launch in 1993 and released 3d games to release the ps1 in 1994 because of virtual f ... ect ,, the ps1 image is more false than true, but it looks very minimal ,,,;) 😉👌🌟
@@ricarto2k2 I think that pushing ps1 even further they could make more ps2 gen games even on ps1 versions, because it seems that ps1 could be pushed further until 2004-2005 with many new games downgrading to old gen, do you agree? For example GTA 3 could work maybe on PS1 with 2-3 CD's and low poly count PS1 graphics, maybe taking out many areas and levels from ps2 versions it could be enough to make it work on ps1 pushing it to the boundaries limits... But maybe it wouldn't be possible
Chrono Cross was actually the closest looking game to PS2 visuals I have seen. The in game models and battle models and animations looked incredible just had an amazing natural sense to them. The particle effect as well never had any blocky looked to them either
10 incredible looking games for sure, here are 5 more: Dino Crisis 2, Tomb Raider The Last Revelation, Parasite Eve II, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver and a 2D one: Legend of Mana
I'd recently become acquainted with Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare on PS1. Good looker and delivers moody ambience, tension and lighting (including flashlight) with some included jump-scares and replayability to play through as two different characters with the game play shifting more towards puzzles versus use of the weapon while staying in contact with the other character over the radio for times when you need some help/ hints.
I’m so pleased you included Ridge Racer Type 4. Such a fantastic game and visually even without running it on an emulator it still looks good on the original console. Something that still even today surprises me is the way that the brake lights have texture animations that mimic the fade in/fade out of a lightbulb, instead of a texture that just pops on and off abruptly.
I love rrt4 waaay more than ridge racer 5 or 6,or 7, because the graphics good, music is top notch perfect for a racing game, many unlockables, and the replayability is high, it's such a special ass game. Even my favorite rrt4 theme is "move me" I play that in my car whenever I drive on the highway just to remind me of the game.
Still to this day my 2nd favourite PSX game (Metal Gear : Solid being the first), story, graphics, interesting gameplay, people don't like the backtracking so it usually does not get a mention. RE2/3 or Silent Hill are the easy picks to stay popular with the cool kids, Dino Crisis 2 will also always be labelled a RE2 clone.
i recently replayed parasite eve 2 and the visuals still amaze me. some of the best looking prerendered backgrounds on the ps1. definitely looks better than re2 imo.
Tekken 3. Omg that takes me back. I remember the practice mode. I spent hours on getting that axe kick just right to counter attacks and and practicing initiating and then executing Nina's grapple chains.this isn't to say I was great mind you, but just the practice was fun
Ace Combat 2 and especially 3. Additionally, HOTAS mapping on the Sony SCPH-1110 Analog Joystick sends the experience to the top.level. There is now an English fan translation of the two-disc Japanese release of Ace Combat 3 so that most of the rest of the world can have the RPG experience and all of the additional that came with it. In the same genre, the Sony analog joystick also works out on what looks like a spiritually inspired aerial combat RPG PS2 release called Rebel Raiders: Operation Nighthawk. While the title does not have HOTAS mapping for the SCPH-1110 analog joystick, it was the only controller that allowed me to fly through canyons without bouncing off of them as well as highly controlled flights through and around obstacles in close proximity. Otherwise, the DualShock just does does not have the nuanced control needed to enjoy it or possibly even play it.
@Michael O Callaghan thanks. I recently got a PlayStation Classic and, while it's great, I wouldn't exactly say that the games look great on it. I got it because I've been wanting something that will play PS1 games on TV and it seemed like the easiest choice. If I could find something that would run both PS1 games *and* PS2 games well, then I'd be in heaven. From what I've found so far though, it seems like the best bet is a PC. I'm hoping a laptop will work though for PS2 stuff because I'm in the market for a new one. Anyways, thanks!
Pretty solid list! I would've thrown Legend of Kain: Soul Reaver on there too; especially due to the technical brilliance of how they managed the world shifting.
not to be a know it all but it is called Legacy of Kain and I do not think it is soul reaver . I think soul reaver was a later entry in the series . It was Blood Omen Legacy of Kain .
@@hymiecamp It is Legacy Of Kain . Look it up it came out long before Soul Reaver Legacy of Kain . How did you get Legend Of Kain . It is Legacy of Kain . It is really not much of a Legacy he died and went to hell .
Eh, FF9 drags on too long and the story sort of falls to pieces the longer it runs. The first disc is fantastic but it goes downhill from there. Given how much effort was poured into it, that game deserved a better plot. It also has really tedious side content that's just a load of grind that adds nothing else to the game. Same as FF10. Chrono Cross is a very strange game. It does have probably the best soundtrack that's ever been put in a game though. The plot is presented as pure batshit and I couldn't understand it until I researched into it some more, but it did eventually click and it's kind of neat i guess, but it feels like the backstory is more interesting than what you actually get to play. It's kind of a kick in the nuts for Chrono Trigger fans, but that was sort of the point. One cool thing about Chrono Cross is that you can still buy brand new copies of it. They're still making it physically, I guess because they can't do a digital release for whatever reason. Not sure if any other PS1 game is like this. I wish it were true of more! Vagrant story I haven't beaten yet. It's very lonely and cold, I didn't get that far with it last time I tried, but I can't deny it's a graphical masterpiece. It's as detailed as any game would ever need to be. I'd have been totally satisified if that's as far as technology went.
@@thegearknob7161 vagrant story it is eazy if you know how the system work. Just make different Sword for any type of moster so stat on weapon not decrease.
I thought the flashlight effect in Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare was really impressive for its time, and it was very well-drawn overall. Parasite Eve 2 is one of my favourite Ps1 games also and looks gorgeous.
