Summary
Sony shook things up when it made a new console following a botched partnership with Nintendo. This moment undoubtedly changed gaming forever, introducing another key player to the industry that is still going strong roughly three decades later. ThePS1was groundbreaking, and its arrival saw quite a few publishers strike partnerships with Sony.
Squaresoft, for example, was tight with Nintendo until Sony came along. One of the biggest genres on the PS1 was RPGs thanks to Squaresoft’s involvement. That said, the releases were slim in the West for the first few years which is why these dates will correspond more with Japan. From the Japanese premiere in 1994 to the waning years of 2002, let’s take a look back at thePS1’s RPGhistory.
To limit confusion, a game’s first release date will be considered, be it in Japan, North America, or Europe.
Updated on June 27, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Throughout most of its lifespan, the PS1 was constantly producing great RPGs. Consequently, this article has been updated to highlight honorable mentions during most years (1994, 2001, and 2002 being the exceptions).
King’s Fieldwas thefirst game that FromSoftwareever made and it never made it over here. The West’s first introduction to the developer and series was viaKing’s Field 2in 1996, which was just renamed toKing’s Field.
Like other FromSoftware games, this one will not hold the player’s hand as they dive into a labyrinthine dungeon. Monsters and treasure are around every corner and survivability is slim. While not an outstanding RPG, the pickings were slim in 1994, andKing’s Fieldhad a unique vision with impressive world-building that would become a staple of FromSoftware’s projects moving forward.
Suikodenlooked like a higher-res versionof an SNES game, so it didn’t blow anyone away graphically which is even more true in 1996 when the West got it. However, the core turn-based gameplay was unique for an RPG.
The basic premise revolves around gathering over a hundred party members. Some were used for battling and others were for taking care of the home base, and it’s still one of the most interesting PS1 games to this day.Suikoden’s main selling point was its massive roster of recruitable characters, offering players over 100 options to craft their 6-party teams. The turn-based combat was also a solid evolution of what came before.
Wild Armswas an interesting mix of fantasy-based RPGs likeFinal Fantasyand Western games likeSunset Riders. The world was a vast desert with little plumage in the background. The sprite work made everything look like cute chibi characters, which clashed against the more serious tone of the narrative.
The series would get better from here as it worked in more Western themes, butWild Armswas still a good first start and North America would get it in 1997.
1997 was an amazing year for RPGs includingBreath of Fire 3,Final Fantasy Tactics, andTales of Destinybut they pale in comparison to the power ofFinal Fantasy 7. This was a rare release as it was launched in the same year in Japan as in the States. It showed PS1 players what the system was capable of and what this series was capable of.
It had a mature story with language to boot, CG cutscenes, unforgettable music, an addictive Materia system, and so much more. There is a reason why this game created a legacy, unlike most other mainline entries in the series.
Parasite Evewas and still is a unique take on JRPGs, and it was among Squaresoft’s most creative projects during this era. With New York City as its backdrop, the game took horror and puzzle elements fromResident Eviland added RPG elements with a magic-like system and guns as the primary weapons. Aya Brea, the heroine, was a detective in charge of investigating a mass outbreak of monsters in the city.
The mix worked shockingly well, to the point that it is surprising more developers have not tried to combine horror and RPGs. ThePS1 RPGoffers an atmospheric setting, challenging combat, and a creepy storyline that makes good use of the console’s hardware.
Front Mission 3was the first game in the series to be released in the West, which was a year after Japan’s in 2000. The series began on the SNES, and they all followed relatively similar plots involving nations warring with each other. This was the future, so instead of ground troops, soldiers fought in mechs called Wanzers.
Gameplay took on the form of a tactical RPG and players got deep customization options with their Wanzers. While a fairly niche game,Front Mission 3has aged pretty darn well.
Final Fantasy 9was another simultaneous release between Japan and North America. This was a throwback to classic games in the series that focused on crystals and magic above high-tech gadgets. It also had an incredible amount of world-building in it thanks to all the kingdoms and races.
FF9is an unforgettable masterpiece brimming with adventure and whimsy, more so than its two immediate predecessors. In terms of “traditional"Final Fantasygames, this release can stand toe-to-toe with any other entry in the series, includingFF6.
2000 was the last big year for new RPGs but there were still notable ports and collections coming in.Final Fantasy Chroniclesin 2001, for example, saw the release ofFinal Fantasy 5andChrono Triggeron the PS1.
This was a first forFinal Fantasy 5as it skipped the West upon its initial release on the SNES in 1992.Chrono Triggerdid come out over here but this port added more things like anime cutscenes. The one downside to both of these ports was the load times but it was convenient to have these classics on the PS1.
Final Fantasy Originswas a collection of thefirst twoFinal Fantasygameswhich was a 2002 release in Japan and even later released in the West in 2003. This was three years into the PS2’s life cycle astoundingly. UnlikeFinal Fantasy Chronicles, this collection was more than a port as it redid the graphics for both games and made them more palpable and less archaic.
This was a first for the West as well sinceFinal Fantasy 2was never released over here in 1988 on the NES. Instead, North America’sFinal Fantasy 2was actuallyFinal Fantasy 4and the confusing names didn’t stop there.
