PLAYSTATION
(1994)
For Level 3, it's time for PlayStation.
​
PlayStation was released in 1994 by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It had a sleek design, that also has a CD input, meaning that the games were bigger and had a longer story to play. It features 3D picture and improved surround sound. This console was the first to sell 100 million units worldwide. Throughout the 2000s, they've created 4 consoles in total (Playstation/PS1, PS2, PS3 & PS4) and is currently working on the fifth console. They also created portable consoles such as PlayStation Portable/ PSP and PS Vita. Their latest work has been mostly on PS4 games, but they have, in recent years, started to focus more on Virtual Reality (which we will cover more in depth during the final level).
​
​
​
To celebrate PlayStation, I'll be showing you some of my favourite games from the consoles I've owned, and why these are the ones I remembered or treasured most. There are SO many honourable mentions, and I could go on for such a long time...
So, I've decided to have some examples based on different consoles that the company made.
First up, PlayStation 1 (1994)
Let's begin.
*Click on video for nostalgic purposes*
SPYRO (1998)
This game was so adventurous. I remember spending hours just flying around areas instead of completing levels. The aim was to free Spyro's dragon friends from crystal prisons around the world. You can travel to different levels through portals. He fights monsters by attacking or breathing fire, collects crystals in different levels and plans to defeat his main enemy: Gnasty Gnorc.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
In 2018, this story recently got rebooted by Activision, releasing the game called Spyro: Reignited Trilogy. It's a remastered and newly improved gameplay that tells the first three stories: Spyro the Dragon, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage & Spyro 3: Year of the Dragon.
Check it out:
​
PlayStation 2 (2000)
Tony Hawk's Underground (2003)
​
This is about skater from New Jersey, who became a world-wide known skater. You basically 'make your mark' in different cities and become a famous skater by completing levels and quests with others you meet around the world, while doing skating tricks. This was so addictive because every time I discovered a trick by accident, I would spend hours on working out which buttons I pressed during that trick. It was also fun because you could unlock characters to skate with. There were cheats and mods in PS2, which persuaded me to restart the whole game and finish it by the end of the day. Life was good.
​
PlayStation Portable/PSP (2004)
LocoRoco (2006)
LocoRoco was both simple and complicated at the same time, yet addictive!
The story goes as follows: A group of villains called Moja Troopas, tries to take over the planet in which the LocoRoco and their friends (called the Mui Mui) were living in peace. Your task is retrieve and restore their planet by fighting against the invaders. To do this, you must collect the remaining LocoRoco to help defeat the villains. You control the LocoRoco by only two buttons: R & L buttons (the two top buttons on the PSP). You must eat fruits and pickeries, while avoiding dangerous obstacles and make sure the LocoRoco survives until the end of each level. If you touch any bad obstacles, then you lose number of the LocoRoco. See gameplay below:
There has also been a remastered version released for PS4. They kept the simplistic features within the gameplay such as only having the top two buttons of the PS4 controller, to move the characters in the game. See the video release here:
PlayStation 3 (2006)
​
​
​
​
​
​
Hold on, one second- let me just hold my emotions back...
The Last of Us (2013)
​
Okay, If I had one game to play in PS3 forever, it will be this one. I can't explain enough how amazing this game is. From the graphics (even for PS3!), to gameplay and storyline- it beats the other PS3 games on my list. In a zombie apocalypse, you play as the character Joel, who meets a brave girl called Ellie. Together, you try and find the reason for all that's happened, and find the cure. You fight to survive, whether it's zombies or bandits, and try to scavenge as many food and supply as you can. This had one of the best endings (*SPOILER ALERT!*) because you find out that Ellie is the cure. The only way that the cure is used, is by Ellie dying. Joel chooses to keep Ellie alive and continue living in the apocalypse.
​
Honestly, I'm happy he chose to keep Ellie alive- otherwise there wouldn't be a sequel!
That's right, there's a second Last of Us game in the making, for PS4. Supposedly, it will be released this year, in 2019. For now, we get a sweet taste of the gameplay and graphics, showing improvements and a different storyline. This time, we get to play as Ellie, who's all grown up!
Check it out:
PlayStation 4 (2013)
Spider-Man (2018)
​
If you haven't noticed, I love the Spiderman game in PS4 (check background for proof). This is everything a gamer has ever dreamed of in a Spider-Man game. In this game, you really are Spiderman. It portrays his character eight years into his superhero career. Suddenly, all of his biggest enemies team up together to defeat him. He must defeat them one by one and beat the mastermind of all super villains. In this case (*SPOILER ALERT*), it's Dr. Otto Octavius A.K.A. Doc Octopus. Developed by Insomniac Games, the graphics are so well-put and the movement gameplay is so smooth. I could not ask for a better story to play. It's also a massive improvement compared to earlier games I've played of Spider-Man in PS2.
I mean, just look at this!
These are only some of the chosen games that definitely need attention. Some people do not appreciate how games are made, and how much effort game makers and developers put in one game exactly. Also, it is not often realised that games have meaningful stories, much like a movie. Its main objective is to entertain us: but it does more than that- it brings us joy, inspires us and it leaves us in awe. It's an escape. It gives us a chance to become more: whether it's being a superhero and saving the world, or to feel what it's like to become the best pro-skater in the whole world.
And there you have it. A specially hand-picked list of games from PlayStation.
​
Make sure you don't miss the next level:
Online Gaming
You got it? I got it