The best part about having a massive library of games is that there’s always more hidden gems to find, and we’ve barely even scratched the surface of the underrated whippers that the PlayStation 1. Thankfully for us, we’ve had plenty of help from our wonderful YouTube commenters who have highlighted some more PS1 bangers that deserve a mention. So, like WWE at the end of 2018, we’re here to say that you are the authority now. But, like, we won’t make you watch a Corporate Kane match or anything — we would never do that to you. These are the games that our beautiful community consider to be hidden gems on the PS1.
1. Vandal Hearts
We’ve been known to celebrate the tactical RPGs here, with both Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics earning a decent amount of play from us, but @davidluopa4627 in our YouTube comments had another suggestion in mind: “Vandal Hearts was a great little strategy RPG that I never hear about anymore”. Well, you’ve now manifested a bit of Vandal Hearts coverage. Now, quickly: manifest a new F-Zero game while you’re at it.
One of many franchises from Konami that’s seemingly been abandoned over the years, Vandal Hearts follows the same pattern as a lot of other strategy RPGs of the time, with battle taking place over an isometric grid. Each side takes turns moving units around, with the units boasting one of seven unique classes. Naturally, there’s a rock-paper-scissors-like weakness chart to consider, with melee being strong against archers and mages, archers being deadly against flying units while airborne units can wreck swordsmen. There’s some additional nuance to consider, as the three magic classes add an extra wrinkle to your strategy, ensuring Vandal Hearts remains a compelling tactics experience from start to finish.
The story to Vandal Hearts might be one of its best features though, as you control a knight by the name of Ash Lambert. A member of the Republic of Ishtaria, Ash and a couple of his friends stumble upon a government conspiracy by some corrupt officials to turn the Republic into a tyrannical empire. Between the various characters you’ll meet along the way, and the excellent battle mechanics, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be found in Vandal Hearts, and if you find you can’t get enough, there’s both the PS1 sequel Vandal Hearts 2, and PS3 and Xbox 360 prequel Flames Of Judgment to sink your teeth into.
2. Ghost In The Shell
Ghost In The Shell is probably a lot of people’s first port of call when it comes to the world of anime not named Pokemon. It’s between Ghost In The Shell, One Piece and Dragon Ball, let’s be honest. While Ghost In The Shell has become a globally recognized franchise with multiple spin-offs and its own live action American movie (the less said the better), you might have forgotten about the PS1 game from 1997. @stashmerkin9576 never forgot though, stating: “The Ghost In The Shell game for PS1 was excellent!”
Short and to the point there Stash, but your comment is definitely valid, offering a new look into the cyberpunk world of Ghost In The Shell without simply rehashing the events of the original manga. Still, the original English voiceover cast from the first movie make a return to voice their characters in the game, which is a nice touch for fans of the series. Masamune Shirow, the manga’s own author, even wrote and illustrated the game’s story, so it definitely has the anime/manga equivalent of whatever the Nintendo Seal of Quality is.
Instead of plonking players in the circuitry of Major Motoko Kusanagi, you play as The Rookie, the newest member of Public Security Section 9 investigating a terrorist organization known as the Human Liberation Front. There’s always Liberation Fronts in anime. Instead of boots on the ground action, Ghost In The Shell boasts robotic legs on the ground, as you control a spider-like tank called the Fuchikoma that’s capable of scaling walls and ceilings. While the game has been considered to be a bit on the easy side, the various objectives across the missions and the novel abilities the Fuchikoma is capable of ensure Ghost In The Shell is entertaining as hell. More games about spider tanks instead of actual spiders, please. Also, that still looks bloody lovely.
3. Overboard
For how much we’ve celebrated the various hits and hidden gems that the PS1 has received over the years, one company’s impact might not have been represented as well as it should have been: Psygnosis. While their legacy extends back to the 80s, Psygnosis and PS1’s legacies are intertwined largely due to one release: Wipeout. However, commenters like @Mitchbaz93 helped to steer our ship to Psygnosis’ other releases, like Overboard: “a game I believe is forgotten is “Overboard”, great game, never seen [it] spoken about”.
Overboard, also known as Shipwreckers in North America, is exactly what it sounds like: a pirate adventure game. You’re in control of a pirate ship looking to raise your jolly roger across your enemy’s territory, but the only way to do that is by sailing your ship through ports, waters and islands that have been suspiciously laid out like they’re meant to trap and ambush you. It’s basically Maze Runner in a pirate ship. Maze Sailor, maybe? Either way, you have to dodge traps and defeat enemies across five distinct worlds in order to become known as the greatest pirate that ever lived.
