ePSXe

ePSXe is a program that lets you emulate the original Playstation on your PC.

The Playstation console was the first to give gamers their chance at enjoying fully realised 3D worlds in what was at the time cutting edge 32bit graphics. It's main competitor was the Nintendo 64 which had twice the processing power but due to it's cartridge based loading system, didn't have access to the full motion videos that made titles like Final Fantasy 7,8 and 9 so memorable.

The console launched or revolutionised series that remain popular to this day based on the solid grounding they got with the Playstation or the updated play style that came with 3D environments and impressive video sections. For instance the Metal Gear series that had been an accomplished series in it's own right on the NES and SNES consoles grew into a stealth action epic with some of the most memorable characters and action scenes in video gaming history. Another series that saw it's absolute zenith on the original Playstation was the Final Fantasy games. A long time bastion of the role playing game scene, Final Fantasy 7's release on the Playstation saw a huge resurgence in popularity for the series as well as introducing western audiences to the joys of Japanese RPGs.

Companies and titles were also born on the system. Crash Bandicoot didn't make it far past the first Playstation console but it's huge popularity there spawned a number of sequels on the platform. It also saw their developer Naughty Dog shoot to prominence and go on to launch franchises such as the Drake series and The Last of Us. Another example of now industry staples to get it's beginnings on the Playstation is Codemasters' Colin McCrae rally that's releasing it's latest installment of the series, now titled DiRT, this year.

So if you want to delve back into the world of one of the most popular games consoles ever created but don't fancy sifting through bins at the charity shop, then eXPSe is a free download that does a great job of easily and comprehensively letting you play downloaded PSX disk images on your PC.

Pros

• Easy to Use
• Gives Access to a Huge Library of Games
• Lots of Controller Compatibility Options

Cons

• PSX Graphics Are a Little Dated