PlayStation Classic Review: How Does it Stack Up?

Sony, following in Nintendo’s footsteps, has released their PlayStation Classic system. Does it live up to the hype surrounding it, or are these old games better off left forgotten? We’ll tell you in today’s PlayStation Classic review. Let’s travel back to the 90’s!

PlayStation Classic Review

Sony

The Emulation

Firstly, the emulation on display here is excellent. The games on the system are all emulated perfectly as they existed back in the mid-to-late-90’s. That’s certainly an achievement in and of itself, but it does raise a few questions. If this is exactly the ways these games should look, aren’t they all a bit ugly?

The transition to 3D was rough for a lot of games. Ugly polygonal models and blurry backgrounds were the rule of the day. Many of these games have aged like milk, both graphically and in terms of gameplay. After twenty years or more, many of these are almost unplayable by modern standards.

The Games

The game selection is incredibly hit-and-miss. There are some notable (and amazing) inclusions, like Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII and Resident Evil. There are also glaring omissions, like Castelvania: Symphony of the Night and Twisted Metal II.

Unusual inclusions like Jumping Flash, Wild Arms and Intelligent Qube make the lack of Tomb Raider and Crash Bandicoot downright puzzling. The PlayStation had an incredible roster of exclusive games, so not having them available on this love letter to the 90’s is nearly criminal.

For every Oddworld and Tekken on the system there is another frustrating exclusion. No Silent Hill or Tony Hawk on a PlayStation throwback system? It’s hard to justify the $100 price tag with this selection of games.

The Console

The console itself is a perfect mini replica of the PlayStation. Likewise, the controller is exactly as you remember it. Sadly, it’s not a DualShock controller, which makes 3D games like Metal Gear Solid a pain to navigate. There are thankfully two controllers for local multiplayer, what little is available in this game selection.

Bottom Line

Overall, this is really a system only for diehard collectors. If you really want to play Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid again (without analog sticks) then knock yourself out. However, there are plenty of ways to do that without spending $100.