Reviews

Back in 1995 review for PS4, PC, PS Vita, Switch, Xbox One

Platform: PS Vita
Also On: PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Developer: Ratalaika Games
Medium: Digital
Players: 1
Online: No
ESRB: T

As someone who spent the entirety of both the PS1 and PS2 generations playing more or less only sports games (and only on Nintendo consoles at that), I?ve always wondered if and when we?d see a revival of early 3D gaming along the lines of what we?ve had with the 8- and 16-bit generations. While I?ve tried playing some classics of the era — Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Dino Crisis — they?ve never done much for me, so I was curious to see whether some enterprising modern-day developers might want to revisit the period with the kind of love and attention we get for classics of the NES/Genesis/SNES era.

Now that I?m getting to experience what that?s like with Back in 1995…I?m not nearly as curious.

I mean, credit where credit is due: Back in 1995 looks, sounds, and plays exactly like you?d expect a game from the PS1 era to look, sound, and play. You can almost see every single polygon on the screen. The music and sound effects are tinny. The voiceover acting is atrocious. Moving your character around the screen is a constant struggle, between controls that you?re fighting against and a camera that has a mind of its own. Even the loading screens have little discs on them to fully complete the illusion.

And, in all honesty, If you have nostalgia for the era, I could see this game appealing to you. While my only exposure to games like Dino Crisis and Resident Evil has come via PS1 classics, Back in 1995 certainly seems to fit right in with those for all the reasons listed in the previous paragraph.

As I said, though, I don?t have nostalgia for the era, which means that Back in 1995 just feels oddly antiquated. It?s entirely possible that some enterprising developer can still revive PS1-era gaming for the better, but this game is very clearly not that.

Ratalaika Games provided us with a Back in 1995 PS4/Vita code for review purposes.

Grade: D-
Matthew Pollesel

Recent Posts

PAX East 2025: Inside the Elden Ring: Nightreign Dome!

For the attendees who remained ticketless, we reveal what’s inside the dome!

18 hours ago

Alien: Rogue Incursion – Part One: Evolved Edition is sneaking onto non-VR PS5 and PC platforms

The latest Alien title is going flat later this year!

18 hours ago

Mafia: The Old Country gets an August 8th, 2025 release, official gameplay trailer and more

With Grand Theft Auto VI officially bumped into next year, now's the time for 2K…

2 days ago

Celebrate the upcoming launch of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 with THPS Fest tonight in L.A. and Twitch

Activision has put together a tribute to the those who helped make Tony Hawk’s Pro…

2 days ago

Sega reveals the English Voice Cast for Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut

Real Yakuza play with subs, but if you need a dub, SEGA’s got your back.

2 days ago

Captain Blood review for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation

It took more than twenty years, but Captain Blood has finally seen the light of…

2 days ago