It may be hard to remember now, but once upon a time, PlayStation was an underdog. Sony’s first gaming system, which turns 30 years old this week, came about only after Nintendo backed out of a deal to produce a CD-ROM-driven version of the Super Nintendo with the Japanese electronics firm; Sony president Norio Ohga’s response was to begin developing an SNES competitor. Released in Japan on December 3, 1994, the PlayStation would redefine what a home entertainment console could be, in the process establishing Sony as the preeminent name in the space.
It’s not just the console, though. Sony’s sustained superiority comes from the fact it produces and releases great games. From Metal Gear Solid to The Last of Us, each iteration of the PlayStation has brought must-play titles that either debut on the console first or are wholly exclusive to it, capitalizing on the system’s powerhouse graphics to tell one memorable story after another.
To mark the anniversary, GQ has rounded up the 30 best games in 30 years of PlayStation history. The caveat here is that each of these games needed to have either been released on the system first or be synonymous with the PlayStation experience. And instead of ranking them, we’re listing the best of the best, from the PS1 all the way to the PS5, highlighting the elite of the elite. While a majority of this list are games produced by Sony and its various first-party studios, there are some memorable standouts and surprises throughout that diehards will remember from when they first dropped the disk in, powered it up, and heard those opening chimes. So press Start and join us on a whopping three-decade journey through Sony’s best.
Final Fantasy VII (released January 31, 1997)
Perhaps the definitive installment of the Final Fantasy franchise (try saying that three times fast), Final Fantasy VII almost didn’t release on the PlayStation. The story goes that developer Square had an internal bakeoff between the cartridge-based format of the Nintendo 64 and the CD-ROM of the PlayStation before selecting the latter for its storage capacity and graphical fidelity. As such, the PlayStation became the home for the iconic tale of Cloud Strife, Midgar, Tifa, Aerith, and the rest of Square’s cast of memorable characters. The first Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) to make a major splash Stateside, this prescient sci-fi tale still resonates today with its heartbreaking twists and turns.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (released October 3, 1997)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night drew criticism upon its release from developer Konami’s choice to keep the game’s graphics grounded in the second dimension instead of making the transition to the latest and greatest. Konami was making a bet that strong gameplay and storytelling could make up for the lack of cutting-edge graphics. The decision paid off—along with (obviously) Super Metroid, Symphony helped establish the “Metroidania” genre of nonlinear exploration and ability-gated progression. Symphony is an atmospheric cult classic that’s well worth a playthrough today if you somehow missed it.
PaRappa The Rapper (released November 17, 1997)
Rhythm games—Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, say hello—have a long, storied history within the gaming space, but PaRappa the Rapper is one of the more interesting executions of the genre. The combination of 2D and 3D animation—and one earworm tune after another—made rapping dog PaRappa and his colorful animal supporting cast come alive in a way other games hadn’t before.
Tekken 3 (released April 30, 1998)
The third Tekken originally started as an arcade fighting game before finding a new life—and long-lasting popularity as a competitive staple—on the PlayStation. Its highly addicting gameplay was improved upon by a simple yet effective addition: the sidestep. Further iteration in the 3D space allowed for more intense fights, made all the better by a striking roster of playable characters; shout out to King, who was getting fits off all the way back in ’98.
Metal Gear Solid (released October 20, 1998)
You always remember your first; for many gamers in the US, the start of the Metal Gear Solid franchise was both their introduction to Hideo Kojima and one of the defining experiences of their gaming lives. Decidedly mature and deeply cinematic, Solid Snake’s mission to neutralize a terrorist cell gave way to one inventive moment of gameplay after another alongside some of gaming’s most unique and eclectic foes. Singular in every way possible; it’s one of the few titles on this list that gets better with age.
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped (released October 31, 1998)
The third time was the charm for Crash Bandicoot. The genetically enhanced marsupial’s third outing combined the series’ penchant for challenging level design alongside new gameplay mechanics like animal and vehicle riding levels to flesh out the experience. The time-travel hook of the game’s narrative provided a diversity of level design, making this game feel separate and distinct from the franchise’s previous entries.
