Summary

  • The PS3, with over 80 million units sold, left a lasting impact with iconic games like Metal Gear Solid 4 and BioShock.
  • Uncharted 3, a standout title, provided insight into Nathan Drake's backstory, blending stunning graphics with engaging gameplay.
  • Grand Theft Auto 4, a top-rated game, showcased deep storytelling and chaotic spirit, setting a high standard for the series.

Released in 2006, the PlayStation 3 was at the forefront of gaming for seven years. It introduced an entirely new era of gaming, incorporating the PlayStation network and ushering in a social style of gaming that millions of people across the world are familiar with today. As rival company Microsoft made steps with their Xbox consoles, and assumed heavy-hitter Sega halted their console production in 2001, PlayStation knew they had to solidify their place as unrivaled in the gaming world.

Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess
Best Nintendo GameCube Games, Ranked

The Nintendo GameCube may not have been as successful as the Wii, but it still had some fan favorites. Here are the console's best games.

Selling well over 80 million units since its release, the PS3 is known to be a brilliant console with immense longevity. Holding its own in the gaming world for seven years, until the release of the PS4 in 2013, there are multiple award-winning games that found their home on this iconic console. Its final title, Fifa 19, was released in 2018, after several years of success and over a thousand titles, and marked the end of a period of undeniable brilliance for this seventh-generation console. Luckily, the PS3 holds up excellently to this day and players might be surprised to learn how many truly legendary games first found their home on Sony's home console.

14 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metascore: 94

Metal-Gear-Solid-4 Cropped
Metal-Gear-Solid-4 Cropped
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
June 12, 2008
Developer(s)
Kojima Productions
Platform(s)
PS3

Released on the PS3 in 2008, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots shows iconic super soldier Solid Snake in the future, after he's grown into an older, and far more tired warrior. It's clear that his body and skills aren't what they used to be, but there's a great slew of new tech to keep him going.

This proved to be a polished and sleek addition to the immensely popular Metal Gear Solid series. It delivered one of the most consistent experiences of the franchise, providing a captivating story and elevating the classic gameplay to a truly series-defining level. It was clear that developers had learned from their previous titles, and made this the culmination of over a decade of adventures.

13 BioShock

Metascore: 94

Big Daddy and Little Sister examining the player in BioShock
BioShock
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
August 21, 2007
Developer(s)
Irrational Games
Platform(s)
PC, PS3, Xbox 360

This BAFTA-winning game was originally released on Windows and Xbox, and ported to the PS3 in 2008 to critical renown. This retro-futuristic title was the first in a series of immensely popular BioShock games that have become known far and wide in the gaming world for their genre-defying narratives and gameplay.

Nathan Drake looking down beside a screenshot from Bio Shock as an enemy attacks the player
Every BAFTA Game Of The Year Winner

Since 2004, BAFTA has been awarding various honors to select video games, including the prestigious Game of the Year award.

BioShock is, in essence, a first-person shooter set in a dystopian future full of dated technology and esthetics. It was praised for its brilliantly immersive environment and subversive storyline, as well as the smooth and engaging gameplay. Without giving away too much, nothing is quite what it seems, and the player has the freedom to secure their own destiny.

12 Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Metascore: 94

Uncharted 3 Ubar Eclipse
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
November 1, 2011
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog

While in the context of the legendary series, Uncharted 3 doesn't shine the brightest, compared to the thousands of PS3 titles, it still stands tall as one of the best games to ever grace the console. Following Nathan Drake as he teams up with longstanding pal Sully, this action-adventure game finally gives players some insight into Nate's backstory and provides some much-needed context to his relationship with Sully.

This installment in the Uncharted series was thought to be one of the best games on the PS3 for several reasons. As always, the voice acting and graphics were excellent and held up tremendously for years after. It was also a brilliant cross into multiplayer in the typically single-player series, and provided further dimension to both the characters and gameplay of this beloved franchise. From puzzles to combat to story, there's something for everyone, and it's a tried and true success story from start to finish.

11 Mass Effect 3

Metascore: 93

MASSEFFECT3
Mass Effect 3
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
March 6, 2012
Developer(s)
BioWare
Platform(s)
PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii U, PS3

Released in 2012, Mass Effect 3 was the final installment in the original Mass Effect trilogy and a fitting conclusion for fans of the series. Set in a space-based future, the game follows a cast of characters as they face off against an invasive species called Reapers. The PS3 version of the game was generally thought to be superior, and quickly became a must-play for action RPG fans.

Critics and audiences alike agreed it was a brilliant finish to the original Mass Effect titles, providing great gameplay and detailed characters - a feat often rare in the gaming world. However, the controversial ending certainly didn't help. One of the rarer draws of the series is the ability to import their previous saved game, which would then influence the behavior of those in the new game, which made for a truly unique playthrough. Overall, players and critics alike found this a passionate and brilliantly executed farewell to beloved characters.

