90s style FPS shooters on consoles

[Strider77]

I've been on a bit of a FPS kick. I never was into them much back then so I've been back peddling and playing through some that I never beat or passed over.

I went through Duke Nuke 'Em (PS4) this past week. I need to wrap up the last few mission on Doom 2 (PS3 and PS1).

I've been playing through on consoles. Please no lectures on how I should be doing it on PC.

I never played any of the Quake games. I have Quake 2 on the 360 on the way but I was curious on folks thoughts on the better single player campaigns in the series. Also was thinking of playing through Quake 1 and Powerslave (Exhumed) on the Saturn.

Any other recommendations on console ports (or originals) FPS games on console, older 90s style that is?

Is Hexen on the Saturn decent or just a total garbage port? Like I mentioned before I'm really curious on thoughts regarding Powerslave.

[qmish]

Powerslave is cool, both Sat and PS1 versions (they're different).

I'd also consider Disruptor on PS1.

edit:
Quake on Saturn has some "dramatic lighting", and i liked how Quake 2 looked on PS1 with more saturate red/blue tones and lamp effects.

[TransatlanticFoe]

Soldier of Fortune on DC is a good one, albeit with epic loading times.

[Durandal]

You should definitely play Marathon. Unfortunately, Marathon (2) only ever saw a console release on the Bandai Pippin, but Marathon 2 also has a 360 port on XBLA which features 60 FPS unlike what the Aleph One sourceport can do.

There's the usual suspects (GoldenEye, Perfect Dark, TimeSplitters) on top of the Medal of Honor games available on the PS1. I recall Turok 2 being more playable on consoles than on PC. Black for the PS2 is rad 2. Serious Sam TFE and TSE were also ported to the 360. Doom on the 64 is genuinely good, and I consider it even better than Doom 2.

Spoiler

[Strider77]

I played Marathon 1 on Mac way back in the day. I had forgot about it honestly, they are on Xbox live?

Powerslave on Saturn looks like something I want to play. The Japan release is cheaper.... are there any language barriers to be concerned over?

[Durandal]

I played Marathon 1 on Mac way back in the day. I had forgot about it honestly, they are on Xbox live?

Only Marathon 2 is on XBLA, the rest (Marathon 1, Marathon Infinity, fan scenarios) are only playable on Mac or PC through Aleph One

[Jonathan Ingram]

If you are in the mood for something really exotic and obscure, there's this Japan-only PS1 FPS called Expert(a Japanese made first-person shooter - holy shit, am I right?). Imagine if Counter-Strike was made on the Doom engine. That's pretty much what Expert is, save for the gameplay, of course.

Also, Hybrid. PS1. Japanese-made. This one's on the Build engine(Duke Nukem), IIRC. Slightly less obscure than Expert due to the PAL release.

[Austin]

I don't recommend Quake on the Saturn. It's a neat technical achievement, but the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. Clunky enemy movement, lots of hit detection problems in the gunplay, etc.

Powerslave on the other hand is worth looking into. The game is non-linear, think a MetroidVania but with a '90s FPS coat of paint. It's unique and still holds up in my opinion. Doesn't have the hit detection issues of Saturn Quake since sprites make up the enemies and weapons. I'd assume the Japanese version is fully in English, as I think it was pretty standard for US/UK games to get quick and easy ports over there.

Quake II on the 360 is a perfect PC conversion as far as I can tell. I will admit I do have a soft spot for the PS1 version as far as console ports go. It's worth checking out for some of the same reasons people like to check out the Saturn Quake, but unlike that game it actually plays well too.

[Opus131]

I've been playing through on consoles. Please no lectures on how I should be doing it on PC.

You should be doing it on PC.

[louisg]

Powerslave is cool, both Sat and PS1 versions (they're different).

I'd also consider Disruptor on PS1.

Powerslave is incredible. A+ game IMO that's better than the majority of PC FPSes from that era too, with well thought-out gameplay mechanics and a lot of inspiration. There are enemies in there that I still haven't seen in other games. Don't play the PC one-- it's terrible and very different. I played it on Saturn.

