# Tired of the same old PS3 recommendations? Dive into our expert-curated list of 10 underrated PS3 hidden gems. Discover forgotten masterpieces with unique gameplay, stunning art, and unforgettable stories that you probably missed.
Geminvo – Let’s take a trip back. The PlayStation 3 era was a strange and wonderful time for gaming. It was a generation defined by a difficult console launch, the infamous complexity of the Cell processor, and Sony playing catch-up. But adversity breeds creativity.
This tumultuous environment fostered a kind of “wild west” experimentalism, a willingness from Sony and other developers to greenlight risky, artistic, and downright bizarre projects to set the platform apart. While everyone remembers the titans—the Uncharted series, The Last of Us, Metal Gear Solid 4—the true soul of the PS3 lies buried a little deeper. It lives in the games that were too weird to become blockbusters, too niche to get a marketing push, or too ambitious for their own good.
This isn’t just another list of games that sold poorly. To earn a spot here, a title needs to be more than just obscure. It needs a spark of genius. These are the underrated PS3 hidden gems that were innovative, artistically significant, or so ahead of their time that they’ve since cultivated a passionate following. They are the cult classic PS3 games that whisper of what could have been, the beautiful failures and the quiet triumphs that got lost in the noise. Many were released digitally on the PlayStation Network, a new frontier at the time, or had limited physical runs that made them instant collector’s items.
So, dust off your DualShock 3. We’re about to embark on a journey through some of the best obscure PS3 games ever made. These are the top overlooked PS3 titles and PlayStation 3 classics that prove the console’s library is far richer and more eccentric than you remember. Prepare to add some truly unique PS3 games to your backlog.
10 Unsung Heroes of the PlayStation 3
1. Folklore
Action RPG | Game Republic / Sony Computer Entertainment | 2007
Set in the mist-shrouded, contemporary Irish seaside village of Doolin, Folklore weaves a tale that feels torn from a forgotten storybook. The narrative follows two protagonists: Ellen, a young woman summoned by a letter from her supposedly dead mother, and Keats, a skeptical journalist for an occult magazine who receives a mysterious phone call urging him to the same village. Their paths cross as they discover that Doolin is a gateway to the Netherworld, the Celtic realm of the dead.
By traveling to this fantastical world, they can communicate with the deceased to unravel a string of murders and the dark secrets of Ellen’s past. The dual-protagonist structure is a masterstroke, forcing you to play through each chapter twice to see the full picture, with each character’s story adding new context and perspective to the other’s.
Folklore splits its gameplay between two distinct worlds. In Doolin, it’s a quiet, atmospheric detective game focused on dialogue and investigation. But once you step into the Netherworld, it transforms into a vibrant action-brawler. The true genius lies in its combat. Instead of a sword or gun, your weapons are the very souls of the creatures you defeat. After weakening an enemy, known as a “Folk,” you absorb its spirit by yanking on the SIXAXIS controller, literally reeling it in like a ghostly fish.
Once captured, you can assign that Folk to one of the four face buttons, effectively building a custom loadout of attacks on the fly. Want a quick melee jab? Equip a Pouke. Need a projectile? Use a Bug-a-boo. This “gotta catch ’em all” approach to abilities makes every combat encounter an opportunity to expand your arsenal, turning the game into a fascinating blend of action RPG and monster collector.
Folklore is one of the earliest and purest examples of a PS3 hidden gem. Released in 2007 when the console’s install base was still small, this beautiful, ambitious new IP simply got lost. Its storybook art style was a stunning showcase for the new HD hardware, but its niche focus on Celtic mythology failed to capture a mainstream audience.
What makes it a true tragedy, however, is its physical-only status. It was never given a digital re-release, meaning the only way to experience this masterpiece is to hunt down a physical copy, which has become increasingly rare and expensive. The game’s use of the SIXAXIS controller was also a rare highlight for the technology; where many games used motion controls as a tacked-on gimmick, Folklore‘s soul-reeling mechanic felt intuitive, satisfying, and integral to the experience. It remains one of the most imaginative PS3 games you’ve never heard of.
2. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
Action-Adventure | Ninja Theory / Namco Bandai Games | 2010
In a lush, vibrant post-apocalyptic America, 150 years after a devastating war, nature has reclaimed the ruins of civilization. The story is a brilliant sci-fi reimagining of the classic 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. You play as Monkey, a powerful, solitary brute who escapes a flying slave ship only to be captured again—this time by Trip, a resourceful young woman who is also a fugitive. She fits him with a slave headband that links their lives: if her heart stops, his head explodes.
