Summary
ThePlayStation 1was revolutionary in many ways, not the least of which was its focus on high-end 3Dgaming and expansive worlds. The 3D craze of the 1990s that PS1 was on the front lines of would not have been complete without a genre that has become very prevalent today - the third-person shooter. One of the most popular genres today, the PS1 was home to a stable of fascinating third-person shooters that seem to have vanished into the ether.
These games were part of a longstanding effort by developers on every platform, all of them seeking to solve the conundrum of a good third-person perspective. But while they may have been in on the early days of 3D game design, they have since been forgotten. As flawed as many of them truly are, they are still worth taking a look at today.
Love & Deathis a fascinating third-person mech shooter, one that combines elements of dating sims and fast-paced action. Developed by Arc Entertainment and Inti Creates, this slick third-person mech shooting game also features some beautifully crafted cutscenes and almost feels as ifArmored Corehad been turned into a crazy 1990s Japanese anime.
The shooting and feel of the mechs are phenomenal, with swift movements and a sense of control that is on par with thebest mech gamesof the time. It’s a terrific shooter and one of the more unique titles on the PS1, among the many that got buried in the deluge of incredible titles.
It’s safe to say that Konami made quite animpression on the PS1, producing some stone-cold classics likeMetal Gear SolidandSilent Hill,but one of the best efforts was a spectacular third-person shooter calledGungage.The game is set in a world where humans live together with giant insects until a war breaks out between them.
Like so many great PS1 games, it has a unique Japanese anime charm to it that one can only find on this system. With four playable characters,Gungageis easily one of Konami’s best titles that seems cursed to remain in obscurity. It’s a shame, asGungageis a fantastic shooter and has some terrific music.
Contrawas going through a series of changes after multiple 2D entries in the arcades and home consoles, not the least of which was a transition into 3D. As every other franchise was doing the same, Konami’s famous shooter had already been translated into 3D withContra: Legacy of Warin 1996.
Unfortunately, due to a lackluster critical and financial reaction toLegacy of Warand the series beginning to burn out,C: The Contra Adventuredidn’t fare so well and got left behind. The Contra Adventure came and went, eventually leading to Konami putting the series on ice untilthe next console generationwithContra: Shattered Soldierin 2002.
AlthoughDuke Nukemwas a fairly popular seriesback in the 1990s, it was his PC efforts that garnered the crude hero his most success.Duke Nukem 3Dwas one of the best shooters of the 90s and the upcomingDuke Nukem Foreverwas one of the most hotly anticipated titles of all time, but no one seems to remember that one of his best games launched on the PS1 as a third-person shooter.
Duke Nukem: Time To Killis a forgotten gem, featuring some outstanding art direction and shooting mechanics that feel crisp and responsive. It’s one of the best shooters on the platform, as well as being one ofDuke Nukem’smost underrated entries. It’s right up there with some of the best titles in the series, but has sadly been passed over for more popular titles in the franchise.
While many PS1 games made use of Sony’s in-house tools, this charming shooter was made with multiple custom shaders and created a hero known as Captian Blasto to lead the way. Featuring the voice of comedian Phil Hartman,Blastois full oflife, energy, and humor.
Influenced by the likes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, it is set in a retro-future sci-fi world, where the eponymous Captain Blasto is tasked with stopping an interdimensional invasion by the nefarious Bosc. The shooting feels remarkably good, and it has a sense of charm to it that still holds up, but it’s a sadly forgotten gem among the PS1’s stellar library.
Apocalypsewas initially developed with legendary actor Bruce Willis asan AI-controlled partner, where he would lend his signature bravado and charm to the part. He even helped promote the game at E3 in 1997, but as the project slowly changed and Willis' involvement decreased, the entire game began to morph into something different.
Willis' character, Trey Kincaid, became the lead and the game revolves around him running through 3D environments and blasting enemies. It operates as any twin-stick shooter would, with character movement on the left stick and shooting on the right. It works fairly well and features some nice Bruce Willis quips and one-liners. It also features some nicely directed CG cutscenes and is one of the PS1’s most underrated and forgotten gems.
