If you mainly play games on PlayStation, and you’re anything like me, you will likely check to see the trophy situation before you begin playing any game.
In most cases with modern games, it’s all but guaranteed that the game in question will have trophy support, and it’s more a case of checking to see if it’s a feasible and manageable challenge. However, that doesn’t necessarily apply when it comes to classic titles.
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There are a plethora ofamazing classic titles available on PS Plus, but here’s the catch. Not every single one of them has trophy support, and without that, the achievement-obsessed among us will immediately uninstall and search for a new game to play.
It’s not always clear which PS Plus classics offer trophy support, but that’s where we come in. We have alist of ten amazing classicson PS Plus with trophy support, allowing you to pick up some retro platinums and have a blast while doing so.
10Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain
Meridian Beware
Blood Omen 2
Let’s start with a strand of the legendary Legacy of Kain series that perhaps doesn’t get the love it deserves because of Soul Reaver stealing the spotlight.
Blood Omen 2 is a fantastic vampire-fuelled epic that popped up on the PS2 back in the day, and having recently been placed on the PS Extra catalog, players can now sate their bloodlust and earn some trophies as they do it.
I’d be lying if I said the graphics hold up today, as they weren’t even good in 2002. But,the vampiric abilities you gain are epic, the story woven throughout this dark and twisted title is phenomenal, and even today, you’d struggle to find too many vampire-focused titles this good.
So if you’re not familiar, sink your teeth into this one and feast.
9Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear To The Rescue
Come in, Star Command
Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
It’s fair to say that licensed games are a variable bag of wonders. Sometimes, you get a steaming pile of doo-doo, and sometimes, you get a diamond in the rough like this one.
This Toy Story 2 tie-in follows the plot of the movie, placing you in a series of locations featured in the Pixar flick and controlling Buzz, you’ll need to win races, do some precise platforming, and beat bosses to earn enough Pizza Planet tokens to save Woody.
The biggest hurdle to overcome is the movement mechanics, which feel like a stone’s throw away from tank controls.
But if you can get comfortable with this, you’ll be treated to some truly brilliant levels, a surprisingly fantastic soundtrack, and a cult classic platformer that does the source material proud.
8Wild Arms
Wildly Unappreciated
When it comes to classic JRPG adventures that don’t get the love they deserve, you would be hard-pressed to find one more deserving of love than Wild Arms.
This JRPG made its name by taking the ‘Arms’ aspect of its name seriously, allowing players to wield a series of firearms, harking back to an ancient time of war and gunpowder. Which, as you might have gathered, leads to some amazing, engaging, and tactical turn-based combat.
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Some may argue that later games in the series are a better place to start if you want to jump into the Wild Arms franchise. However, due to the morepuzzle-oriented gameplaypresent in the original, reminiscent of SNES JRPGs, I think that the original has the most unique experience to offer.
It’s a phenomenal game that, like many, was simply overshadowed by Final Fantasy. But there’s no time like the present to give it a belated play and witness the brilliance firsthand.
7Jeanne D’Arc
A Historical Icon
Jeanne d’Arc
While we are on the topic of underrated JRPGs, we need to give the PSP gem, Jeanne D’Arc, its moment in the spotlight.
This turn-based, Grid-Based epic sees you play through a surprisingly historically accurate fantasy version of the life and times of Joan of Arc, allowing you to see what her life would have been like if she also needed to contend with the likes of Goblins and sorcerers.
It’s a captivating story with slick anime-style cutscenes to enjoy,deep tactical systemsto get to grips with, and overall gameplay that feels a little like Fire Emblem lite mixed with a little bit of Final Fantasy Tactics for good measure.
It’s one that is often criminally overlooked when discussing the JRPG greats of the era, but we will say it even if few else will. Jeanne D’Arc is a triumph and one that offers a very fulfilling platinum indeed.
6Ape Escape
Cheeky Monkeys
Ape Escape
If you’re someone who loves mascot platformers and, much like the rest of the gaming world, havebeen fawning over Astro Bot,then you may be somewhat aware of this retro franchise.
However, this series is more than just some relic of time gone by, it’s a piece of gaming history, and an iconic property we would love to see get a modern remake. But seeing as there’s nothing concrete in the pipeline, you’ll need to make do with replaying the classics.
