That PlayStation is one of the maximum references in the history of the video game is due to multiple factors, although its privileged position only to one: its great sagas . Main series of games and spin-offs that we easily relate to the brand itself. But, above all, they link us as players with it.
25 years after its departure, with seven systems released to date if we count its laptops and a new desktop on the horizon, PlayStation continues to expand its legacy with a special nuance: its classics continue to live.
Thus, through digital services, classic consoles and, of course, the three “Rs”: remakes, remasters and reissues, fans today have the possibility of reliving part of the most select of its history . Another thing is that all the games have had the same draft among those who have wielded the Dualshock.
we are going to put a proper name to25 great sagas that have established and defined the PlayStation brand.And the amount is not arbitrary: one by we wanted to square the figure to matchthe anniversary of the PSX. Which does not imply, on the other hand, that there is a proportional distribution of games between all consoles.
PlayStation: 25 years creating a global playable legacy
Sagas, not single games. Horizon: Zero Dawn, Bloodborne, Shadow of the Colossus or Death Stranding are examples of the variety and enormous impact of their proposals that have only had one chance to shine. However, and except grateful surprise, there are no sequels that extend his legacy . Although a couple of them lend themselves wonderfully.
Thus, our priority is to give weight to the sagas most closely linked to PlayStation , which includes (why not?) Installments and sequels that are also available other systems.
A selection in which we have taken a license: it has especially weighed the impact that its catalog had on this side of the world when making the cut so that licenses as powerful and acclaimed as Yakuza, or Dynasty Warriors, despite deserving it , they will have to wait their turn for the 30th anniversary.
That said, 25 is a tricky number. It is wide but, at the same time, it leaves out too many games easily associated with the DualShock. We are aware that names will be missing, but if all that are are not there, they will be all that are.
Here are the 25 sagas that forged the PlayStation brand
Ape Scape
We agree that the original PSX controller paled compared to the N64 and the Saturn. And Ape Scape was key to the success of one of the brand’s masterpieces: Sony not only created a new controller model with two analog sticks and vibration, but also accompanied it with a la mar de resultón title that took full advantage its new functionalities.
The reason you see this platform adventure here and now is twofold: first, because its name positions it advantageously in our alphabetical order. The second, because beyond being one of Sony’s most beloved and iconic licenses, it was the game that cemented the legendary Dualshock series.
Assassin’s Creed
The Assassins saga was one of the main drivers of the seventh generation of consoles, taking that great technical and artistic leap (pun intended), but also establishing the foundations of the modern single-player video game.
Assassin’s Creed was the touchstone of Ubisoft’s style of open-world gaming, one that has not only caught on particularly well with PlayStation gamers, but Sony itself has brought it to bear on more than one occasion and with remarkable success. .
Call of Duty
It has rained a lot since Modern Warfare. So much so that, after launching its remaster, Activision has relaunched the Call of Duty saga under the same acronym. And the truth is that they are doing great: every year, the annual FPS renews its position as the most downloaded on PlayStation consoles. There must be a reason.
Call of Duty is not only strongly linked to PlayStation through its recent history of exclusivities, but it has also been one of the unquestionable drivers of its online game and digital content expansion system. Being a total example of reinventing itself with each new delivery.
Crash Bandicoot
For an entire generation, Crash Bandicoot was the unofficial PlayStation mascot. Like Mario for Nintendo and a Sonic for SEGA. And, despite being half crazy, the marsupial radiated (and radiates) charisma on all four sides.
Of course, Crash starring in his own go-kart game on PSX also implied Sony’s quest for that head-on rivalry with the mustachioed hero. Maybe Crash flips and flips through all systems today, but PlayStation will always be his home.
Dark Souls
From Software’s acclaimed saga of ARPGs caught on wonderfully with PlayStation fans thirsty for dark adventures and deep challenges. After all, that Demon’s Souls on PS3 had not left anyone indifferent.
What’s more, it worked so well that Sony was quick to secure its own exclusive version: Despite its playable differences, Bloodborne continues in the wake of the Souls saga while positioning itself as one of the key PS4 exclusives. And those are major words.
FIFA
Generation after generation, FIFA’s soccer proposals such as Pro Evolution Soccer caught on wonderfully with PlayStation players, and it must be recognized that Sony was not at all wrong hosting this fruitful rivalry on their consoles while establishing the DualShock as the best command for live football at home.
