With the recent price drop on the PlayStation 3, you’ve finally decided it’s time to pick one up. You’ve hooked it up and maybe watched a Blu-ray or two, but now it’s time to play some games. So which games should you pick up for your shiny new PS3? Of course, you could always pick up a copy of Black Ops or last year’s smash hit Red Dead Redemption, but there are some experiences you can only have on the PS3. We’ve created this handy little startup guide to help make your game-buying purchases a little easier.
1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is easily one of the best games on the PS3. It is a single-player campaign full of edge-of-your-seat action moments, along with a cast of unforgettable characters. This game was developed by Naughty Dog and released in 2009. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has one of the best multiplayer experiences on the PS3. This phenomenal action game tells the story of Nathan Drake as he searches for a lost relic called the Cintamani Stone. It’s a little bit Indiana Jones and a little bit Tomb Raider, with some stealth sequences and some gunfights mixed in. Its real defining feature, however, is the death-defying acrobatic stunt work required of Drake as he searches for clues among ruins, caverns, and war-torn villages. You will be forced to scale the sides of crumbling buildings, cross dangerous chasms, and even dangle precariously from a train car hanging over the edge of a cliff in one of the definitive game openings of this generation.
2. Resistance 2
Resistance 2 is a first-person science fiction shooter style video game. Developed by Insomniac Games in 2008 Resistance 2 takes place in a 1950s United States that is being overrun by aliens called the Chimera. You play as Nathan Hale, a soldier who has been infected with the Chimeran virus. During the campaign, you will fight several regular-sized Chimera, but you’ll also have to take down some epic Godzilla-sized creatures as well. Needless to say, Resistance 2 can be an adrenaline rush.
And if single player isn’t your thing, Resistance 2 supports up to 60 players in its insane online battles. Resistance 2 is a great looking game, designed to show off what a graphical powerhouse the PS3 is.
3. LittleBigPlanet 2
Sure, LittleBigPlanet 2 has a kid-friendly look to it. But don’t let that fool you; this is an immensely enjoyable title that lets you create levels—and even your own games—with a powerful toolset. LittleBigPlanet 2 was developed by Media Molecule and was released in 2011. You can build side-scrolling adventures, top-down shooters, and even racing games. And if creating a detailed story mode is more your thing, you can do that too.
For those of you who like to spend ludicrous amounts of cash on add-on content, LittleBigPlanet 2 is constantly upgrading its arsenal of bonus costumes, items, and even levels. And there are millions of levels and games already created by other LittleBigPlanet 2 players that you can take for a spin completely free of charge. No matter how hardcore you are, LittleBigPlanet 2 will penetrate your hardened shell and find a special place in your heart. We promise.
4. Heavy Rain
There have been several terrible examples of “interactive movie”-style video games in the past, especially during the SEGA CD era. But Heavy Rain finally gets that formula just right. It’s a dark game that has players track down a serial killer who likes to drown victims. Heavy Rain was released in 2010 and developed by Quantic Dream. It’s a deeply emotional and unsettling experience, to say the least. You will take control of four different characters throughout the game, each giving you more insight into the disturbing mind of the Origami Killer. Whether you are trying to keep your son from being the next victim as Ethan Mars, or investigating the case as photojournalist Madison Paige, Heavy Rain is an engaging thrill ride until the very end.
If you want a game that feels like the latest fast-paced thriller novel—and is just as difficult to put down—Heavy Rain is the game for you.
5. inFAMOUS 2
inFAMOUS 2 is an open world action adventure game, developed by Sucker Punch Productions in 2009. You get to play as Cole MacGrath, a man with some pretty cool powers. In fact, you get to start out with all the powers you gained in the original inFAMOUS, so you won’t have to go through any of the painful “here’s how you lose all your cool stuff from the first game” business that is so common in this sort of game. (We’re looking at you, Metroid.)
The inFAMOUS games are innovative in that they don’t give you a clear definition of good and evil. With their trademark Karma system, they often make you stop to think about the best way to approach a situation. Do you want to take out the baddies one at a time, or do you want to hurl an exploding car, potentially killing several innocent people in the process? Your Karma will affect the way people treat you, and will also determine which ending you get to see.
inFAMOUS 2 makes you feel like a superhero, but also doesn’t let you forget that all this power comes with some pretty difficult choices.
6. Portal 2
Portal 2 is one of the best games to come out so far this year. This game is a puzzle styled video game developed by Valve and released in 2011. It pits you against a murderous A.I. to solve puzzles that will most likely kill you. But the real drawing point of Portal 2 is its brilliant brand of dark humor that will have you laughing until you cry. And that’s not to mention some of the best characters in the history of gaming. You’ll be reintroduced to GLaDOS, the aforementioned murderous A.I. form the first Portal, and you’ll get to meet Wheatley, a whimsical personality core with Stephen Merchant’s voice. You’ll also stumble upon some highly entertaining prerecorded messages from the egomaniacal Cave Johnson, voiced by none other than J.K. Simmons.
Sure, your Xbox 360 friends are playing Portal 2, but the PS3 version has full Steam support. This means you can chat with your Steam friends even if they are using a PC or Mac, and you can even play online with them. And don’t forget that every PS3 copy of the game includes the Steam version for free.
7. No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise
Did you pick up a PlayStation Move along with your PS3, only to find that most of your Move options were limited to those casual limb-flailing party games? Well, No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise is your solution. No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise is a hack and slash action adventure video game bound to keep players on the edge of their seats. Developed by Feelplus it was released in 2007 for the Wii and 2008 for PlayStation 3.
The game tells the story of Travis Touchdown, a laid-back gamer who sort of accidentally becomes the number eleven ranked assassin in the world. With a little prodding from the super sexy Sylvia Christel, Travis sets out to become number one. Along the way, he encounters completely over-the-top bosses who he must eviscerate to make his way up the ladder. When he’s not gutting assassins or their henchmen, he has to do menial side jobs to earn a bit of cash.
Sure, it’s got a few flaws in its pacing, but No More Heroes: Heroes’ Paradise is an unforgettably unique experience that will make you proud to be a PlayStation Move owner.