Since it’s release in 2006, the Playstation 3 has been toiling in third place in this generations console wars. The black behemoth from Sony was billed as the must have device going forward in this high definition world. The most technically proficient of the three consoles, the Playstation 3 promised graphics like no other and the built in Blu-ray player would become the standard in home high definition entertainment. Despite all that the Playstation 3 offered, the high price tag always held it back from truly competing with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii. Now, almost three years later, Sony has announced a thinner, lighter and more efficient model known as the PS3 Slim. Most importantly however, is the new competitive price of $299 the PS3 Slim (and now all PS3s) boasts. So now is as good a time as ever to tell you the ten best games available on the Playstation 3.
10- Resistance 2- “Resistance: Fall of Man” was the first great title on the Playstation 3, so when Insomniac games announced the sequel, fans were eager to see how they’d top themselves. With slightly enhanced graphics, tighter gameplay, better control scheme and of course the massive boss battles, Nathan Hale’s fight against the chimera is one of the best single player first person shooter experiences on any console this generation. Add to that the online eight player co-op and enormous 60 multiplayer online multiplayer, it’s easy to see why the “Resistance” franchise has so many fans.
9- BioShock– Originally an Xbox 360 exclusive, the creepy brilliance of “BioShock” made its way to the PS3 last year and a game of this caliber was worth the wait. Few games have ever had a setting so integral to the gameplay. The magnificent design of the ruined underwater city of Rapture sets the tone perfectly for this frightening first person shooter with RPG elements.
8- The Orange Box– Five games for the price of one. Well, more like three as “Half-Life 2,” “Half-Life 2: Episode 1,” and “Half-Life 2: Episode 2” is basically one game with a continued story line. Either way “Half-Life 2” was one of the most original first person shooters, with the unique gravity gun, when it came out for the PC in 2004, but it still one of the best even the technological advances in recent years. In addition to the spectacular “Half-Life” franchise, the addicting “Team Fortress 2” multiplayer game comes in the box, as well as the greatest puzzle game of all time, “Portal”. The only downside to the PS3 version of the game is some technical issues that include frame rate drop and ridiculous loading times, but it’s still the best value in gaming.
7- Grand Theft Auto IV– Yay! A non FPS game! “GTA IV” was one of the most hyped games ever, and rightfully so as the followup to last gen’s greatest game and one of if not the best ever, “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.” Unfortunately, it is not as good as its predecessor, but it is still loads of fun. With Niko Bellic and the beautiful Liberty City, Rockstar games created one of the deepest, most sympathetic characters in the gaming world and the most realistic city in gaming history. While the cover system is a bit quirky, the gameplay is tons of fun, missions are well thought out and highly entertaining, and what would a “GTA” be without hours of side missions?
6- Killzone 2– Back at E3 2005, Sony showcased the first trailer for “Killzone 2” and nobody thought there was any chance Guerilla Games would make a game look that good. Well, they did. “Killzone 2” is the best looking FPS to date, and the game play is right there with it. Like “BioShock,” “Killzone 2” is fueled off of the desolate setting that is the planet known as Helghan. While the story isn’t anything special, and some of the characters are pretty annoying, seriously you’re gonna want to shoot Rico and Natko in the head, the environments are so beautifully created and the gameplay as fun as you could want from a FPS, there really isn’t any reason to complain. Still, where “Killzone 2” really shines is the online multiplayer. Second (on any console) only to “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” “Killzone 2” will easily suck away a lot of your free time.
5- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare- The first non-historical game in the “Call of Duty” franchise, “Modern Warfare” set the standard for online FPS. The absolutely addicting online multiplayer was the major selling point of the game and it lived up to the hype. Perfectly designed levels coupled with a wide variety of weapons available, buoyed “Modern Warfare” to being the most played online game. Oh, and the single player campaign has probably the single greatest level in a first person shooter.
4- Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune- At the time of its release in fall of 2007, “Uncharted” had the most technically proficient graphics of any game. In addition to the beautiful graphics, “Uncharted” boasted an unusually entertaining and well thought out story line for a video game with a cool twist ending, as well as voice acting that rivals most animated movies.. As Nathan Drake, you, your friend Sully, and a documentarian Elena were on the search for El Dorado, the golden city that eluded your ancestor Francis Drake until his death. Of course it’s not an easy search as there are pirates you’ll fight off throughout the game. A brilliant mix of plat-forming and third person shooting, with the best cover system this side of “Gears of War,” “Uncharted” is a must have for any PS3 owner.
3- Fallout 3- The top three games on this list are all so spectacular, it’s almost unfair to say one is better than another. An excellent story that takes place in a post apocalyptic world of 50s styled science fiction makes this game one of a kind. Even the old time music fits perfectly in what is supposed to be a futuristic setting. The sandbox style gameplay is accentuated by the magnificent setting of The Capital Wasteland. The empty, desolate setting is hauntingly beautiful and the little cities that do exist seem so realistic in their nature. The Karma system in the game makes you think about the decisions you make for your character and adds depth to the characters most games don’t have. Like all of Bethesda’s games, the characters in “Fallout 3” are enhanced by the wonderful voice acting, a cast that includes Liam Neeson (“Schindler’s List”), Malcolm McDowell (“A Clockwork Orange”) and Ron Perlman (“Hellboy“). Unfortunately, all the downloadable content is currently available for the Playstation 3 version, but as is, “Fallout 3” is one of the finest accomplishments in gaming today.
2- Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots– This is Hideo Kojima’s masterpiece, his magnum opus, put simply “Metal Gear Solid 4″ is how a stealth action game is supposed to be made. The rule so far this generation has been, if it’s multi platform, it looks better on the 360, but nothing beats PS3 exclusives. While games like “Killzone 2” and “Uncharted” are beautiful looking games, nothing is even in the same league as “Metal Gear Solid 4.” The character models and settings are CGI worthy, and the movement of Snake is as fluid as anyone could have hoped for. The story of “Metal Gear” is as confusing as ever even after the game, but it’s as intricate and engrossing a story line as there has ever been in a video game. What “Metal Gear Solid” has always been known for is the momentous boss battles, and there is no difference here. The story spans across five acts in five splendid locations including a return to Shadow Moses from the first game of the series. David Hayter’s continued brilliance as the voice of Solid Snake, the new technological additions such as the camouflage suit, the over the shoulder camera angle new to the series, and the richly detailed cutscenes catapult “Metal Gear Solid 4” to the best in the series and one of the best of all time.
1- Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion- There is no doubt that Bethesda Softworks has, thus far, been the best game developer this generation. From the very beginning you can tell this game is something special. With your character in his cell, the Patrick Stewart (“Star Trek: The Next Generation“) voiced Emperor Uriel Septim VII comes in looking for his escape route. After playing through the first part of the game, you exit through a sewer gate and see the province of Cyrodiil for the first time. No feeling in video game history can match the one you get when you first step out of that sewer. The open world in “Oblivion” is as massive as one could imagine. The main story line is epic, and there are four guilds you can join with their own equally amazing story lines. The sheer number of quests and side missions can easily take up hundreds of hours of your life. Like “Fallout 3,” each character has their own personality and is approachable in the game. There are eight cities to travel to and a ninth that has been destroyed by the villainous Mythic Dawn cult. As you explore the enormous world, the plentiful caves and ruins, and even the demonic, Daedric realm of Oblivion, it becomes abundantly clear that there has never been a game as wonderfully detailed or imaginative as “Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.” Even the expansion “Shivering Isles” is massive and though all the downloadable content is not available for the PS3 version, “Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion” is a once and a lifetime video game experience that should not be missed by anyone.
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