Nowadays it is even fascinating that, thanks to Sony’s footballing deployment and the very convenient collaboration between FIFA and UEFA, it is possible to see (as shown in the image) PlayStation advertising on the fences of the matches played in Xbox and Switch.
Final Fantasy
During the first six installments, (and although it had its chance in the US) the Final Fantasy saga was one of the key JRPGs of the Famicom. Today Cloud, Squall, Yitan, Tidus or Yuna are icons of the genre worldwide and directly responsible for the success of PlayStation .
Squaresoft made the leap to Sony consoles without looking back and, until shortly before its merger with Enix, gave it the best games from its most prolific era, with Final Fantasy as the workhorse of the JRPG revolution in the West.
God of War
The God of War has evolved a lot since his first massacres on PlayStation 2. We can even say that he has matured and the weather – and the cold of the north – has done him wonderfully. But the truth is that Kratos earned his status as a PlayStation star from his debut.
His unmistakable style, exquisite gameplay and levels of epicidad in-crescendo of each new installment raised the God of War series Olympus Sony licenses. And we can’t put aside those laptop-designed adventures that raised his anger (and his legend) even higher.
Great tourism
The original PSX Gran Turismo was a hit on the table, this was not another racing game, but an advanced driving simulator with physics and models that at that time – in the days of 32-bit consoles – seemed hyper-realistic. And things have only gotten better.
We agree that the Kazunori Yamauchi saga has been advanced several times. Sometimes visually and sometimes playable. But the mark it left on the console driving genre is indelible.
Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto was already pointing ways on PSX, but the revolution itself came when Rockstar adapted its formula to three-dimensional environments and models with the third installment, crowning itself with a historic GTA: San Andreas not long after.
Since then, Grand Theft Auto has become the mold for an infinity of open worlds derived from its fireproof (and deserved) success, installment after installment. Including, of course, those made from the house itself, such as Red Dead Redemption.
Jak & Daxter
With Sony’s 128-bit out there, the Naughty Dog studio turned the page on their much-loved marsupial and focused on Jak & Daxter, their next big platformer adventure. Of course, his plot and ambition – especially at narrative levels – was on another level.
Jak & Daxter maintained certain traits of that Crash cartoon style, but it was pure space fantasy, with powerful weapons, heroes chosen by destiny and missions in which the world itself was at stake. Which does not mean that, among his various spin-offs, Jak starred in his own racing game.
Kingdom Hearts
We agree that the Final Fantasy saga lost some of its special touch as of the tenth numbered installment, but PlayStation 2 exclusively secured the next big hit from Square Enix: Kingdom Hearts brought the best of Squaresoft to the kingdoms of Disney.
With three main installments and a plethora of spin-offs and subplots that have expanded (and twisted) the plot, Kingdom Hearts has been a dream crossover since its launch, for RPG fans and mouse fans alike. most famous in the world.
LittleBigPlanet
Media Molecule set out to give console video games a twist: the players themselves would have the possibility of creating their own experiences through an editor that also radiated their own soul through its charismatic protagonist.
Time has not been as fair as it should with Sackboy and his legacy, but the English have plans to take the next big step against that idea with Dreams, their new creative experience that -by the way- is already played on PS4 in Early Access.
Metal Gear Solid
Hideo Kojima designed the first Metal Gear to be different from other action games, but only thanks to the PSX hardware was his vision of what Tactical Espionage Action was able to be completed, ahead of the video game industry ten years. Not to mention, of course, the pleasure of listening to the voices in Spanish with a cast led by Alfonso Vallés as Solid Snake.
PlayStation has always covered the Metal Gear Solid saga as if it were its own, and that the fourth numbered installment is only played on PS3 makes it one of the most powerful treasures in its catalog.
Ratchet & Clank
While Naughty Dog turned the page of Crash with the Jak & Daxter series, Insomniac Games did the same with Spyro with their own platform saga another couple: Ratchet & Clank. Of course, this pair of adventurers had a crazy arsenal with which to pulverize their enemies as a distinctive element.
Ratchet & Clank served as ambassadors for the PlayStation brand beyond the PS2, experiencing adventures on virtually all Sony consoles and even starring in their own animated film on the big screen. One that, by the way, featured its own game.
Resident Evil
The Resident Evil saga was a full stop for a whole generation of gamers. While it’s fair to say that Capcom didn’t create the Survival Horrors genre, it catapulted it to the top through one of the most avant-garde and influential experiences on the PSX , and an unforgettable experience.