Ape Escape (released June 22, 1999)
Ape Escape, as evidenced by its title, is pretty simple in its overall goal. As Spike, your goal is to run around throughout time and recapture a bunch of (yes) escaped apes who are wreaking havoc throughout time and space. In addition to being deeply entertaining, Ape Escape was also the first game in the PlayStation’s history to make use of the DualShock controller. While we now take analog sticks for granted, at the time, Ape Escape’s inclusion of them opened all sorts of new gameplay possibilities, making it an extremely important title in the history of the system.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (released April 28, 2001)
While a little too much of a technical or simulation race for more casual gamers, Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec often had a home in the libraries of PlayStation 2 gamers for its sheer graphical fidelity alone. Released roughly a year into the console’s lifespan, it marked a massive leap forward in terms of car physics, modeling, opponent AI, environmental rendering, and more. To this day, it’s the best-selling PlayStation 2 title.
Grand Theft Auto 3 (released October 22, 2001)
Forgive the well-worn platitude, but it is fitting in this case: Grand Theft Auto 3 really did change the game. Both famous and infamous, Rockstar Games’ culture-defining title became an object of obsession for pearl-clutching politicians, concerned parents, and growing millennials who wanted to get their hands on a game where you could commit all kinds of virtual crimes. However, interested parties on both sides may lose sight of how revolutionary it was at the time. The 3D, third-person format became the template so many titles would draw upon moving forward. Sure, the story here isn’t as refined as future installments, but those wouldn’t exist without the framework that Rockstar first established here.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (released November 13, 2001)
Oh, MGS2. In some ways, the origins of the fan backlash to things like The Last Jedi starts with Kojima’s hotly anticipated follow-up to Metal Gear Solid. Initially posited as Solid Snake’s newest outing, the prerelease coverage was a bit of a bait and switch—Snake largely sits the sequel out in favor of the cyborg mercenary Raiden, a character the games’ fan base largely rejected. Look past the outrage, however, and you’ll find a game that takes the core gameplay of the series and pushes it even further, tied up with a thematically dense story about misinformation, conspiracy, and even freedom of thought. In fact, it’s likely more resonant today than it was upon its release over 20 years ago. It is a totemic piece of art in every sense of the word.
Rez (released November 22, 2001)
Rez’s graphics and environment are often compared to that of the original Tron, in that they’re both seen as influential but largely cult-classic titles that are never quite as commercial as you’d hope or want them to be. Nevertheless, the musical rail shooter was conceived by designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi as a way to tell a narrative in a more sensory manner and to form a connection between the graphics and the music. As such, Rez is a real trip for the senses and still remains a decidedly unique gaming experience all these years later.
Jak II (released October 14, 2003)
The original Jax and Daxter was a perfectly fun platforming game with charm aplenty, but its sequel, Jak II, lives in the shadow of Grand Theft Auto 3. Developer Naughty Dog, who will come up again on this list, took all the important parts of GTA’s game design—mostly the lived-in central and open-world hub—and merged it with the platforming core of the previous title while ratcheting up the difficulty (perhaps to an extreme degree). It’s an example of how every game that came after GTA lived in that game’s shadow and how some titles were able to find their own unique ways of bending that formula to their own will without losing what made it special in the first place.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (released September 14, 2004)
If you were to mash up Metal Gear Solid and Ocean’s Eleven and turn the results into a cartoon, you’d end up with Sly 2: Band of Thieves. Sucker Punch’s mascot platformer took stealth elements of games like MGS, made them a bit more accessible, and then built out the world. Thieving raccoon Sly Cooper and his crew, including techy turtle Bently and hippo-heavy Murray, plan and stage various heists; with impressive cartoonlike graphics, it’s the one franchise that’s well overdue for a reboot.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (released November 17, 2004)
Never content to rest on what’s come before, Kojima once again pushed the Metal Gear Solid franchise forward with the release of Snake Eater. By swapping sleek compounds for a Soviet Union jungle, Snake Eater improves upon the franchise’s core gameplay by having players make better use of the surrounding environment for its stealth. Face paint and camo allow Snake to disappear into the woods and better sneak up on his prey. Combine that with a new combat system, an increased focus on survival, and another compelling storyline, and Snake Eater is the franchise at its absolute best.
