5. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
The original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater was an unexpected success thanks to its unique platform game-inspired take on extreme sports, and there were high expectations for the sequel. Neversoft knocked it out of the park, creating classic stages that are still amongst the best the series has ever had, and filling them with twice as many goals. The introduction of the manual massively increased the scope of the combos you could string together, and if you ever got bored you could just create your own park. Go on – crank up When Worlds Collide and feel that muscle memory returning.
4. Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 is to Resident Evil what Aliens was to Alien. Don’t believe us? Think about the tension of that first game, how it built up to that first zombie encounter. Resident Evil 2 has more than that on the very first screen, marking it out as the bigger budget, more action-packed sequel. But as you take Leon and Claire through Raccoon City, there are still plenty of scary moments – the gun shop nightmare and that first fleeting sight of the Licker stand out. Plus, the innovative game design meant that your first play might even affect a subsequent run.
3. Final Fantasy 7
It’s so easy to talk about Final Fantasy 7’s production values, and they do deserve recognition. It had beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds, stunning real-time spell animations, and a soundtrack that is up there with the best ever. But the tale of Cloud, Sephiroth, and the fate of the planet is an epic one, and it’s often overlooked for featuring some real warmth. For every dramatic moment, you’ll see something like the party complaining about endless staircases, a scene with the Turks, or even a sighting of a mad scientist relaxing on the beach, making it easy to become invested in their plight.
2. Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
At a time when the world was obsessed with the move to 3D, this 2D masterpiece was a timely reminder that chasing graphical trends was no substitute for superb game design. The game dispensed with the linear progression of past Castlevania games, instead allowing you to explore a sprawling castle that opens up steadily as Alucard gains new abilities. The RPG elements are well integrated, the graphics have aged with grace and the soundtrack is truly excellent too. To understand this game’s impact, just consider this – this game is 50% responsible for naming the “Metroidvania” subgenre of exploratory platform games.
1. Metal Gear Solid
What can you say about Konami’s classic? Few PlayStation games have such impressive 3D environments, nor such cinematic ambition. Many games owe a debt to Metal Gear Solid’s simple but effective take on stealth. But what really sticks out to us all these years later is just how inventive the game was. Whether it was hiding crucial information on the game’s physical packaging or giving you some ketchup to let you fake an injury – not to mention that boss fight with Psycho Mantis – Metal Gear Solid had plenty of out-of-the-box ideas, and rewarded players for having them too.
If you're looking for more of the greatest games from the same era, check out the best N64 games of all time . If you want to keep things PlayStation-focused, here's our list of the best PS3 games. Don't forget to check out our roundup of the modern re-releases of retro consoles too.
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