The PlayStation Store is currently having a sale on a bunch of retro PlayStation games. I’ve rounded up some of the great games that you may have missed over the years. You can see the full range HERE. The sale will end on September 8th.
Max Payne (PS4/PS3) – $14.95
A revolutionary hit for the PC, Max Payne was later ported to the PlayStation 2 and that is the version we have here. Max Payne has you “shootdodging” in slow motion, Matrix-style, mowing down endless streams of gangsters. The action rarely lets up, it’s exhilarating. It might turn off players more used to modern sensibilities, but if you can put that aside Max Payne takes you for a ride through an incredible film noir story of drugs, murder, corruption and tragedy.
Mega Man Legacy Collection (PS4) – $11.95
A labour of love from lifelong Mega Man fans, Legacy Collection brings together the first six Mega Man games from the NES to current platforms for experienced players to revisit, and for new players to discover. Hugely challenging, the Mega Man series gained a reputation in it’s day for pixel perfect platforming and shooting action that still endures today. There’s a whole bunch of Mega Man to play in these six games and this is the best way to play these classics today.
Future Cop L.A.P.D. (PS3/Vita/PSP) – $4.55
This game went fairly under the radar in it’s day, but I was lucky enough to pick up a copy when it was relatively new. Piloting police vehicle “X-a Alpha” able to switch between hovercraft and bipedal mech on demand, it’s your job to clean up the streets of Los Angeles 2098, infested with crime. The entire campaign is playable single-player or co-operatively. A few rough edges in level design for sure, but it’s still totally playable today. There’s a counter-operative mode too called Precinct Assault where you protect your base, create AI controlled defences and attackers and need to fight against another player (or an AI) to escort one of your ground minions into their base. It was pretty much DotA before DotA existed, and it’s still a blast.
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (PS3/Vita/PSP) – $4.55
In an age where the 2D platform genre was all but ignored in favour of 3D world, Klonoa pushed against the trend. Behind the kid friendly veneer hid a satisfying side-scrolling platform set in a 3D world. Novel abilities like grabbing enemies and throwing them as an attack, or throwing them down during a jump for a little extra height allow for some incredibly satisfying platforming. The soundtrack is memorable too, along with the story which deviates from it’s bright and colourful beginnings. It’s not incredibly long, not crazy challenging, but was innovative for it’s time and stands among the best side-scrolling platformers.
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X (PSP/Vita) – $4.55
Maverick Hunter X is a remake of the original Mega Man X that appeared on the Super Nintendo. The level layouts and bosses remain very similar, but the game has been given a complete visual and aural overhaul. Every piece of music has been remade and improved on (in my opinion anyway), and the environment’s bright colours look fantastic on the Vita’s screen. Challenging, especially in the later areas, Maverick Hunter X is totally worth a look.
Silent Hill (PS3/Vita/PSP) – $5.95
In the PS1 era, the horror genre in games had made a huge mark in the Resident Evil series, with it’s tense scenes and grotesque monsters. But a little later in the generation, SIlent Hill came along to spook every person who thought they’d seen all that horror games had to offer. Offering a twisted psychological take on horror where your mind conjures up images of the dangers lurking just beyond your view, you explore the town of Silent Hill in an attempt to find your missing daughter. In doing so, you explore the human psyche, and uncover dark secrets of the town. Absolutely required playing for any horror fan.
