With over 87 million PlayStation 3 consoles sold, Sony‘s seventh-generation console was home to some of the most groundbreaking and memorable first-person shooters ever created. In this definitive guide, we countdown the 7 must-play FPS titles on PS3.
What Makes a Great First-Person Shooter?
Before diving in, let‘s review the key elements that combine to create an exceptional FPS game:
- Immersive graphics and audio – Stunning visuals and surround sound effects fully transport you into the game world
- Responsive controls – Tight, intuitive controls let you aim, shoot and move fluidly through environments
- Innovative weapons and abilities – An arsenal of firearms, gadgets and supernatural powers keeps combat exciting
- Thrilling campaign – A compelling storyline with larger-than-life characters and huge set-piece moments
- Addictive multiplayer – Quick-action competitive and cooperative online modes promote massive replayability
Keeping these factors in mind, below are the 7 FPS games that exemplified them best on PlayStation 3:
#7: Far Cry 3
Far Cry 3 revolutionized the Far Cry series with its sprawling open world and gripping narrative. You play as Jason Brody, a tourist stranded on a lawless tropical island overrun by pirates, mercenaries and warlords.
Armed with an expansive arsenal of real-world firearms and bows, you must ally with the island inhabitants to reclaim territory from the savage occupants. Far Cry 3 pioneered a crafting system that lets you harvest plants and animal hides to create health syringes, ammo pouches and weapon slings. The lush island setting is a marvel to explore on PS3, with diverse biomes, hidden caches and outposts to liberate.
While light on multiplayer, Far Cry 3‘s sandbox campaign earns its 90 Metascore through white-knuckle gunplay, stealth takedowns and an engaging story of survival and redemption.
#6: Killzone 2
Killzone 2 is regarded as an FPS masterpiece on PS3 for its gritty sci-fi atmosphere and superbly weighted combat. As special forces soldier Sev, you‘re dispatched to Helghan – home of the militant Helghast army – on a mission to capture the enemy‘s ruthless leader.
Killzone 2 pioneered technical feats like destructible cover and stunning facial animations to fully immerse players in its harrowing campaign. Even 13 years later, few PS3 games match Killzone 2‘s graphics, with dazzling light rays cutting through clouds of smoke and dust. The feel of firing each heavy weapon is uniquely impactful thanks to excellent controller rumble implementation.
Online, Killzone 2 supports up to 32-player battles across 5 distinct modes with full clan support – an ambitious benchmark for PS3 shooters. Killzone 2 rightfully deserves its 91 Metacritic score for delivering one of the most atmospheric, hard-hitting FPS experiences available on PlayStation 3.
#5: Borderlands 2
The zany Borderlands 2 perfects the loot shooter genre with its addictive four-player co-op mayhem. As one of six Vault Hunters, you embark on a quest to defeat Handsome Jack – a narcissistic tyrant seeking to rule over the wasteland planet Pandora.
Borderlands 2 conquers PS3 with its cel-shaded comic book aesthetic, smooth 60FPS performance and bazillions of procedurally generated guns. Every firearm features different damage types, firing modes, attachments and more to accommodate any playstyle. The continuous loop of defeating enemies, collecting new gear and growing your talents against tougher bad guys becomes instantly habit-forming.
Post-campaign, Borderlands 2 offers lots of replayability via True Vault Hunter Mode, six robust DLC expansions and the Creature Slaughter Circle horde mode. For the definitive FPS looter experience on PS3, Borderlands 2 is a must-own title.
#4: BioShock
A watershed moment in interactive storytelling, BioShock raises the artistic bar for video game narratives. Set in the fallen underwater utopia Rapture, BioShock fuses FPS and RPG mechanics for extraordinary results. As Jack, a plane crash survivor trapped in the art deco dystopia, you wield guns, plasmids (special powers) and gene tonics while uncovering Rapture‘s past.
BioShock astonishes on PS3 with its metaphor-rich writing, morally grey choices and awe-inspiring level architecture. Few games build atmosphere better than BioShock through clever use of lighting, sound design and lonely environments that tell haunting tales. BioShock also popularized tactical creativity in FPS battles via gadget combinations like shooting electricity to stun foes before blasting them away with shotguns.
Despite lacking multiplayer, BioShock‘s unforgettable single-player odyssey rightfully deserves its 94 Metascore as an emotionally moving work of interactive art.
#3: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The seminal Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare propelled COD into a pop culture phenomenon for its heart-stopping single player and genre-defining multiplayer.
