Man, I still fire up my old PlayStation 1 sometimes, and it’s crazy how many games are still fun! Back in ’94, things were different – developers didn’t have the power for super-realistic graphics, so they really focused on being creative with style and making things look amazing in their own way. Okay, some of the older features feel a little clunky now, but honestly? Diving into that game library is still an incredible experience. Those PS1 games hold up surprisingly well.
Despite the many fantastic games available on the original PlayStation, a few haven’t stood the test of time. While classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill remain enjoyable despite some quirks, there are other titles that simply aren’t fun to play today. These games haven’t aged well and are best left forgotten.
6. Tomb Raider
Everyone acknowledges the lasting impact of the original Tomb Raider and its sequels on the gaming world, especially the third-person adventure genre. Lara Croft is rightfully considered a hugely influential character, and despite some flaws in the first game, the series as a whole has achieved a lot and left a significant mark on action and adventure entertainment.
Okay, let’s be real – playing the original Tomb Raider on PlayStation 1 in 2026 is tough. It’s not just that the controls are clunky, or the levels feel empty and frustrating to explore, or even that the graphics, while a little nostalgic, are super muddy and brown. It’s more that everything just feels slow and awkward. Seriously, it drags everything down and makes it a real struggle to get through.
While Tomb Raider can still be enjoyable in short bursts, and long-time fans or those nostalgic for the PlayStation 1 era might appreciate it, it doesn’t rank among the greatest games in the series. With much improved remakes available that offer a superior experience – featuring better controls, graphics, and gameplay flow – playing the original isn’t really worth your time.
5. Tekken
Like Tomb Raider, Tekken has become a hugely influential game series known for consistently delivering top-quality titles in its genre. The Tekken games are beloved by many players, and the original installment was particularly groundbreaking – it provided countless hours of entertainment that helped establish the franchise we know today.
While still functional, the original Tekken hasn’t aged well and isn’t much fun to play by today’s standards. The early games, especially the first one on PlayStation, suffer from several well-known problems. The controls feel loose and floaty – often called “moon physics” – causing characters to jump extremely high and fall very slowly. The computer opponents are both boring to fight and unfairly difficult, as developers gave them advantages to make up for their simple AI.
The first Tekken game is understandably simple, being the foundation of the series. However, that doesn’t make up for the fact that it’s a fairly basic fighting game with some unfair or glitchy elements. There are much better Tekken games available, so if you’re looking to experience the series, start with almost any other title. While groundbreaking and good for its time, this PlayStation classic hasn’t held up well over the years.
4. Syphon Filter
I remember playing Syphon Filter back in the day, and it was Bend Studio’s take on the whole spy thriller thing – the same team that made Days Gone, actually, and even the same writer! Basically, Sony was trying to create their own Metal Gear Solid and ride that wave of popularity. But honestly, while MGS still holds up pretty well with its amazing story and decent controls, Syphon Filter hasn’t aged gracefully. It just feels clunky and a bit of a mess now, unfortunately.
While Syphon Filter isn’t a terrible game and does have some good qualities – particularly its graphics and varied locations – it hasn’t aged well. The voice acting is awful, enemies can absorb too much damage, stealth is poorly implemented, there aren’t many useful gadgets, and the lack of checkpoints is frustrating. The controls also feel dated. Later games in the series addressed these issues, but the original Syphon Filter is best left in the past unless it receives a complete remake.
3. Mortal Kombat: Special Forces
Most people only know Mortal Kombat as the fighting game, but back in the early 2000s, the creators tried experimenting with other genres to broaden the series and attract new fans. One result was Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, an action game where you played as Jax and fought enemies in gritty environments like hallways and sewers.
Released on the original PlayStation, Mortal Kombat: Special Forces hasn’t aged well and remains a fairly unremarkable game. A static camera often puts you at a disadvantage with enemies attacking from off-screen, and the fighting feels simplistic. The enemy AI isn’t very challenging or fun to play against. While the original Mortal Kombat games looked great for their time, this spin-off is visually unappealing, and its story doesn’t add much to the established universe. Ultimately, it’s too basic and dull to be enjoyable today, especially given how frustrating the controls are.
2. Alien Resurrection
The Alien series hasn’t often succeeded as a video game, and Alien Resurrection on the PlayStation 1 is a prime example. Rather than redeeming the already weak plot of the movie it’s based on, the game is a boring, dark first-person shooter with terrible controls and inconsistent gameplay. Even for the original PlayStation, Alien Resurrection doesn’t offer a solid FPS experience, and really highlights how much the genre has improved over time.
The PlayStation 1 game Alien Resurrection is frustratingly difficult to play now due to infrequent save points, confusing level design, unattractive graphics, and a constant stream of enemies. This poor quality wasn’t unexpected, as the game was delayed for three years during development. Ultimately, there’s little reason to play it – especially if you dislike older PlayStation controls – when so many other Alien games are much better.
1. Xenogears
While Xenogears is still enjoyable today, it earns a place on this list of games difficult to replay. As the first game in Monolith Soft’s Xeno series, it has some outdated features like random battles that are rarely seen in modern JRPGs. However, its deep story, beautiful graphics, fantastic cutscenes, and engaging combat make it one of the best RPGs from the 1990s.
Despite being a beloved game, Xenogears is difficult to play today. Square Enix, which owns the rights, hasn’t updated or re-released it since 1998. There haven’t been any versions for modern consoles, and a digital version that was briefly available on the PS3 store is now gone. If you can find a copy and a PlayStation 1, though, you’ll find it’s a fun experience, even if it’s a little confusing and shows its age.
For those of us who can’t afford a rare physical copy, Xenogears is unfortunately very difficult to play. It’s disappointing because with some updates, it could be an amazing JRPG enjoyed by a much wider audience. But that seems unlikely anytime soon, meaning Xenogears will likely remain one of the greatest unplayable games from the original PlayStation.
2026-07-22 20:02