Shinji Mikami , director of the project, would demonstrate with the superb Resident Evil 2 that the success of what would be the first installment of a whole saga was not the result of chance. Which does not mean that, in its own way, the saga has been reinvented with Resident Evil 4, its many spin-offs and an essential Resident Evil 7 that embraces the Virtual Reality of PlayStation.
Silent Hill
Konami replicated Capcom and his hit Resident Evil with Silent Hill, his own experience of horror. However, his focus went beyond the tributes to the B movies and the substitutes: this was Psychological Terror. And despite the PSX’s hardware limitations, it worked like a charm.
Silent Hill has had an uneven track record ever since, but each new foray into that cursed town has left its own trail. Even the demo of the canceled Silent Hills, which was exclusive to PS4, revolutionized horror games.
Singstar
PlayStation 2 had truly iconic peripherals: The Eye Toy , Guitar Hero’s Guitars, Buzz’s buttons… But the ones that stuck the most, and withstood the test of time, were two simple microphones. Well, as long as they were accompanied by SingStar.
Like Just Dance, The Singstar saga has been synonymous with instant party, and that in the Spanish editions songs by artists such as Alejandro Sanz, Estopa, Carlos Baute, El Canto del Loco, Dover or La Oreja de Van Gogh (among many others) in the repertoire made it a true success that still endures under the label of PlayLink for PS4.
Spyro the Dragon
The arrival of the DualShock gave rise to new platform experiences on PSX, and Insomniac Games was very fine when it came to taking advantage of the two sticks through a small -but brave- little dragon. To the point that Spyro who shared with Crash the honor of being Sony’s other unofficial mascot.
Spyro’s story has been reimagined, reformulated, and even recently returned with a brand-new remake. But it would be a crime not to take into account in our review the Toys-To-Life phenomenon that Activision unleashed on PlayStation and practically all systems with its spin-off Skylanders.
Tekken
The saga of the iron fist was one of the first standard bearers of the original PlayStation, openly facing Virtua Fighter from SEGA radiating character of its own.
Very special mention to Tekken 3 , which was a full stop inside and outside the Sony consoles. Being, in its own right, one of the most iconic fighting games of all time.
The Last of Us
Not only is The Last of Us one of the ultimate playable experiences on PlayStation, it’s among the best to happen to video games in the entire decade. A masterful mix of genres tied to a superb narrative in which Naughty Dog establishes itself as one of Sony’s key studios . For many, the heaviest.
Of course, despite the fact that at the moment there is only one installment (in addition to its remaster) its imminent sequel gives us room to add the adventure of Ellie and Joel as a saga to our review. At the end of the day, we are clear that few games have been as influential as the first part when it comes to establishing the current image of PlayStation.
Tomb Raider
Lara Croft debuted on SEGA Saturn in 1996, but the series was enshrined on PlayStation. The muse of the group U2 garnered a huge projection, even beyond video games, which resulted in numerous sequels and a prolific legacy that has (almost) always been well tied to Sony consoles.
The truth is that Lara Croft has evolved a lot since her first adventures , and not only in terms of her design or personality, but also in the way she has managed to take advantage of what each new system has been able to offer, submerging each more and better the player in his adventures.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
To talk about the Tony Hawk game saga, it may be convenient to do so in the past given the latest Activision attempts to get on their digital skateboards. Of course, what a time!
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater succeeded with great noise where other alternative sports games had failed, and the key was impressive and fun physics and gameplay. A saga that soon became a chair on its own merits.
Uncharted
With four main installments and an extra story that little detracts from the previous ones, Naughty Dog created one of the greatest icons of the video game industry: Nathan Drake. The most rogue treasure hunter on PlayStation and, in turn, directly responsible for establishing the Sony playable legacy in the decade.
Uncharted is adventure with bold letters. Well-spun stories in which action, exploration, survival and narrative experience bring out the best of each PlayStation . Separately, each of the four Uncharted has been a console vendor. Together, an unforgettable saga.
WipeOut
There have been loads of driving games on Sony consoles. What’s more, its strong commitment to offering three-dimensional graphics since its first system has given a lot of scope to offer futuristic experiences. But speed on PlayStation has only one name : WipeOut.
The legacy of Psygnosis could not be left out of our review of 25 years of PlayStation. Above all, when the British signed a letter of introduction for the PSX itself on European territory as powerful as it was transgressive.