Under this duress, Monkey is forced to escort Trip back to her home village across a landscape teeming with deadly, leftover war mechs. The narrative is the game’s crown jewel, driven by the phenomenal performance capture work of Andy Serkis (Monkey) and Lindsey Shaw (Trip), and a script co-written by Alex Garland ( Ex Machina, 28 Days Later). The evolution of their relationship from a toxic master-slave dynamic to a genuine, heartfelt partnership is one of gaming’s most compelling character arcs.
The gameplay is a blend of third-person combat, traversal-heavy platforming, and light puzzle-solving. Monkey wields an extendable staff for both melee combos and as a plasma rifle, capable of firing stunning or damaging projectiles. The platforming is fluid and cinematic, clearly inspired by the
Uncharted series, with Monkey leaping and climbing through breathtaking vistas of overgrown cities. Trip is more than just an escortee; she’s a vital partner. You can issue commands for her to create decoys, scan for hazards, or upgrade Monkey’s gear, creating a symbiotic relationship that feels meaningful and necessary. Her vulnerability makes every combat encounter tense, as her survival is directly tied to yours.
Enslaved is a game that walked so that modern narrative action-adventures could run. While its combat was often criticized by reviewers for feeling clunky and repetitive compared to its peers , its groundbreaking focus on cinematic storytelling and character chemistry was years ahead of its time. The slave headband is a brilliant narrative device that elegantly solves the dreaded “escort mission” problem; you’re not protecting Trip out of altruism, but out of self-preservation, which allows their eventual bond to grow organically from a place of mutual need.
The game’s commercial failure in 2010 suggests the market wasn’t quite ready for an action game that prioritized its heart over its fists. Yet, its influence is undeniable, paving the way for character-driven blockbusters like The Last of Us and God of War (2018). Developer Ninja Theory would later channel this same narrative ambition into the critically acclaimed Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Offering a stunning, colorful vision of the apocalypse that stood in stark contrast to the drab dystopias of its time, Enslaved is one of the most emotionally resonant and unique PS3 games out there.
3. Vanquish
Third-Person Shooter | PlatinumGames / Sega | 2010
Strap in, because the plot of Vanquish is pure, uncut, high-octane pulp. In the near future, Russian ultranationalists have hijacked a US space colony and turned its solar-powered microwave cannon on San Francisco, vaporizing the city. In response, the US sends in the Marines, accompanied by DARPA agent Sam Gideon. Sam is equipped with the Augmented Reaction Suit (ARS), a cutting-edge battlesuit that turns him into a one-man army.
His mission: retake the colony and stop the Russians before they can target New York. The story is a gloriously cheesy, self-aware send-up of American and Japanese action tropes, filled with macho posturing, ridiculous plot twists, and dialogue that’s so bad it’s brilliant. It exists for one reason and one reason only: to shuttle you from one mind-blowing action set piece to the next.
Forget the story. Vanquish is all about the gameplay, and it is sublime. On the surface, it’s a third-person cover shooter. But in practice, it plays like a lightning-fast character action game from the masters at PlatinumGames. The heart of the experience is the ARS suit’s rocket slide. At the press of a button, Sam can powerslide across the floor on his knees at incredible speeds, dodging enemy fire and repositioning in the blink of an eye.
You can activate a slow-motion “AR Mode” while sliding, allowing you to pick off enemies with pinpoint accuracy while zipping through a hail of bullets. The game actively punishes you for staying still. Cover isn’t a safe space to hide; it’s a temporary perch to vault over as you launch your next stylish assault. The action is fast, fluid, aggressive, and relentlessly spectacular.
Vanquish fundamentally rewrote the rules of the cover shooter. In 2010, the genre was defined by the slow, methodical, “stop-and-pop” gameplay of Gears of War. Vanquish blew that formula to pieces, injecting it with the hyper-kinetic energy of an arcade shmup and the stylish flair of Devil May Cry. Its influence can be felt in the advanced movement systems of modern shooters like Doom (2016) and Titanfall, yet no game has ever perfectly replicated its singular feel.
It’s a short, brutally intense, single-player-only experience that was criminally overlooked at a time when the market demanded lengthy campaigns and tacked-on multiplayer modes. This laser-focus on pure, unadulterated gameplay is what makes it the definitive cult classic PS3 game. Its systems are so deep that dedicated players are still discovering new techniques like boost-dodging and melee-canceling to this day, solidifying its legacy as one of the most mechanically perfect must-play PS3 games ever created.