@@Texasmilitarydepartmentvid9654 Not sure if your agreeing with me or not haha, but yea MGS on PS1 was 1998 and MGS 2 PS2 was 2001, and the title of this video is graphically impressive PS1 games.
You guys seriously overlooked Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The fact that a game like that can look as good as it does, especially with its ability to shift environments on the fly and even do its best to attain a somewhat reasonable frame rate for its time compared to Ocarina of Time, is nothing short of brilliance.
Correction in regards to VS, it actually has one of the lowest polygon counts of any blockbuster title on the PS1, characters only had half of the polygon count that was present in FFVII and VIII. That's what makes the quality of its visuals so impressive, ingenuity and talent not bound by technical limitations.
I feel like if you go beyond top-sellers you can find some very impressive graphical achievements in games that weren't necessarily popular at the time. NGen Racing, Vanishing Point and In Cold Blood come to mind. Among games that got better reception, Wipeout 3 is another great looking game.
@@thatvideogamesshow heck yea bro. I hum the whole ost (arcade ost) to myself all the time haha. Street Fighter Alpha 2 was my first ps1 game (still have it & 3) followed by tekken 2 and Jet Moto 2
SOTN is a beautiful game that has undoubtedly aged more gracefully than its 3D PS1 peers.. but graphically impressive back in 1997 it certainly wasn't.
@@mohamedsaleh9167 you don't know what your talking about. SOTN looks better than majority of the game on this list.Look at how many likes I got compared to others.
i play einhander on an emulator on my phone with a ps4 controller pretty frequently. have yet to beat it, that game gets hard as hell after the first few stages.
I've always liked Einhander, it was cool to see it on a list. It's not the best shoot em up out there, but the PS1 wasn't exactly known for that genre. It has a great look though, the transitions between perspective are really cool. For whatever reason I've always found this game to be very picky about what kind of display you play it on. It's a lot harder on an LCD imo, even a newer one with good response time. Feels way more precise on a CRT (with the added bonus of the PS1 dithering looking a whole hell of a lot better on the older screen).
Please stop, the 74th best selling PS1 game and 9th best selling JRPG on the system is inherently not overlooked. That's not even counting PSN sales. The Legend of Dragon is not overlooked. No other non Final Fantasy JRPG on PS1 can draw as many clicks by putting it in the thumbnail. It's isn't even forgotten about in the larger consciousness either. Harry Potter and the philosopher's Stone is the sixth best-selling PS1 game but in the year 2021 making a review on Harry Potter and the philosopher's Stone for the PS1 isn't a guaranteed 100,000 view video. Calling The Legend of Dragoon underrated and/forgotten is an insult to games like Rhapsody A Musical Adventure, Hoshigami Ruining Blue Earth,Alundra,Vandal Hearts, Guardian's Crusade, Front Mission 3 and Threads of Fate.
Best looking PS1 game in my opinion is Speed Punks... it's a totally forgotten kart racer with graphics so good I remember IGN's reviewer wondering if the developer had found some sort of secret overclock or other trick to make it happen. Seriously, it's a total hidden gem.
One of the greatest things about Legend of dragoon is its in game animations. Especially the motion sequences in the beginning of the game being chased etc.
@@nancyking-hoffman146 Since the PSN had prices set in CAD dollars on the excahnge rate that they were released it was cheaper to buy a PSN classic on my PS3 then download it on the PS5.
Great selections. I have every one of these games. But I'm truly surprised you didn't throw *Fear Effect* on here. That one also blew my mind back then.
Resident Evil 2 is definitely an improvement, but I think Resident Evil 3 Nemesis is the most impressive of the trilogy, especially the graphics. Getting to explore Raccoon City was great and there's a lot of excellent environmental story telling in sections like the Clock Tower and Dead Factory. Plus that final boss fight with the rail canon was truly pushing the PS1 to the limit. MGS1 is 100% still one of the best looking PS1 games to this day. Hope that rumored remake doesn't mess it up again like The Twin Snakes did. I'd also say Fear Effect is a great looking PS1 exclusive. Mixes RE, Blade Runner, and Asian folklore in one package. This wasn't released in the US, but Overblood 2 is another graphically impressive PS1 game too.
When centering comparison around how well it was ported and as a.FPS.on PS1, Quake II was done very well not to forget its mouse controller support and management of the loading screens being shortened over other ports. But, strictly talking graphics for the system, there were others I'd say in the first person shooter category that came in a little higher albeit, unfortunately, without mouse controller support and when compared to other genres graphics.
Great list. Vagrant Story with it's hand drawn graphics is stunning, and probably my favorite game all time. Obviously many impressive titles on the PS1. I would also pick Parasite Eve 2, Soul Reaver, Fear Effect 1/2, AitD:TNN.
Kojima, from the start, has been pushing the hardware to it's limits. The latest example is Deah Stranding, arguably one of the best looking games on the PS4 and very well optimized on the PC - unlike Horizon Zero Dawn. I feel Metal Gear Solid is genuinely the best gaming franchise ever made when you consider gameplay, innovation, story, cinematics and the underlying philosophical messages. He predicted the future with MGS2 and Death Stranding and encourages us to develop a strong moral compass. It exceeds the tropes of what we expect from a videogame and that's what makes it special.
Might as well give them a bit of a handicap. CRT TVs gave a bit of smoothing to it all. Not to mention that TVs were on average a quarter of the size. Smoothing is essential.
@@Bradley_Lute It also makes sense to capture footage from an emulator because I think very few UA-camrs would actually own copies of all those old games.
@@shazmanbound1496 I don't remember those functions providing the effect seen here though. It did add smoothness, but in the video what we see is razor-sharp lines. It seems to me like he's using an emulator running the games at a higher resolution.