If those details aren’t enough to convince you why Overboard is considered a hidden gem, the game also supports five player multiplayer deathmatches via the 4-way multitap connector, though managing to get hold of five controllers back during the late 90s sounds like a nightmare. Never mind four friends on top of that. Why didn’t they just go to six players though, did they have to keep on movin’ or something?
With its silly tone and fun gameplay, it’s a shame that Overboard didn’t gain much attention when it launched, though it’s not surprising considering Psygnosis launched fourteen other games in 1997 alone. Here’s another one of them now.
4. Grind Session
When talking about the skateboarding games of the PS1, the conversation tends to stick between just two games: Thrasher: Skate Or Die and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. We don’t need to talk about which game is the winner of the two, because that should be pretty obvious, but one skateboarding game on the PS1 that’s been lost in the shuffle compared to the others is Grind Session. Thankfully, we had @pharmcat8484 in the comments to spotlight a long forgotten gem: “Everyone was playing the Tony Hawk games but I enjoyed this one immensely.”
Like other skateboarding games, Grind Session sees players traveling to different locations, trying to complete goals and earn the most points across the various levels. Grind Session did launch after Tony Hawk, with a demo that is the stuff of legend for some people, so the two share plenty of similarities in terms of gameplay. Admittedly, Grind Session is pretty derivative of Tony Hawk’s in a few ways, with mostly similar controls along with the fact that Grind Session even included the level Burnside from THPS 1. It was a real location of course, so it’s not like they were “copying”, but they could have picked another skatepark, surely.
If you’re wondering how similar the two games were, the developers Shaba Games would go on to be acquired by Activision, eventually working the Tony Hawk’s franchise in a support capacity. They also went on to make Shrek SuperSlam on the PS2, which also deserves to be celebrated. Naturally, Activision responded to Shaba’s talent by shutting the whole studio in 2009. At least we can remember the excellent games they helped make across their 12 year lifespan.
5. Treasures Of The Deep
You want the byword on underwater exploration, people will likely point to Subnautica, Unknown Worlds’ survival franchise that allows you to become intimately familiar with whatever horrors that lie beneath the surface of the water. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot of horror. However, Subnautica isn’t the first underwater exploration game, with @AlmostCoolGuys in the YouTube comments letting us know about another forgotten whipper: “Gotta add Treasures Of The Deep to this list. Awesome underwater shooter”. You got it, boss.
Developed by Black Ops Entertainment, Treasures Of The Deep is exactly not what it sounds like, but thankfully it’s got nothing to do with one man proposing to an octopus. You control a deep sea diver searching beneath the waves, but treasure isn’t the main focus of the game. While Treasures Of The Deep opens up with players raiding downed Spanish galleons or Aztec treasures in underwater tombs, many of the game’s 14 levels sees the player facing off against Seismic Corporation, who have been committing many illicit acts under the sea. You can’t exactly get treasures from the deep if there ends up being no deep to raid from, after all.
Across the game’s levels, you’ll utilize a slew of different wetsuits before graduating into actual submersible vehicles, fending off hostile humans and the wildlife in the process. You’re going to be attacked by a lot of sharks, is what we’re saying. For a PS1 game, Treasures Of The Deep’s depiction of life under the sea deserves to be preserved in the hall of fame, as the atmosphere, tone and often claustrophobic nature of being underwater is on full display. Also, there’s an unlockable bonus level where you control a shark to get revenge on the various sea life and divers unfortunate enough to be in your way.
6. Power Shovel
@gregatrongaming’s comment of “Power Shovel is my favorite PSX game that I don’t see listed a lot” might have missed the eyes of most who have scrolled through our comments section. It’s unassuming, and doesn’t really give you an idea of what the game might be about, but that absolutely does not describe the game itself. Anyone curious enough to wonder what the hell Power Shovel’s deal is will find one of the most bonkers games on the entire console.
Developed by Taito, Power Shovel is an arcade style collection of minigames, with the rub being that you’re in control of a series of construction vehicles, but instead of building a house or repairing the patio of some annoying Karen, you’re navigating mazes that appear to be floating in the void. That’s the just tip of the iceberg of Power Shovel’s weirdness, which also includes minigames like “serve 200 liters of curry using a big digger arm”, or “save turtles drowning in a pool”. There’s some regular construction tasks thrown in for good measure, but it’s all over the top nonsense and we love it.
