The Best PlayStation Game Every Year 1994 - 2024

It’s very illuminating to stack up some of the best of what the PlayStation had to offer and look at where it is today. Not only did the system kick off franchises that are still huge, it also popularised entire genres. Horror hadn’t truly been achievable until the 90s, and Resident Evil was the game that blew the doors off of that particular spooky mansion.

For all of its cheesy dialogue and that utterly bonkers live-action opening, it was a testament to the tight building blocks of Resident Evil that it remained scary. The game fully utilises its fixed cameras to put danger around the corner, and a limited inventory means players must think and flee rather than loot and shoot.

More than just horror, what the original Resident Evil still does better than most games of its series or genre is the puzzle box nature of it all. The almost Metroidvania-like exploration of the Spencer Mansion, matching each key to its respective mystery was totally engaging and helped to grow the player’s familiarity with the location and the awkward controls, which the game then turns on its head by forcing them either out into new areas or to deal with new, far more threatening enemies.

Whilst a worthy franchise span off from it, the original Resident Evil is still a complete experience that is rewarding to play… even if in 2024 you might wonder how we ever found it scary.

Except the dogs smashing through the windows. That bit is always terrifying.