We forget that CRT did not make it look so bad. New TVs don't do the images justice. Smoothers are essential. In 1997 these games looked absolutely state of the art. Crisp and real. Playing then today on my huge and nice television they look so grating. I'm glad ps3 has built in smoothing but I might want to invest in more.
@@Bradley_Lute Get a PVM monitor or a Sony Trinitron CRT hell even a 19 inches 5:3 LED monitor that was used for PC gaming is also awesome. Dont play retro games on a massive screen LED TV. Not only to they look terrible but they also have lag.
Very solid list! I've only played about half of these, and the ones that I haven't played look pretty interesting. I was a little surprised DOA wasn't on here, but there's only so much that can be fit in 10 spots.
I like the choices, but showing the games running in an emulator with a higher internal resolution and (apparently) filtered textures totally kills the premise of the video, imo.
Wow i was not expecting to see einhander on this. One of the most rare gems ever created. One of my favorite games of all time! The soundtrack on this game is amazing as well.
The first PS1 game i played was Madden 2001 and i was absolutely blown away by its graphics! seeing stuff like the snow falling down in 3D, The PS1 was a game changer.
Omega Boost and Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare blew me away - had me double-taking glances of disbelief every so often at the console and controller in my hands. The level of execution and variety being showcased between those two titles alone also had me take pause when I would enter the room in anticipation, looking at the console.
It's hard to see it now but I'm it's time and on crt televisions, these games all looked fantastic. They captured the imagination in a way never before seen. They haven't aged well due to HD television but it is kind of charming to play these games nowadays especially when they get remastered. Final Fantasy IX looked and ran great on my phone. Those cutscenes are unparalleled. MGS1 is really nostalgic to see. That was probably the most realistic game on the system.
Right? I used to sacrifice sleep to wake up really early so I could play a bit before school way back when. Nowadays I'd rather lie down and watch UA-cam than play 😔
I was playing Tekken 3 on a PS3 recently. Still looked pretty good. ePSXe is useful for making PSX games look even better, but great list! I had many of these games as a kid. Valkyrie Profile came to mind after you mentioned Vagrant Story.
I'm not sure when it was released into the Playstation 1 life cycle but I remember being THOROUGHLY impressed with "Worlds Scariest Police Chases" on the system. Graphically the game looked INCREDIBLE for the time and the city/map that existed within the game was extremely large considering the hardware it was developed for.
your channel is hugely underrated i really thought you were at 1mil subs and 100k views a video, that just shows how high quality of videos you make, great job!!
It's a tricky subject because for the most part - late PS1 games will always look better thanks to the higher poly counts and better understanding of the system. My vote goes to Legend of Mana though which might be the most beautiful 2D game of all time. The quality of the animations and sprite work is just unbelievable! Great video all the same!
Whenever I play a old game, one of thing I think about whilst playing is “how good it looks when it came out”. Sure some of the games doesn’t age well such as Tomb Raider 1996 but imagine what player felt back then
A lot of games, maybe even most PS1 and n64 games, looked ugly even when the were new. Coming off the beautiful sprite work of peak 16-bit 2d games, these early 3d games looked very rough and controlled even rougher. Some of them kind of transcended their limitations though, like most of the games in this list. They basically set the blueprint for every game going forward. We didn't know how 3d games should control, and we didn't know what the best perspective was. We didn't know how the camera should act either. The best games of this era set a baseline for what came after. Looking past the jaggy low res polygons and muddy textures you still knew that this was the future. You could see how much potential was there even if it wasn't as easy on the eyes as 2d had become.
Very, VERY good video and choices. Shame I never played (or even heard of) Vagrant Story as a kid back when the PS1 was still relevant. Happy and surprised to see The Legend of Dragoon listed too. Amazing the game sold nearly a million copies in North America so late in the PS1's lifespan; certainly with heavy rivals FFVIII, FFIX, and other JRPGs either still new or having just released. Hell, Final Fantasy X wasn't far off either and everyone was hyped about the PlayStation 2 as well then.
No mention of Final Fantasy VIII?! Sure, it had some gameplay flaws, but visually I was blown away back in 1999! The characters not only looked more realistic, they moved like real people too (thanks to motion capture technology). I loved the overall art style and presentation.
@@dxtremecaliber i respectfully disagree 9 is my favorite Jrpg ever made as far as im concerned and i played quite a few back in the day. Only problems are minor nitpicks at best. 7 is incredibly overrated, has weird visuals, kinda dull story and has like 2 interesting characters total, the only one of the 3 i couldn't bring myself to beat, its not bad at all just not nearly as good as people say. 8 suffers from lack of interesting characters even more than 7 but generally has a more interesting story and feels more fun to play... Plus no yuffie that's always a plus FF9>>>FF8>FF7
It might not utilise the PS1 to the full but one of my favourites is Oddworld. The graphic art is simply beautiful and atmospheric. Some real talent, love and hard work went into creating those games.
Odd world was great!
Underrated game. It’s aged way better than most ps1 games
NINTENDO 64 had the best version of RE2 since the graphics were presented in 480i (double the 240p of the PS1). N64 also had the analog joystick for movement & an extra mission included (so you could play the game 3 times as different characters)
.
My favourite games exoddus and Odyssey.
I remember seeing they had a nice budget for the game ( a couple hundred thousand ) for the 90's it was big.
This guy meant to make a video about ps1 games but ended up showing them run on an emulator with texture filtering and anti-aliasing over level 9000.
would have been unfair to show the original resolution in today displays since they are much less suited for this kind of graphics. They were legit good in old tvs
@@Supercecco85 Indeed. I still have the ps1 connected to a good 28" 4:3 CRT tv with a SCART-RGB cable. The picture is crystal clear, very low aliasing (in games like Crash Bandicoor for example) and overally is even better than emus on new tvs, since on crt you get perfect detail in motion.
