Sometimes, PC ports turn outstanding PlayStation games into a disaster. Other times, they are excellent. Let’s take a look at the best and worst examples.
Sooner or later, most PC gamers ask themselves whether they should buy a PlayStation, especially when the next game in their favourite series is going to be a PS exclusive for at least a year. PC gamers also know that PlayStation to PC ports are like a lottery: You never know whether it’ll be great or a total loss.
The history of PC ports includes dozens of examples ranging from excellent to horrendous ports. Some were so bad they were temporarily pulled back from sales. Others were so good that gamers forgot the game was originally never meant to be played on a computer. The majority falls somewhere in the middle.
This list focuses on five examples of each end.
Also Read: Will There Be a PS5 Pro?
The 5 Best Ports From PlayStation to PC
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn came to PCs in August 2020 and is a great example of a PlayStation-to-PC port that works well. Initially, gamers with less powerful computers had problems running the game, but that was to be expected, considering the game’s stunning graphics.
Today, the game runs smoothly, and PC gamers hope Horizon Forbidden West will make it to their computers soon. Aloy has become a favourite character for many gamers, especially because she is an excellent example of a well-done female protagonist.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Fans of Final Fantasy VII remembered the port of the original and worried that the remake might also suffer from many issues. Fortunately, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was an excellent game that runs smoothly on PCs. It is a masterpiece with some faults, sure, but these faults have nothing to do with it being a port.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake stays true to the original’s atmosphere and story but has fresh gameplay and beautiful graphics. Compared to the port of the original FFVII, this port is close to perfect.
Journey
This game’s history dates back to 2012, when it was released for PlayStation 3. A PS4 version followed in 2015. In 2019 Journey was released for PC. The unique indie game takes players on an interesting journey through sweeping landscapes. It has won multiple awards.
Thanks to its beautiful soundtrack, graphics, and gameplay, this short but awesome game is a great gaming experience no matter which system you play it on.
Persona 5
Persona 5 is available on multiple platforms now, including PC. The highly-rated game shows that there’s no excuse for a PlayStation game not to run smoothly on computers.
Fans of turn-based RPGs in anime style should not miss this game. The PC version runs as smoothly as the PlayStation version but offers a few more settings you can adjust for graphics and sound.
God of War
If you don’t count the mobile God of War game released in 2007, the God of War franchise was exclusive to PlayStation for a long time. PC gamers have been hoping for ports of God of War games for a long time. In 2022, the day finally came.
From the start, gamers could tell that much effort had been put into turning this PlayStation-to-PC port into something great. The game runs smoothly without being too hardware-hungry and plays like a PC game which doesn’t feel like a clunky PlayStation port.
Speaking of clunky: Let’s look at the worst PC ports.
Also Read: God of War: Ragnarok PC Requirements + Release Update
The 5 Worst Ports From PlayStation to PC
Final Fantasy VII (Original Version)
There’s no doubt that Final Fantasy VII is one of the best games in the series. The story breaks your heart, and there is much to do and explore in this game. It is a lot of fun when you can get past how clunky the PC port feels. Another solution is to research and install community-made mods that tackle some issues.
It’s not unplayable by any means, but you can tell that this game was never designed with PC players in mind. The PC port of FFVII and other older games of the series feels lazy.
The Last of Us Part 1
Gamers had been looking forward to this port for a long time. After all, The Last of Us Part 1 isn’t exactly a new game. When the PC port was finally there, it was a disaster for most of the player base: Gamers had to deal with infinite loading screens, crashes, stuttering, and graphic bugs that turned the game into a psychedelic experience. And those were the gamers with high-end gaming computers.
Don’t even ask gamers who tried to play the game with the minimum requirements. By now, most problems have been resolved, and gamers can enjoy the great story of this game without being thrown back to the desktop every time a cutscene starts. Unfortunately, gamers will always remember how terrible this port was in the first few weeks after release.
Also Read: The Last of Us Part 1 Walkthrough and Guide Series
Resident Evil 4 (Original 2007 PC-Port)
In 2007, Resident Evil 4 was ported to PC for the first time, and it was a total disaster. One example: It lacked mouse support, a big issue for PC gamers. Plus, there was a serious lack of graphical options and the game suffered from various other issues.
Fortunately, the newer Resident Evil 4 port gamers can get from Steam is much better. Gamers need to avoid the 2007 port if they come across it.
Batman: Arkham Knight
When Arkham Knight was released for PC, it was a beautiful disaster. You could still enjoy the game, but you had to be willing to fiddle around with settings and even edit the game’s configuration file. It was so bad that the game was temporarily pulled from sales.
After many fixes and patches, the game is better to play, but gamers still report that frame rates can rise and fall without a good reason. The game often stutters when you try to enjoy some driving in your batmobile.
Dark Souls
The port of Dark Souls was a mess. The producer had no problem admitting this. He said the port had been rushed, and some improvements would have taken too long. So, issues were expected before the port was even released. And there were plenty of issues. Tech-savvy gamers wrote guides for other gamers so they could try to fix these issues themselves.
Fortunately, everyone learned from this experience, and the ports of sequels are far better gaming experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Games Get Ported From PlayStation to PC?
For now, not as many games as PC players would like! While there are many PC ports already, PlayStation generally only thinks about releasing a port when a game is very popular, and there is a high demand among PC players. The number of new PC ports changes from year to year.
Why Are There So Many Problems with PlayStation to PC Ports?
Problems with PC ports usually happen because there is a difference in how gamers play on consoles and computers. For one, computer gamers like using a mouse and keyboard to navigate through games, while PlayStation games are programmed with a controller in mind. The other big source of problems is that PlayStations have just one hardware set-up while PC gamers play with a wide variety of systems. PC ports sometimes neglect to address that.
Will More Games Be Ported From PlayStation to PC in 2023?
According to Sony, the future of PlayStation to PC ports looks great. Some great titles will be released in 2023, but even more will come in the future. By 2025, about a third of all PlayStation games will also get a PC version after some time as a PlayStation exclusive.
Author Profile
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Name: Kim Anisi
Intro: Gaming has been my passion since childhood. The journey started when I received hand-me-down games on Atari and Amiga systems from my brother and I now mainly play games on PC. Among the vast genres in the gaming world that I have tried, my personal favourites are RPGs, MMORPGs, (Action) adventures, horror games, and settlement/city builders. Overcoming the challenges and helping others in games provide a great satisfaction to me.