While it’s easy to dismiss Power Shovel as a bit of madcap silliness, the destruction simulated is rather impressive for the PS1, particularly during the limo destruction level. It was also released in 2001 when the PS2 was already out, so would you rather play this or Disney’s Dinosaur?
Quick, has anyone beaten Elden Ring using one of these bad boys yet?
7. Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness
Action beat ‘em up fans were treated to what can only be described as an embarrassment of riches on the PS1. Fighting Force, Gekido and T’ai Fu: Wrath Of The Tiger are just some of the examples that players enjoyed, but @bawanafox251 piped up in the comments to remind everyone about Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness. @PS1Fan1991 adds: “When I was a kid, [Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness] was one of my favorite games. I would love to play it now and see how it holds up”.
Playing as the ninja Kurosawa, Shadow Of Darkness follows the acrobatic warrior as he travels across Feudal Japan in an attempt to rid the world of an ancient and terrifying evil. Admittedly, Ninja: Shadow of Darkness isn’t the best reviewed game in the world, with many pointing to the weird control scheme as a reason why, but those who played this game as a child seem to have a lot of nostalgia for Core Design’s departure from the success of Tomb Raider. The game was even developed on a brand new engine, which may explain any teething issues players might have had with Ninja’s controls.
Still, even with the negative reviews, Ninja: Shadow of Darkness’ beat ‘em up gameplay is a lot of fun, and the huge amount of power-ups and new weapons ensures that the combat doesn’t get old. Just good luck to anyone who is going to attempt to play this game, as Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness earned a reputation for being one of the hardest games on the PS1. At the very least, if you’re “sailing the seven seas” to revisit this hidden gem, you can always use save states to make the game somewhat easier. You’re on your own for the rest of it though.
8. Lifeforce Tenka
Say what you want about the team that would ultimately become known as Studio Liverpool, but Psygnosis refused to be known as the studio behind just one franchise. The madlads could have rested on the laurels of Lemmings and then Wipeout, and then maybe put Lemmings inside the WipeOut ships, but the team was throwing ideas at the wall to see what would stick. One that certainly deserved to stick was Lifeforce Tenka, with @PS1Fan1991 coming back again to point us in the right direction with his comment about the game’s demo, noting that it looked “really cool”.
PS1Fan’s instincts are correct of course, as Lifeforce Tenka, or Codename: Tenka in some other regions, is a pretty underrated first person shooter that casts players as the brilliantly named protagonist of Joseph D. Tenka. We reckon the D either stands for “Delicious”, or “Damn, that’s a massive gun”, though that second one would probably be the most accurate given how Tenka boasts one of the most versatile weapons in gaming. Referred to as the Self-Generating Polymorphic Armoury, or the SG-26, players unlock new modifications for the weapon and can switch between them as necessary, giving you versatility during every level and also the feeling of playing a Judge Dredd game on PS1 that isn’t cheeks.
Between the new weapons, the terrifying enemies and the 3D graphics that offer some of the best visuals on the console, Lifeforce Tenka is a pretty underrated PS1 banger and definitely deserves to be mentioned more. Even reviews at the time would broadly agree, as Tenka managed to earn mostly positive reviews across a wide variety of outlets. Is it an original shooter? Not really, but sometimes the most hidden gems are the ones that do the fundamentals well. Tenka definitely nails it in that regard.
9. Time Commando
Unlike other hidden gems we’ve covered in the past, Time Commando is a relatively easy game to play in the modern age, as there’s a port of this 1996 adventure available right now on Steam. Despite surviving the ravages of time, unlike plenty of other PS1 games from 1996, Time Commando is still considered a bit of a hidden gem, with @andrewdowell6474 going to bat for the game in our comments: “I wouldn’t claim it’s a good game, but it holds a special place in my heart”.
We appreciate the honesty there Andrew, and you might be onto something. Perhaps the best place to search for hidden gems is with games that were given a pretty harsh reception, or simply weren’t considered to be that good. Time Commando would definitely fit that mold, as it’s a rather idiosyncratic game that demands a lot of patience from the player. The fixed camera angles and hit detection can often be rather frustrating, but stick with this and you’ll find an experience well worth checking out.