God of War (released March 22, 2005)
What the original God of War lacks in subtlety and maturity, it makes up for in inventiveness and pure fun of gameplay, the latter of which still holds up almost two decades later. As the extraordinarily angry Kratos, you set out to kill the titular God of War—and anyone else who gets in your way. This first game also establishes the franchise as a graphical showcase for the power of the various PlayStation systems.
Shadow of the Colossus (released October 18, 2005)
Shadow of the Colossus presents as an adventure game where your main goal is to slay giant creatures known as Colossi in the pursuit of finding a cure for a sick girl. However, the game is more of a puzzler, as players have to find a way to scale each of the 16 massive beings successfully. Deeply emotional, Shadow marked one of the few times that a gaming experience has felt worthy of mentioning alongside major pieces of art. But don’t take it from us—Guillermo del Toro called the game “a masterpiece.”
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (released October 13, 2009)
Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series started out as a fun riff on Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider before the sequel came along to innovate and push that formula into something bold and fun. One of the best adventure games ever released, Among Thieves is a perfect mix of big set pieces, challenging puzzles, kinetic platforming, blockbuster action, and character-based storytelling. Among Thieves is also a critical step in Naughty Dog’s progression when it comes to marrying cinematic storytelling and captivating gameplay—something they’d soon perfect with a little game called The Last of Us.
Journey (released March 13, 2012)
You awake in the desert with no memory of how you arrived, only knowing that you need to progress forward toward a looming mountain in the far distance. This is the wordless, abstract plot of Journey, which is exceedingly simple in its premise but is masterfully told in its execution. As players progress, they may come across other gamers who are also progressing and can help one another but can only communicate together through simple cues and cannot hinder the other’s progress. If experienced, the moment can result in something magical and deeply emotional, resulting in one of the more unforgettable experiences you can have in gaming.
The Last of Us Part 1 (released June 14, 2013)
Naughty Dog’s tenure on the PlayStation 3 is divided into the alpha and the omega. While Uncharted and its sequel marked the powerhouse performance of the console, The Last of Us Part 1 represents its conclusion and subsequent progression into real, adult storytelling. Sure, TLOU draws on all kinds of derivative postapocalyptic and zombie stories, but what this has that others don’t are the dual performances of Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson as Joel and Ellie. While the gameplay loop is engaging, it’s the performance and story at the center that makes The Last of Us such an important part not only of PlayStation’s history but gaming’s history too.
Ratchet & Clank (released April 12, 2016)
While it’s not uncommon to see remakes or remasters of old titles in the gaming space, the PlayStation 4 remake of the original Ratchet & Clank feels like the game Insomic wanted to make all the way back when the OG came out on the PS2. The core gameplay is still here—that mascot-like platforming combined with different weapons that offer a sandbox-like approach to combat—but the graphical fidelity is akin to that of a playable Pixar film. Plus, elements of the story are remixed just enough to satisfy those who played the original.
Horizon Zero Dawn (released February 28, 2017)
A successor to massive open-world games like Assassin’s Creed and later installments of Grand Theft Auto, Horizon Zero Dawn depicts the story of Aloy, a hunter uncovering her past in a world that’s been overrun by animal-like machines. As nomadic tribes of warriors vie for power and control, Aloy dives deeper into her past, uncovering secrets about her origins and the world around her—all throughout a vivid, open world that’s easy to get lost in.
Persona 5 (released April 4, 2017)
The Persona series had its fans, but the fifth title made an impact at the end of the PlayStation 3’s life cycle. The high-concept JRPG follows a student called Joker as he and his fellow classmates begin to explore a supernatural realm where humanity’s subconscious comes alive, known as the Metaverse (a name they got to way before Mark Zuckerberg did.) Here, Joker and his crew steal evil intent before it can fester and turn into something worse. The game has a great combat system but heavily features a social-simulation element, allowing gamers to build and foster relationships between Joker and his fellow classmates. Persona 5 isn’t for everyone, but for those who it is for, it’s a rich and rewarding experience.
