The Most Memorable Playstation 3 Games

In a recent article, I spoke about the games that marked the PlayStation 2 era the most in the gaming world. The PlayStation 3 era was also marked by great adventures and in today's article I’ll remember the greatest classics of that period.

The point of this list is not to rank the games from worst to best or anything like that, but simply to revisit some games that naturally come to mind when we think of the PS3 era. To do this, I considered criteria such as nostalgia, story and any great innovation that this game may have brought to the time that made it a turning point.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

The Assassin’s Creed franchise is without a doubt one of the most famous ones in gaming, and now we have another chapter in this saga released with Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

The first three chapters of the franchise were notable for introducing us to the world of the assassins, but it was in Black Flag that everything changed. In it, we took on the role of Edward James Kenway, an ex-sailor seduced by the promise of gold and fame into a life of piracy.

Black Flag changed the franchise forever, delivering a game where you had the freedom to explore the sea and battle against other ships while your crew sang pirate ballads, all within a setting that took us straight to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, but with all of the gameplay established by the franchise.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Naughty Dog is responsible for creating some of the biggest franchises in gaming, but Uncharted undoubtedly stands out for reviving the adventure genre, with a special highlight on the second part of the franchise, Among Thieves.

In the game, we once again step into the shoes of Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter in search of the lost city of Sambala, mixing elements from Tomb Raider, 007 and, of course, Indiana Jones. Within the narrative, you’ll face puzzles, moments full of frenetic action and everything else a good adventure should have, all in a well-made setting and with a story that plays its part well. For these reasons, Uncharted 2 is certainly one of the most memorable games in the PS3 era.

Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter is one of the biggest fighting game franchises of all time. It was the first of all of them to introduce special attacks and moves, such as the famous Hadouken. The franchise is also famous for its striking characters and even received anime and live action adaptations, influencing the genre and everything that's come after.

Street Fighter IV resurrected the franchise in the PS3 generation, with new graphics, animations, characters and fun gameplay that’s still remembered by fans today.

Portal 2

Portal 2 marks the era with a new chapter of the famous puzzle game, keeping what worked in the first game and taking it to a completely different level. In Portal 2, players will have to solve complex puzzles using portals to teleport and move forward.

The game brings new characters and mechanics, in addition to delving further into the story behind the Aperture Science experiments. The game also features a new co-op mode, where players can solve puzzles together controlling two new robots, Atlas and P-Body.

Red Dead Redemption

The famous “GTA in the old west”. But Red Dead Redemption is much more than just that, It's an adventure that has us playing the part of an outlaw with a rich history in a setting that brings back the best of Western movies. John Marsden is one of the best-written characters in gaming, with a journey that has left its mark on generations.

The soundtrack is incredible, and the map offers us everything we could wish for at the time the game was released. If GTA can bring richness to an open, interactive and living world, Red Dead Redemption brings these details in its story and characters. Without a doubt, a classic of the PS3 era.

Dark Souls

Demon’s Souls kicked off what is today the Soulslike genre, but it was Dark Souls that solidified everything and served as the foundation for the rest. Dark Souls and its DLC, Artorias of the Abyss, were FromSoftware’s first milestone in the gaming industry. Even though they’d already released other well-received titles which are still remembered to this day, it was in Dark Souls that the vast majority of their fanbase was formed and it’s in this chapter of the Souls series that we’re introduced to the desolate world and the entire premise of the series.

The premise that you’re an undead being on a journey to save the world and that you’ll die several times along the way, returning from the dead to try again and again, improving your skills with each death, is simply brilliant, because that’s literally what you, as a player, are forced to do to finish the game.

You’ll try again and again to defeat the boss until you memorize its movements and patterns and finally overcome the challenge. The game is extremely challenging and invites the player to seek the answers for themselves, since you’ll have very few tips on what to do or which path to follow.

To this day, there’s debate in the gaming community about these games and the inclusion of an easy mode for them, with some arguing that every game should be accessible to more casual players while the majority argue that this is precisely the nature of it, to make you pull your hair out while trying to advance in the gameplay until you succeed, and the euphoria of the victory being the true reward.

All of this started with the first Dark Souls and that’s why it’s impossible not to mention it.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Skyrim was another RPG game that left its mark on this era of gaming. The fifth chapter of the acclaimed series by Bethesda Softworks arrived to continue the events of Oblivion, which was also very well received, so expectations were high and they were definitely exceeded.

The world of Skyrim was everything fans expected and more. Dragons, giants, vampires and werewolves, an interesting political plot amidst an imposing threat. Here we take on the role of the Dohvakiin, the one who has the blood of dragons and the only one capable of stopping the terrible dragon Alduin.

In Skyrim you can do absolutely everything that you could in the previous games and much more, all within a world inspired by Norse mythology, full of snow, ice and mountains. The setting is incredible and there’s not a single second or place on the map where something doesn’ happen that surprises the player. Skyrim has a living and immersive world and, without a doubt, served as inspiration for other successes of the genre that would come in the future.

Batman: Arkham City

To this day considered the best superhero game of all time, Arkham City is the continuation of the Arkham series, a game that puts us in the shoes of the Batman in the best detective style, but takes everything that was good about the first game to a new level.

In Arkham City, you can explore an entire town surrendered to Gotham's horrifying and twisted criminality and deal with the bandits and villains just the way the bat likes it. With incredible combat mechanics and an engaging story, Arkham City served as a mold for many other games of the genre that would come later and is still remembered and acclaimed as the best today.

Grand Theft Auto V

It's impossible to like games without ever having heard of GTA. GTA V is a milestone in gaming history and the franchise and is still considered the best game of all time by many gamers.

Here we take on the role of the eccentric Trevor, the young Franklin and the ex-CIA agent Michael in an engaging narrative full of all the best things in the franchise. However, what makes GTA stand out is not the story itself or the well-crafted characters, but rather the freedom of the open world of San Andreas.

The city lives and breathes and the map is full of Easter eggs and things to do. You can follow the game's story and the three protagonists or you can simply go around causing chaos wherever you go, the choice is yours. And after all of this, the game also has an online mode that can be played alongside other players, and it’s even more chaotic than the base game.

The Last of Us

The Last of Us is not just a game, it’s a cinematic experience. Joel and Ellie's journey through a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by a fungus is simply unforgettable. Each character, each situation the protagonists go through leaves a mark not only on them, but also on whoever is playing. You grow attached to the characters and, without realizing it, you’re completely caught up in the story, anxious to see what’ll happen next.

The Last of Us delivers a complete experience that few games have been able to provide and is still remembered today as one of the most remarkable and memorable games of all time.

The PlayStation 3 was a console which marked an era, and that gave us epic, fun and unforgettable adventures. There are still many other games that I could add to this list, but I believe I’ve covered the main ones, at least the ones that marked my own experience with the console. But what about you, which game from the PS3 era left the biggest impression on you? Leave it in the comments.

Thanks for reading and see you next time.