Here's my review of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guqQix8iEzk

Disruptor didn't grab me quite as much, but seemed pretty competent. I've also heard the PS1/Saturn and Jaguar Alien games recommended, though I haven't personally gotten into them. If it counts (there's a CD32 version), I also thought Alien Breed 3d was pretty cool if massively derivative.

[Strider77]

You should be doing it on PC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... -NOZU2iPA8

[Strider77]

Powerslave is incredible. A+ game IMO that's better than the majority of PC FPSes from that era too, with well thought-out gameplay mechanics and a lot of inspiration. There are enemies in there that I still haven't seen in other games. Don't play the PC one-- it's terrible and very different. I played it on Saturn.

Here's my review of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guqQix8iEzk

I actually saw your review a few days ago and watched it. I plan on getting the game soon. Your voice sounds really familiar; did you do walk through videos for Doom?

I'd assume the Japanese version is fully in English, as I think it was pretty standard for US/UK games to get quick and easy ports over there.

No this one is in Japanese, having said that... is there any kind of language barrier? If there is I imagine it's nothing a FAQ couldn't fix.

[Austin]

No this one is in Japanese, having said that... is there any kind of language barrier? If there is I imagine it's nothing a FAQ couldn't fix.

Ah, so it is in Japanese. Interesting. In that case, I don't think the language difference will affect much. It's the kind of game where if you get roadblocked, or see somewhere you should be able to get to but just can't yet--chances are you need to go somewhere else, find an item, and come back (much like a MetroidVania). Worst case have a walkthrough by your side, but I don't think you will need to. Despite the non-linear gameplay, it's still traditional Duke/DOOM style action with some occasional item grabbing, so I think you will be able to figure it out.

[BIL]

Powerslave looks kinda neat, I might check that out sometime. ta for review louis!



People On The Internet

From an archaeological standpoint I was really enjoying the PS1 DOOM, and about to pick up a nice JP copy... until I hit Suburbs and got my first stack_overflow_err fatal crash, because too many monsters. Yeah, never mind then. Knocked it right down to 32X tier for me unfortunately. Playing DOOM with that hanging over my head is right up there on the bucket list with biting my own dick off. Still a pretty likable port overall - the punchy SFX and moody soundtrack + lurid coloured lighting give it an interesting mood.

[Austin]

until I hit Suburbs and got my first stack_overflow_err fatal crash, because too many monsters. Yeah, never mind then. Knocked it right down to 32X tier for me unfortunately.

Haha.. I had no idea that could even happen in the PS1 version. I have never witnessed it myself, but have finished it numerous times over the years. You on the original longbox release, or the GH re-release? I wonder if they fixed it in that later version.

[BIL]

I was playing the Japanese version, which I think is a later revision... I could be wrong though. To be fair on the port, I was doing my usual thing of deliberately letting lots of stuff spawn before letting rip - still took the wind right out of my sails though. I actually googled it to see if it wasn't some weird emulator thing, but apparently it's legit.

[Strider77]

I recently picked up a Jpn copy of Doom on PS1. Well recent as in earlier this year. Played through the PC versions as well. Need to wrap up a handful of levels.

Alien Trilogy, I am assuming the PS1 port is the way to go? Has any one played both the Saturn and PS1 versions?

[ZellSF]

Dark Forces (PSX) and Doom 64 are definitely among the classics available for consoles. Their console versions aren't too bad. Doom 64 is not a port but an entirely new Doom game.

Quake is fantastic, but the console versions are pretty bad (If you have to, go N64). It and Doom actually has a ton of fan created content you're missing out on. Plus the official and unofficial expansions. Oh, and you're also missing out on some of the best games in the genre, like Blood, Heretic, Shadow Warrior and Strife.

Hexen is decent on the PC, but with the console port flaws I would actually skip it entirely. Unlike Quake, the underlying game isn't great enough to suffer through the port problems.

While the original Powerslave on PC is very different, there's also a newer PC port available of the PSX version. Can't comment on the game since I never played much of it though.

[null1024]

and i liked how Quake 2 looked on PS1 with more saturate red/blue tones and lamp effects.

