KnockBack, Episode 13: The Original PlayStation
Added 2018-05-10 16:01:00 +0000 UTCIn the late '80s and early '90s, few (if any) electronics companies were more respected than Sony. Eager to get into gaming, Sony partnered with Nintendo on a project called Play Station (with the space!), but Nintendo pulled out of the deal, leaving Sony embarrassed and bruised. But Sony sought retribution, and in 1994, it launched PlayStation (intercapped!), and changed gaming forever. Today's extra-long episode of KnockBack is dedicated to Sony's seminal console, to our memories of it, what it was like living through that era, and to the amazing games that made it the first 100+ million selling video game console ever launched.
Comments
Great episode! Really enjoying working my way through all of these. Unfortunately, I was an N64 kid and the only exposure to PS1 was playing Tekken at my neighbor’s.
Colin Moriarty
2024-06-09 21:31:47 +0000 UTCAs a 51 year old game this warmed my heart.
drew
2023-11-16 15:52:47 +0000 UTCThank you so much! I'm so glad you enjoyed this episode.
Colin Moriarty
2019-01-08 23:14:23 +0000 UTCYeah, it's a strange nugget of history, for sure.
Colin Moriarty
2019-01-08 23:13:55 +0000 UTCFinal Fantasy VIII just got caught between a rock and a hard place, I think. Removed from the legacy of the other two games (particularly VII), I think it's pretty clear it's not nearly as bad as some people think it is.
Colin Moriarty
2019-01-08 23:13:42 +0000 UTCThank you so much! We're really proud of our show.
Colin Moriarty
2019-01-08 23:13:19 +0000 UTCBut you went back and played more Resident Evil, right?
Nate McKinney
2018-10-27 22:32:41 +0000 UTCI'm a little late to listen to this episode, but it really brought back a lot of memories for me. I remember wanting a Playstation so badly during 1996-1997, and constantly reading articles in EGM and Gamepro about the upcoming titles. It just seemed so much cooler than my N64, so I traded it in along with all of my cartridges for a PS1 and only one game - Resident Evil. I was only 11 years old at the time, and I vividly remember popping in the disc after over a year of anticipation and excitement. I'll never forget getting to the FMV sequence about 5m into the game where the zombie is eating the guys face and slowly turns toward the camera. I was soon greeted by the words YOU ARE DEAD and gruesome sound effects of Jill being ripped apart/eaten. I was so terrified that I turned off the console.. In fact I was so disturbed that I packed up the system and planned to return it in hopes of getting my N64 back the next morning, and I even slept with the lights on. I had a change of heart the next morning and went to the video store only to discover a game that I had never heard of, but something about the box art really spoke to me. That game was Wild Arms, and it completely changed my life as a gamer. After that moment I became obsessed with JRPG's and absolutely adored my new console. It truly was a magical time to be a young gamer discovering the genre, and I'll never forget the incredible stories and adventures that I experienced through my Playstation. Thanks for bringing back the feels. Keep up the great content!
Jordan Nobiss
2018-07-29 00:23:56 +0000 UTCMan this was great! Got to love PlayStation. Metal Gear Solid 3:Snake Eater was my introduction to MGS and man it will always have a special place in my heart. I haven't heard of a lot of games you mentioned but I would love to try them if they are available for PS Store or in the future. My favorite Genre is Stealth Action so MGS, Hit man, Splinter Cell, etc... I love them all! Great Show Colin
Marcus Brown
2018-05-28 14:28:20 +0000 UTCThank you! X4 really is a bridge game, between the amazing SNES titles and the far worse PS2 games. It's totally good on its own.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-22 22:43:45 +0000 UTCFantastic episode. One of my favorites for sure. My love of gaming really started with PS1 and Megaman x4 believe it or not, so it holds a lot of nostalgia for me
Brock Thomas Walsh
2018-05-22 20:22:48 +0000 UTCI dunno, man. Konami fell off of a fucking cliff.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-21 19:45:28 +0000 UTCCaught this one on iTunes, so I was a little late - but I agree that Wild Arms will always be under appreciated. Also, Symphony of the Night is one of the greatest games ever made, Metal Gear Solid revolutionized video game story telling, Silent Hill was an atmospheric marvel... and what the hell happened to Konami? 🤔
Marc Boggio
2018-05-21 05:24:56 +0000 UTCThanks for listening! (And, to each his own. =D)
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-19 03:00:41 +0000 UTCThis episode was awesome. Great listen although I’m a Crash guy lol 😂
Jmlucas18
2018-05-18 23:08:57 +0000 UTCI downloaded it to my phone when I flew out to do this batch of episodes, and I never watched. Will try to soon!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-18 20:21:45 +0000 UTCAwesome episode! I can't recall if you guys have already mentioned this in a previous podcast but definitely check out the anime Castlevania miniseries on Netflix. I thought it was going to be cheesy but I was surprised by how well it was written and done.