COD4 tells an unflinching war story about British and US forces facing nuclear annihilation by Russian extremists. The campaign delivers nail-biting sequences like slowly infiltrating an enemy cargo ship at night and defending a stranded tank from endless waves of foes. COD4 performs excellently on PS3 with fast load times and smooth 60FPS visuals during explosive battles.
However, multiplayer is Modern Warfare‘s main draw thanks to a revolutionary Create-a-Class system letting players customize loadouts with unlocked weapons and perks. Rip-roaring modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination and Search & Destroy capture the organized chaos that makes Call of Duty online so addictive to this day. Modern Warfare undoubtedly deserves its 94 Metascore for pioneering FPS multiplayer on console.
#2: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
2009‘s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 cranks the blockbuster spectacle up to 11 with fiery terrorist attacks on US soil, a surprise invasion on Washington DC and other harrowing events. Former SAS Captain John "Soap" MacTavish returns as a playable character alongside newcomer Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sanderson across globe-trotting missions covering Russia, Brazil, Afghanistan and beyond.
Modern Warfare 2 outguns its predecessor by letting players wield two primary weapons like lightweight SMGs and heavier assault rifles/shotguns. New gear like heartbeat sensors, sentry turrets and riot shields give players creative advantages during the campaign‘s most challenging firefights on Veteran difficulty. Visually, Modern Warfare 2 introduces more destructible cover, advanced smoke effects and Hollywood-quality facial animations for lifelike characters.
Modern Warfare 2‘s refined online modes also contribute to its well-deserved 94 Metascore. The new Special Ops mode delivers 23 dedicated co-op Operations for 2-players that serve as the ultimate test of FPS skill, teamwork and strategy. With its ambitious solo and multiplayer offerings, Modern Warfare 2 still represents a high point for PS3 shooters after all these years.
#1: BioShock Infinite
The artistic masterpiece BioShock Infinite completes the BioShock trilogy by taking players to the floating city of Columbia in 1912. You play as Booker DeWitt, a disgraced Pinkerton agent who must rescue a mysterious young woman named Elizabeth to pay off deep gambling debts. This simple premise spirals into an elaborate tale examining religion, racism, nationalism and quantum physics against the backdrop of a turn-of-the-century American utopia warped by extreme ideologies.
Infinite retains BioShock‘s unique fusion of guns and supernatural powers (called Vigors), letting Booker manipulate enemies with telekinesis before hitting them with the intricate Skyline rail combat system. Elizabeth‘s reality-bending abilities also bring unpredictable elements like weapon/ammo spawns, cover creation and enemy trap setting into firefights. Infinite represents the pinnacle of BioShock storytelling and gameplay evolution with systemic combat encounters only possible on PS3 hardware.
While multiplayer is again absent, Infinite‘s profoundly moving single-player experience showcases the interactive medium‘s ability to explore philosophical ideas just as competently as literature and cinema. Infinite earns its 94 Metascore as the most emotionally resonant FPS campaign ever created.
Conclusion
These seven FPS classics demonstrate PlayStation 3‘s technical might paired with best-in-class game design. From the open-world action hijinks of Far Cry 3 to BioShock Infinite‘s introspective opus on fate and free will, the PS3 library offers incredible variety in its first-person shooters. Visually, these games threshold the upper limits of the PS3 hardware with very impressive texture work, shadows and particles to create thrilling combat sandbox.
Sony‘s underrated motion controller, the PlayStation Move, also enhanced aim precision across numerous FPS titles on PS3. For shooter fans, PlayStation 3 housed at least a dozen all-time greats across memorable franchises like Call of Duty, Killzone and Resistance that continue inspiring modern installments. Revisit these seven picks to experience PlayStation 3 FPS games at their finest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the absolute best PlayStation 3 first-person shooter?
With a 94 Metascore and prolific artistic achievements, BioShock Infinite is the highest-rated and most critically acclaimed PS3 FPS game.
How many consoles did the PlayStation 3 sell?
The PlayStation 3 sold 87.4 million units over its lifecycle spanning 2006 to 2017, making it the 8th best selling console ever.
Can you still play these games today?
Yes, all these titles are backwards compatible on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 through digital purchases or discs. Popular games like BioShock and Borderlands have also received full remastered collections on modern PlayStation consoles.
Is Call of Duty still one of the best first-person shooter series?
Absolutely. Call of Duty remains the premier FPS franchise with the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) already generating massive hype for its campaign and multiplayer modes thanks to advanced graphics and new features.
Why isn‘t Grand Theft Auto considered a first-person shooter?
While Grand Theft Auto IV and V contain shooting mechanics, you can technically complete either game without firing a single bullet, instead focusing solely on story missions and exploration. So Rockstar‘s open world games aren‘t dedicated FPS titles per se.
