PS1 "hidden gems"

[Mothman Prophecies]

Silent Bomber - Great action game where you must (big surprise) use bombs to defeat enemies. The ability to set multiple bombs and then detonate them in the order you set them (I think that's how it worked, been a while since I played it) was awesome.

SECONDED!



I recommend Silent Bomber all the time. It's a great game that for some reason most people have never heard of. It's really fast paced action. You launch sticky bombs, run away, and detonate. It's a really cool game mechanic. This is one of the better action games on the PS1.

Wow I remember renting Silent Bomber, what an awesome game it was. It's like if Bomberman was sped up, on steroids..

[elmagicochrisg]

Raystorm
Project Overkill

Bought Raystorm on a flea market this weekend. Would definitely put this in the hidden gems section. The game is pretty awesome if I might say so... ^^

Another one I just remembered would be Project Overkill. Best described as Loaded and Crusader no Remorse's love child. Sort of...

[scarper]

The Playstation 1 generally has one of the most underrated libraryof games of any other console

Japanese Sega Saturn games.

[dunpeal2064]

The Playstation 1 generally has one of the most underrated libraryof games of any other console

Japanese Sega Saturn games.

You could say the exact same about the jp ps1 library. In fact, I think it would apply even more, as the saturn has become a very popular system to import on. However, the ps1 has a lot of the great shmups that the saturn does, and superior versions of some of them.

Sure, the saturn has Garegga and Silvergun, but those are hardly hidden gems.

Raystorm
Project Overkill

Bought Raystorm on a flea market this weekend. Would definitely put this in the hidden gems section. The game is pretty awesome if I might say so... ^^

Another one I just remembered would be Project Overkill. Best described as Loaded and Crusader no Remorse's love child. Sort of...

I don't know if I would consider Raystorm a hidden gem, at least from the shmup-fanbase perspective. Granted, most shmups are hidden gems now I suppose.

If you like that game, and you have a saturn, try out the prequel, Galactic Attack (or Layer Section in japan). It is 2D instead of 3D, and I find it to be the 2nd best shmup of that style, next to to the great Soukyugurentai.

[noiseredux]

yeah I feel like Raystorm is pretty well known -- Working Designs and all.

[elmagicochrisg]

yeah I feel like Raystorm is pretty well known -- Working Designs and all.

Oh, I had no idea. There is no mention of Working Designs on the Pal version. Only Taito...

[dunpeal2064]

yeah I feel like Raystorm is pretty well known -- Working Designs and all.

Oh, I had no idea. There is no mention of Working Designs on the Pal version. Only Taito...

Yeah, Working Designs only did US stuff I believe. Could be wrong though.

I mostly know of it because its a Taito shooter, and Darius made them fairly prominent in the genre. Rayforce/raystorm/raycrisis was their big vert series. I don't know if its better than Darius, but the series is pretty dang fun.

Oddly, I have a bootleg of the game, that has working designs on the disc art, but is a PAL game. Found it at a flea market for $1.

Taito Legends 2 has a ton of great shmups, and also includes Raystorm (and, if Im not mistaken, the PAL version also came with rayforce/galactic attack/layer section/whateverthefuckyouwannacallthisgame)

[brunoafh]

You could say the exact same about the jp ps1 library. In fact, I think it would apply even more, as the saturn has become a very popular system to import on. However, the ps1 has a lot of the great shmups that the saturn does, and superior versions of some of them.

Uh... like DonPachi and DoDonPachi?

Saturn versions are pretty much superior across the board, and the exclusive shmups are nearly all arcade perfect and pure excellence. PS1 has nothing on the Saturn shmup library. Not to be a dick, just sayin.

[dunpeal2064]

You could say the exact same about the jp ps1 library. In fact, I think it would apply even more, as the saturn has become a very popular system to import on. However, the ps1 has a lot of the great shmups that the saturn does, and superior versions of some of them.

Uh... like DonPachi and DoDonPachi?

Saturn versions are pretty much superior across the board, and the exclusive shmups are nearly all arcade perfect and pure excellence. PS1 has nothing on the Saturn shmup library. Not to be a dick, just sayin.

Really, you think Donpachi and Dodonpachi are the only ones? Raiden DX, Gradius Gaiden, Einhander, and Thunderforce V all come to mind as well. (the jp version of TFV is better on the ps1 than the saturn)

I agree, the saturn beats it out in the shmup category, but I wasn't trying to say the ps1 was better. I was trying to say its jp library is much more "hidden gem" worthy.

Sure, those exclusive perfect arcade ports like Garegga, Blast Wind, and Hyper Duel are great, but are they really hidden gems? I don't see them as such. Granted, neither library really belongs in the hidden gems area, as shmups in general are well known to their fans. But, if I had to pick one, the jp ps1 would be more "hidden-gemmy" than the saturn.

Don't worry, I got no dickness from your statement Also, I think a superior version of DDP counts for quite a bit although I personally like the chunky look of the saturn port.

Lastly, I think a superior version of Dodonpachi counts for quite a bit

[brunoafh]

Really, you think Donpachi and Dodonpachi are the only ones? Raiden DX, Gradius Gaiden, Einhander, and Thunderforce V all come to mind as well. (the jp version of TFV is better on the ps1 than the saturn)

I agree, the saturn beats it out in the shmup category, but I wasn't trying to say the ps1 was better. I was trying to say its jp library is much more "hidden gem" worthy.

Sure, those exclusive perfect arcade ports like Garegga, Blast Wind, and Hyper Duel are great, but are they really hidden gems? I don't see them as such. Granted, neither library really belongs in the hidden gems area, as shmups in general are well known to their fans. But, if I had to pick one, the jp ps1 would be more "hidden-gemmy" than the saturn.

Don't worry, I got no dickness from your statement Also, I think a superior version of DDP counts for quite a bit although I personally like the chunky look of the saturn port.

Those games are good, but I was mainly talking about the Saturn versions nearly always being better. The Thunder Force V port is better on Saturn, too.

As you mentioned earlier, basically every shmup is a "hidden gem", because the target audience is so niche. The term is still more appropriate for the Saturn library if you ask me though, under this logic: Most of the good PSX shmups made it to the US. If you mention Raiden, R-Type, Einhander, Gradius, or Darius to the average gamer, there's a pretty good chance they'll at least know what you're talking about. If you mention Hyper Duel, Batsugun, Metal Black, Guardian Force, or Sengoku Blade to the average gamer, you'll probably just get blank stares.

I agree that DoDonPachi counts for quite a bit though. No question there.