PlayStation Plus Free Game Line-Up Is Missing These PS1 Classics

We’ve already got the original Dino Crisis on PlayStation Plus, so why not the sequel? The first game is very much a survival horror. However, its sequel leans far more into action, but don’t get us wrong, it’s still always scary being chased by a T-Rex.

Released in 2000, Dino Crisis 2 is a fantastic, high-octane action game that even has a score system that encourages combo kills to earn points to purchase new weapons. Dino Crisis 2 was recently made available on Steam and GOG, so hopefully its PS Plus inclusion isn't too far away. We’ll continue to keep our fingers crossed.

To say that the original Gran Turismo was a revolutionary racer would be an understatement. Perhaps up until its launch in 1997, console gamers had never experienced a sim racer quite like the masterpiece crafted by the developer now known as Japan Studio.

Gran Turismo featured stunning graphics and gameplay, as cliché as it sounds, which was easy to play but hard to master. Its race circuits would push your skills to the limits, as you try to memorise every tight bend to beat previous scores, and it had a fantastic soundtrack to boot.

I’d be surprised if Sony released the OG on PS Plus, especially with it still heavily focused on Gran Turismo 7, but if it does happen, it would be awesome to see where it all began for this iconic PlayStation franchise.

I’m kind of cheating here, as this entry is two-in-one. The best way to describe 1998’s Parasite Eve is that it was a perfect mix of Resident Evil meets Final Fantasy with its blend of horror, cinematics and turn-based JRPG gameplay.

In North America and Japan, PS1 gamers enjoyed everything that Parasite Eve had to offer, but sadly, European gamers did not get to see what all the fuss was about. Parasite Eve was seen as too niche for Europe, and it was never released on our shores, despite becoming a cult classic over the years.

For that reason, Parasite Eve would be a welcome addition to PS Plus, and while we’re at it, we might as well throw its sequel in there too. Which, strangely, did get a European release.

When Konami’s Silent Hill arrived on the PS1 in 1999, it offered a very different alternative to the survival horror games of Resident Evil. Sure, Resident Evil had some psychological horror, but nowhere near the nightmare-fuelled Silent Hill. Combat was sluggish by design because its protagonist, Harry Mason, was no combat expert like Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine.

The foggy town of Silent Hill had an unnerving aura that instantly put you on edge with the feeling that something wasn't quite right about this place (even before the monsters appeared). While its monsters were truly horrific, perhaps the scarier moments came from what you couldn't see rather than what was right in front of you.

While Konami might not be keen to release the OG Silent Hill on PS Plus, especially with the remake on the way, just like Gran Turismo, its inclusion would offer an opportunity to rekindle that spark of where it all began for this iconic series.

While Insomniac Games takes all the plaudits for its Marvel’s Spider-Man titles, many might consider the Spider-Man game released in 2000 to be the best comic book video game adaptation ever made.

Spider-Man not only captured the essence of its Marvel comic book inspiration, but its web-slinging in the 3D representation of New York City was a joy to explore. Not to mention that its fast and frantic combat was an absolute blast that inspired the likes of Batman: Arkham Asylum. Plus, it even featured a Stan Lee cameo, which is always a pleasant surprise.

Tenchu is seen by many as the inspiration behind FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Set in feudal Japan, when Tenchu was released in 1999, it may have taken gamers by surprise with its challenging combat. One false move could result in a quick and gruesome death, a concept very familiar to FromSoftware fans.

However, when Tencho clicked with the player, they felt every part of the stealth ninja that the game intended them to be. Stalking the shadows, ready to pounce on your next victim with unsuspecting NPCs oblivious to the death that is coming their way. Tenchu may have somewhat been forgotten over time, which is why it needs to be in the PS Plus classics catalogue ASAP.

Talk about a cult-classic that may have been forgotten over time, Vagrant Story fits that mould perhaps better than most. Vagrant Story is one of the best classic games of its genre, not only with its fantastic hybrid of real-time and turn-based combat, but also with its dungeon-crawler-like map structure, and its mature, emotionally driven storytelling will keep you hooked from start to finish. Vagrant Story is a game missed by many, but a PS Plus inclusion would quickly correct that wrong.