Best PS3 Games – Top 50 All-Time Favorites

Best PS3 Games – The Top 50 PlayStation 3 Masterpieces

The PlayStation 3 stands as one of the most iconic and groundbreaking video game consoles ever created. Launching in late 2006, the PS3 brought cutting-edge processing power and dazzling HD graphics to living rooms around the world.

But it was the PS3‘s stunning library of games that truly cemented its status as an all-time great. Exclusive titles like The Last of Us, the Uncharted series, and God of War 3 pushed the boundaries of cinematic storytelling in games. Genre-defining hits like Bioshock, Fallout 3 and Skyrim created expansive worlds for players to explore. And the PS3 saw the peak of beloved franchises like Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Assassin‘s Creed and more.

To celebrate the PS3’s 15th anniversary this year, let’s countdown the top 50 games that defined its era. From Hollywood blockbusters to artsy indies, these are the experiences every PlayStation fan should play.

Action/Adventure Games

1. The Last of Us
   Widely considered one of the greatest video games ever made, The Last of Us combines heart-pounding stealth/action gameplay with a gut-wrenching narrative of love and loss in a post-apocalyptic America. Lauded for its lifelike graphics and characters, the game delivers an emotional punch unprecedented in gaming.

2. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
   Raising the bar for cinematic action in games, Uncharted 2 sends fortune hunter Nathan Drake on a globetrotting journey spanning Panama, Tibet and the Himalayas. Jaw-dropping set pieces and thrilling gunfights cement it as a PS3 must-play.

3. Batman: Arkham Asylum
   Rocksteady Studios revolutionized superhero games with Arkham Asylum, an expertly crafted Metroidvania set within the walls of Gotham’s infamous mental hospital. Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their iconic roles as Batman and The Joker in a storyline steeped with fan service moments.

4. Assassin’s Creed II
   Ubisoft’s sequel perfected the series’ signature parkour traversal and stealth assassination mechanics, while transporting players to a meticulously recreated 15th century Italy. Enigmatic protagonist Ezio Auditore da Firenze remains one of gaming’s most beloved heroes.

5. Red Dead Redemption
   A sunset-soaked, Sergio Leone-inspired epic, Red Dead Redemption’s engrossing tale of betrayal and lost ideals in the dying Old West is equal parts triumphant and heartbreaking. Its atmospheric world and gameplay innovations left an indelible mark on gaming.

Role-Playing Games

6. Fallout 3
   Bethesda’s acclaimed open-world RPG drops players into the post-nuclear wastes of Washington D.C, now called Capital Wasteland. Inspired by 1950’s atomic paranoia, Fallout 3 sees you traverse subway tunnels, museums and more while battling bloodthirsty raiders and hideous mutants.

7. Dragon Age: Origins
   A spiritual successor to classic PC RPGs like Baldur‘s Gate, Dragon Age: Origins boasts a nearly 100-hour fantasy campaign rife with tough tactical choices both on and off the battlefield. Romancing companions adds replay value to an epic adventure developed by genre veterans Bioware.

8. Dark Souls
   Utterly unforgiving yet infinitely rewarding, FromSoftware’s twisted dark fantasy opus tasks players with surviving the decayed realm of Lordran and conquering story-integrated multiplayer bosses. You’ll die a thousand deaths, but prevailing over Dark Soul’s challenges delivers an unmatched sensation of accomplishment.

9. Mass Effect 2
   Blending third-person shooting with deep dialogue systems and morality choices, Mass Effect 2 advances the spacefaring saga of Commander Shepard as she assembles a ragtag squad to prevent a galactic extinction event. Unparalleled character development and universe building cement it as an all-time sci-fi masterpiece.

10. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
    Dropping you in the snow-swept realm of Tamriel as the prophesied Dragonborn, Skyrim allows you to fulfill your fantasy as a battleaxe-wielding barbarian, ice-slinging mage or stealthy archer. Radiant AI programming makes the open world feel alive as you traipse through dungeons, join guilds or simply wander the wilderness.