4. 3D Dot Game Heroes
Action RPG | Silicon Studio & FromSoftware / Atlus USA | 2009
The story is a pitch-perfect parody of the 8-bit RPGs that defined a generation. In the once-2D Kingdom of Dotnia, the king decides to upgrade the world to glorious 3D to attract more tourists. But this transition awakens a great evil, and the Dark Bishop Fuelle steals a magical orb that protected the land. With the kingdom in peril, the king calls for a hero to venture forth, conquer six dungeons, retrieve six sages, and restore peace. The plot is intentionally simple, serving as a framework for a constant barrage of fourth-wall-breaking humor, clever in-jokes, and loving homages to genre classics like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest.
If you’ve ever played the original The Legend of Zelda on the NES, you will feel right at home. The gameplay is a direct tribute, featuring top-down world exploration, labyrinthine dungeons filled with puzzles and keys, and a charming cast of quirky NPCs.
The game’s most iconic mechanic revolves around your sword. As long as your health is full, your blade grows to comical, screen-filling proportions, allowing you to carve a huge path of destruction through enemies and the environment. This creates a tense, high-stakes gameplay loop where avoiding even a single hit is paramount to maintaining your overwhelming power, rewarding skillful play with immense satisfaction.
3D Dot Game Heroes is far more than a simple Zelda clone; it’s a brilliant celebration of retro gaming, wrapped in a stunningly unique voxel-based art style that brings 8-bit sprites to life in three dimensions. But its true stroke of genius, and what makes it one of the best obscure PS3 games, is its incredibly deep and intuitive character editor.
Using 3D pixels (voxels), you could build and animate literally any hero you could dream up. A tank? A shark? Santa Claus? The game not only allowed it but encouraged it, letting you share your creations online with friends. This focus on user-generated content was remarkably ahead of its time. Perhaps most fascinating for modern gamers is its developer: FromSoftware. Yes, the legendary studio behind
Dark Souls and Elden Ring created this charming, lighthearted love letter to classic RPGs. It’s a delightful and surprising look at the studio’s creative breadth before they became the undisputed kings of the soulslike genre, and a quintessential underrated PS3 hidden gem.
5. Binary Domain
Third-Person Shooter | Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / Sega | 2012
The year is 2080. Global warming has flooded much of the world, and humanity has rebuilt upwards, creating gleaming new cities on top of the old, with robotic labor forming the backbone of society. The story kicks off when an android that believes it’s human—a “Hollow Child”—attacks the headquarters of a major US corporation. This violates Clause 21 of the New Geneva Convention, which bans the creation of such lifelike robots.
Believing the reclusive Japanese genius Yoji Amada is responsible, an international task force, the “Rust Crew,” is sent into a futuristic, isolated Tokyo to find him. The plot is a surprisingly mature and well-written sci-fi thriller that delves into themes of transhumanism, corporate espionage, and what it truly means to be alive, drawing clear inspiration from classics like Blade Runner and I, Robot.
Developed by the same team behind the acclaimed Yakuza series, Binary Domain is a rock-solid third-person cover shooter with one of the most satisfying enemy feedback systems ever designed. You fight exclusively against robots, and they shatter, splinter, and break apart with every bullet. Armor plates fly off, revealing glowing weak points. You can blow off a robot’s legs, and it will drag itself towards you, still firing. Best of all, if you shoot off its head, it will become confused and start attacking its own robotic comrades. This procedural destruction makes every firefight a dynamic and tactical delight, elevating the game far above its generic-looking peers.
Binary Domain‘s most ambitious and talked-about feature was the “Consequence System”. Throughout the game, your performance in battle and your dialogue choices would affect your squadmates’ trust in you. You could even use a headset to issue voice commands. A squad with high trust would work with you seamlessly, following orders, providing cover, and offering tactical suggestions. A squad with low trust would ignore you, complain, and act recklessly.
While the system was ultimately more superficial than advertised and didn’t dramatically alter the main plot , it was a fascinating and forward-thinking experiment in creating dynamic AI companions. It was an attempt to blend the squad dynamics of Mass Effect with the action of Gears of War. This ambition, coupled with its fantastic robot-shredding combat and surprisingly compelling story, has cemented Binary Domain as “the best Terminator game never made” and a beloved cult classic PS3 game.
