Warning: Some Spoilers for Old Games

I've been playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth lately, and it's wonderful. What Peter Jackson did for The Lord of the Rings, Tetsuya Nomura and Naoki Hamaguchi have done for Final Fantasy. Playing this modern retelling of the game is like seeing the face of a loved one for the first time after LASIK. Scenes that were burned into my 16-year-old mind now appear in almost photorealistic clarity.

That said, there is a charm to the original PlayStation's cut scene style. Remember, Toy Story hit theaters in 1995, just months after the PlayStation went on sale. Before then, most mainstream audiences had never seen fully-rendered polygonal animation outside of the Dire Straits' video "Money for Nothing" a decade prior.

The idea that this level of computer animated storytelling was even possible, let alone on a home console, was revolutionary. There is an interstellar distance between the 16-bit world of, say, Chrono Trigger and a PlayStation-era Final Fantasy. The former is gorgeous. The latter was a world-shattering paradigm shift.

Nowadays, the nostalgia wave has embraced the old school PlayStation style. Indie game makers, mostly in horror, embrace the smooth textures and lack of detail as an aesthetic rather than a setback. The cutscenes of yore are regarded as an art form in their own right instead of just a stepping stone to something better.

So today, let's look at what that old hardware could really do. Here are ten of the best uses of the old school PlayStation when it comes to cut scenes.

  10. Aerith's Death (Final Fantasy VII)

The list is going to have a lot of Final Fantasy in it because, frankly, they did it animated cut scenes better than almost anyone at this time. Obviously, the grandaddy of them all is Aerith's emotional death scene at the end of Disc 1 in the original Final Fantasy VII. A whole generation of children and teenagers learned to cry from this moment, and it lives in infamy to this day.

9. Axel's Ending (Twister Metal 2)

Of course, not everything was polygonal on the PlayStation. A few games tried different approaches. Twisted Metal 2 went with what are now called motion comics, 2D sprites manipulated and moved like paper doll puppets. Every single ending from Twisted Metal 2 is iconic, but if you had to pick just one to be the best, it would be Axel's. Not only is it a rare happy ending (sort of) ending in the series, but the voice acting is incredible. Trigger warning: self harm.

  8. Kain's Resurrection (Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain)

I've talked before about how I think Legacy of Kain is a Shakespearean masterpiece that deserves another shot on current generation consoles. Most of the love is given to the Soul Reaver entries, but the original had some incredible moments as well. Kain's monologue about death and vengeance was something spectacular.
  7. Waltz on the Moon (Final Fantasy VIII)

Full confession, I am one of those people who doesn't like Final Fantasy VIII. However, even I can admit that the waltz scene is something extraordinary. While it doesn't top VI's famous opera, it is executed brilliantly, and lends Squall some much needed humanizing in the story.

6. Sniper Wolf's Death (Metal Gear Solid)

Not every great moment in PlayStation 1 history was in a pre-rendered cut scene. There was also some amazing in-engine work. None of it tops the death of Sniper Wolf in the original Metal Gear Solid. Her character model might not move her mouth, but voice actress Tasia Valenza puts on a masterclass about Wolf's childhood as a Kurd who has never known anything but war.

5. Zidane is Alive (Final Fantasy IX)

Last Final Fantasy, I promise. The ending of Final Fantasy IX still makes me cry, which is why I used this reaction video from SherrySnax instead of just a straight capture (skip to 20:50 to see the waterworks). Even in a series known for its unforgettable endings, IX stands out for its sheer emotional catharsis.

4. Lisa's Transformation (Silent Hill)

Silent Hill 2 is so perfect that people forget just how pioneering its predecessor was. Nothing shows that off better than Lisa's transformation into a monster. The true meaning of the transformation is still debated to this day, but it's clear that this kind, caring woman was being dragged through Silent Hill's malevolent influence against her will. The game even cleverly works the door loading screens into the scene, having Harry Mason back out of one and barricade it against Lisa.

3. Rat Transformation (Parasite Eve)

Final Fantasy wasn't the only place Square was making waves during this console generation. The horror RPG Parasite Eve is another underrated gem that will hopefully be resurrected one day. Until then, get a load of this gruesome monster transformation starring an infected rat. I legit had nightmares about this scene.

2. Raziel's Execution (Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver)

The majority of Soul Reaver's cut scenes were in-engine, but the opening is a pre-rendered marvel. We see the twisted world of Nosgoth laid out in epic detail, as well as the cruel execution of Kain's top lieutenant, Raziel, for having the temerity to evolve before him. It accomplishes so much narrative in such a short period of time, and should be a template for the entire video game medium.

1. The Edge of Soul (Soul Blade)

When you need an intro to sell the absolute badassery of your weapon-based fighter, it doesn't get better than Soul Blade. It has everything. Slapping theme song, high stakes battles, a little nudity, and poignant glimpses of all the characters you'll shortly be controlling. I would program my phone to play this as m y morning alarm if I could. The game itself may not have been as good as classics like Tekken 3, but in initial presentation from the get-go it has no equal. There is no better argument for the power of classic PlayStation 1 animation technology than this.