As the title implies there comes a time or two every year where I run out of new games to play (those that interest me that is). And at the times like that I dust off my PS1 and re-play some of those game I spent my teen years with.

I was wondering what can Escapist community recommend for such an occasion? Please post the name of the game, its genre, and most importantly why do you recommend it. I don't have any favorite genre, I play everything as long as game is fun and has a nice story.

Here are some I put aside for replay already: Grandia, Chrono Trigger, Front Mission, Crash Bandicoot.

Here are some I put away as "one more time and I will be able to lip-sinch(sp?) them": Final Fantasy, all of them... and Syphon Filter.

Thank you all for your assistance. :)

P.S: Yay! I didn't hit "Enter" this time!

FFVII and the original C&C. You know, the one that was ridiculously unbalanced.

Give "Jumping Flash! 2" a try if you can find it, it's a very unique platformer from a first-person perspective. Lots of action, jumping, and crazy enviorments.

Ooh, ooh! Try Xenogears! I just got this on my PSX emulator and it's just great. If you like the stories in any JRPG then you won't be disappointed. It's long and convoluted enough to make most people hate it. It also has a cool battle system (well, at least half the time it does...).

Oh, forgot this one. Bushido Blade. It's a pretty cool fighting game that has no health bars and no fancy moves. I know that sounds lame, but the fights can be extremely satisfying in a way that I can't quite explain. Not much of a story though...

Totally suggest Brigadine, a really awesome and under appreciated RTS game.

EDIT: Why is very simple. It's what all RTS gamers wanted at the time. A video game that's like chess on the grande scheme, with combat and gameplay as part of moving the pieces.

RedMenace:

Here are some I put aside for replay already: Grandia, Chrono Trigger, Front Mission, Crash Bandicoot.

Try out Chrono Cross, as an RPG its better than chrono trigger. Weither the story is better...well thats debatable. I am a hopless Kojima fan so I play MGS1, Stealth, from time to time. It's still just as good as it was back then, which is more than I can say for FFVII.

Parasite Eve.

Parasite Eve, a third person action adventure shooter game set in New york. What a fabulous science fiction / horror story (it opens with your character attending the opera on a date and when the lead takes the stage to begin her solo, the entire audience spontaneously combusts... well, the entire audience other than you.

Excellent sound track, wild enemies, bonus game-play, customizable weapons, good cinematics, a hidden ending. Lots of fun.

Parasite Eve II I've never played, but as I understand it, it is more of a horror survival title fairly distinct from the first in game-play, but I really enjoyed the first.

If JRPG's are your thing, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, FFVII, and, I don't care what anyone says, FF VIII was as decent as any of them although the enemies leveling with the characters BS (except for bosses) is ass-backwards and stupid in my opinion. I hated that in Oblivion as well.

Final Fantasy Tactics, Strider 2 and Chrono Trigger need to be played. Crono Cross is okay, but the writing is laughable and the characters (most of them) are beyond shallow. Not to mention the annoying fact that half of the characters speak with a speech impediment.

That said, Chrono Cross has some of the best FMV in the history of FMV. It even stands up to the FMV of today's games quite well.

dalek sec:
Parasite Eve.

posted while I was typing my response.

Ape Escape is one of the best platformers out there

I would suggest an RPG titled Legend of Legaia. It is a turn based game however what makes this game stand out is the combat system is done not through simple commands like selecting attack. The combat for each character's turn is done through using the directional pad allowing you to create your own combos and discovering killer arts through experimenting. Also the magic system is done through capturing the enemies and leveling up magic by using the spell.

The story is your standard heroes journey by cleansing the world from the spreading miasma but there is a twist to watch out for. Amazing graphics as well for its time and the difficulty is just right. It is a hard one to find but if you do have it I say give it a shot. The second one did not do so well however because it was created under a different set of programmers and the story just lacked the charm of the first one.

Final fantasy IX - Under rated but amazing FF game, perhaps best of the PS1 FF games.

Persona and Persona 2 - Mind blowing and bizzare like most SMT games, well worth the hunting

Xenogears - Do I have to explain?

Digimon world 3 - Shockingly addictive with great mechanics. Story is not as lacking as one would think.

Megaman legends - What Megaman should be. Controls common of the era with a fun story line and great overall mechanics.

Megaman legends 2 - http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.77788

Legend of Mana - Working on a review for it. Odd but fun

Armored core - Gotta love those zaney giant robots and their ability for full customization.