God of War (released April 20, 2018)
This soft reboot from 2018 of the long-running franchise opens with the original game’s protagonist—older, not unlike the veteran gamers who grew up with his adventures—looking back on his life and wondering how much of his vengeful legacy he’s passed on to his young son Atreus. As the two set out on a simple journey to spread the ashes of a loved one, Kratos’s history catches up to him and forces gamers to examine the past. This God of War has the benefit of being in direct conversation with the franchise and is all the richer for it, weaving a story that’s an all-time best—made all the better by gameplay that’s just as challenging and engaging as it was when the series debuted back in 2005.
Marvel’s Spider-Man (released September 7, 2018)
Ol’ Webhead’s history in the gaming space is almost as storied as his tenure in other pop-cultural spaces, but Marvel’s Spider-Man takes a Spider-Verse-like approach, dispensing with a lot of origin-story preamble and dropping players into a beautifully rendered and massive version of New York. With free-flowing combat that’s matched by propulsive web-swinging and a story that draws liberally from (but also remixes) Spider-Man’s mythos, rarely has having this much great power and responsibility felt as fun as it does here.
The Last of Us Part 2 (released June 19, 2020)
We’ll be careful not to give away too many details here ahead of the impending adaptation of the game in season two of the HBO series, but The Last of Us 2 is another remarkable narrative feat, one that takes the legacy of the first game and muddles and complicates it in a variety of ways. While some of those choices are more effective than others, Part 2 asks direct questions about what it takes to survive in a world as brutal as this one and what that means for one’s soul.
Ghost of Tsushima (released July 17, 2020)
Deeply inspired by both Shadow of the Colossus and Akira Kurosawa, Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima is a masterful action-adventure game that forces players to learn its combat system instead of button-mashing through it. As a samurai named Jin, you’re tasked with protecting against an impending Mongol invasion, entering into grounded combat encounters. Outside of those fights, the world of feudal Japan is lusciously re-created, allowing for a world that’s as beautiful as it is violent.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (released June 11, 2021)
As good as the PS4 Ratchet & Clank game, the PS5 sequel Rift Apart pushes everything even further forward. With practically no loading times, that same Pixar-like quality of animation and graphical power looks absolutely stunning on a big screen, combined with a series-best execution of its core gameplay loop. Rift Apart also makes excellent use of the latest DualShock controller, changing the gameplay in new and exciting ways like Ape Escape did back in the day.
God of War Ragnarök (released November 9, 2022)
The follow-up to 2018’s God of War, Ragnarök sees Kratos and Atreus reeling from the events of the previous game and trying to prevent the Norse end of days. As the story continues, the game dives deep into the idea of fate and the notion of whether or not we have the ability to rewrite futures that otherwise feel predetermined. Innovating on the gameplay mechanics that came before, the game provides a deeply satisfying end to this phase of Kratos’s story—and, for once, a hopeful future for a man once fated to rage against the dying of the light.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (released October 20, 2023)
Outside of a few quality-of-life improvements and the addition of Miles Morales as a fully playable character, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 largely plays the same as its predecessor. But where it excels is in its narrative, which takes some big swings with the Spider-Man lore. With an even more detailed and realistic New York, it’s easy to pick up and play right out of the gate, resulting in a title that’s easily the best superhero game around.
Astro Bot (released September 6, 2024)
Released just a few months ago, Astro Bot is a joyous celebration of PlayStation’s storied history. The game is a great all-ages platformer that’s easy for kids to enjoy and play without too much frustration, but it also includes extremely difficult platforming sections that will test even the most lightning-fast reactions. Endlessly charming, the gameplay always shifts by introducing a new mechanic for players to master. As such, Astro Bot feels like a digital toybox full of playful possibilities.
