1. Metal Gear Solid
There was never any question about it. Pretty much the first thing that was put down when conceiving this list were those three big words; words that are completely nonsensical to the average person on the street, but to gamers evoke visions of memorable boss fights, strangely convoluted yet endlessly rewarding storylines and a unique gameplay style that helped mould an entire genre. Metal Gear Solid was the start of cinematic gaming. While barely a year earlier Final Fantasy VII already took video game storytelling and presentation to new heights, Metal Gear Solid went a step further and felt like it could've been a full-blown Hollywood movie. The drama and intensity of Solid Snake's first outing was expertly interwoven throughout every aspect of the game. The codec conversations, the cut-scenes and the brilliantly designed gameplay itself all felt like part of one seamless creation, creating something that was far more than just the sum of its already impeccable parts. On a purely gameplay level, MGS was revolutionary. Evasion was essential, guards responded to the sounds of knocking and footsteps and cameras constantly looked out for anything suspicious. It's here that the stealth genre was popularised, and that games began to be acknowledged as a valuable artistic and storytelling medium. MGS is one of the biggest assets to the games industry's development, and indisputably the best PS1 game of all time.
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