Unfortunately for those hoping that Time Commando is some kind of crossover between Jean Claude Van Damme’s Time Cop and Arnie’s Commando, Time Commando sees players facing off against a machine running rampant thanks to a virus, which has caused a huge time vortex that threatens the whole world. As the immaculately named Stanley, you need to travel to various time periods, from prehistoric Earth to the far-flung future, defeating enemies as you go. How does that stop the virus? We don’t know, by shooting an IKEA clock or something, stop asking questions and enjoy a silly action adventure game.
10. Hellnight
The PS1 is a treasure trove of horror titles, though it was hard for any horror games to break through the noise when the Resident Evil trilogy and the first Silent Hill were as successful as they were. Both franchises redefined horror on the PS1, while games like Hellnight fell by the wayside. Fortunately, one commenter by the name of @AshBates27 brought us to the light: “Hellnight by ATLUS is a pretty cool hidden gem, and also I bet the guy who writes these scripts is extremely cool and handsome”.
While the second half of that comment is clearly the deranged ravings of a lunatic, the first part is definitely true. Quite how the comment managed to make it into the selection is another story though, but never mind that: let’s talk about Hellnight. A first person survival horror game, Hellnight could be considered a bit of a precursor to the likes of Amnesia, Outlast and other pacifist horror games. In the subway tunnels of Tokyo, you’re forced to hide from a mutant creature known as The Hybrid, who cannot be killed and will absolutely eviscerate you if it manages to catch you.
As you make your way through the subway tunnels, you’ll enter an area known as The Mesh, a self-sufficient society of people who became disenfranchised with the way of life above the surface, but are about to be disrupted by this vicious mutant. Fortunately for you, The Mesh plays host to a variety of characters who can join you in your exploration, giving you special abilities to help you survive against the monster. However, characters may have their own motivations and goals too, making Hellnight one of the most unique horror games on the PS1. Talk about a hidden gem, eh? Maybe that Ash Bates guy is alright after all.
Check out the original video where all these suggestions were made down below!
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10 Overlooked PS1 Hidden Gems You Recommend
The best part about having a massive library of games is that there’s always more hidden gems to find, and we’ve barely even scratched the surface of the underrated whippers that the PlayStation 1. Thankfully for us, we’ve had plenty of help from our wonderful YouTube commenters who have highlighted some more PS1 bangers that deserve a mention. So, like WWE at the end of 2018, we’re here to say that you are the authority now. But, like, we won’t make you watch a Corporate Kane match or anything — we would never do that to you. These are the games that our beautiful community consider to be hidden gems on the PS1.
1. Vandal Hearts
We’ve been known to celebrate the tactical RPGs here, with both Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics earning a decent amount of play from us, but @davidluopa4627 in our YouTube comments had another suggestion in mind: “Vandal Hearts was a great little strategy RPG that I never hear about anymore”. Well, you’ve now manifested a bit of Vandal Hearts coverage. Now, quickly: manifest a new F-Zero game while you’re at it.
One of many franchises from Konami that’s seemingly been abandoned over the years, Vandal Hearts follows the same pattern as a lot of other strategy RPGs of the time, with battle taking place over an isometric grid. Each side takes turns moving units around, with the units boasting one of seven unique classes. Naturally, there’s a rock-paper-scissors-like weakness chart to consider, with melee being strong against archers and mages, archers being deadly against flying units while airborne units can wreck swordsmen. There’s some additional nuance to consider, as the three magic classes add an extra wrinkle to your strategy, ensuring Vandal Hearts remains a compelling tactics experience from start to finish.
The story to Vandal Hearts might be one of its best features though, as you control a knight by the name of Ash Lambert. A member of the Republic of Ishtaria, Ash and a couple of his friends stumble upon a government conspiracy by some corrupt officials to turn the Republic into a tyrannical empire. Between the various characters you’ll meet along the way, and the excellent battle mechanics, there’s plenty of enjoyment to be found in Vandal Hearts, and if you find you can’t get enough, there’s both the PS1 sequel Vandal Hearts 2, and PS3 and Xbox 360 prequel Flames Of Judgment to sink your teeth into.
2. Ghost In The Shell
Ghost In The Shell is probably a lot of people’s first port of call when it comes to the world of anime not named Pokemon. It’s between Ghost In The Shell, One Piece and Dragon Ball, let’s be honest. While Ghost In The Shell has become a globally recognized franchise with multiple spin-offs and its own live action American movie (the less said the better), you might have forgotten about the PS1 game from 1997. @stashmerkin9576 never forgot though, stating: “The Ghost In The Shell game for PS1 was excellent!”