Parasite Eve 2 - Wonderful story, controls less complex than the original but still quite fun to play. Has slightly more replay value than the original in my opinion.

I could go on but honestly I am way too tired, hence the short descriptions. Just look up some stuff on those games, I promise none will disappoint

Soul Blade, Final Fantasy 7 to 9 + Tactics, Medievil, Resident Evil 1 to 3, Command & Conquer (Tiberian Dawn) and Red Alert.

Rock N Roll Racing 3D and Twisted Metal 4, both are great race and shoot 'em' up games and they are pretty hard.

star wars" teras kasi

Resident Evils, MGSs, Star Wars: Dark Forces (there are other good Star Wars games that I've forgotten).

Metal Gear Solid.

Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Einhander, Parappa The Rappa, Um Lammer Jammy, Syphon Filter, Parasite Eve, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy Tactics, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy Tactics, Resident Evil 2...

Disappointing how many of those PS games I remembered are Squaresoft.

R-Type Delta, if you have it or can find it, is fantastic. It's definitely my favorite horizontal shmup.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is also really good. I remember being very suspect about playing a Castlevania game again, as the only one I'd liked up to this point was Castlevania II, but SotN is really very good.

The original Silent Hill was, I thought, awesome. It was really the only one I ever could get into, but I really liked the style. It's hard to say if it has aged well, though.

Street Fighter Alpha 3 is, in my own estimation, the best Street Fighter game. In fact, I'd say it's the best 2D fighter I've ever played, and PS version has a lot of features.

Bushido Blade 2 is probably my favorite 3D fighter. There's something very intense about how it only takes one (maybe two if lucky) hits to kill or be killed. It looks like crap today, but I've always found that the combat mechanics made up for this.

Tobal No. 1 and 2 were nearly my favourite PSX games, though FFVII takes the honour. I liked Time Crisis, Lunar: The Silver Star, and Rival Schools too.

Rayman.

Valkyrie Profile. The story is as convoluted as MGS, but in a Nordic World! Also, fun as hell. I haven't seen another game where a Necromancer is incredibly powerful, and instead of destroying the world, wants to find a real life angel. And fuck her. Yes, that's his actual motivation.

However, the game also gives you a party of 20+ characters, all with their own unique back stories, steeped in tragedy.

WARNING: Valkyrie Profile is also a very unforgiving game. Monsters don't level, they are preset in the dungeons. Except the dungeons appear randomly. Even worse, are the "Unexplored Caves" you'll get- you get 1, with that title, each "Chapter" (there are like 8). These dungeons HATE YOU. For a comparison... let's use final fantasy monsters. The first group of monsters is two goblins. Neat. Then one goblin and a goblin wizard. Cool. Then 3 Emerald Weapons and 4 Ruby Weapons. WTF?!?

Vandel Hearts

Armored Core: Master of Arena.

I gave up on the wrestling games quickly after I realised I didn't recognise most of the people, Jeff Hardy had left (yes I know he's back...but is it the same) and there was some complete social reject rapping as the champion.

All rants aside, I recommend "Smackdown! 2 - Know your role" (I think that was it). Had all our favourites and you didn't have to unlock them.

Also my other recommendation is my favourite PS console Star Wars game, "Jedi Power Battles". That game RAWKED! One of the first (If not THE first) to introduce members of the jedi council to the game franchise.

- LockedUp

give ape escape a go it's a great platformer

mark_n_b:
Parasite Eve, a third person action adventure shooter game set in New york. What a fabulous science fiction / horror story (it opens with your character attending the opera on a date and when the lead takes the stage to begin her solo, the entire audience spontaneously combusts... well, the entire audience other than you.

Let's just hope you've never studied biology. Or taken it in school for that matter. The reason the audience explodes is so hilariously... well... wrong, it starts to suck the whole game into b movie territory.

I would suggest Metal Gear Solid VR Missions, I rather enjoyed that game. Might I also suggest since you mentioned the first one, Crash Bandicoot Two and Three. I noticed some one mention Star Wars Dark Forces and while on the subject of Star Wars I'll throw out Star Wars Episode One, the game was no where near as bad as the movie if my nostalgia serves me right.

Dino Crisis 1 & 2
Vib Ribbon

MrBrightside919:
Ape Escape is one of the best platformers out there

I totally agree.

also, if platformers are your thing, crash bandicoot and spyro are the games to get.

rosac

Parasite EVE.

Legend of Dragoon

Threads of fate

Metal Gear Solid

Twisted Metal

Colony Wars