Omar Rosa
2018-05-18 19:34:41 +0000 UTCThere was a 'PS1 Classic' (Digital Emulation) of the game on the PS3, but unfortunately it hasn't made it's way to PS4 as of now. If you pick up a PS3 (super cheap right now) there were many PS1 & PS2 Classics that are available digitally. Also, I believe the Vita plays the PS1 & PS2 Classics, so maybe pick up a Vita??
Alex Castellanos
2018-05-18 13:05:16 +0000 UTCAfter a long hiatus from the PS console family (had a family ps1 when I was very young), I bought a Ps4Pro for Persona 5, God of War, and much more. It's feels good to be back, but after listening to this and watching the intro on Youtube, I really want to check out Wild Arms! It seems like a game right up my alley, and I always trust the Moriarty opinion on what games are good. My question is, how can I buy/play this game? I have a feeling I'll have to emulate it, but was curious if there are any ports. Also, the intro gave me a strong Trigun vibe with the anime style and the wild west space theme! Did you guys ever watch this? I have a feeling maybe Dagan has seen it or read the manga. Anyways, keep up the awesome work!
Derek
2018-05-18 11:00:14 +0000 UTCNot the point of the video, and I'm still listening to the rest as I type, but learning about the Panasonic Q was awesome! I had never heard of it; I wish it would've been available in the states, I definitely would have bought one! Looked really cool
Derek
2018-05-18 08:01:40 +0000 UTCDagan, I agree with you Triple Triad was the best part of FF8. I will say that if FF8 is the lesser of the 3 on the PSX that isn't necessarly a bad thing with the quality of 7 and 9.
Jonathan Broussard
2018-05-17 23:53:21 +0000 UTCTop notch episode and thanks for spending time answering my questions. Really loving the dynamic between you and Dagan, sounds like you guys are having fun with this series. You both should be very proud of the work you are dishing out
Tony Colton
2018-05-17 23:15:07 +0000 UTCI'm sad we didn't talk more about Tony Hawk, because that was one of the games that really did mean a lot to us. I suspect we'll return to this topic in the future.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-17 18:26:45 +0000 UTCAwesome episode! I remember being all in on Playstation when it came out. It was the first time I experienced a game being more than just a game when I played MGS. The opening credits made me think "what the hell is going on with videogames". I was wow'd. It was also the first time I remember really breaking games. I thought it was so cool to clip outside the Paris map in Twisted Metal 2. I was also a fan of the "spring hack" and "acquiring" games through mutual friends. Too many great memories to share in one post... flips in jet moto, bushido blade fights with friends, tony hawk bragging rights, looking at Lara Croft's butt...
Bobby Bell
2018-05-17 01:06:59 +0000 UTCI liked Alundra! I remember it was being compared to old-school Zelda a lot at the time.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-17 00:05:44 +0000 UTCThanks! I think the "games we didn't play" episode would be great, too. We'll get there!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-17 00:05:28 +0000 UTCSo just like Wild Arms got sweep up prior to FF7 launch there was an amazing RPG called Alundra that came out a few months after that is simply amazing. Still have my orginal copy with the map that means the world to me. Did you ever play it?
Nick Tolve
2018-05-16 20:02:58 +0000 UTCAwesome to hear this! Love you guys and Dagan is really great on these! I think the "games we didn't play" is an excellent idea. For me it is the final fantasy games (except X). Was curious in what order you guys recommend a newbie should play the FF series?
Marc Elfering
2018-05-16 19:17:18 +0000 UTCThat's a fair comparison, I think.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-16 18:03:08 +0000 UTCKojima and Myamoto are the Scorsese and Spielberg of gaming IMHO. That's the easiest way to say how huge they are to gaming. You could easily compare them to Hitchcock and Kurosawa for a more clear comparison of the importance of their contributions to gaming history though.