First-Person Shooters

11. Bioshock
    2K Games’ critically revered shooter/RPG hybrid takes place in the doomed underwater city of Rapture, a fallen utopia. Battling anarchic Splicers with lightning and fire spewing from your hands, Bioshock provides a fascinating look at unchecked scientific progress and ideological extremism gone awry.

12. Call of Duty: Black Ops
    Treyarch’s Cold War-era entry in the military FPS juggernaut dials up the conspiratorial intrigue and explosive set pieces. A compulsively replayable multiplayer mode keeps players coming back while Zombies provides endless arcade-style fun.

13. Resistance 2
    Underrated PS3 exclusive Resistance 2 enlarges the scale of alien invasion across 1950’s America with enormous 60-player online battles and diverse exotic weaponry. Despite barebones narrative, its refined mechanics and impressive technical chops make it a FPS highlight.

14. Killzone 2
    A major showcase for the PS3’s graphics potential at launch, Killzone 2 delivers a visually stunning vision of future warfare across alien vistas. Players fight against the militant Helghast army using heavy weaponry with unrivaled kick.

15. Borderlands
    Gearbox Software struck gold with Borderlands’ fusion of RPG looting systems and shooter mechanics, set on the wild frontier planet of Pandora. Making the most of cel-shaded comic book aesthetics, scavenging randomized guns and gear makes this chaotic co-op adventure deliciously replayable.

Platformers

16. LittleBigPlanet
    A game changer for user-generated content on consoles, LittleBigPlanet empowers players to construct entire game stages from scratch then share them online. Its charming handmade visuals and soundtrack complement tight 2D platforming starring unlikely hero Sackboy.

17. Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction
    Insomniac Games’ furry Lombax-robot duo hit new heights in their intergalactic 3D platforming debut on PlayStation 3. Vibrant alien vistas showcase the hardware’s graphical potential while introducing outlandish gadgetry and devious enemy types.

Fighting Games

18. Street Fighter IV
    Capcom’s genre trailblazer made an explosive comeback with Street Fighter IV, igniting fighting game tournaments for a new generation. An expanded roster allowed veterans and newcomers alike to dig into fresh fighting styles both offline and online.

19. Mortal Kombat
    Gratuitously gory and gleefully juvenile, 2011’s Mortal Kombat reboot dialed up the blood, guts and spine removals that made Midway’s notorious fighter a household name in the 90s. Retaining the classic 2D style while adding new gameplay wrinkles helped it earn mainstream appeal.

Horror Games

20. Dead Space
    A chilling survival horror experience set aboard a derelict spacecraft, Dead Space empowers player Isaac Clarke with lexical telekinesis to slice the limbs off marauding undead Necromorphs stalking the halls. Gorgeous lighting and sound design deliver dreadful atmosphere in spades.

21. Resident Evil 5
    Shifting the setting to sweltering daylight African locales, Resident Evil 5 expands the series’ third-person shooting action with slick co-op mechanics as BSAA agents Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar take down hordes of parasite-infested foes.

22. Silent Hill: Downpour
    The eerie town of Silent Hill beckons once again as Murphy Pendleton navigates its ominous fog searching for his missing son while evading nightmarish creatures emerging from darkness. Choice-driven gameplay and psychological thrills ensure gripping horror.

Racing Games

23. Gran Turismo 5
    The premier racing simulation on PS3, Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 5 lets players collect over 1000 cars then tune them for competitive online racing and endurance championships. Driving assists cater towards novice racers while expert haptics reward experienced speed demons.

24. Burnout Paradise
    Criterion Games took its arcade racing formula to new heights with this free-roaming sandbox iteration. Burnout Paradise provides loads of discovery tearing down the streets of Paradise City finding jumps and smashes while engaging in seamless multiplayer integration.

Arcade & Puzzle Games

25. Super Stardust HD
    A prime showcase for the PS3’s graphical enhancements, Super Stardust HD’s twin-stick shooter action offers dazzling pyrotechnics across extraterrestrial planets. Strafing and bombing encroaching asteroids is made even more engaging in multiplayer battles.