6. Puppeteer
Platformer | SCE Japan Studio / Sony Computer Entertainment | 2013
Imagine a video game that is literally a puppet show. That’s Puppeteer. The entire game is presented on a magical theater stage, complete with a red curtain, elaborate moving sets, and a live (unseen) audience that gasps, cheers, and applauds your actions. The story follows a young boy named Kutaro, whose soul has been imprisoned in a wooden puppet body by the tyrannical Moon Bear King.
To make matters worse, the king has devoured Kutaro’s head and scattered the pieces. Armed with a pair of magical scissors, Kutaro must journey across the moon to find a new head, defeat the king’s animal generals, and find a way home. The narrative is utterly charming, whimsical, and funny, with brilliant narration and voice acting that fully commits to the theatrical premise.
Puppeteer is a 2.5D platformer built on two wonderfully inventive mechanics. The first is head-swapping. Kutaro’s head is his health bar; get hit, and it pops off, giving you a few seconds to retrieve it before it disappears. Throughout his adventure, Kutaro can find and collect over 100 different heads—a burger, a skull, a banana, a spider—and can carry three at a time.
Each head also has a unique ability that can be used at specific points in a level to uncover secrets, bonus stages, or shortcuts, encouraging exploration and replay. The second, and more central, mechanic is Calibrus, a pair of magical scissors. These allow Kutaro to cut through the paper, cloth, and even smoke of the game’s world, creating a uniquely fluid and satisfying method of aerial traversal that is unlike anything else in the platforming genre.
Puppeteer is a masterpiece of presentation and one of the most visually creative PlayStation 3 classics ever made. The stage play aesthetic isn’t just a visual wrapper; it’s woven into the fabric of the gameplay. Levels transform around you in real-time as massive, intricate sets slide in and out, rotate, and unfold, creating a constant sense of wonder and surprise.
Released in late 2013 at a budget price, just as the world was turning its attention to the upcoming PlayStation 4, this gorgeous gem was tragically overlooked. It stands as a magnificent swan song for the PS3 and for its developer, the now-defunct SCE Japan Studio, representing a level of first-party creative freedom and polish that feels like a relic from a bygone era. It is, without a doubt, one of the most unique PS3 games you could ever hope to play.
7. Alice: Madness Returns
Action-Adventure, Platformer | Spicy Horse / Electronic Arts | 2011
A direct sequel to the 2000 PC cult classic American McGee’s Alice, this game picks up with Alice Liddell now free from Rutledge Asylum but still haunted by the traumatic memory of the fire that killed her family. Her fragile psyche begins to fracture once more, and she is pulled back into a version of Wonderland that is more twisted and corrupted than ever.
A monstrous “Infernal Train” is rampaging through the land, leaving a trail of ruin and decay. Alice must venture into the darkest corners of her own mind to save Wonderland and, in doing so, uncover the hidden truth behind the fire that started her madness. The story is a grim, beautiful, and psychological deconstruction of Lewis Carroll’s beloved works.
The gameplay is a solid mix of 3D platforming and visceral third-person combat. Alice’s combat style is fluid and responsive, giving her access to an arsenal of wonderfully imaginative and upgradable weapons. These include her trusty Vorpal Blade for quick slashes, the Pepper Grinder that acts as a gatling gun, the Hobby Horse for heavy smashing attacks, and a deflective umbrella for defense. The platforming sections have Alice jumping between floating platforms, riding gusts of wind, and using her “Shrink” ability to reveal invisible platforms and slip through tiny keyholes, adding a layer of exploration and puzzle-solving to the traversal.
Alice: Madness Returns is the very definition of a “flawed masterpiece.” Its undeniable, world-class strength is its art direction. Wonderland is a breathtaking, macabre, and endlessly imaginative world, with each domain—from the Mad Hatter’s industrial factories to the serene, Japanese-inspired world of the Caterpillar—feeling like a twisted painting brought to life. However, this artistic brilliance is often let down by its game design.
The levels, while beautiful, are frequently criticized for being overly long and repetitive, recycling the same platforming and puzzle mechanics ad nauseam. It’s a game you often endure for the sake of its atmosphere, pushing through another lever puzzle just to see what stunning vista lies around the next corner. This very tension between its artistic vision and its mechanical execution is what makes it such a fascinating and memorable cult classic PS3 game. The combat is a consistent highlight, but it’s the unforgettable world that will stick with you long after the credits roll.