@@papparaba5504 i recently emulated gran turismo in HD and overall the experience is the same of old crt tv with like 2x3 pixels... only the textures are very old, I mean final fantasy pre rendered backgrounds are completely shit and hopeless now without ai upscaling etc
@@Supercecco85 Yes I know, I also use epsxe and pcsx2. But I'm used to perfect motion resolution, I don't take seriously into account static resolution when it comes to gaming (since usually you're moving the camera most of the time).
But that's a general thing, not related to retro-gaming.
For getting the very best possible picture, I use emus on the CRT monitor (Also I have a great quality hd-crt tv, but the crt monitor is capable of higher resolutions and refresh rate).
Yeah... Exactly what you shouldn't do.
Using emulators with high-res settings doesn’t really show what made these games graphically impressive. Would have enjoyed original resolution alot more.
lie, the use of emulators shows games better and we see better how they are made, why in the past it was crt and low resolution,
You know one thing, this is correct, because the game design is not linked to the resolution, ok?
Or is it that you no longer remember that some ps1 games also came out in game cube, ps2 dreamcast, there they are also seen with more resolution, and they were not remakes, they were the original ps1 games only in other ported consoles,
What else is more resolution? It is still original, because also, those games, as you saw them on ps1 was not original either, ahahhaah, in fact, those games were created in the environment of a 3d studio pc , and there the resolutions were not so low, a completely clear environment, the emulators, make the originality look more closely, the physical ps1 lowers those creations a lot, so the image of ps1 is false, also ps1 was a 2d console, even more false the image, not to say trembling in textures, because the ps1 was only created for the 2d, it got 3d because it appeared virtual fighter, if it weren't for that the ps1 would stay in a 2d console with cd, competition a sega cd ,, stopped their launch in 1993 and released 3d games to release the ps1 in 1994 because of virtual f ... ect ,,
the ps1 image is more false than true, but it looks very minimal ,,,;)
😉👌🌟
Nope. That has in FACTS nothing to do with showing original graphics. This Video is a big fail
@@zockerking2061 not,,,
@@zockerking2061 is adaption in this time
@@espejoPublic Has nothing to do with original. Video is fake. Stated facts troll
Megaman Legends 1 and 2 and Tronn Bonne are beautiful to this day
Love me some Megaman Legends!
Not the best looking game but Driver 2 is graphically impressive. Open world, curved roads, etc...
it's almost ps2 levels
*World's scariest police chase joins the server*
It was GTA before GTA 3 for me.
That game definitely pushed the limitations of the system. One of my all time favorites.
@@ricarto2k2 I think that pushing ps1 even further they could make more ps2 gen games even on ps1 versions, because it seems that ps1 could be pushed further until 2004-2005 with many new games downgrading to old gen, do you agree?
For example GTA 3 could work maybe on PS1 with 2-3 CD's and low poly count PS1 graphics, maybe taking out many areas and levels from ps2 versions it could be enough to make it work on ps1 pushing it to the boundaries limits... But maybe it wouldn't be possible
It makes my heart flutter everytime I see Vagrant Story named anywhere.
One of the greats!
Best game of its era
Same! It's quite underrated...
Yeah! Me too, flogged it to death....
Incredible game
Vagrant Story + Final Fantasy IX + Chrono Cross = Auto Like
they almost look early ps2 games with low graphics, do you agree?
Chrono Cross was actually the closest looking game to PS2 visuals I have seen. The in game models and battle models and animations looked incredible just had an amazing natural sense to them. The particle effect as well never had any blocky looked to them either
10 incredible looking games for sure, here are 5 more: Dino Crisis 2, Tomb Raider The Last Revelation, Parasite Eve II, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver and a 2D one: Legend of Mana
Great choices there!
Yeah, Soul Reaver shoulda been here!
xenogears too
I'd recently become acquainted with Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare on PS1. Good looker and delivers moody ambience, tension and lighting (including flashlight) with some included jump-scares and replayability to play through as two different characters with the game play shifting more towards puzzles versus use of the weapon while staying in contact with the other character over the radio for times when you need some help/ hints.
Soul Reaver does not seem even for ps1 is impressive
I wish you showed what those games really look like, the dithering is one of its charms but then again upscaled PS games looks good as well.
yep I was thinking to comment the same as you ! most of them are 1080p emulated on pc... nowhere near the same on PS1
I’m so pleased you included Ridge Racer Type 4. Such a fantastic game and visually even without running it on an emulator it still looks good on the original console. Something that still even today surprises me is the way that the brake lights have texture animations that mimic the fade in/fade out of a lightbulb, instead of a texture that just pops on and off abruptly.
I love rrt4 waaay more than ridge racer 5 or 6,or 7, because the graphics good, music is top notch perfect for a racing game, many unlockables, and the replayability is high, it's such a special ass game. Even my favorite rrt4 theme is "move me" I play that in my car whenever I drive on the highway just to remind me of the game.
I played that game like crazy. Was so amazing.
Heart of Darkness was better
Tourismo 2 looks like it has the geometry of the N64 correct 3D and not the broken shit you see in all the other PS1 games. That is impressive
Mgs1 is my favorite looking Ps1 game for several reasons. But Ape escape looks really good for a Ps1 game. Bloody Roar 2 looks really good aswell
Parasite Eve 2 looks amazing as well
Good suggestion!
Still to this day my 2nd favourite PSX game (Metal Gear : Solid being the first), story, graphics, interesting gameplay, people don't like the backtracking so it usually does not get a mention. RE2/3 or Silent Hill are the easy picks to stay popular with the cool kids, Dino Crisis 2 will also always be labelled a RE2 clone.
