3 PS1 RPGs Still Worth Playing In 2026

3 hours ago 7

Published Oct 6, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted.

Role-playing games on the original PlayStation might not have all the bells and whistles of today, but that doesn't mean they haven't stood the test of time. In many ways, the console remains a perfect system for the genre. RPGs spent the 16-bit era evolving past their comparatively primitive origins, and by the time the PlayStation arrived, many were ready to take advantage of everything it offered.

All these years later, the limitations of PS1 hardware are more apparent, but even those shortcomings had some upsides. Without the accessible potential for giant open worlds, RPGs tended to put more focus on things that made those worlds actually feel real, from detailed, pre-rendered interiors to overworld maps that evoked an even larger sense of space by taking on a more figurative role. Don't let their age dissuade you — the best PS1 RPGs are as great as ever.

Suikoden 2

It's easy to think of older RPGs as being more limited in scope, but the Suikoden series went to places that other games still shy away from. Rather than focusing on a typical cast of five to ten central characters, Suikoden offers over 100 characters to recruit, with the lion's share being available as playable party members.

The gimmick wouldn't matter if the rest of the game wasn't good, but luckily, the vast array of characters is only one of Suikoden 2's many strong points. The narrative takes that ambition in a meaningful directive, covering the tragedy of war at a large scale while also telling more focused personal stories within.

Not everything here is exactly mind-boggling — the combat system isn't anything to write home about, for example — but there's still so much to love about Suikoden 2 that can't be found elsewhere. While Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes recently emerged as a spiritual successor to the Suikoden games, it still doesn't reach the heights that the series did on the original PlayStation.

Xenogears

Xenogears was the first game in a long line of Xeno titles from director Tetsuya Takahashi, predating the Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles series. While some of its ideas appear again in later entries, nothing is directly connected, and the original PlayStation experience still stands on its own as a game like no other.

Originally conceived as a pitch for Final Fantasy 7, Xenogears was deemed inappropriate for the franchise due to its dark subject matter and complicated nature. While plenty of classic RPGs fall into standard fantasy tropes, Xenogears delivered a complex sci-fi narrative that tackled heavy topics, dove into philosophical ideas, and approached Neon Genesis Evangelion levels of religious symbolism.

Infamously, Xenogears ends up dumping some of its later plot elements as essentially a narration and slideshow, as the team was unable to finish the full scope of the game within their given deadlines. Despite this potentially underwhelming aspect, it's still worth experiencing the narrative all the way through, and the passage of time hasn't made it any less impressive.

Final Fantasy 9

My pick for the best Final Fantasy on the PlayStation is always going to be Final Fantasy 7, and if you've never experienced its delights, don't waste another second putting it off. The remake trilogy has its own charms, but it's a different take on the story, and the original game is still the greater work in a number of key regards.

That being said, there is, at least, a remake trilogy, which isn't true of Final Fantasy 9. This late-stage PS1 RPG isn't quite as electrifying or diverse in gameplay as FF7, but it's a strong testament to how much could be achieved on the system. Charming characters are rendered in much greater polygonal detail than FF7's chunky models, and the gorgeous art delivers one of the most beautiful fantasy worlds in gaming history.

If you can play this one on a tube TV, do so, as its backgrounds truly come to life on a CRT screen. Unfortunately, that's less convenient today than it was at the time of release, so don't let the lack of ideal circumstances stop you. FF9 is still worth playing in any form, especially if you're already a fan of the series, and it doesn't look like the once-rumored remake is set to materialize any time soon.

These three RPGs are just the tip of the iceberg, as the original PlayStation has a wealth of interesting RPGs that stand the test of time. Games like Vagrant Story, Valkyrie Profile, and Parasite Eve are just as worthy of consideration, to say nothing of the more classic fantasy adventures like Breath of Fire 3 and The Legend of Dragoon. RPGs can take a lot of time, though, so if you need a few to focus on, these PlayStation classics will certainly fit the bill.