I love how Q2 on PS1 looks. It really pops. Runs fairly well too, even in splitscreen vs mode.
Haven't bothered to go far along enough in it to see how it holds up overall, but it's been okay to me so far, the two issues are the controls [not freely remappable, and the one dualshock option is not set to modern convention, so you turn on left stick and that's fucking with me] and the loading areas [which aren't too bad, but they're there, and break the flow, especially if you go back and forth across one while looking for shit].

[Opus131]

You should be doing it on PC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... -NOZU2iPA8

Bass line is actually kinda decent.

[Strider77]

Well Quake 2 is region locked on 360... there goes that, bummer.

I do have Powerslave on the way though.

[ZellSF]

Well Quake 2 is region locked on 360... there goes that, bummer.

I do have Powerslave on the way though.

Get the right region version of it? Last time I checked this wasn't a rarity.

If for some reason impossible, the PSX port of Quake 2 is as mentioned, very good. Supports a fairly modern and familiar control scheme (dpad for walk, right analog for look, triggers for fire), pretty good performance and not a lot of content cut out.

The N64 Quake 2 game is almost entirely a different game. Worth revisiting later if the PSX version makes you a Quake 2 fan, but probably not worth playing right away after playing a proper version of Quake 2.

[Jonathan Ingram]

It's worth mentioning that the latest version of ePSXe makes it possible to run Quake II in 16:9 at 60fps and with reduced texture wobbling if you set the CPU overclocking value to x3 or x4 and check Widescreen and Subpixel precision under GTE Hacks in the Options. Further enhancing the experience is the Playstation Mouse emulation enabling the use of KB+M and DualShock+Mouse setups. Basically, what I'm driving at is that you really should be doing it on PC.

[Strider77]

Get the right region version of it? Last time I checked this wasn't a rarity.

I did and according to play asia even on the asian release, the bonus disc is not NTSC-J encoded... which is very odd. Not unless they are wrong.

[ZellSF]

Get the right region version of it? Last time I checked this wasn't a rarity.

I did and according to play asia even on the asian release, the bonus disc is not NTSC-J encoded... which is very odd. Not unless they are wrong.

Oh right, I just assume people posting in an English forum either have a EU or US region console.

Too bad, but I still think the PSX version is a really good way to play the game. It makes very very few compromises and looks so good it's hard to believe it's running on a PSX.

[Strider77]

I'll play the PS1 Quake 2 at some point.... I have Powerslave on the way for now.

[Stevens]

There is also the upcoming Slave on the Dreamcast.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I know a person who remembered the Alien: Resurrection PSX game fondly (from back when it was new).

[Austin]

I have Powerslave on the way for now.

Did you pick up the PS1 or Saturn version?

[Opus131]

It's worth mentioning that the latest version of ePSXe makes it possible to run Quake II in 16:9 at 60fps and with reduced texture wobbling if you set the CPU overclocking value to x3 or x4 and check Widescreen and Subpixel precision under GTE Hacks in the Options. Further enhancing the experience is the Playstation Mouse emulation enabling the use of KB+M and DualShock+Mouse setups. Basically, what I'm driving at is that you really should be doing it on PC.

The funny thing is that Quake 2 isn't even worth the effort. It isn't a terrible game mind you, despite its poor reputation. Soundtrack is actually pretty good despite being a bit overpowering and the game still follows old school design principles (for starters, it has actual level design, something modern developers appear to have forgotten how to do completely). Still, it was definitely inferior to the original. For one, combat was slow and clunky, with the A.I. constantly fumbling and stumbling around to compensate for the heavy arsenal. I get it that they were trying to go back to Doom, since one of the common criticisms of Quake was that combat felt sort of floaty and ethereal, but they went overboard and the result was a drastic reduction in the levels of difficulty. Even at the highest difficulty setting (which can only be accessed through a console command), the game is really, really easy (the expansions were definitely better in that regard). Another problem includes a monotonous uniformity in the art the design (a couple of decent looking areas but other than that it is all the same industrial crap over and over).

Personally, i'd say the game and its expansions are worth a play through, on PC just because mouse look was already a thing at this point, but no more. If you need some long term Quake fix you are better off with the original and its hundreds of custom made levels, a lot of which are really, really good.