8. The Saboteur
Action-Adventure, Stealth | Pandemic Studios / Electronic Arts | 2009
Set in a gorgeously realized 1940s Paris during the Nazi occupation, The Saboteur casts you as Sean Devlin, a hard-drinking, womanizing Irish racecar driver. After a personal tragedy at the hands of a ruthless Nazi officer, Sean’s quest for revenge leads him to join the French Resistance. The story is less a somber historical document and more a swashbuckling, campy WWII action movie in the vein of Inglourious Basterds or Where Eagles Dare. Sean is a charismatic, wise-cracking hero, and his explosive journey through the Parisian underground is pure, unadulterated fun.
At its core, The Saboteur is an open-world sandbox game that blends the driving and shooting of Grand Theft Auto with the stealth and verticality of Assassin’s Creed. Sean is an adept climber, able to scale nearly any building in Paris, which opens up countless strategic options for infiltration and escape. The main gameplay loop involves undertaking missions for the Resistance and, more satisfyingly, committing acts of sabotage. You’ll blow up Nazi watchtowers, propaganda speakers, and anti-air guns, all while trying to evade the ever-present German patrols. You can go in guns blazing, or use stealth and disguises to slip past guards unnoticed.
The game’s masterstroke, and what elevates it to legendary hidden gem status, is the “Will to Fight” system. At the start of the game, Nazi-controlled districts of Paris are rendered in a stark, oppressive black and white, with the only splashes of color being the bright red of Nazi flags, the yellow of city lights, and the blue of Resistance symbols. It’s a stunning visual metaphor for the city’s despair. As you complete acts of sabotage and weaken the Nazi grip on a district, you inspire the people.
Color literally bleeds back into the world, transforming the environment from bleak to vibrant before your eyes. In these liberated, colorful zones, the French citizens will actively help you, joining in firefights against the Germans and creating diversions. This system provides a powerful, tangible sense of progress and makes you feel like you’re genuinely making a difference. As the final game from the beloved Pandemic Studios (creators of Star Wars: Battlefront), The Saboteur is a brilliant, stylish, and bittersweet swan song, and one of the top overlooked PS3 titles of the generation.
9. Asura’s Wrath
Action, Interactive Cinema | CyberConnect2 / Capcom | 2012
Prepare for a story of truly cosmic proportions. Asura is one of the Eight Guardian Generals, a demigod sworn to protect the world from a demonic force known as the Gohma. But after a great victory, he is betrayed by his comrades. His wife is murdered, his priestess daughter is kidnapped to be used as a living power source, and he is framed for the murder of the Emperor.
Cast down into Naraka (the underworld), Asura is consumed by a rage so powerful that it fuels his resurrection. Over 12,000 years, he claws his way back to the world of the living to exact a terrible and earth-shatteringly epic revenge. The story is a bombastic, operatic fusion of sci-fi, anime, and Hindu/Buddhist mythology, with a scale that makes other action games look quaint.
Asura’s Wrath is structured like an interactive anime series, complete with “next episode” previews and mid-episode bumpers. The gameplay is a frantic mix of third-person brawling, on-rails shooting sections, and a heavy, heavy emphasis on Quick Time Events (QTEs). The standard combat is simple but viscerally satisfying; your goal is to beat down enemies to fill your “Burst Gauge.” Once full, you can unleash a Burst, which triggers a spectacular, over-the-top cinematic sequence that pushes the story forward. You will fight a god larger than the planet. You will punch another god so hard that he flies into orbit. You will sprout four extra arms made of pure rage. It is relentless insanity.
This game is not for everyone. In fact, by traditional metrics, it’s barely a “game” at all. It is an “interactive anime,” and its genius lies in its absolute, unapologetic commitment to that vision. The developers at CyberConnect2 prioritized spectacle, emotion, and style above all else. The QTEs aren’t a lazy crutch; they are the core mechanic, designed to synchronize the player with Asura’s on-screen actions and immerse them in his boundless fury.
Failing a QTE rarely results in a game over; it just lessens the spectacle, robbing you of the full, glorious payoff. Its short length and the controversial decision to sell the “true ending” as DLC guaranteed it would be a commercial flop. But its sheer audacity, its breathtaking scale, and its refusal to be anything other than itself have made Asura’s Wrath one of the most unforgettable and purely unique PS3 games ever conceived. It is the king of cult classics.
10. Heavenly Sword
Action, Hack and Slash | Ninja Theory / Sony Computer Entertainment | 2007
The story centers on a powerful, divine blade known as the Heavenly Sword. Wielded by a heavenly warrior to defeat the demonic Raven Lord, the sword was left in the mortal world, where it became a cursed object that drains the life force of any who wield it. A warrior clan takes on the burden of protecting it, awaiting a prophecy that a divine warrior will be reborn to wield it for good.