Christopher Hopkins
2018-05-16 17:38:56 +0000 UTCI liked it a lot. I'm somewhat surprised Sony hasn't revisited it (that's their IP, after all).
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-15 20:05:56 +0000 UTCI've not considered the Tomb Raiders' games legacies, to be honest, especially considering how the franchise "lives again" with these new (really awesome) titles. It's awesome that you can go back and appreciate that stuff for what it is. To me, the 2D stuff from that era holds up best (for the most part).
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-15 20:05:34 +0000 UTCIt's crazy how poorly the early polygonal consoles' libraries hold up from a graphical perspective. PSX, N64, and Saturn all have the same issue.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-15 20:04:26 +0000 UTCI really loved Breath of Fire III. It was my post-Final Fantasy Tactics game in 8th grade, as I recall.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-15 20:03:31 +0000 UTCPSX RGP games were on another level. How did you rate Legend of the Dragoon? It was one of my personal highlights.
Kenny Gutzler
2018-05-15 13:52:42 +0000 UTCGreat episode. I didn't play most of my favorite PS1 games until much later in life, but it impressed me that much more how well they hold up. When I first beat Silent Hill 1 three years ago or so, it immediately went to my Top 5, it's an astounding technical achievement. I also think that classic Tomb Raider games are very underappreciated nowadays. TR2 polished up the controls quite a bit but even with the first game, I’d describe the controls as "having a learning curve“ rather than straight up clunky. I replayed them both last year for the first time since childhood and I finally appreciated how deliberate the controls were. It’s totally possible to master those games. Jumps of various distances force the player to judge their surroundings and prepare for a jump either by doing a long enough run before jumping, or by carefully walking to the edge. Manual grab is a stroke of genius, imo. It bothers me a little that by streamlining third person games (especially in the last two generations), we lost a lot of movement repertoire and direct control over character actions. You compared deliberate play in Resident Evil to Dark Souls and that’s super apt, but I think TR serves as an equally as good comparison because of how it puts you into a natural looking 3D environment where death is always just a bad step away. I think we owe Tomb Raider much more than it gets credit for.
Michal Dudic
2018-05-15 12:11:24 +0000 UTCHi Colin, great show again. I did own a PlayStation around release but video games were starting to take a back seat for me for a while. Nowadays it’s very difficult to appreciate a lot of these games due to weird graphics and controls but most jrpgs are standing the test of time. The only problem there is the expense in acquiring the great ones. I did pick up Wild Arms recently though. I know I could get some of these digitally but here’s a guy who bought a Laserdisc of ‘Nikita’ just to look at. Keep on creating!
Christian Doolan
2018-05-15 10:48:05 +0000 UTCWhen I think of PS1 JRPGs my mind goes first to ‘Legend of Mana’ and ‘Breath of Fire 3’. Both games is not that popular to talk about but I love them.
Philip Andersen
2018-05-15 10:40:09 +0000 UTCThat’s too bad, I would buy quite a few that I have missed.
Marius Skarsem Pedersen
2018-05-15 09:45:21 +0000 UTCPS1 Classics aren't on PS4. Can you believe it?!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-15 06:45:50 +0000 UTCListening to this episode now on the train home, and it got me excited about old PlayStation classic games I missed, so I went to the psn store on the phone to see what ps1 classics I can play on ps4, and maybe I’m missing something, but can you not play ps1 classics on ps4 at all? I hope I’m just looking in the wrong place, I wanna play those cool games you and Dagan are talking about.
Marius Skarsem Pedersen
2018-05-14 19:05:39 +0000 UTCAgreed. And thank you!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-14 17:00:24 +0000 UTCThere was definitely something special about that era when the PS first launched. I remember playing Resident Evil, MGS, Street Fighter Alpha, etc and there was this very tactile feeling that a seismic shift was occurring in the industry. Nintendo finally had some true competition (sorry, Sega kids ;) that wasn't trying to ape them, but rather carve out a new path. As always - awesome podcast, dudes!!
Justin Matkowski
2018-05-14 15:14:25 +0000 UTCSo glad you enjoyed the episode. Thank you for listening!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-13 20:27:44 +0000 UTCYou've gotta play 'em, dude. Very important games! Let me know what you think.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-13 20:27:32 +0000 UTCGreat podcast! Brought back memories of being terrified of RE2, then falling in love MGS and Kojima.