Short and to the point there Stash, but your comment is definitely valid, offering a new look into the cyberpunk world of Ghost In The Shell without simply rehashing the events of the original manga. Still, the original English voiceover cast from the first movie make a return to voice their characters in the game, which is a nice touch for fans of the series. Masamune Shirow, the manga’s own author, even wrote and illustrated the game’s story, so it definitely has the anime/manga equivalent of whatever the Nintendo Seal of Quality is.
Instead of plonking players in the circuitry of Major Motoko Kusanagi, you play as The Rookie, the newest member of Public Security Section 9 investigating a terrorist organization known as the Human Liberation Front. There’s always Liberation Fronts in anime. Instead of boots on the ground action, Ghost In The Shell boasts robotic legs on the ground, as you control a spider-like tank called the Fuchikoma that’s capable of scaling walls and ceilings. While the game has been considered to be a bit on the easy side, the various objectives across the missions and the novel abilities the Fuchikoma is capable of ensure Ghost In The Shell is entertaining as hell. More games about spider tanks instead of actual spiders, please. Also, that still looks bloody lovely.
3. Overboard
For how much we’ve celebrated the various hits and hidden gems that the PS1 has received over the years, one company’s impact might not have been represented as well as it should have been: Psygnosis. While their legacy extends back to the 80s, Psygnosis and PS1’s legacies are intertwined largely due to one release: Wipeout. However, commenters like @Mitchbaz93 helped to steer our ship to Psygnosis’ other releases, like Overboard: “a game I believe is forgotten is “Overboard”, great game, never seen [it] spoken about”.
Overboard, also known as Shipwreckers in North America, is exactly what it sounds like: a pirate adventure game. You’re in control of a pirate ship looking to raise your jolly roger across your enemy’s territory, but the only way to do that is by sailing your ship through ports, waters and islands that have been suspiciously laid out like they’re meant to trap and ambush you. It’s basically Maze Runner in a pirate ship. Maze Sailor, maybe? Either way, you have to dodge traps and defeat enemies across five distinct worlds in order to become known as the greatest pirate that ever lived.
If those details aren’t enough to convince you why Overboard is considered a hidden gem, the game also supports five player multiplayer deathmatches via the 4-way multitap connector, though managing to get hold of five controllers back during the late 90s sounds like a nightmare. Never mind four friends on top of that. Why didn’t they just go to six players though, did they have to keep on movin’ or something?
With its silly tone and fun gameplay, it’s a shame that Overboard didn’t gain much attention when it launched, though it’s not surprising considering Psygnosis launched fourteen other games in 1997 alone. Here’s another one of them now.
4. Grind Session
When talking about the skateboarding games of the PS1, the conversation tends to stick between just two games: Thrasher: Skate Or Die and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. We don’t need to talk about which game is the winner of the two, because that should be pretty obvious, but one skateboarding game on the PS1 that’s been lost in the shuffle compared to the others is Grind Session. Thankfully, we had @pharmcat8484 in the comments to spotlight a long forgotten gem: “Everyone was playing the Tony Hawk games but I enjoyed this one immensely.”
Like other skateboarding games, Grind Session sees players traveling to different locations, trying to complete goals and earn the most points across the various levels. Grind Session did launch after Tony Hawk, with a demo that is the stuff of legend for some people, so the two share plenty of similarities in terms of gameplay. Admittedly, Grind Session is pretty derivative of Tony Hawk’s in a few ways, with mostly similar controls along with the fact that Grind Session even included the level Burnside from THPS 1. It was a real location of course, so it’s not like they were “copying”, but they could have picked another skatepark, surely.
If you’re wondering how similar the two games were, the developers Shaba Games would go on to be acquired by Activision, eventually working the Tony Hawk’s franchise in a support capacity. They also went on to make Shrek SuperSlam on the PS2, which also deserves to be celebrated. Naturally, Activision responded to Shaba’s talent by shutting the whole studio in 2009. At least we can remember the excellent games they helped make across their 12 year lifespan.
