Emulation of PlayStation classics has been recently added to PS Plus subscription tiers for the PS5, but many longtime fans are hoping for their favorite games to get a more dedicated treatment. Sony's first console was an irable success and the start of a pillar of the video game industry, with the PS1 being fondly ed for its catalog of all-time classics.
Fans on Reddit have been discussing their picks for games that should get the remastered treatment, with expected games like Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy Tactics being thrown into the mix. Some cult classics have also gained some retrospective popularity.
Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver
The developers behind the Tomb Raider reboot and Rise of the Tomb Raider released a cult-classic game in the late '90s in the form of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. A sequel to Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Soul Reaver follows a vampire-turned-wraith named Raziel who's betrayed by the titular Kain, but he was resurrected to exact his revenge. Redditor Scarl_Strife listed it as their most-wanted PS1 remaster, and Sdd555 responded with "Any new kind of Legacy of Kain game would be great tbh, I can't believe those games died off."
The game was very well-received, with its gothic art direction and challenging traversal and puzzle-solving mechanics regarded as thoroughly engaging. While the action and cutscenes were praised, it ittedly came with the caveat of its difficulty appealing to more hardcore players.
Final Fantasy Tactics
Even as a spinoff of Square Enix's JRPG franchise titan, Final Fantasy Tactics is frequently cited by fans as one of the best Final Fantasy games ever. Taking place in what would become a prequel to Final Fantasy XII, Tactics follows the story of a highborn military cadet thrown in the middle of The Lion War between two factions vying for the kingdom's throne.
A now-deleted Redditor listed it with another deleted responding in agreement saying "Ah, Final Fantasy Tactics ... perfection." The original game was acclaimed for its immersive fantasy storytelling as well as its strategically layered combat system. It was ittedly already remastered for the PSP as The War of the Lions, but a more modern and accessible version would be welcomed.
The Legend Of Dragoon
A more obscure, but no less beloved cult-classic Japanese role-playing game is Sony Japan Studio's The Legend of Dragoon. It's set against a high-fantasy backdrop where the protagonist, Dart, leads a group of warriors to prevent the destruction of the world. It's a fairly standard fantasy premise, but Redditors like Warpedlogic31 have noted it as their top pick to receive a remaster, and RedRing14 replied "No meme. Legend of dragoon was easily one of the best games on the ps1 and in my opinion, the best RPG they had. Final fantasy may get tons of praise but LoD was a lot better."
The Legend of Dragoon is certainly a game that's received retrospective praise from fans, as it was originally released to lukewarm reviews. The cons cited included its excessive quick-time events, random encounters, and attempts to emulate too much of what Final Fantasy accomplished.
Metal Gear Solid
Konami and Hideo Kojima's brainchild Metal Gear Solid is arguably one of the most iconic IPs in the gaming industry. The PS1 classic is still regarded as one of the best Metal Gear games, having pioneered the stealth-action genre in gaming. In Redditor shrimpflyrice's post posing the question "If you could remaster ONE game... from each era," they "choose" the game as their top pick from the PS1 era to get remastered.
On top of the revolutionizing stealth gameplay, Metal Gear Solid was critically acclaimed for being an engrossing spy thriller with thought-provoking philosophical themes and messages against the horrors of war. It'd likely benefit from another remake -- if rumors are to be believed via Comicbook.com -- but a visual remaster like Final Fantasy VIII could give the graphics a fresh enough coat of paint should that not pan out.
Xenogears
Monolith Soft's Xenoblade Chronicles has proven in recent years to be a heavy-hitter in the modern JRPG space for Nintendo, but Square Enix's original Xenogears for the PS1 paved the way for it. Redditor AnotherDude1 responded to another listing the game, saying "A COMPLETED Xenogears would be nice, along with faster loading screens and some better pacing in the story too."
Xenogears was widely acclaimed at the time thanks to its sprawling story, immersive world, character development, and more, but it became notorious at the same time for having a noticeably rushed Disc 2. Some regard it as one of the earliest examples of an "unfinished game."
Parasite Eve
Capcom is well-known for its flagship survival-horror franchise Resident Evil, but there was a time when other publishers/developers tried their hand at mixing that formula with other concepts and genres. One such game was Square's Parasite Eve, blending horror with the JRPG subgenre.
Redditor imitation_crab_meat commented that "PS1: Parasite Eve" was due for a remaster. The game received a positive reception for its inventive premise, use of Japanese horror, and cinematic approach to its storytelling. However, the grueling load times and lack of voice acting also beg for a modernized update, if not an outright remake.
Parasite Eve II
Naturally, Parasite Eve II would be the next contender to get a remaster on more modern hardware. The story is set several years after the original, with Aya Brea returning to quell another outbreak of Neo-Mitochondrial monsters. Redditor Dero974 enthusiastically responded to Parasite Eve getting a shout, saying "Parasite eve 1&2 [were] the s*** man!! Great games."
While the control scheme was criticized as being a relic of the past even by 1999 standards, it was well-received for retaining and improving upon much of what made the first game a strong entry, like less restrictive combat and its RPG mechanics. Should a remaster be in the cards as opposed to a remake, a Parasite Eve remastered collection comprising both games could be worth the effort.
Dino Crisis
Even Capcom tried its hand at expanding its Resident Evil formula, with Dino Crisis being the next most recognizable example. As the name would suggest, Dino Crisis was a predictable but no less effective mix of Resident Evil with Jurassic Park by replacing zombies with dinosaurs.
Another now-deleted Reddit stated, "PS1: Dino Crisis," and it's become a somewhat sad trope online as the cult-classic game has had its fans begging for a remaster or a remake for over a decade now. The game received a strong reception for this inventive blend while also doing well enough with its premise to stand on its own. Dinosaur threats added a noticeably heightened pace and tension.
Dino Crisis 2
Unsurprisingly, Dino Crisis 2 was also given a mention after the original. The sequel follows the events of the first game, with irresponsible research into time travel, transporting an entire military base and city into prehistoric time along with its inhabitants. Redditor jda494 responded to the aforementioned suggestion of Dino Crisis, saying "You mentioned Dino Crisis and Onimusha. I think we just became best friends. Though personally, I'd rather Dino Crisis 2. So much fun."
The second game was also well-received thanks to expanding into a wider jungle-themed setting and padding out the roster of wild dinosaurs. Resident Evil 2's remake cemented itself as one of the best horror games, and while a full-blown remake of both Dino Crisis games in the RE Engine would be much more deserved, a remastered collection would at least be a compromise.
Vagrant Story
Another acclaimed JRPG seemingly lost to time, Vagrant Story helped push forward action-RPG elements in the subgenre. It's a fantasy RPG centered around an elite agent -- known as a Riskbreaker -- named Ashely Riot who's tasked with investigating a possible link between a cult leader and a high-ranking political official, with the story expanding greatly after she's blamed for killing the politician.
Redditor Scarl_Strife responded to another suggesting it, saying "Vagrant Story my love Vagrant Story was critically acclaimed for being an engrossing story complete with equally compelling and demanding combat. Likewise, it was also praised for standing apart from Square's other JRPG contemporaries.
