Minor spoilers : There are some absolute crackers that have been left off this list as they were either remastered or re-released on PS4 and will perhaps feature on that list. PS4 top 5 to come shortly!
Again, the following games have been selected purely from my own personal opinion and provided the best gaming experience for me on the PS3. They are also in no particular order :
Uncharted 2
The second outing for Nathan Drake and a huge leap forward in terms of graphics, storytelling & action set pieces. The game starts with bravado halfway through the story and sets you off literally hanging on for dear life. The white knuckle ride doesn’t end there as this masterpiece guides you through set piece after set piece feeling more like an action movie than a game at times. The experience is truly exillerating from start to finish and testiment to Naughty Dog’s inventiveness in storytelling. Sure two more games game after this one and some might argue that Uncharted 4 had the superior graphics but for me, Uncharted 2 was the pinnacle of action, pacing & storytelling and by the time we got to the fourth installment, it felt like we’d seen all the high octane action before (namely in Uncharted 2!)
Portal 2
What can I say about this game. Unconventional gameplay based around puzzle solving. The charm of this game lies in it’s very dark sarcastic sense of humour. The plot sees the protagonist unwillingly taking part in ‘science experiments’ which really be called ‘death traps’. The amazing character of the psycho computer named Glados (who also shone in the first game) is eclipsed by the good intentioned Wheatley, voiced deftly by the very funny Stephen Merchant. The puzzles are clever but never to the point of frustation and the plot takes lots of funny and devious turns as you play through. There a genuine laugh out loud moments in this game. This is one of those rare games that you can play in front of a non-gamer and suddenly find you have converted them. Glados and Wheatley will make you smirk fondly long after you’ve finished the game.
Arkham City
How do you follow up one of the greatest games featuring the Dark Knight? Simple, make everything bigger, better and more polished in every conceivable way! The first game really nailed what it would feel like to be the brooding hooded hero and Arkham city took every gaming mechanic and tweaked it to perfection. Taking place in an open city and introducing loads more comic book villians than before. Soaring through Arkham city feels amazing and the free flowing combat system has more robust animations than before making all your moves look smoother and giving you the sense that you truly are a bad ass (as long as you keep your streak going). The predator sections were great and although most boss battles were dull, the fight with Dr. Freeze stands out as truly inventive and memorable. The story also is intricate and will throw you with it’s twists and turns until a rather bold conclusion that will leave the player stunned. A game not to be missed.
BioShock Infinite
I was unfortunately late to the Bioshock party. The first title’s major plot twist had long since been spoiled for me before playing it. It was refreshing to run through Bioshock infinite then with no clue where the journey would take me. And what a journey it was! Set in the marvelous floating city of Columbia (Yes it’s literally a city floating up in the clouds) You play as Booker DeWitt who’s initial mission is to save the girl (Elizabeth). Textbook stuff for most games but it changes very quickly. The voice acting here is absolutely top notch. A first person shooter at heart that deals with many themes, such as racism, civil war, time travel, alternate realities & Armageddon!! Yes that seems like a tall order but with Ken Levine’s skillful direction, this game grabs your attention from the word go and enthralls you with a heart felt if complicated story. The game play itself is your standard run & gun and can feel repetitive but the addition of Elizabeth as an actual useful sidekick and compassionate character helps to keeps things fresh. The intriguing plot is what will have you compelled to progress though as it teases us with more questions than answers as you go along. By the time I was finished Bioshock Infinite, I was truly impressed by how well they had managed to tell such an impressive and complicated story while leaving me with lingering questions to ponder long after completion. A masterpiece in storytelling!
Red Dead Redemption
When I said these Top 5 were in no particular order…..well I lied a little! I definitely saved the best for last. An open world western game from the mighty games company Rockstar. The biggest difference between this game and the GTA franchise was that it felt like Rockstar made a huge effort to play this one straight. Telling a thoughtful story about revenge and redemption for our hero in an impressive recreation of the wild west. James Marston is one of the greatest characters in any game I’ve played and his story is as entertaining as it is heartfelt. I enjoyed hour after hour fully immersed in this beautiful world. The game design was nearly perfect and had subtleties that few games have. The musical score was sparse making moments like travelling to Mexico feel truly special as the perfect selected piece of music ‘so far away’ starts to play in the background. Without giving too much away, the game story ends with a brilliant if slightly soul destroying conclusion. A must play game for everyone and the absolute perfect song swan for the PS3. Simply brilliant!
So what were your favorites? Did I touch on any you liked or miss any corkers? Let me know in the comments below!
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