In the prophesied year, a girl named Nariko is born, and her clan shuns her as a failure of the prophecy. Years later, the tyrannical King Bohan (brought to life by a scenery-chewing performance from Andy Serkis) attacks her clan to seize the blade. To protect her people, Nariko takes up the Heavenly Sword, knowing full well it will kill her, and embarks on a final, desperate, and tragic campaign.
As an early PS3 exclusive, Heavenly Sword was positioned as Sony’s answer to God of War. It’s a cinematic hack-and-slash game with a surprisingly deep combat system. Nariko can switch between three distinct combat stances on the fly: the balanced Speed Stance for quick combos, the powerful Power Stance for breaking enemy guards, and the crowd-controlling Range Stance, where the sword splits into two chained blades.
This stance-switching adds a layer of tactical depth that rewards skillful play. The game also breaks up the action with sections where you play as Nariko’s quirky friend, Kai. These segments play out like a third-person shooter, with Kai using her crossbow and a brilliant “aftertouch” mechanic where you can guide her projectiles in slow motion using the SIXAXIS controller.
Heavenly Sword was a technical pioneer that was simply ahead of its time. It was one of the very first games to heavily feature full performance capture, with developer Ninja Theory collaborating with Andy Serkis and Weta Digital (of The Lord of the Rings fame).
The result was a level of character animation and emotional, cinematic storytelling that was virtually unprecedented in 2007, setting a new bar for the industry. As an early showcase for the PS3, it demonstrated the console’s potential but was ultimately held back by its short length and some technical rough edges. It never received the sequel it so clearly set up, leaving it as a tantalizing “what if” story. It stands as a testament to the PS3’s ambitious beginnings and a perfect example of an underrated PS3 hidden gem that deserved so much more.
The End of an Era, The Start of Your Backlog
The PlayStation 3 was a console of beautiful contradictions. It was a place where blockbuster franchises soared to new heights, but also a fertile ground for strange, ambitious, and deeply personal projects that dared to be different. The ten games on this list are a testament to that creative spirit. They are the must-play PS3 games that prove that sometimes, the most memorable experiences aren’t the ones that sell ten million copies, but the ones that take a risk, wear their heart on their sleeve, and leave an indelible mark on those lucky enough to find them. They are the unsung heroes, the forgotten masterpieces, and the glorious, brilliant oddities that define the console’s true legacy.
What are your favorite underrated PS3 hidden gems? Did we miss any of your beloved cult classics? Drop your picks in the comments below and let’s keep the discussion going! Discover fascinating game insights in Revan’s latest articles! Stay updated daily by following Geminvo on Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube & TikTok.
Summary of 10 Underrated PS3 Hidden Gems
- Folklore: An atmospheric Action RPG with a unique monster-collecting combat system and a story steeped in Irish mythology. A true PS3 exclusive gem that has never been re-released.
- Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: A narrative masterpiece with stunning character performances that laid the groundwork for modern cinematic action-adventures, held back only by slightly clunky combat.
- Vanquish: A revolutionary third-person shooter that plays like a lightning-fast action game, subverting the cover-based formula with its incredible rocket-sliding mechanic.
- 3D Dot Game Heroes: A charming and hilarious homage to classic 8-bit RPGs from developer FromSoftware, featuring a unique voxel art style and a robust character creator.
- Binary Domain: A surprisingly mature sci-fi shooter with a great story and a fantastic procedural robot-destruction system, remembered for its ambitious but flawed “Consequence System.”
- Puppeteer: A visually stunning and incredibly creative 2.5D platformer presented as a magical puppet show, with unique head-swapping and scissor-based traversal mechanics.
- Alice: Madness Returns: A flawed gem that boasts world-class, macabre art direction and a twisted take on Wonderland, even if its level design can feel repetitive.
- The Saboteur: A stylish open-world WWII adventure with a brilliant “Will to Fight” mechanic that sees color return to Nazi-occupied Paris as you inspire the Resistance.
- Asura’s Wrath: A breathtakingly epic “interactive anime” that prioritizes spectacle and rage-fueled emotion over traditional gameplay, resulting in an unforgettable, over-the-top experience.
- Heavenly Sword: A cinematic hack-and-slash pioneer that showcased the PS3’s power with groundbreaking performance capture and a deep, stance-based combat system.