There’s nowhere better to start than with the original title which will allow you to play as Spike, acquire gadgets that serve as perfect monkey collecting apparatus, and naturally, you’ll need to be a precise platforming pro into the bargain.
It’s a vibrant, fun, and foolish game in the best ways possible, and it remains one of the most unique platformer formats around years on. So, if you’ve never had the pleasure, grab a big ol' net and snag some trophies.
Demon’s Don’t Play Fair
When the PS2 first popped up on the scene, there was a real lack of RPGs for players to get their teeth stuck into. Mainly because all the brilliant CRPGs of the era, like Baldur’s Gate 2, Planescape Torment, and Gothic, were all PC only.
However, there was one game out there offering a rich RPG experience to PlayStation fans and that was Summoner.
This one places you in a dark and gritty world where simply surviving is a massive feat. Darkness and death lurks around every corner and you’ll need to use the Rings of Summoning to call upon demonic powers to survive, for better or worse.
It’s a game that has a lot of cinematic chops, an atmospheric soundtrack, and intuitive combat that grows in complexity over the game’s runtime. Not to mention a vast world to explore.
So, if you missed this RPG at the time, it’s worth going back and seeing how Summoner single-handedly kept the console RPG scene ticking over at the turn of the millennium.
4I.Q: Intelligent Qube
Smart Or Smooshed?
Whether it be a jigsaw puzzle, a tricky sudoku, or even the humble Rubix Cube, you can count on a cerebral workout without the fear of being splatted like a bug. That seems like a given, but the same cannot be said of Kurushi or Intelligent Qube, depending on where you reside.
This intimidating puzzler places you in a dark and mysterious cube-based realm that feels like a close cousin of the PS2 start-up screen, and your job is to mark the floor in real-time to get rid of huge cubes before they reach you.
It’s a stone’s throw away from Tetris in a lot of ways, but in this game, if you don’t get rid of the huge blocks, you’ll have to make the impossible choice of letting them crush you, or jumping off the edge into the dark void below.
I know it sounds all doom and gloom, but it’s actually a fantastic puzzle game, and one of the finest to ever grace the PSX.
3Jak & Daxter & The Precursors Legacy
Before Jak Got All Edgy
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
At the time of writing,PlayStation Plus has been graced with an injection of PlayStation Mascot royalty, offering some Sly Cooper titles with trophy support that could have easily made this list.
However, of those added recently, the biggest boon for PlayStation fans by a distance is Jak and Daxter & The Precursors Legacy.
This classic platformer was one of the first ever open-world games to pop up on the console, allowing players to explore the vast world, collect Precursor Orbs, and try desperately not to get corrupted by Dark Eco.
It’s one of thefinest games under the Naughty Dog umbrella, which is full to the brim with quality, and it’s the game before Jak got all dark and broody, making this a much more lighthearted and fun way to jump into this beloved series.
2Forbidden Siren
Heed The Siren’s Call
There is a cavalcade of horror games released during the PS2 era that stand as titans of the genre even today. Whether it be Resident Evil, Silent Hill, or Alone in the Dark, many are still talked about glowingly today.
However, there are a few hidden gems that perhaps aren’t talked about enough, and one of those is Forbidden Siren. Which is, for my money,the most disturbing PS2-era horrorto ever grace our screens.
This title sees you explore the terrifying town of Hanuda, which is plagued by a zombie curse. But unlike some horror titles of the era, this title gives you no way to fight against the cursed residents of the town.
So, only through the power of sight jacking will you be able to use your own gaze against them to avoid being detected and get out of Hanuda alive.
It’s a tricky survival horror game that pulls no punches but one that is well worth struggling through to get that sweet platinum trophy.
1The Legend of Dragoon
A Forgotten Legend
Legend of Dragoon
Then, to wrap things up, we head back to the world of JRPGs to wax lyrical about yet another classic that sadly struggled to move out of Final Fantasy’s shadow upon release.
The Legend of Dragoon is a staggeringly good game, offering a wealth of memorable characters and a satisfying timing-based combat system using the Additions feature, which made for very involved battles right from the get-go.
Many believe that the rather simple and predictable story made this game much less of a critical success than many would have hoped.
But even with these narrative issues, including some shoddy pacing in parts, the game still shines regardless and serves as a JRPG cult classic worth its weight in gold.
And if we can pick up some trophies for our efforts as we re-immerse ourselves, then all the better.
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