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Graphically Impressive PS1 Games

PeteBull

Member
It's already hard to pick games that have aged well, if you disqualify based on framerate we are fucking done :lollipop_squinting:
its a fact ff9 was capped at 20fps in combat and when on world map, which even then looked and fellt terrible, i remember it to this day and back then i didnt know even what framerate was, i was teenager, game just fellt choppy/unresponsive af even tho it hat atb system :p
 

GymWolf

Gold Member
its a fact ff9 was capped at 20fps in combat and when on world map, which even then looked and fellt terrible, i remember it to this day and back then i didnt know even what framerate was, i was teenager, game just fellt choppy/unresponsive af even tho it hat atb system :p
I played on my father leftovers pc since forever so i was used to games running at shit framerates.

I think i played halo for the first time at 640x480 and like 15 frames average :lollipop_grinning_sweat:
 
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BigBeauford

Gold Member
I thought Heart of Darkness looked amazing

heart-of-darkness-cinematic-platformer.gif
 
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CosmicComet

Member
Gran Turismo obviously takes the crown.

On CRTVs at a glance people thought the replays were actual races at the time.

For non racing games, the winner is Soul Reaver.
 
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I´m gonna mention some others, may be no one has mentioned yet (not sure)


Quake 2, do i need to say more?



I don´t like wrestling games too much, but Smackdown 2 looked awesome for a PS1 game. Correct me if i´m wrong, but i don´t remember any N64 wrestling game with characters with that level of detail. For me, it´s the graphically peak wrestling game of 5th gen and one of the best looking fighter and sports game also of the entire gen.

 

SweetTooth

Gold Member
The games in the recent collections look so fugly compared to sotn.
Well.. all thanks to Nintendo backward-ass hardware mentality that cuffs developers hands.
Looking at DS capability vs PSP at 2004. You just realise how Nintendo has fallen from GC days
 

Lysandros

Member
Even though Ridge Racer 4 is amazing, to this day I still prefer Rage Racer. I think the graphics are at the same level, the game flows better - I don't really like the dialogues and story mode in RR4, as I think it hurts the outlandish essence of the old games in the franchise - and the tracks seem more interesting, well thought out. and the art in general seems more whimsical to me, like a natural evolution of the original concept.
I have a particular fondness for Rage Racer too. Even though that Type 4 is indeniably for advanced in areas like texture smoothness, lighting, post processing effects and car models, Rage Racer remained unmatched in matter of sheer track detail and sense of speed. In 1996 it was actually quite jaw dropping, like a near magical sense of having a cutting edge acade racer right at home. Another graphically very impressive and somewhat underrated racer was Porche Challenge in my opinion. Exquisite really, albeit with some obvious popping and only a single car model (still, the best car rendering until Gran Turismo i think).
 
TL;DW:

1. Alien Resurrection (2000)
Pioneered the use of dual analog sticks for first-person shooters on consoles. It showcased impressive graphics with detailed enemy designs and atmospheric environments, including dimly lit corridors and smooth animations.

The only 90s console FPS that feels like a modern FPS

Just make sure you enable the infinite health cheat, the difficulty is a twat

 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
4. Macross VFX2 (1999)
Known for its detailed Mech designs and smooth animation. The game ran at a steady 60 frames per second, handling intense aerial combat with impressive visual effects, including missile trails and explosions.
This one's a very weird inclusion, it looks like a game that would be at home on Saturn, GunGriffon or Gundam Side Story style thanks to using VDP2 for the either way mostly flat ground instead of polygons. It most definitely doesn't hold 60fps when the action gets heated either.

...It's definitely no Ace Combat 3 or Colony Wars...

But this is apparently video #4 which the OP skipped so they're running out of stuff I guess. Alien Resurrection is worth listing but also overhyped, some really nice models and certain areas but in general juvenile design not beyond Alien Trilogy with oversized vents, switches etc...​
 
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Einhander was dazzling to the eyes as far as particle effects and Ergheiz had some of the best looking character models at the time.
 

Redneckerz

Those long posts don't cover that red neck boy
Outside of the more obvious ones and Quake 2:
  • Forsaken (Admittely, this looks good regardless of platform)
  • G-Police (But the PC version was essentially a 2000 game in 1997)
  • G-Police: Weapons Of Justice - The 1999 PSX-only sequel.
  • Men In Black: Crashdown - a 2001 (!) FPS looking so colorful
I always loved how PSX did dynamic colored lighting. One of the system that punched far above its weight.
 
I was always more impressed by the 2D PSone games personally as even back then I was annoyed at the polygon seams and lack of texture perspective correction in the 3D games, although I do recall the DOOM port being impressive as it avoided both those issues and supported the PS mouse, which I bought to play Broken Sword and Command & Conquer.

2D games like Lomax in Lemmingsland and the original Rayman were great looking art work. The PSone was clearly very adept at doing 2D. Loved the port of Mortal Kombat 3 and the Street Fighter Alpha games too on PSone.
 
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