26. Fez
    The definition of indie charm, Polytron Corporation‘s Fez utilizes clever perspective manipulation mechanics sending players across 2D planes in four spatial dimensions. Vintage pixel graphics and chiptune melodies complement head-scratching secrets to uncover.

27. Pixeljunk Shooter
    Q-Games quirky side-scrolling shooter tasks players with navigating cavernous alien planets to rescue trapped scientists. Manipulating lava, water, acid and magma flows using your excavation gun provides continuously surprising gameplay twists.

28. Flower
    ThatGameCompany’s meditative masterpiece casts players as a sentient flower petal gliding elegantly through bucolic meadows and grassy plains. Built specifically to provoke positive emotions, this non-violent experience provides much needed serenity.

Stealth Games

29. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
    Hideo Kojima’s operatic finale to his espionage opus grants Snake one last mission across volatile Middle Eastern battle zones. Blending stealth combat, eccentric humor and anti-war philosophizing, MGS4 ties up series plot threads in signature melodramatic fashion.

30. Splinter Cell: Blacklist
    Ubisoft’s underrated gem refines Sam Fisher’s gadget-driven stealth repertoire with custom playstyles rewarding lethal aggression or non-lethal finesse. A contemporary globetrotting plot with memorable villains helps cement Fisher’s status as gaming’s premier operative.

Cult Classics & Hidden Gems

31. Vanquish
    Fast-paced third-person shooting meets breakneck mechanical suit battling in cult favorite Vanquish. Rocket knee-sliding around kinetic battlefields unleashing torrents of firepower provides some of gaming’s most thrilling action sequences.

32. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
    Co-written by famed novelist Alex Garland, Enslaved follows a warmed-over adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West starring tech-savvy heroine Monkey and her hulking companion Tripitaka. Emotive performances and sumptuous post-apocalyptic environments make it an underappreciated gem.

33. Asura’s Wrath
    CyberConnect2’s frenzied Quick Time Event action bonanza transforms Hindu/Buddhist mythology into bombastic anime. Following the exploits of powerful demigod Asura, elaborate cinematic boss confrontations push PS3 hardware to its limits.

34. 3D Dot Game Heroes
    A love letter to retro Zelda-likes, 3D Dot Game Heroes reminisces on 8-bit adventures with charming voxel visuals and tunes. Silly homages combined with self-referential humor highlight developer Silicon Studio’s passion and craftsmanship.

35. Spec Ops: The Line
    On the surface a routine military shooter, Spec Ops: The Line sharply subverts expectations with provocative critique of so-called “heroism” in blockbuster war games. Its slow descent into the horrors of combat stands tall as a turning point for mature storytelling in the industry.

The Rest of the Best

Beyond these diamonds in the rough, the remainder of PlayStation 3’s library hosts too many treasures to name. God of War 3’s visceral Greek tragedy…The orange-tinted machismo of Far Cry 3‘s tropical paradise…Ubisoft‘s assassin stealth series reaching new heights with Ezio Auditore‘s continued adventures….Suda51’s punk rock zombie hack-n-slash Lollipop Chainsaw…The heart-stopping intensity of urban free-running in Mirror‘s Edge…The hilarious misadventures of crime caper Saints Row franchise…Telltale‘s emotional The Walking Dead graphic adventure…Polyphony Digital‘s automotive obsession sim Gran Turismo…And many, many more.

The PS3 Era Lives On

15 years removed from launch, the full breadth of PlayStation 3’s catalog represents an embarrassment of riches. Role-playing epics, cinematic action blockbusters, artsy indies, white-knuckle racers and more left an indelible impact on gaming history. These 50 games merely scratch the surface of a game library unmatched in consistency, diversity and quality.

As new generations of PlayStation hardware continue advancing the medium with cutting-edge tech, here’s hoping they can recapture the creative spark that burned so brightly during the PS3 glory days. Because these memorable virtual worlds, charismatic heroes and unforgettable experiences will inspire players and developers alike for decades to come.

What games would make your PS3 top 50 list? Share your picks in the comments below!