For me, the best year for PlayStation and gaming in general is 2001. Too much goodness at one time.

1999 Baby!

Grandia

Final Fantasy VIII

Lunar:SSSC

Thats really a tough one but it takes the cake cause these three games are very nostalgic for me.

Xenogears came out in 1998.

Kinda surprised 2001 isn't getting more love.

Ico, FFX, Devil May Cry, Red Faction, Onimusha, Grand Theft Auto III, Jak and Daxter, Twisted Metal Black, Silent Hill 2, Gran Turismo 3, etc.

Oh lord, I didn't even consider handheld titles. That might completely change my pick.

2001 beats 1998 for me when talking Playstation only.
Ico, Jak and Daxter, GTA 3, GT3, Burnout, SSX Tricky, Silent Hill 2 and Baldur's gate dark alliance made the year,

1998 had Xenogears as well.... So 1998

1998. Rival schools. Me and my friends would play this nearly everyday after school. Such good time and good sfuff

1998. In addition to the games you listed, 1998 on PSone also had:

Vigilante 8
Rogue Trip
NFS III Hot Pursuit
X-Men vs SF
Tenchu

But really MGS and GT set it apart from the other years imho.

2001 alone had:

zone of the Enders
Onimusha
Klonoa 2
Atv off-road fury
Gran turismo 3
The bouncer
Devil may cry
Jak and daxter
Metal gear solid 2
Final fantasy X
Ico
Grand theft auto 3
Silent hill 2
Ace combat 4


There's been some good years since 2001, but that year will always stand out to me as the best year in PlayStation.