Ballistix
It's not often you see a sports game with such an inventive twist applied to it, but that's exactly what Psygnosis did in 1991 with Ballistix. In the game, you direct a puck into a goal by shooting smaller projectiles at it, while at the same time watching out for what the defending layers are doing. You'll need to score three goals on the court in order to move on to the next round of play, but if you should somehow lose, you just need to restart the round. Featuring an impeccable design that's right on cue with some of Psygnosis' best and gameplay that's easy to learn yet hard to master, Ballistix is a favorite well worth rediscovering.
Assault Rigs
"Entering arener!" Releasing right at the start of the PlayStation's life cycle, Assault Rigs presented an interesting set-up to the usual tank game, requiring you to collect gems that are scattered throughout each virtual stage, while avoiding incoming fire from enemies and destroying them with well-timed shots. Featuring 42 levels and 20 power-ups in which to take advantage of, the game offered prolonged play time that most games couldn't provide at the time. It was also one of the first games to take advantage of the PlayStation Link Cable, allowing two players to hook up PlayStation units together so they could go head-to-head. Obviously this is a more primitive approach to multiplayer than we know it now, but for its time, it was pretty cool. If you can track down a used copy of Assault Rigs, we highly recommend it.
Discworld
The point and click genre wasn't as wildly popular in the PlayStation age as it was earlier in the PC era, but that didn't stop Psygnosis from giving it a try with the release of Discworld. Featuring a lavish art design that most games couldn't match at the time and superstar voicework from Monty Python alum Eric Idle, the game had plenty of humorous situations to get through, as well as great gameplay elements (even with the point-and-click interface) and puzzles to solve. It may not have been the right game for everyone, but those appreciative of the genre — or maybe Monty Python-esque humor — got a kick out of it. It was followed by a sequel, but nothing beats the original, I think.
Wipeout HD/Fury
Finally, we come to a title that's really one of the best racing games of this generation for the PlayStation 3, a little gem called Wipeout HD. Released a few years back for PlayStation Network, hardly any racing game has been able to reproduce the unmatchable 60-frames-per-second speed and captivating detail than HD provides, with its futuristic landscape, winding courses and wild lighting effects. For that matter, the gameplay remained true to the nature of Wipeout games, and offered a significant value for only $15.
For that matter, the game got even better with the addition of the dark Fury pack, featuring a number of new course types and plenty of presentation add-ons to make the game experience feel that much deeper. Currently, Sony is selling these together as a package deal, and for a decent price at that. In honor of Psygnosis' demise, we highly suggest picking it up and joining us on the race way for some good ol' racing fun. Oh, and Wipeout 2048 on the PS Vita will suffice as well.
The others…
There were other great Psygnosis games that we missed out on, like the underrated tank action game Krazy Ivan; the adventurous Chronicles of the Sword; the G-Police series; the crazy Destruction Derby racing games; and Microcosm, one of the first full-motion video games to effectively make use of the medium. These will not be forgotten either…
So what were your favorite Psygnosis games?
Sigh. It's sad how much the industry changes, and how some studios just can't accept the fact that bigger companies can't afford to keep them open anyone. That's the fate that recently befell Psygnosis, aka Studio Liverpool. In the running for nearly three decades in the industry now, the hammer fell on the team this month when Sony, in the midst of restructuring, chose to close its doors.
But to close the door on the legacy of Psygnosis is impossible. The company has been operating for some time, for getting its start on systems like the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64 before eventually moving on to newer platforms. A lot of folks think that their biggest heyday occurred in the PlayStation era, when games like Colony Wars, G-Police and the original WipeOut got all sorts of attention, as those were titles that helped put Sony on the map in the first place.
So, with that, I've decided to compile a list of Psygnosis/Studio Liverpool's best games, as sort of a way to pay tribute to the company for everything they did. The doors may be closed, but the sheer wonder of their game design will live on in our fondest memories.
Note: These may be out of order, but all of them in general are worth checking out, if you feel like exploring a little.
Lemmings
What better way to start than with one of the best puzzle/strategy games ever made? In Lemmings, you guide a number of those suicidal little buggers across a variety of stages, using different classes to perform various duties to reach the end of the stage. The game first got its start on smaller game platforms, but when it arrived on PlayStation, it hit the big time, with various sequels following, including 3D Lemmings, Lemmings 2: The Tribes and, our personal favorite, Oh No! More Lemmings. Spin-offs also ensued, including the excellent platformer The Adventures of Lomax, among others. The game is rumored to be making a comeback as part of Sony's new mobile initiative for PS Vita, so we'll see where that goes. We just need to kill more of these suckers…
Colony Wars
Many people think that Star Wars: Starfighter is the definitive space adventure series to go to when it comes to old-school gaming. To which we respond, "Um, no, we can think of something better." And that's none other than the Colony Wars trilogy, which really captivated back in its day on the original PlayStation. Creating thrilling new worlds along the same lines as Battlestar Galactica, the Colony Wars games also had great space shooting action, as well as a storyline and various missions that urged you to keep playing, even later in the night. The original game was a blast, and the follow-ups, Vengeance and Red Sun, were hardly anything to scoff at. It just saddens us that the game will never get a chance to shine in the next generation of games. Here's hoping Sony considers a re-release of the originals on PSN some day.
Wipeout
It's funny how a racing game can come out of nowhere in a launch line-up and really shake things up. In the 90's, when the PS One was just gaining its footing, Wipeout was able to establish a huge user base with its cool techno soundtrack, schnazzy visuals and riveting gameplay. Whether you were taking heavy boosts on an anti-gravity course or firing missiles to take the lead at the last minute, the game presented plenty of terrific racing opportunities. And the sequels have just been getting better over the years, including the underrated Wipeout Fusion on PS2 and Wipeout 64 on Nintendo 64. But there's one game lately that really stands out in the series. More on that in a second…
Shadow of the Beast
In 1989, Psygnosis managed to eke out a great side-scrolling series with the release of Shadow of the Beast. The game was a little more technically inclined than we were expecting from a side-scroller, but it managed to entertain with a solid premise, a higher difficulty setting and plenty of action. The game has since been released for multiple systems, including the Atari Lynx and the Turbo Duo, but most folks remember it fondly on the older PC's. Two sequels followed, but nothing came close to topping the original.