@@DownButNotOutYet yeah! Im convinced the PSX games are the best, for me always better than PS2-PS5
I think PE2 has the best ps1 graphics
i recently replayed parasite eve 2 and the visuals still amaze me. some of the best looking prerendered backgrounds on the ps1. definitely looks better than re2 imo.
Einhander and Soul Edge were fantastic. Back in the early days of PS1 we were blown away by Warhawk. Great game.
I still play Einhander regularly. It’s my favorite shooter.
Tekken 3. Omg that takes me back. I remember the practice mode. I spent hours on getting that axe kick just right to counter attacks and and practicing initiating and then executing Nina's grapple chains.this isn't to say I was great mind you, but just the practice was fun
You missing Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation and Soul Reaver
Also Crash Bandicoot Warped, and Croc 1 and 2
Surprised Ace Combat wasn’t on this list. I remember as a teen in the late 90s those looking great too.
Ace Combat 2 from 97 is a timeless classic. It awesome to fly above the cloud wall and see the dark stratosphere
Electrosphere had some unbelievably beautiful visual effects as well.
Unfortunately Ace Combat has always been niche but Ace Combat 3 looked sooo good for the PS1
Ace Combat 2 and especially 3. Additionally, HOTAS mapping on the Sony SCPH-1110 Analog Joystick sends the experience to the top.level. There is now an English fan translation of the two-disc Japanese release of Ace Combat 3 so that most of the rest of the world can have the RPG experience and all of the additional that came with it. In the same genre, the Sony analog joystick also works out on what looks like a spiritually inspired aerial combat RPG PS2 release called Rebel Raiders: Operation Nighthawk. While the title does not have HOTAS mapping for the SCPH-1110 analog joystick, it was the only controller that allowed me to fly through canyons without bouncing off of them as well as highly controlled flights through and around obstacles in close proximity. Otherwise, the DualShock just does does not have the nuanced control needed to enjoy it or possibly even play it.
Ridge racer type 4 is my favorite racing game of all time. Great graphics, high frame rate and the best music ever in a racing game
Praises graphics on playstation
Plays HD emulated versions...
Yeah, not fair
Exactly, they're only PS1 games, not PS1 graphics. I WISH PS1 graphics looked this good back in the 90's.
Do you know how a person can play these versions? Do I need a specific rom or emulator?
@Michael O Callaghan thanks. I recently got a PlayStation Classic and, while it's great, I wouldn't exactly say that the games look great on it. I got it because I've been wanting something that will play PS1 games on TV and it seemed like the easiest choice. If I could find something that would run both PS1 games *and* PS2 games well, then I'd be in heaven. From what I've found so far though, it seems like the best bet is a PC. I'm hoping a laptop will work though for PS2 stuff because I'm in the market for a new one. Anyways, thanks!
I really like what I've seen of those Raspberry Pi machines though. I don't think they'll run PS2 games but I'm not sure about PS1.
Pretty solid list! I would've thrown Legend of Kain: Soul Reaver on there too; especially due to the technical brilliance of how they managed the world shifting.
It is shocking Soul Reaver isn't on this list - it is literally the top spot and the peak technical achievement of any game on PS1
Ah Soul Reaver, it also had ZERO LOADING. Very impressive visuals and impressive audio processing!
not to be a know it all but it is called Legacy of Kain and I do not think it is soul reaver . I think soul reaver was a later entry in the series . It was Blood Omen Legacy of Kain .
@@therabidpancake1 thanks I kept going Legend of Kain that doesn’t sound right lol
@@hymiecamp It is Legacy Of Kain . Look it up it came out long before Soul Reaver Legacy of Kain . How did you get Legend Of Kain . It is Legacy of Kain . It is really not much of a Legacy he died and went to hell .
FF9, Chrono cross and Vagrant story
aren't just 3 of the best looking games on this system, but 3 of the best best games of all time ❤
Metal Gear Solid
Eh, FF9 drags on too long and the story sort of falls to pieces the longer it runs. The first disc is fantastic but it goes downhill from there. Given how much effort was poured into it, that game deserved a better plot. It also has really tedious side content that's just a load of grind that adds nothing else to the game. Same as FF10.
Chrono Cross is a very strange game. It does have probably the best soundtrack that's ever been put in a game though. The plot is presented as pure batshit and I couldn't understand it until I researched into it some more, but it did eventually click and it's kind of neat i guess, but it feels like the backstory is more interesting than what you actually get to play. It's kind of a kick in the nuts for Chrono Trigger fans, but that was sort of the point.
One cool thing about Chrono Cross is that you can still buy brand new copies of it. They're still making it physically, I guess because they can't do a digital release for whatever reason. Not sure if any other PS1 game is like this. I wish it were true of more!
Vagrant story I haven't beaten yet. It's very lonely and cold, I didn't get that far with it last time I tried, but I can't deny it's a graphical masterpiece. It's as detailed as any game would ever need to be. I'd have been totally satisified if that's as far as technology went.
@@thegearknob7161 vagrant story it is eazy if you know how the system work. Just make different Sword for any type of moster so stat on weapon not decrease.
_Omega Boost_ the _Fear Effects, Parasite Eve 2_ and _Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare_
More than beyond of Agreed !!!!
I thought the flashlight effect in Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare was really impressive for its time, and it was very well-drawn overall. Parasite Eve 2 is one of my favourite Ps1 games also and looks gorgeous.
@@drakonolus7922 Omega Boost is amazing to this day
Crash 3 Warped looks stunning to me still.
MGS was released in 1998 not 2001
2001 would be Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons Of Liberty.