Daniel Gonzalez
2018-05-13 06:30:56 +0000 UTCI’ve never played metal gear solid or symphony of the night (I know, I know) but I do plan on playing these games by the years end, I feel as though i really missed out on these games growing up and I have grown to have a appreciation for older games
Andy Jenereaux
2018-05-13 00:37:30 +0000 UTCGood! The episodes will always be as long as they need to be. Promise.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-12 23:37:11 +0000 UTCThis episode was everything I wanted it to be and more, it’s up there for my favorite episodes of KB. As always, I saw a long running time and rejoiced.
Ian (616Entertainment)
2018-05-12 22:00:16 +0000 UTCIt's never too late! =D
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-12 20:18:27 +0000 UTCLots of awesome memories, for sure. I feel like we could even do another, supplemental episode in the future. Thank you for listening!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-12 20:18:19 +0000 UTCWow, you're insane! LOL. =D
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-12 20:17:48 +0000 UTCThank you for listening! I'm really happy to see/hear the response to this particular episode.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-12 20:17:39 +0000 UTCI didn't pick up a Playstation console until the PS3, so it's very fascinating listening to this episode. There's an entire world of games that I've just never experienced!
Brent Lindquist
2018-05-11 21:29:58 +0000 UTCThe PSone was such a great running machine. Great case size, ran like a dream. I remember taking my original Playstation apart because the disk drive didn't rotate on an even axis so it ended up scratching my THPS2 disk... I was super sad that day. Still remember my first play through of FF VII like it was yesterday. First time fighting the snake outside of Midgar... Man... Those were good times. Good podcast my dudes.
Owen
2018-05-11 19:50:12 +0000 UTCGREAT EPISODE Colin, not only do I prefer FF8 to FF7, but I also love FFX. It's probably my second favorite. Sorry that we're so different in our tastes, but try not to hate on my games! LOL
Alex Castellanos
2018-05-11 16:50:18 +0000 UTCThis has become my favorite episode so far, as I spent as much time with the PS1 as I did with the NES back in the day. Loved every minute of the 2-1/2 hours. Shout out to Dagan for the Syphon Filter mention, that game was intense. Keep up the great work guys!
Bryan Finck
2018-05-11 13:17:14 +0000 UTCI've always been curious why Sony hasn't done anything with Colony Wars in nearly two decades. Not even a PS2 or PSP revival. Nothing.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 08:49:01 +0000 UTCMy parents were anti-videogames growing up. I missed out on NES and SNES. As a 12 year old, I saved up my own money for a PS1 in 97. Been a PS fan ever since. Very nostalgic episode! Glad it was a long one, too. I need to give a shout out to the best console Star Wars game that isn’t Star Wars: Colony Wars!
AjackPilot
2018-05-11 05:06:51 +0000 UTCDude, the off brand memory cards were the fucking worst. Absolute travesty. Thank you for listening! Hope you stick with the show.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 04:32:12 +0000 UTCI wanna do a Side Quest on SEGA Channel one day... but that may actually make more sense as a KnockBack episode, now that you mention it...
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 04:31:41 +0000 UTCThis was my first episode of Knockback and I must say I loved it. I was a Nintendo fanboy growing up, (I’m 34) and owned an NES, SNES and got an N64 at launch. I had no interest in Playstation until I was at my local funcoland and tried a Playstation for the first time. FFVII was the game and it changed my gaming life. I had never played a JRPG and had no idea games could be like that. That moment is engraved in my mind. I played it for about an hour until my parents came to get me and immediately started begging them for jobs to do so I could save up and buy it. I have been a Playstation supporter ever since. Side story.... I bought an off brand memory card because it had way more storage. 40+ hours in, it erased my save file!!!
Matt Matlock
2018-05-11 03:18:44 +0000 UTCStill listening to it, hearing about phantasy star makes me super excited if you guys do an episode on that series. Phantasy Star 4 is probably my first rpg ever. Thanks to Sega channel haha
Joosh
2018-05-11 02:22:52 +0000 UTCI honestly didn't know he felt that way about the game, so it was cool for me to hear that, too.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 02:20:01 +0000 UTCDemo discs were the best. Really nice way to get games out there in the pre-high speed Internet/trailer days.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 02:19:43 +0000 UTCThank you!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 02:19:17 +0000 UTCMad props to Dagan for giving FF8 some love! I agree it's not game changing like FF7 and it had the awful draw of following 7, (I won't defend the draw system or how complicated GF functioning was) but I think it's really underrated and in a vacuum, it's an incredibly solid rpg with memorable characters and a story that has a lot to discover.
