Sunday 2 October 2011

Ah, the good old PSX...

I loved the 1990s. One of the greatest things I used to enjoy was coming home from a night out, slightly the worst for wear, and sticking on the Playstation 1. First of all, there was the classic Playstation noise which brings back so many great, warm memories - I could listen to it again and again. Until I get bored of it, then I'd stop.



I had plenty of favourites, and they all catered for the mood I was in at the time. For some great action I'd haul out Syphon Filter -



That was a kick-ass game. Nothing could better it. Well,not until Syphon Filter 2 came out, that is.



That was much better, and an amazing sequel. It was my first foray into split-screen player vs player games, too, and me and my gaming buddy Andy would play long into the night blowing the crap out of each other. I wanted him dead so badly. Great times.

As a Star Wars fan I bought the game of the film. The film had reached out of the screen and punched me in the nuts, but the game was amazingly good. A bit of free roam, some RPG elements, pretty good action. I loved it!



To fulfill my fantasy needs there was Diablo. Other fantasy-themed games didn't really do it for me but this one kept me up all night. Again, I'd co-op with Andy with this title, and the bugger would always 'accidently' shoot me. Damn that Syphon Filter 2!



And next is my all-time favourite - Colony Wars. An amazing background fleshed out by a fantastic in-game encyclopedia that really gave some history and detail to the settled worlds, and some great gameplay and wonderful imagery. Not only that, the soundtrack was amazing. I loved it.



I was somewhat disappointed by Colony Wars: Vengeance, I thought the gameplay and visuals were lacking, but Red Sun made up for it. It did slightly dilute the Colony Wars setting with more of a multi-species angle, but it was great fun. Soundtrack was great, too.



And an honourable mention goes to Metal Gear Solid. Cutscenes were too long and it was more melodramatic than every daytime soap rolled into a great ball of cheese, but the gameplay was stunning. And then the sequels came out on PS2 and PS3, and they were all shit. So that was that.


2 comments:

  1. Yes, happy memories indeed. My favourites included Tekken 2 -- still my favourite fighting game ever -- and Wipeout 2097 with its techno soundtrack and late-90's cool oozing from every vent.

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  2. On the whole I pretty much despised the 90's, but I have a fun memory of the first time I saw the PS in action.

    It was during a visit to Mexico City in 1995, at a tianguis on Miramontes Avenue (right across from the Pericoapa mall, in case anyone cares, which I bet no one ever will). I watched these two dudes playing Battle Arena Toshinden, and I thought, Holy crap, this changes everything.

    Go back and play that one now, though...

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