Reader's top psx picks. The Top Five.
Turn off your computer and go buy these games now!
by: Aaron "Bearsfan" Thomas

Seemingly ages ago, we here at Playstation2 Central asked for our readers to let us know what their favorite games were. The response was overwhelming, as readers flooded my mailbox with not only their votes, but also reasons why their game is #1. 82 games received a total of 1,331 of your votes, and the results will all be revealed to you in three parts. You may notice that some games are added together as series, this was done to have a wider variety of games in the top 25. In some series, each game stands alone and people have clear reasons why each game is their favorite. In other series, like Crash or Wipeout the votes would get scattered throughout the sequels, and the series would not be represented fairly, so I added them together. For those of you who aren't rocket scientists, the ranking is on the left, followed by the title, and in parentheses, the number of votes recieved.

Here we have the top ten games of the reader's top 25 list. If you have not played any of these games, you are most likely a bad person. These are THE best that the Playstation has to offer, so you can't go wrong if you pick up any of these titles. As with the other parts of this feature, I've included your thoughts on the games, and when there were no reader thoughts available, I posted a few of my own. If you haven't seen the games that didn't make the top 25 click here, games 25-17 are here, and 17-11 are here.

5. Tekken3 (54)
The Tekken series was an important one to the Sony Playstation. The first one helped launch the system, the second improved on the first and showed how Namco was pushing the system, and the third title showcased some of the best graphics and FMV the Playstation had ever seen. Hidden characters and other extras like Tekken Ball, found new ways to encourage players to log more hours with this fighter than any before it.

Patrick-Michel Degenais says: "Tekken series where great, but I can't really sell you why. It's just the kind of gameplay I like. Contrary to most other fighters, this games will only permit the normal human player to master ONE character since they have so many moves, and the timing in all the attacks makes it so deep... If only they would get more serious and re-design the characters and the game's story..."


4. ChronoCross (63)
Chrono Trigger was one of the most loved and highly acclaimed RPG's to grace the Super Nintendo. Now, the same can be said for its sequel Chrono Chross (except for that SNES part). Although none of the characters from the original are present in the game, Serge, Kid and Lynx are just a few of the of the characters that tell the amazing story found in Chrono Cross. Videogames.com just named it "Overall Game of the Year", so it's no wonder it is so high on the list here.

Sublime says:"I loved Chrono Trigger, although a little new to match up to the classics, it is a great game that has all the right stuff. It has everything that an rpg needs but doesn't make it feel regurgitated like a lot of games today. That and it is the sequel to the best game of all time. "


3. Final Fantasy VIII (77)
Final Fantasy had the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of Final Fantasy 7. While most considered it impossible to eclipse what Square accomplished with FF7, they did their best to try, and many gamers feel that if they Square didn't eclipse FF7 they got as close as possible. While Final Fantasy 8 kept the semi-futuristic look of FF7, it was different in many ways. As per each previous incarnation, this game sports new characters, but Square did a great job making you relate to Squall, Zell, and Rinoa. The big gripe with this game was off course the Guardian sequences. While they were absolutely breathtaking, they got repetitive after watching them for the 100th time since there was no way to skip them. This little nuisance didn't bother you guys as you selected it the 3rd best Playstation game of all time.

MoMoney says:"This game was off da hook! Sweet graphics, tight music, and awesome gameplay all add up to be my all-time favorite game. I bought a Pocketstation so I could play the extras."


2. Final Fantasy VII (151)
After being delaying it for what seemed like forever, Square unleashed Final Fantasy VII on an unsuspecting world. Nobody had ever seen an RPG like this, and it was so amazing it transcended the common genre barriers as even people who "hated" RPG's bought the game. Final Fantasy VII was the first game I ever heard of that made people cry while playing it. Who could ever forget the death of _________? (I don't want to spoil it for the few who have yet to experience it.) A riveting storyline, and the unprecedented quality of the FMV sequences made this a game that few will ever forget.

Patrick-Michel Degenais says:"Final Fantasy VII was the first RPG I've ever finished. All others simply did not absorb me, and before FF7, I really hated all RPG's. This one was different, and I don't have to say why because almost everybody played it. Put aside the fact that the characters looked too kiddy for me, the rest was simply " perfect ". Unfortunately, it seems that RPG's got their peak with FF7. "

Bob's Hardware says: "i dont need to write no stoopid paragraph for FF7, the game speaks for itself."


1. Metal Gear Solid (224)

It's not much of surprise here, but the "Best Playstation Game" of all time according to the readers of Playstation2Central is: Metal Gear Solid. Hideo Kojima's masterpiece was released in the fall of 1998 to much anticipation. Many people had played Metal Gear on the NES, but this game, which took over two years to make, surpassed all expectations. Gamers worldwide had to learn a new skill to be successful at MGS; stealth. Running around killing everyone in sight was not the best way to be make your way through this title, you had to be careful. Kojima used real guns as models for the ones in the game, and the design crew even learned tactics from military personnel. I'm not sure what tactical mastermind suggested the cardboard box, but it was a very useful tool. The team at Konami also found ways to use your memory card against you, and even forcing you to switch controllers at a particular time. Innovative gameplay, top notch voice acting, and a great mission enthralled gamers in the winter of 1998, and the promise of more adventures keep them waiting for the sequel, due out in 2001.

Travis says: "Metal gear solid is the best game for the Playstation because of the movie style game play. Even if your just watching the game being played it is still like watching a movie not like your watching someone play a game. MGS also has a very high replay value, I can still pick it up to this day and play it and it is still fun all the way through."


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