5. Treasures Of The Deep
You want the byword on underwater exploration, people will likely point to Subnautica, Unknown Worlds’ survival franchise that allows you to become intimately familiar with whatever horrors that lie beneath the surface of the water. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot of horror. However, Subnautica isn’t the first underwater exploration game, with @AlmostCoolGuys in the YouTube comments letting us know about another forgotten whipper: “Gotta add Treasures Of The Deep to this list. Awesome underwater shooter”. You got it, boss.
Developed by Black Ops Entertainment, Treasures Of The Deep is exactly not what it sounds like, but thankfully it’s got nothing to do with one man proposing to an octopus. You control a deep sea diver searching beneath the waves, but treasure isn’t the main focus of the game. While Treasures Of The Deep opens up with players raiding downed Spanish galleons or Aztec treasures in underwater tombs, many of the game’s 14 levels sees the player facing off against Seismic Corporation, who have been committing many illicit acts under the sea. You can’t exactly get treasures from the deep if there ends up being no deep to raid from, after all.
Across the game’s levels, you’ll utilize a slew of different wetsuits before graduating into actual submersible vehicles, fending off hostile humans and the wildlife in the process. You’re going to be attacked by a lot of sharks, is what we’re saying. For a PS1 game, Treasures Of The Deep’s depiction of life under the sea deserves to be preserved in the hall of fame, as the atmosphere, tone and often claustrophobic nature of being underwater is on full display. Also, there’s an unlockable bonus level where you control a shark to get revenge on the various sea life and divers unfortunate enough to be in your way.
6. Power Shovel
@gregatrongaming’s comment of “Power Shovel is my favorite PSX game that I don’t see listed a lot” might have missed the eyes of most who have scrolled through our comments section. It’s unassuming, and doesn’t really give you an idea of what the game might be about, but that absolutely does not describe the game itself. Anyone curious enough to wonder what the hell Power Shovel’s deal is will find one of the most bonkers games on the entire console.
Developed by Taito, Power Shovel is an arcade style collection of minigames, with the rub being that you’re in control of a series of construction vehicles, but instead of building a house or repairing the patio of some annoying Karen, you’re navigating mazes that appear to be floating in the void. That’s the just tip of the iceberg of Power Shovel’s weirdness, which also includes minigames like “serve 200 liters of curry using a big digger arm”, or “save turtles drowning in a pool”. There’s some regular construction tasks thrown in for good measure, but it’s all over the top nonsense and we love it.
While it’s easy to dismiss Power Shovel as a bit of madcap silliness, the destruction simulated is rather impressive for the PS1, particularly during the limo destruction level. It was also released in 2001 when the PS2 was already out, so would you rather play this or Disney’s Dinosaur?
Yeah, tough call.
The real feather in Power Shovel’s cap though is the special controller that Taito made to go alongside special edition releases in Japan. Shaped like the controls of an actual digger, the controller features two massive joysticks, along with all the buttons needed to use the thing like a regular controller.
Quick, has anyone beaten Elden Ring using one of these bad boys yet?
7. Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness
Action beat ‘em up fans were treated to what can only be described as an embarrassment of riches on the PS1. Fighting Force, Gekido and T’ai Fu: Wrath Of The Tiger are just some of the examples that players enjoyed, but @bawanafox251 piped up in the comments to remind everyone about Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness. @PS1Fan1991 adds: “When I was a kid, [Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness] was one of my favorite games. I would love to play it now and see how it holds up”.
Playing as the ninja Kurosawa, Shadow Of Darkness follows the acrobatic warrior as he travels across Feudal Japan in an attempt to rid the world of an ancient and terrifying evil. Admittedly, Ninja: Shadow of Darkness isn’t the best reviewed game in the world, with many pointing to the weird control scheme as a reason why, but those who played this game as a child seem to have a lot of nostalgia for Core Design’s departure from the success of Tomb Raider. The game was even developed on a brand new engine, which may explain any teething issues players might have had with Ninja’s controls.
Still, even with the negative reviews, Ninja: Shadow of Darkness’ beat ‘em up gameplay is a lot of fun, and the huge amount of power-ups and new weapons ensures that the combat doesn’t get old. Just good luck to anyone who is going to attempt to play this game, as Ninja: Shadow Of Darkness earned a reputation for being one of the hardest games on the PS1. At the very least, if you’re “sailing the seven seas” to revisit this hidden gem, you can always use save states to make the game somewhat easier. You’re on your own for the rest of it though.
