Best RPGs available only on PS1, ranked

Summary

• The PS1's library of RPGs was critical to its success.

• Titles like Beyond the Beyond, Brave Prove and Thousand Arms remain trapped on the PS1.

• Alundra 2 & Koudelka are examples of great sequels but not re-released, but modern platforms.

Without a strong supporting library of RPGs, PS1 may not have been a smash hit. One of the smartest decisions Sony ever made was re-releasing PS1 games digitally on PSN to be enjoyed on both PS3 and PSP. That moment when players realized they could play games like Final Fantasy 7 on the go must have been eye opening.

Final Fantasy 7 and many other Square Enix and non-Square Enix RPGs have made it past the PS1 via the aforementioned digital ports and through other versions as well. These other games are still trapped on the PS1 but with no way to play them other than emulation or a hard copy and a good old PS1.

6

Beyond The Beyond

Sony's first sun

• Developer: Camelot Software Planning

• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

• Platform: PS1

• Released: September 11, 1996 (NA)

Beyond the Beyond was one of the earliest RPGs released for the PS1. It was developed by Camelot which was a small name back then but it grew in size thanks to Nintendo. They are the team responsible for Golden Sun and the various Mario sports titles that are borderline RPGs.

Beyond the Beyond's battle, the UI looks a lot like Golden Suns with big sprites and colorful animations. Sony has been re-releasing PS1 games on PS4 and PS5 recently with small upgrades, so maybe one day Beyond the Beyond may return as well The Legend of the Dragon. For now though, it's stuck on the PS1 and Sony should get Nintendo to do a deal on this one.

5

Brave Evidence

Go west young man

• Developer: Data West
• Publisher: Data West
• Released: April 16, 1998 (Japan)
• Platform: PS1

Brave Evidence first released in Japan in 1998 when the PS1 was cooking with gas. It is an action RPG developed by Data West, a company fans should not confuse with Data East, makers of fine games that BurgerTime and Joe & Mac. Brave Prove has big, bulky sprites but they are well detailed compared to the more polygonal backgrounds in the game.

For 1998, it may have looked too dated for release outside of Japan. But retro fans can appreciate it now, especially since there are fan translations of it in English and the hack-and-slash gameplay is satisfying even if it can get old.

4

Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins

The first one is safe but not the sequel

Alundra was the PS1's answer to The Legend of Zelda with a heavy emphasis on dreams. It was a top-down action-adventure game that was re-released on digital storefronts like the PS3. Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins was a more ambitious sequel that featured full 3D backgrounds and characters.

It played the same way as Mega Man Legendsanother hidden gem from PS1, but with swordplay instead of using a gun. Unlike its predecessor, Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins never got off the PS1 and hopefully piracy adventures can see the light of a console again.

3

A thousand weapons

Befriend the woman, become a master Smith

A thousand weapons would fit right at home in one Persona fans' collection and not just because it was published by Atlus. It's also a turn-based RPG that has romance. Player is a young blacksmith named Meis who can only grow stronger with his hammer if he falls in love.

Players will meet various female party members on their quests and dialogue options can increase or decrease these relationships. It's a very silly story similar to a harem anime Tenchi Muyo or Love Hina except with a lot more turn-based battles.

2

Koudelka

A predecessor to Shadow Hearts

Koudelka is a turn-based horror RPG set in 1898. Players can move their party on a grid-based tile on the battlefield, but much like a mini-tactical RPG. Players take on the role of the titular Koudelka, a psychic sent in to investigate a mansion that resembles Resident Evil.

It is the precursor to The shadow heartanother obscure RPG, set in the same universe. There were plans to port Koudelka to the Neo Geo Pocket Color and Steam at various times, but those plans fell through and now the game is forever trapped officially on the PS1.

1

Dragon Quest 7: Fragments Of The Forgotten Past

A forgotten past

• Developer: Heartbeat
• Publisher: Enix
• Released: November 1, 2001 (NA)
• Platform: PS1

Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past was a late game for the PS1 and a late entry overall in the Dragon Quest series. The sixth entry was a SNES game and it was in 1995 in Japan. Due to the late release and the seemingly outdated graphics, many people passed this PS1 classic and then it became rare.

Eventually it was remade for the 3DS which is really the best way to play it and then there was a mobile version as well based on the remake. So it's playable Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten elsewhere technically but not in this original form, which is a different experience on PS1. Dragon Quest purists would surely love a chance to play this time-traveling game one more time.