@@Texasmilitarydepartmentvid9654 Not sure if your agreeing with me or not haha, but yea MGS on PS1 was 1998 and MGS 2 PS2 was 2001, and the title of this video is graphically impressive PS1 games.
I am so glad you acknowledged Ridge Racer Type 4! That game for me is so underrated and the graphics and storyline was great!
My favourite racing game of all time!
Legend of Dragoon is still my favorite game of all time. Even after 20 years
You guys seriously overlooked Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The fact that a game like that can look as good as it does, especially with its ability to shift environments on the fly and even do its best to attain a somewhat reasonable frame rate for its time compared to Ocarina of Time, is nothing short of brilliance.
That one is great bushido blade 2 and jet moto 3 were also good graphically. I thought at the time anyways
Zelda was definitely an inspiration for Soul Reaver.
FFIX is so freaking gorgeous...
MGS was a masterpiece!
Yes especially MGS2 for the PS2
it IS a masterpiece :D
Wipeout 3 had pretty good graphics too.
Especially the "Special Edition", cannot believe this isn't in this list....
Should be on the list
Correction in regards to VS, it actually has one of the lowest polygon counts of any blockbuster title on the PS1, characters only had half of the polygon count that was present in FFVII and VIII. That's what makes the quality of its visuals so impressive, ingenuity and talent not bound by technical limitations.
You forgot Tenchu characters open their mouth while talking and blink their eyes
I feel like if you go beyond top-sellers you can find some very impressive graphical achievements in games that weren't necessarily popular at the time. NGen Racing, Vanishing Point and In Cold Blood come to mind. Among games that got better reception, Wipeout 3 is another great looking game.
So many great picks! I love the Tekken 3 shout. The visuals were fantastic and sometimes I just looked over the levels and character models in awe.
That tekken 2 intro track...still humming it till this day.
Such a great tune!
@@thatvideogamesshow heck yea bro. I hum the whole ost (arcade ost) to myself all the time haha.
Street Fighter Alpha 2 was my first ps1 game (still have it & 3) followed by tekken 2 and Jet Moto 2
Legend of Dragoon is one of my favourite PS1 games
Yea that shit hit!!!
But have bad graphic =(
I'm playing it again on my Vita because I'm not paying the asking price for it these days.
@@Nightek1 No. Not for that generation. It was ahead of the rest back then.
Nothing on PS1 is more visually impressive than SOTN by today's standards.
Fellow 2D game Rapid Reload might be up there..
I've yet to see a 2d character move as impressive as Alucard does, from his shadows to how elegant his movement is frame by frame.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was worth mentioning.Also Tomb Raider: Chronicles.
Great suggestions!
I mean that’s not accounting for the actual quality of Chronicles but yes it was guarantee-ably well done graphically.
SOTN is a beautiful game that has undoubtedly aged more gracefully than its 3D PS1 peers.. but graphically impressive back in 1997 it certainly wasn't.
@@mohamedsaleh9167 you don't know what your talking about. SOTN looks better than majority of the game on this list.Look at how many likes I got compared to others.
@@mohamedsaleh9167 name at least 3 games on the PS1 that had better hand drawn art or close to Castlevania's art style.
Eimhander is a masterpiece, would love to see a HD remake of this. Along with Soviet Strike and Nuclear Strike.
i play einhander on an emulator on my phone with a ps4 controller pretty frequently. have yet to beat it, that game gets hard as hell after the first few stages.
I've always liked Einhander, it was cool to see it on a list. It's not the best shoot em up out there, but the PS1 wasn't exactly known for that genre. It has a great look though, the transitions between perspective are really cool. For whatever reason I've always found this game to be very picky about what kind of display you play it on. It's a lot harder on an LCD imo, even a newer one with good response time. Feels way more precise on a CRT (with the added bonus of the PS1 dithering looking a whole hell of a lot better on the older screen).
I will give you that Legend of Dragoon is a cracking game that gets overlooked.
Amen!
FINALLY SOMEONE MENTIONS THIS GAME!!!🤜🤛
@@handheldhavoc6635 I know right!
I actually dug out my copy to play through it again because of this video
@@KohighMathy its one of the best ps1 rpgs imo 😁
Please stop, the 74th best selling PS1 game and 9th best selling JRPG on the system is inherently not overlooked. That's not even counting PSN sales. The Legend of Dragon is not overlooked. No other non Final Fantasy JRPG on PS1 can draw as many clicks by putting it in the thumbnail. It's isn't even forgotten about in the larger consciousness either. Harry Potter and the philosopher's Stone is the sixth best-selling PS1 game but in the year 2021 making a review on Harry Potter and the philosopher's Stone for the PS1 isn't a guaranteed 100,000 view video. Calling The Legend of Dragoon underrated and/forgotten is an insult to games like Rhapsody A Musical Adventure, Hoshigami Ruining Blue Earth,Alundra,Vandal Hearts, Guardian's Crusade, Front Mission 3 and Threads of Fate.
Best looking PS1 game in my opinion is Speed Punks... it's a totally forgotten kart racer with graphics so good I remember IGN's reviewer wondering if the developer had found some sort of secret overclock or other trick to make it happen. Seriously, it's a total hidden gem.
Omg yes I remember it as Speed Freaks, also Micro Maniacs is another underrated racer (not kart racer).
Played most of these while working for blockbuster video. I felt like I was reborn into a new era of gaming
I'm very impressed you put Einhander first in the list because that's the first game that came to mind when I saw the title.
Great game!
One of the greatest things about Legend of dragoon is its in game animations. Especially the motion sequences in the beginning of the game being chased etc.
It's one of many games that stood the test of time🛎
@@nancyking-hoffman146 Since the PSN had prices set in CAD dollars on the excahnge rate that they were released it was cheaper to buy a PSN classic on my PS3 then download it on the PS5.