10 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Metascore: 94

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 2009
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 2009
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
November 10, 2009
Developer(s)
Infinity Ward
Platform(s)
PC, PS3, Xbox 360, macOS

When players think of online FPS games, there's one title that comes to the forefront of everyone's mind: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Over a decade after its release, this game is still one of the most popular FPS games ever, and it's true that it defined the genre for a considerable amount of time.

Blending reality with fiction to the perfect extent, Modern Warfare 2 was hailed as a fresh and enticing entry in the genre. It was polished, thrilling, and revolutionary in the field of online multiplayer gaming, and many players will look back fondly as to when the COD series was at its best.

9 Bioshock Infinite

Metascore: 94

BioShock Infinite (dupe)
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
March 26, 2013
Developer(s)
Irrational Games, 2K, Aspyr
Platform(s)
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux

Released in 2013, BioShock Infinite is set in the steampunk iteration of 1912 and focuses on a city named Columbia that has disappeared into the clouds. The main character Booker DeWitt sets out to locate the city and rescue Elizabeth, who is being held captive there. As players have come to expect from the series, the game is centered around highly political themes and provides a complex, challenging plotline that will have gamers questioning the truth.

Hailed by many as a masterpiece, BioShock Infinite is legendary for its incredible story and excellent handling of taboo topics. Irrational Games once again proved themselves to be skilled environmental developers, building an enticing and original backdrop to the intense narrative. BioShock falls short in no aspects and is worthy of the brilliant praise it was allocated.

8 Portal 2

Metascore: 95

portal 2 Cropped
portal 2 Cropped
Portal 2
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
April 18, 2011
Developer(s)
Valve
Platform(s)
PS3, Xbox 360, Switch, PC

Portal was easily one of the best games released in 2007, named Game of the Year by dozens of publications. That's why, when Portal 2 was released in 2011, many players were nervous about how it might not live up to the original. Luckily, Portal 2 went on to meet the standards set by its predecessor and become one of the most original and iconic titles in gaming.

Often named one of the best games of all time, Portal 2 combined the best of deadpan, nihilistic humor, and challenging gameplay to keep players on the edge of their seats at all times. Expanding on the original in every aspect, Portal 2 managed to elevate itself without losing the heart and tone that made it so successful in the first place. It serves as a true masterclass on how to create a sequel, and instantly secured its place in the video game hall of fame.

7 The Last of Us

Metascore: 95The Last Of Us Remastered

The Last of Us
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
June 14, 2013
Developer(s)
Naughty Dog
Platform(s)
PS3, PS4

From Resident Evil to Silent Hil l, horror games were not new to PlayStation consoles. But genre-defining, headline-making action-adventure game The Last of Us became a host unto itself when released by Naughty Dog in 2013 on the PS3. Over a decade after its release, the game is still one of the most talked about titles of all time, and the release of a highly anticipated sequel and TV show has only further solidified its place in gaming history.

Ellie from the last of us beside Jill Valentine from resident evil
5 Games That Challenge Traditional Gender Roles

Gaming has often leaned hard into gender stereotypes, but things are starting to change, with these games leading the change in breaking gender norms.

Set twenty years after a fungal virus destroyed civilization, the game follows ruthless survivor Joel as he fights to take infection-immune teenager Ellie to a rebellious faction that intends to use her to create a cure. As the two fight for their lives in varied and original encounters, The Last of Us shows players the different forms of fear, and weighs the value of sacrifice against the importance of love. Many gamers would claim that no other game has come close to achieving the heights of this legendary game, and the over seven million copies sold is proof that everyone wanted to experience this story first-hand.

6 Red Dead Redemption

Metascore: 95

red-dead-redemption-remaster
Red Dead Redemption
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
May 18, 2010
Developer(s)
Rockstar San Diego

One of the most successful games in the history of the PlayStation 3 was, shockingly, a game based in the Wild West. Red Dead Redemption is the follow-up to the far less popular 2004 game Red Dead Revolver, and created a genre-defying experience that has become a staple of Rockstar's success.

The game follows a former outlaw named John Marston on an adventure across the American frontier as the Industrial Revolution starts to strip away the Wild West bit by bit. With a vast and bustling open-world environment, the game offers hundreds of hours of gameplay across beautiful and breathtaking areas based on real locations. It was applauded for its immersive mechanics and world, which has quickly become what Rockstar is well-known for.

5 LittleBigPlanet

Metascore: 95

LittleBigPlanet
Display card tags widget Display card system widget
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget Display card main info widget Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info
Display card community and brand rating widget

Released
October 27, 2008
Developer(s)
Media Molecule
Platform(s)
PlayStation 3

Before Minecraft, the PlayStation 3 had its own world-building game in LittleBigPlanet. Just like Minecraft, gamers created, explored, and played in their own worlds. Thanks to the PlayStation Network, introduced on the PS3, they could share these worlds with other gamers, adding further value to the time taken to build their environments.

LittleBigPlanet is looked upon fondly by all those who played it and marked a new era of gaming. As gamers today know, this was the beginning of the sandbox world-building genre that has become so immensely popular today. While it didn't quite reach the vastness of today's world-building titles, LittleBigPlanet placed an emphasis on social gaming and ushered a new perspective that persists today.