28 Years Ago Today: PlayStation Releases One of the Most Underrated Games Ever

Thursday marks 28 years since the PlayStation console released the ultimate hidden gem video game in North America.

June 4, 1998, marks the birth of beloved British rapper Central Cee. That same day, the NHL's Washington Capitals defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime to punch the franchise's first ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

On that same day, PlayStation (also known as PS1), released Vigilante 8. Nearly 30 years later, it holds the distinction of being one of the most underrated video games of the late '90s.

Vigilante 8 is a vehicular combat video game, set in the western United States in the 1970s. Gamers select one of 12 characters to play as, either in story, arcade or multiplayer mode.

The six protagonists in the video game, the Vigilantes, fight against a villainous group called the Coyotes. The Vigilantes are trying to stop the Coyotes from starting an oil crisis with the help of the Oil Monopoly Alliance Regime (OMAR), a powerful corporation looking to create havoc in the U.S.

On this day in 1998, "Vigilante 8" was released for PlayStation® in North America! pic.twitter.com/L2CJlFKyon

— PSX Mania (@PSxMania_) June 4, 2026

Each character has a retractable machine gun and a special weapon power-up. For example, Beezwax the beekeeper (a Coyote) will send a flurry of bees to attack his enemies. Slick Clyde (a Vigilante) uses lightning bolts to inflict damage. Characters can pick up extra health, weapons and power-ups (a shield, double damage on enemies, etc.) across the map.

The game would be released on Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color one year later.

‘Vigilante 8' Spawned One Sequel and a 2008 Remake

The success of Vigilante 8 led to the quick release of a sequel, Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense, one year later. The sequel was released on Dec. 1, 1999 on PlayStation, and for Nintendo 64 two months later.

A remake of the first game, Vigilante 8 Arcade, was released in Nov. 2008 on Xbox 360.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 4:21 PM.