Top Ten PS1 FPS Games!

The PlayStation had a great selection of first-person shooters. Even when the genre was still growing and branching out, there was a large selection of unique ports and fantastic exclusives for the platform. Nothing beats whipping out a super shotgun against a squad of pixelated demons, or running from German Shepherds playing fetch with your grenades! So, this is our list of some of the greatest PS1 FPS games.

 

10. The World is Not Enough

Considered by many to be one of the better Bond shooters out there, this one features more nifty gadgets, better gameplay, firefights galore and improved enemy AI when compared to its predecessor, Tomorrow Never Dies. It has a few cool inclusions, like the ability to play blackjack, and some clips from the movie as well. The lack of a multiplayer mode is bizarre, and the controls are pretty difficult to use, but the cracking campaign is enough to leave you shaken, not stirred.

 

9. Final DOOM

Built upon the foundations of the PS1 port of DOOM (see no. 2 on this list), Final DOOM for the PlayStation is more or less like a ‘greatest hits’ album, containing a medley of maps from TNT: Evilution, Master Levels for DOOM II, and The Plutonia Experiment.

This time, however, the difficulty is much more fair and balanced, with all the disturbing ambience and coloured lighting that the previous port brought along as well. It’s a small but tight package, with 30 missions that excludes the weaker and more frustrating maps that were released on the original PC versions of all of these expansion packs. Plus, it comes with mouse support as well!

 

8. Duke Nukem: Total Meltdown

A faithful port of the PC version of Duke Nukem 3D, this version features all three original episodes. It also had an exclusive fourth episode containing exclusive missions inspired by Wipeout, Resident Evil, Tarantino films, and more.

Though framerate issues can hinder the fun a bit, it’s pure, unadulterated Duke through and through, with all of the fantastic levels, kickass weaponry and cheesy one-liners left intact. Its soundtrack is a brilliant mixture of original songs and remixes by Mark Knight, and is easily the best aspect of the game.

 

7. Descent

One of the earliest titles to utilize fully-3D visuals, this six-degrees-of-freedom shooter has you maneuvering a spaceship through dangerous environments with labyrinthe structures and designs to them.

You’ll need all the keys to find and destroy the infected core located in each level, prompting an exciting dash to the exit before the whole play gets blown sky high. It’s the only title on this list of PS1 FPS games that supports the Sony Flightstick controller that was released for the time, too.

 

6. Alien Trilogy

A retelling of the events of the first three movies from the Alien franchise, Alien Trilogy has you battling the Xenomorphs, Synths and Weyland-Yutani clean-up squads in his slower-paced shooter. Objectives must be completed in between blasting the nasty enemies that roam the hallways, and a limited draw distance only makes it more surprising to see a pack of Face-Huggers or a Xenomorph clamoring towards you.

Its soundtrack by Stephen Root is a fantastic listen, turning it into one hell of a spookshow of a shooting gallery.

 

5. Point Blank

Completing a selection of minigames is made all the more fun with a light gun in your hand. The frantic, nutty action of Namco’s amazing light gun title offers a broad range of wacky challenges, from blasting cardboard cutouts and fending off hungry piranhas to reenacting the tale of William Tell with a single bullet.

The whole thing is colourful, vibrant, and unashamedly silly with its humour, and the replayability on offer is second-to-none. Two players battling with one another competitively for the highest score is a highlight.

 

4. Exhumed

The PlayStation version of Exhumed offered a notably different experience when compared to the PC and Sega Saturn ports. Redesigned areas, brighter textures, longer draw distance and cleaner 3D models were just some notable differences that it had on offer.

Nevertheless, if you love Metroidvania shooters, then this one right here is a true classic. Platforming, tomb-plundering and classic nineties-style combat are all to be found in this beloved title, and its weaponry, ranging from grenades and a flamethrower to an enchanted cobra staff, are great fun to use.

 

3. Medal of Honor

Directed by none other than Stephen Spielberg, Medal of Honor was truly like no other title at the time. Set during WWII, it was a mixture of action-packed fights with a splash of stealth sections where you must infiltrate Nazi bases while making sure you don’t blow your cover.

The AI and animations were highly advanced for the time – the enemies could throw and kick grenades back at you, and crouch down to dodge attacks and fire while injured! Pair it up with an epic orchestral soundtrack by Michael Giacchino, and two-player split-screen deathmatch, and you have one of the finest PS1 FPS games.

 

2. DOOM

DOOM for the PlayStation offers the ultimate single player experience (the system link multiplayer feature wasn’t so hot for the time). With 59 levels in total, it combines many of the maps from The Ultimate DOOM and DOOM II for the PC, alongside a fresh batch of exclusive levels.

Map layouts have been notably altered, and enemies from the second game can be encountered in the missions from the first. Plus, with coloured lighting, creepier sound effects, and a brand new atmospheric soundtrack by Aubrey Hodges, this port almost feels like a total transformation of the base game.

 

1. Medal of Honor: Underground

Nazi-occupied France is the setting for Medal of Honor: Underground. As the French Resistance member Manon Baptiste, you’ll be undertaking similar action-packed firefights and stealth sections as before, only this time with solo battles against tanks and turret sections on a motorbike. Another movie-like score by Michael Giacchino is present here, and two-player split-screen deathmatch mode contains more dopey characters than before. With even more highly memorable and challenging missions on offer, this is a true classic in every sense of the word.

 

Jake

 

If you enjoyed reading this list of PS1 FPS games, you really have to check out E1M1 magazine, Jake’s very own FPS magazine!