Great selections. I have every one of these games. But I'm truly surprised you didn't throw *Fear Effect* on here.
That one also blew my mind back then.
For those who want to experience PS1 games on the PC as accurate and faithful to the original hardware, use Xebra emulator. You're welcome.
Resident Evil 2 is definitely an improvement, but I think Resident Evil 3 Nemesis is the most impressive of the trilogy, especially the graphics. Getting to explore Raccoon City was great and there's a lot of excellent environmental story telling in sections like the Clock Tower and Dead Factory.
Plus that final boss fight with the rail canon was truly pushing the PS1 to the limit.
MGS1 is 100% still one of the best looking PS1 games to this day. Hope that rumored remake doesn't mess it up again like The Twin Snakes did.
I'd also say Fear Effect is a great looking PS1 exclusive. Mixes RE, Blade Runner, and Asian folklore in one package.
This wasn't released in the US, but Overblood 2 is another graphically impressive PS1 game too.
Would hate to see you walk away and not probably hear about Parasite Eve 2, Omega Boost and Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare. 🍻👍
I started with Final Fantasy 7 and ended with Final Fantasy 9 on the PS1. They both hold a special place in my heart.
Surprised this list did not include Quake 2, really impressive port that does the PC original justice
When centering comparison around how well it was ported and as a.FPS.on PS1, Quake II was done very well not to forget its mouse controller support and management of the loading screens being shortened over other ports. But, strictly talking graphics for the system, there were others I'd say in the first person shooter category that came in a little higher albeit, unfortunately, without mouse controller support and when compared to other genres graphics.
Definitely I wish I could find a decent copy of Einhander under $200.
FFIX on steam can easily be upgraded with the Moguri Mod, it is amazing.
Since everyone else is saying Squaresoft games in the comments, Front Mission 3 is very pretty.
Great list. Vagrant Story with it's hand drawn graphics is stunning, and probably my favorite game all time. Obviously many impressive titles on the PS1. I would also pick Parasite Eve 2, Soul Reaver, Fear Effect 1/2, AitD:TNN.
Vagrant Story was *INSANE* to look at for as PSOne Game back in the day
Kojima, from the start, has been pushing the hardware to it's limits. The latest example is Deah Stranding, arguably one of the best looking games on the PS4 and very well optimized on the PC - unlike Horizon Zero Dawn. I feel Metal Gear Solid is genuinely the best gaming franchise ever made when you consider gameplay, innovation, story, cinematics and the underlying philosophical messages. He predicted the future with MGS2 and Death Stranding and encourages us to develop a strong moral compass. It exceeds the tropes of what we expect from a videogame and that's what makes it special.
Death stranding is one of the best games I have ever played. The story, graphic, lore and everything
Ace Combat 3 is another visually polished game like Ridge Racer 4 from the same developper
Was this footage captured from an emulator? Pretty sure those games are missing some jaggies...
yea this is way too clean to be proper PS1 footage.
Might as well give them a bit of a handicap. CRT TVs gave a bit of smoothing to it all. Not to mention that TVs were on average a quarter of the size. Smoothing is essential.
@@Bradley_Lute It also makes sense to capture footage from an emulator because I think very few UA-camrs would actually own copies of all those old games.
Or using a PS2 pr PS3 to run this games using the on board smoothing texturing work from the those systems
@@shazmanbound1496 I don't remember those functions providing the effect seen here though. It did add smoothness, but in the video what we see is razor-sharp lines. It seems to me like he's using an emulator running the games at a higher resolution.
Too bad none of your footage is what a real ps1 looks like, the gameplay looks even smoother than the cutscenes lol.
We forget that CRT did not make it look so bad. New TVs don't do the images justice. Smoothers are essential. In 1997 these games looked absolutely state of the art. Crisp and real. Playing then today on my huge and nice television they look so grating. I'm glad ps3 has built in smoothing but I might want to invest in more.
@@Bradley_Lute Get a PVM monitor or a Sony Trinitron CRT hell even a 19 inches 5:3 LED monitor that was used for PC gaming is also awesome. Dont play retro games on a massive screen LED TV. Not only to they look terrible but they also have lag.
2D games also deserved to be in this list too. Megaman X5, Arc the Lad 2, Alundra, Street Fighter Alpha 3 and many more.
Fear effect, crash team racing and croc were also visually excellent.
Very solid list! I've only played about half of these, and the ones that I haven't played look pretty interesting. I was a little surprised DOA wasn't on here, but there's only so much that can be fit in 10 spots.
MGS1 was released in 1998 :)
Aw, I wish you'd mention Time Crisis. It's one of the most visually impressive PS1 games.
Metal Gear Solid wasn't released in 2001, it was released in 1998
Definitely think you should have included Parasite Eve in there!
And dont forget about Parasite Eve 2 and Nightmare Creatures 2!
The Fact that there’s an Ad for a Dreamcast Game in RR4 is insane lol. You also had the ad for VF4 on PS2 on the Dreamcast with Shenmue 2
I like the choices, but showing the games running in an emulator with a higher internal resolution and (apparently) filtered textures totally kills the premise of the video, imo.
Wow i was not expecting to see einhander on this. One of the most rare gems ever created. One of my favorite games of all time! The soundtrack on this game is amazing as well.
I was 5 when I first played Einhander, it was the first game me and my dad played together.
"Graphically Impressive PS1 Games at 4K res and texture filtering"
Legend of Mana was nice as well.
Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Rayman, Need For Speed 3 and 4 and Quake 2 should also be on the top.
PS1 had the best graphics for the 90s/2000s
You should mention Crash bandicoot 2 and 3. LoK:Soul reaver. Oddworld:Abe's exoddus. Resident evil 3 Nemesis
The first PS1 game i played was Madden 2001 and i was absolutely blown away by its graphics! seeing stuff like the snow falling down in 3D, The PS1 was a game changer.
