PlayStation controllers from each generation

My Favorite PlayStation Game from Each Generation

7 minutes read

I started getting interested in gaming at a pretty young age. However, it wasn’t until the original PlayStation that I was truly pulled into the gaming world. Once I was pulled in, I was I was hooked, and gaming became a huge part of my life. So today we are going to talk about my favorite PlayStation game from each generation.

PlayStation controllers from each generation
Credit: BonaFideBOSS via Imgur

Bunch of Suikoden 2 characters gathering in the meeting area before the final battle for a pep talk

PlayStation 1 – Suikoden 2

I’m sure this comes as a surprise to no one, my favorite PlayStation game from the PlayStation One era is Suikoden 2. I discovered this game by a happy accident while my mom was playing actually. which I’ve told the story about before. This PlayStation One game was unique in many ways and loosely based on the classic Chinese novel “Water Margin” (also known as “Outlaws of the Marsh” or “Shui Hu Zhuan”), attributed to Shi Nai’an. You have the ability to be able to recruit the 108 Stars of Destiny to join your cause which provides a plethora of unique party combinations and interactions.

The characters all seem unique and not a rehash of a different character with minor art changes. The music helped me truly understand the importance of certain situations as a kid I might not have fully understood. I can also relate to the story in ways which is also a reason it draws me to it. Suikoden 2, I believe, is one of those old JRPGs that stands the test of time. I can’t wait till the remasters come out in March, just three days after my birthday. Then a newer generation gets to experience my favorite PlayStation game from the PS1 generation.

Geddoes Party from Suikoden 3 waiting for battle commands for a fight against Demon Seeds and a Grand Holly
Credit: Konami Digital Entertainment Website

PlayStation 2 – Suikoden 3

My favorite PlayStation game from the PS2 era is a more difficult choice actually. It comes down to Suikoden 3 and Shadow Hearts: Covenant. It is actually so close I’d say its like 51/49 choice. Suikoden 3 edges it out for a few different reasons. Out of all the games in the Suikoden series, Suikoden 3 has the best animations in my opinion. Seeing the characters use some of the True Runes in this game and their animations had me in awe at times. I actually got this from a Game Stop at the mall for one of my birthdays, so that also helps it hold a special place.

Suikoden 3 also fleshes out and to our knowledge finishes Luc’s character arc. To the people out there that might not know, Luc is in Suikoden 1, Suikoden 2, and Suikoden 3. Luc is also my second favorite character in the series as well. They also use the “Trinity Site” mechanic where you play as three different characters experiences things form their points of view until they full unite in chapter 4. At first as a kid I didn’t like that the people attacked as a column instead of being able to have them all do their things individually. Over time, I will say though it kind of grew on me. Just like the other games the soundtrack is great and the story is amazing too. Even though Shadow Hearts: Covenant is a close choice it doesn’t edge out my favorite PlayStation game from the PS2 era.

Rock Band 2 group playing The Middle by Jimmy Eats World

PlayStation 3 – Rock Band/Rock Band 2

My favorite PlayStation game from the PS3 generation was more difficult. I didn’t play many games on my PS3, but the ones I did I played a lot. For me it came down to Rock Band 1 & 2 (counting them together) or Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster. I have to go with Rock Band though. Rock Band and Guitare Hero are games my friends and I played constantly. We even dubbed our band “The Cool Side of the Pillow.” These games always brought on a great time and there wasn’t a single time when we played that we didn’t have fun. There are a bunch of pictures of us all rocking out to all the different songs on these games. Like the blurry picture below…

3 guys playing Guitar Hero

I even got to watch my friends get the “Bladder of Steel” trophy and achievement. After it was all said and done, and my friends were worn out, we were stoked and so happy. I used to spend countless hours in Wal-Mart’s electronic section and Game Stop playing the demos. There was even a time where I got my boss whose nickname is Maximous, to play these games too. Whether its Rock Band or Guitar Hero these games have a way to bring people, friends, and family together to enjoy them. That’s why this is my favorite PlayStation game of the PS3 generation.

choosing an action during the turn-based combat of natural doctrine

PlayStation 4 – Natural Doctrine

I think one of the more surprising games that might catch people off guard is Natural Doctrine. There was one day I was just browsing the store and seen a trailer for a game, and I was like wow. Then I was like that’s all me and I bought it right then. When this game came out it wasn’t very well received or liked by many. It has a convoluted battle system without a good tutorial to explain, and the difficulty when it released was brutal. Eventually, it did receive some updates that addressed criticisms from reviewers, but at that point it was too late for many. Jake Magee, who reviewed the game for IGN at the time, even said this the reviews verdict:

Natural Doctrine takes the concept of natural selection and throws it in your face; the world is brutal, cold and unyielding, and you’re going to have a hard time surviving in it. The story is nothing more than an excuse to go out and kill stuff, and the gameplay is just as unforgiving as humanity’s struggle for survival in a world where other races and species are vying for dominance. Natural Doctrine tries to challenge even the most elite tactical RPG veterans, but it ends up being infuriatingly unfair – filling its 40-hour campaign with rage-inducing battles.

While I agree it was insanely difficult and didn’t teach you very well, I enjoyed it. The only time difficulty bothers me in when there are just random difficulty spikes. This was hard from the jump. Even with the difficulty I liked trying to figure out the complex battle system at the time. It was nice they offered updates to make things better and enhance the overall experience. So, for any tactical RPG enthusiasts out there, you should give it another chance. With all this said Natural Doctrine is still my favorite PlayStation game of the PS4 era.

A character using Meteor Strike on a character with other characters in the gird based battle map

PlayStation 5 – Tactics Ogre Reborn

Last, but not least my favorite PlayStation game from the PS5 era is Tactics Ogre Reborn. I will say at the point of writing this I have finished Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth yet, and I love that series so this could change in the future. However, before I bought my PS5 I knew I wanted this game from the get-go and was my first game purchase. I don’t count God of War Ragnarök that came with the system. Some of my favorite genres are strategy games and turn based RPGs and JRPG’s.

I never played the old version of the game and it made me wonder how this version was. There are countless hours of gameplay and I feel the story is one of the best I have dived into in years. Some of your decisons throughout the game matter too, which is many people love. We want to feel like our decisions matter. To me even a new person to the genre could dive into the game and have a good ecperience. So Tactics Ogre Reborn is my favorite PlayStation game from the PS5 era….for now.

Final Thoughts

While at the moment these are my definitive choices, I feel in time a couple could change. I still go back and play older games such as the Suikoden series, Shadow Hearts series, and a few others. Like I said too I also haven’t finished Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, so we will have to revisit this in the future and see what, if anything has changed. What are your favorite games from each generation? Let me know and let’s talk about it.

Chris Jones

Sports, Wrestling, Gaming, Family Man, Anime, and MTG. Old school JRPGs and Turn-Based games are my favorite. Enjoying podcasting and writing.

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