Joosh
2018-05-11 02:08:28 +0000 UTCA meaty 2 hour episode about the PS1? Say no more. I still remember getting mine with NFS High Stakes and that fantastic demo disk. I think I played through the MGS demo over a hundred times.
Michael Miller
2018-05-11 01:29:24 +0000 UTCThis is honestly one of the best Knockbacks yet.
Tonys_Always_Write
2018-05-11 00:50:00 +0000 UTCI hope you enjoy it! It's a long one. =D
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-11 00:44:29 +0000 UTCOh man, I can't wait to give this a listen. The original Playstation changed gaming for me back in the day. I was a die hard Nintendo gamer and had the N64. When a buddy of mine introduced me to Metal Gear Solid I was blown away and bought the PS1 as quickly as I could. (I was in like grade 5 going into 6 at the time. Such fond memories. MGS, FF7 and FF8 were my first three games. I'm also in the minority of people that enjoyed FF8 more then 7. LOL
Andrew
2018-05-11 00:28:40 +0000 UTCBon voyage!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 21:53:42 +0000 UTCTaking my first Greyhound bus tomorrow. This will help me survive. Great week of content!
Daniel Boyer
2018-05-10 21:48:12 +0000 UTCYou're very welcome. So pleased that you enjoyed the show! Now get-ta' playin'!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 20:16:20 +0000 UTCSo glad you enjoyed! Dagan and I will dive deep on some of these games in the future. You can expect episodes on SotN, FFVII, etc. When? Who knows. But we wanna do 'em.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 20:16:00 +0000 UTCRemember renting consoles? That shit was awesome. In those serious looking black suitcases.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 20:15:32 +0000 UTCAwesome episode guys! Maybe my favorite yet, also thanks for answering my question and giving me tons of recommendations on JRPGs to play!
Leo Maniscalchi
2018-05-10 19:15:17 +0000 UTC@AlexCastellanos @Dagan :thumbsup: FFVIII. Edit: SO MUCH GREAT CONTENT IN THIS KNOCKBACK, Legend of Legaia, Resident Evil, Xenogears! My favorite CLS content! Loved it, absolutely loved it. Give me more
Dav9834
2018-05-10 19:12:37 +0000 UTCfirst time i played PS1 we rented it from our video store. we got Resident Evil with it... I remember playing that game in the dark. Feel in love while all my loser friends were getting N64.
Joey Finelli
2018-05-10 18:53:20 +0000 UTCIt's my great honor to distract you at work.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 18:32:01 +0000 UTC=) =) =)
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 18:31:49 +0000 UTCAh! You could be right. I actually got that mag for a bit, too. It was the one with the matte cover, right?
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 18:31:40 +0000 UTCPlease enjoy.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 18:31:24 +0000 UTCThank you so much!
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 18:31:17 +0000 UTCThis made me LOL.
Colin Moriarty
2018-05-10 18:31:11 +0000 UTCYes! Now I know how I'm spending the rest of my work day. Thanks for the awesome content!
Mike Chandler
2018-05-10 18:28:21 +0000 UTC@Jason 2.5 hours of Glory!! :highfive:
Dav9834
2018-05-10 18:19:04 +0000 UTCI believe the magazine that Dagan references around 8 minutes in is "Next Gen." I loved thatagazine. Could be wrong, though.
Josh McKinney
2018-05-10 17:20:52 +0000 UTC2.5 hours!!! Hell yeah! This will last me two days of commutes! *does the Snoopy dance*
Jason Stafford
2018-05-10 16:51:30 +0000 UTCYou’re just killing it with awesome content, Colin! Keep up the great work!
Marius Skarsem Pedersen
2018-05-10 16:09:02 +0000 UTCOh man, I'm at work right now and cannot wait to get the fuck out of here and give this a listen.
Ian (616Entertainment)
2018-05-10 16:02:06 +0000 UTC