Omega Boost and Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare blew me away - had me double-taking glances of disbelief every so often at the console and controller in my hands. The level of execution and variety being showcased between those two titles alone also had me take pause when I would enter the room in anticipation, looking at the console.
It's hard to see it now but I'm it's time and on crt televisions, these games all looked fantastic. They captured the imagination in a way never before seen. They haven't aged well due to HD television but it is kind of charming to play these games nowadays especially when they get remastered. Final Fantasy IX looked and ran great on my phone. Those cutscenes are unparalleled. MGS1 is really nostalgic to see. That was probably the most realistic game on the system.
It's definitely worth buying (or still owning) a CRT for these older consoles to see them as nature intended
PS1 had such good run and magic in them, still hard to recreate until today..
Right? I used to sacrifice sleep to wake up really early so I could play a bit before school way back when. Nowadays I'd rather lie down and watch UA-cam than play 😔
So much nostalgia here
New fan here! Awesome vid from voiceover to script to editing! Subbed. FF9 was my first FF, and I’m so glad it was! Vivi forever!
IMHO Sould Edge/Blade should have more credits here.. 🙌🏻
I was playing Tekken 3 on a PS3 recently. Still looked pretty good. ePSXe is useful for making PSX games look even better, but great list! I had many of these games as a kid. Valkyrie Profile came to mind after you mentioned Vagrant Story.
I'm not sure when it was released into the Playstation 1 life cycle but I remember being THOROUGHLY impressed with "Worlds Scariest Police Chases" on the system. Graphically the game looked INCREDIBLE for the time and the city/map that existed within the game was extremely large considering the hardware it was developed for.
your channel is hugely underrated i really thought you were at 1mil subs and 100k views a video, that just shows how high quality of videos you make, great job!!
That means a lot mate. Thanks for that!
Ridge Racer Type 4 impressed me a lot, I played this on epsxe on android :)
Such a classic!
@@thatvideogamesshow I like classics ;)
Great video! I have not really played Legend of Dragoon or (gasp) FFIX. I now know what I'm doing for a couple of months or so.
Oh man you are in for a great time!
I must have played Legend Of Dragoon and FFIX to death, they are both great games.
I love your videos. I'm in the process of backtracking, finding and collecting games for my PS1 and your list help me find really good games
I would like to add Tenchu 2: Birth of the Stealth Assassins,that game looked gorgeous when it was released.
You missed Dino Crisis 2
Square's Threads of Fate was much More impressive than most in the list, but it was rather unknown so I recommend you check it out
Played it, it's quite beautiful i approve it !
It's a tricky subject because for the most part - late PS1 games will always look better thanks to the higher poly counts and better understanding of the system. My vote goes to Legend of Mana though which might be the most beautiful 2D game of all time. The quality of the animations and sprite work is just unbelievable!
Great video all the same!
C12 the last resistance looked great too
I really like the content on your channel, been looking for more nostalgia feels! Liked and subbed :)
Brilliant video - you are very knowledgeable and this is lovingly put together - a pleasure to watch - well done mate! 👍👍👍
Thanks mate, I appreciate that 🙂
Whenever I play a old game, one of thing I think about whilst playing is “how good it looks when it came out”. Sure some of the games doesn’t age well such as Tomb Raider 1996 but imagine what player felt back then
A lot of games, maybe even most PS1 and n64 games, looked ugly even when the were new. Coming off the beautiful sprite work of peak 16-bit 2d games, these early 3d games looked very rough and controlled even rougher. Some of them kind of transcended their limitations though, like most of the games in this list. They basically set the blueprint for every game going forward. We didn't know how 3d games should control, and we didn't know what the best perspective was. We didn't know how the camera should act either. The best games of this era set a baseline for what came after. Looking past the jaggy low res polygons and muddy textures you still knew that this was the future. You could see how much potential was there even if it wasn't as easy on the eyes as 2d had become.
Legacy of Kain - Soul Reaver should be on this list
Very, VERY good video and choices. Shame I never played (or even heard of) Vagrant Story as a kid back when the PS1 was still relevant. Happy and surprised to see The Legend of Dragoon listed too. Amazing the game sold nearly a million copies in North America so late in the PS1's lifespan; certainly with heavy rivals FFVIII, FFIX, and other JRPGs either still new or having just released. Hell, Final Fantasy X wasn't far off either and everyone was hyped about the PlayStation 2 as well then.
Fine fine list mate 👍👌
Cheers brother! ❤️
Awesome vid!
I clicked expecting FF9 and Chrono Cross, my two favorite PS1 games.
Was NOT disappointed
My favorite thing about Gran Turismo 2 was the racing modifications which came with racing liveries.
No mention of Final Fantasy VIII?! Sure, it had some gameplay flaws, but visually I was blown away back in 1999! The characters not only looked more realistic, they moved like real people too (thanks to motion capture technology). I loved the overall art style and presentation.
its the best FF of PSX.
@@alejandromena9647 hell nah its not eve better than FF9
FF7 is the best FF in the PS1 trilogy!
@@dxtremecaliber i respectfully disagree
9 is my favorite Jrpg ever made as far as im concerned and i played quite a few back in the day. Only problems are minor nitpicks at best.
7 is incredibly overrated, has weird visuals, kinda dull story and has like 2 interesting characters total, the only one of the 3 i couldn't bring myself to beat, its not bad at all just not nearly as good as people say.
8 suffers from lack of interesting characters even more than 7 but generally has a more interesting story and feels more fun to play... Plus no yuffie that's always a plus
FF9>>>FF8>FF7