PlayStation, as we all know, is one of the longest-running names in gaming. On that fateful day that the Sony/Nintendo collaboration fell through and the former decided to go it alone, the landscape of the industry was changed forever.
A few decades later, and PlayStation systems are world-renowned as some of the most popular consoles ever, with a catalog of games to match. If you aren’t familiar with the titles of Sony’s past, or you’re feeling super nostalgic for them, check out this rundown of remastered games that all PS4 owners will want to get on board with. You owe it to yourself to check them out.
MORE: 15 Things Only Experts Knew The PS4 Could Do (And 10 Features It’s Still Missing)
From Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon to Cloud Strife, there are some real superstars here.
10 10. MediEvil
Let’s kick this party off the right way, with a real cult favorite. MediEvil was first released for the PS1 back in 1998, an action-adventure with an incredible strong Tim Burton flavor about it.
Players took on the role of Sir. Daniel Fortesque, a skeletal knight who was accidentally reawakened from his crypt by the dark sorcerer Zarok (who just wanted a zombie army to take over the kingdom with). Fortesque’s army had thwarted Zarok’s attack once before, though he himself had been slain (while running away, earning a heroic reputation he did not deserve in the process). Now ‘alive’ again, Fortesque sets out to prove himself worthy of his renown by defeating the dark sorcerer again. In MediEvil, you travel the land of Gallowmere, hacking, slashing, platforming and puzzle-solving, and you’ll get a fresh opportunity to do so when the sumptuous-looking remaster arrives later this year.
9 9. Resident Evil 2
Here’s one Capcom title that hasn’t been ruthlessly ported and re-released to within an inch of its life. In fact, compared to the original Resident Evil, its sequel had been downright neglected until now.
As we know, the Resident Evil 2 remaster is set to hit PS4 (as well as Xbox One and PC) on January 25. It’s set to provide an experience that’s faithful to the original, while streamlining and tidying up its sometimes-convoluted storytelling (as we reported last June). In short, it’s looking like the definitive version of series stalwart Leon S. Kennedy’s first adventure, and we can’t wait to get our hands on it.
8 8. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
If you grew up with the PlayStation as your console of choice, you can’t fail to have tangled with the Crash Bandicoot games over the years. The character is pure ’90s cheese, in a way (anything can be cool and have ‘tude, even obscure Australian marsupials), but he’s got charisma, and the games were fantastic.
Bright, colorful, challenging, often super-funny platformers, the original Crash trilogy represents some of the best games PS1 had to offer. They were revamped and released for today’s systems in the form of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. They’re just as fun and just as difficult as ever, and are an essential addition to anyone’s collection.
MORE: Why Crash N. Sane Trilogy Is Harder Than The Originals
7 7. Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection
As gamers, we tend to get super, super passionate about our favorite franchises. So do the creators of these games, funnily enough. As a result, the latest installments are surrounded by more and more hype. What we’ve got to remember is that each new entry is many players’ first in that series. What if you jumped on board with Assassin’s Creed for the first time after all the hype that surrounded Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?
If that’s the case, Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection might be for you. It’s a compilation of three titles in the series (Assassin’s Creed 2, Brotherhood and Revelations), those that starred the ever-popular Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
6 6. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
We all have franchises that exist on the periphery of our gaming habits. You know, those ones that friends tell you you’ll like, that you’ve heard good things about, but just haven’t ever gotten around to playing.
Packages like The Ezio Collection can be a great way to play catch up with some of these series. For me, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection for PS4 was exactly the opportunity I needed, my first experience with the outlandish FPS titles from Gearbox Software. Borderlands’ unique blend of action RPG/shooter gameplay is something that fans of other genres can appreciate, and has struck a real chord for that reason.
5 5. Final Fantasy VII
That’s right, friends. Here it is. The big one. The controversial one: Final Fantasy VII. You can’t have a discussion of PS4 remasters and remakes without it. You just can’t. As of right now, there’s really no telling where we are with this one. Remember the hype that surrounded the announcement? That’s long since abated, replaced by a will-the-darn-game-ever-be-released state of despair and confusion.
Cloud and company’s iconic adventure is one of the most beloved games of all time, and the fact that it’s stewing away in development purgatory is just so sad. Still, who knows? Maybe we’ll hear something concrete this year. Possibly. Perhaps.
MORE: Final fantasy VII Remake Will ‘Exceed The Original,’ Be A ‘New Creation’
4 4. Spyro Reignited Trilogy
A little after Crash Bandicoot’s N. Sane Trilogy, another PlayStation mascot of yesteryear made a return. That’s right, the Spyro the Dragon Reignited Trilogy landed last November.
The colorful and vibrant worlds of Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage! and Spyro: Year Of The Dragon look fantastic in this HD collection, which has clearly been treated with all the love and care that the original games deserved. After all, Snoop Dogg himself gave the collection his personal seal of approval, having a copy flown across the country to his home via Spyro drone. What higher praise than that can be given to a game?
3 3. Shadow Of The Colossus
It’s not all about the big franchises of the PS1 era making a return, though. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, but it’s not exclusive to retro games. Sometimes, previous-generation classics just need to be brought to the attention of current console owners.
2018’s Shadow of the Colossus is definitely one of these. A remake of the original (which launched on the PS2 in 2005), it’s an intriguing adventure game focused around battling against huge creatures called Colossi. Shadow of the Colossus is renowned for two things: its combat (which takes more of a puzzle direction, as you must work out and combat the weakness of each Colossi) and its general presentation, which has been hugely influential and advanced the whole video games as art debate to no end.
2 2. The Last Of Us Remastered
Now, The Last of Us is a game that needs no introduction. First releasing for the PS3 in 2013, it was a hugely successful action/survival horror experience, which saw survivor Joel struggle to travel through a post-apocalyptic United States with a young girl, Ellie, in tow.
The next year, the critically-acclaimed title was ported over to PS4, as The Last of Us Remastered. As is often the case with these enhanced ports, it doesn’t have much that’s brand new to offer those that have played the original, but it’s the kind of game that’s certainly worth a double-dip. If you’ve never played this one, you really should get on board.
1 1. Grand Theft Auto V
Ah, yes. We’re going to round this one out in style, with one of the biggest games of recent years. Grand Theft Auto V is still going strong, despite the fact that everybody on the planet (every adult on the planet, naturally, because we’re responsible gamers) surely owns a copy by now.
The tale of Franklin, Michael and Trevor is probably a familiar one to just about everybody at this point. The enhanced current-gen edition for PS4 (and Xbox One) launched in 2014, the year after the game’s debut, and has enjoyed a constant stream of support (in terms of Grand Theft Auto Online content) since.