8. Lifeforce Tenka
Say what you want about the team that would ultimately become known as Studio Liverpool, but Psygnosis refused to be known as the studio behind just one franchise. The madlads could have rested on the laurels of Lemmings and then Wipeout, and then maybe put Lemmings inside the WipeOut ships, but the team was throwing ideas at the wall to see what would stick. One that certainly deserved to stick was Lifeforce Tenka, with @PS1Fan1991 coming back again to point us in the right direction with his comment about the game’s demo, noting that it looked “really cool”.
PS1Fan’s instincts are correct of course, as Lifeforce Tenka, or Codename: Tenka in some other regions, is a pretty underrated first person shooter that casts players as the brilliantly named protagonist of Joseph D. Tenka. We reckon the D either stands for “Delicious”, or “Damn, that’s a massive gun”, though that second one would probably be the most accurate given how Tenka boasts one of the most versatile weapons in gaming. Referred to as the Self-Generating Polymorphic Armoury, or the SG-26, players unlock new modifications for the weapon and can switch between them as necessary, giving you versatility during every level and also the feeling of playing a Judge Dredd game on PS1 that isn’t cheeks.
Between the new weapons, the terrifying enemies and the 3D graphics that offer some of the best visuals on the console, Lifeforce Tenka is a pretty underrated PS1 banger and definitely deserves to be mentioned more. Even reviews at the time would broadly agree, as Tenka managed to earn mostly positive reviews across a wide variety of outlets. Is it an original shooter? Not really, but sometimes the most hidden gems are the ones that do the fundamentals well. Tenka definitely nails it in that regard.
9. Time Commando
Unlike other hidden gems we’ve covered in the past, Time Commando is a relatively easy game to play in the modern age, as there’s a port of this 1996 adventure available right now on Steam. Despite surviving the ravages of time, unlike plenty of other PS1 games from 1996, Time Commando is still considered a bit of a hidden gem, with @andrewdowell6474 going to bat for the game in our comments: “I wouldn’t claim it’s a good game, but it holds a special place in my heart”.
We appreciate the honesty there Andrew, and you might be onto something. Perhaps the best place to search for hidden gems is with games that were given a pretty harsh reception, or simply weren’t considered to be that good. Time Commando would definitely fit that mold, as it’s a rather idiosyncratic game that demands a lot of patience from the player. The fixed camera angles and hit detection can often be rather frustrating, but stick with this and you’ll find an experience well worth checking out.
Unfortunately for those hoping that Time Commando is some kind of crossover between Jean Claude Van Damme’s Time Cop and Arnie’s Commando, Time Commando sees players facing off against a machine running rampant thanks to a virus, which has caused a huge time vortex that threatens the whole world. As the immaculately named Stanley, you need to travel to various time periods, from prehistoric Earth to the far-flung future, defeating enemies as you go. How does that stop the virus? We don’t know, by shooting an IKEA clock or something, stop asking questions and enjoy a silly action adventure game.
10. Hellnight
The PS1 is a treasure trove of horror titles, though it was hard for any horror games to break through the noise when the Resident Evil trilogy and the first Silent Hill were as successful as they were. Both franchises redefined horror on the PS1, while games like Hellnight fell by the wayside. Fortunately, one commenter by the name of @AshBates27 brought us to the light: “Hellnight by ATLUS is a pretty cool hidden gem, and also I bet the guy who writes these scripts is extremely cool and handsome”.
While the second half of that comment is clearly the deranged ravings of a lunatic, the first part is definitely true. Quite how the comment managed to make it into the selection is another story though, but never mind that: let’s talk about Hellnight. A first person survival horror game, Hellnight could be considered a bit of a precursor to the likes of Amnesia, Outlast and other pacifist horror games. In the subway tunnels of Tokyo, you’re forced to hide from a mutant creature known as The Hybrid, who cannot be killed and will absolutely eviscerate you if it manages to catch you.
As you make your way through the subway tunnels, you’ll enter an area known as The Mesh, a self-sufficient society of people who became disenfranchised with the way of life above the surface, but are about to be disrupted by this vicious mutant. Fortunately for you, The Mesh plays host to a variety of characters who can join you in your exploration, giving you special abilities to help you survive against the monster. However, characters may have their own motivations and goals too, making Hellnight one of the most unique horror games on the PS1. Talk about a hidden gem, eh? Maybe that Ash Bates guy is alright after all.
Check out the original video where all these suggestions were made down below!
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