Summary
Jagged, shuddering models, painted-in shadows, flat, triangular visages, and thick distance fog; as Sony’s first foray into the third dimension, the console produced striking aesthetics and eerie effects with each of its game’s releases. As the console’s graphical capabilities were low, developers had to come up with clever ways of conveying their environments and characters, and players had to fill in the graphical gaps with their imaginations. As a result, developers and gamers shared a symbiotic creation in the worlds written into each disc.
Just as black and white is still used in movies today, many modern game developers have seen fit to incorporate the legendary console’s lo-res, low-poly look into their projects. While the style seemsthe perfect fit for retro-horror titles(perhaps because true terror is what players don’t see), a plethora of studios have identified a magical element of PS1 renders that have more than just a nostalgic appeal (although nostalgia is likely very much a part of it). These six titles feature roughly drawn pixels, bright, garish textures, and wonky proportions, bringing back that dark, dreamlike, mid-90s gaming feel.
Grainy, wobbly buildings with flat, pixel-shaded details dot the landscape ofDread Delusion’s floating, broken landmass, as do sinewy abominations, ripplingly animated NPCs, all set before an omnipresent and nightmarish, blood-pink skybox. This open-world,cosmic horror fantasy adventuretakes all the visually crunchy and uncanny goodness of the late PlayStation RPG era and remixes it with a few modern twists and conveniences.
Map scrolling, text selection, and combat are smooth, and although some animations, UI, and special effects would be far too advanced for the eraDread Delusionseeks to emulate, they are seamlessly integrated with every other impressively rendered detail, large and small. Full controller support is available for anyone looking to get the full blast of the PSX-style, first-person RPG experience.
This entry is unsettling to look at with its intentionally nauseating textures, primitive models, and grotesque color palettes, and many players reportedly settle for “tolerating” its offensive barrage of visual muck.Cruelty Squadtakes all the worst decisions that environmental and graphics designers of the early 90s made and turns them into a cohesive, disgusting aesthetic of its own.
That all being said, the game plays like a treat (albeit one with an acquired taste) and will appeal toimmersive sim fans(especially those with a love for intestinal grappling hooks). The ugliness in this bizarre FPS doesn’t just stop at its graphics. The story, lore, sound, level design, and items (many of which are recycled organs) found in this post-humanist meat fest are equally as revolting, gushy, and disturbing as its scenery.
Anyone missing the vibrant optimism of games from the mid-to-late 90s might appreciate the bright, dulcet tones ofToree 3D,which sells itself as a short-and-sweet fast-paced platformer with all the trappings of a well-polished PS1 title. From its bouncy, hyper-joyful soundtrack to secret unlockable characters,Toree 3Ddrips of the same post-arcade, early-3D pioneering vibes that made the PlayStation era so magical.
Players run around fresh, candy-colored maps collecting cute little stars as Toree, an adorable chicklet who is on a mission to recover a stolen ice cream cone. Like its graphics, both the story and gameplay are simple. However, the highly tuned movement makes running around collecting starsagainst a ticking timerparticularly enjoyable. As well as the visuals,Toree 3Dhelps players recapture the feeling of being able to play a short game, have fun, and move on, which is refreshing in an era of video games with 100+ hour playtimes. With an asking price of a dollar, it’s worth the throwback.
Charged energy shots, bouncing strafes, and absurd gore will smash any 80s or 90s kid back into theirQuake 2orDoomglory days. The story can be just about summed up in its tagline: “Mankind is dead. Blood is fuel. Hell is full.” Players take control of V1,a brutally violent terminatorlooking to soak itself with red blood cells and plasma fresh from fire and brimstone storage. Undead or demonic, any blood will do. High-energy, slaughter-inducing techno drivesULTRAKILL’spixel-pounding action.
Players can air hang by exploding heads, strafe-dashing, and wall jumping. In the same way that enemies inDoom Eternalhave separate lighting from the environment, every killable target is rendered with greater detail to help make them stand out against Hell’s grim, blocky backgrounds. Each member of Hell’s finest feels great to pulverize from all sizes with an arsenal of unique, brutal weapons as V1 slide-jumps and slam-bounces around them, turning them into literal showers of blood.
This first-person dungeon crawlerplays like a remasteredKing’s Fieldof FromSoftware fame but with all the benefits of retrospection and modern UX consideration. InLunacid,secrets are to be found around every corner, as are dangerous creatures, traps, and magical treasures as a reward for keen-eyed explorers. Thankfully (or unfortunately, depending on players' challenge tolerances),Lunacidis not as punishing as its inspiration.
Its relaxed difficulty level is felt in the combat, which at times can feel somewhat simplistic, as strafing enemies is sometimes enough to confuse their AI, stunning them long enough to take them down. That said, the game oozes atmosphere in its pixel-painted environments and gothic tech noir soundtrack, adding a tenseness to the exploration ofLunacid’s castles, forests, and tombs.
The PlayStation era is known for having some unorthodox titles in its catalog. LSD: Dream Emulatoris one example in which players walk in first person throughan array of dream scenery and abstractionsand find ways to unlock new experiences.Hypnagogia 無限の夢 Boundless Dreamsis reminiscent of this obscure, experimental game, although it also blends the surreal dreamtime walkout with light platforming elements.
Small details help ease players not into another place but another time. Quirky NPC interactions feature dialogue bubbles similar toFinal Fantasy 7’s blue text boxes. Muffled, echoey synth mixed with cheery vaporwave and funk underpin the game’s soundtrack.Hypnagogiaeven comes with a grainy overlay to simulate the washed-out and blurry effect that CRT TV screens would have on players' eyes late at night while the rest of the household was asleep.
