The Final 8 PS3 Games I’ll Ever Play - PlayStation 3 (PS3) Forum (2024)

Pulled this over from the PS3 thread as don’t want to derail that with this personal request for advice from yourself Sol… and anyone else willing to put their two-peneths in.

So yeah, while I decided to clear my PS3 backlog this year… it was more a thing of clearing the games within my ps3 backlog that I actually wanted to play than clearing absolutely everything. There was still going to be some that I was willing to have remain as part of my physical collection only. Well as the year went on, I ended up deciding to play a fair few of them too… all the while buying at least 10-15 further ps3 games during the year. So by the close of 2024, I’ll have actually cleared between 25-30 ps3 games (far more than I initially intended).

Now to where I’d appreciate peoples thoughts &/or advice. By the end of the year I’ll be on #42 ps3 plats. Now if y’all know anything about me… I’m super-OCD about my trophy list and I love a trophy milestone. So, with that in mind, together with a few remaining ps3 games I already intend on playing after 2024, I’m thinking it’d be rude not to get to #50 ps3 plats and calling it a day there. So if I include the remaining ps3 games in my backlog after 2024, I’d love some help whittling them down to the final 8 games that I’ll play on the system. I’ll also include some info about where I currently consider them in my list of priorities:

1. Dead Space 2 - non-negotiable: fully intend on playing this one and am looking at it to be my 250th platinum (if I’m up to the task)
2. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - non-negotiable: fully intend on playing this and intend on this being my 50th ps3 platinum (if I’m up to the task #2)
3. Just Cause 2 - non-negotiable: although I’ve done two full playthroughs previously (on an old profile) it’s getting played again and plat’d, though probably not a milestone
4. Warhammer 40k: Space Marine - would be non-negotiable but it’s gonna be a very convoluted process of me buying PSN credit in US dollars, creating a US PSN account, buying the game on the US PS3 PSN store, as the only way to access the online these days is via this method. So, if all that actually pans-out without any issues, this one will be played. I have a feeling that I will experience issues though
5. Final Fantasy XIII-2 - not non-negotiable but I am real close to the Final Fantasy XIII plat and would quite like the set
6. Lightning Returns - see above
7. Dragon Age: Origins - would like to play it again I guess (played it originally on 360)
8. Dragon Age 2 - less keen on this one but if I end up going for Origins, I’ll probably be compelled to play this too
9. Deadly Premonition: Directors Cut - curious about this one but not totally convinced
10. Dark Void - unlikely that this one will make the cut if I’m honest
11. Bionic Commando - always fancied playing it but never did
12. Splinter Cell - I’ve only played Blacklist, which I really liked, so keen on this for sure. Trouble is, I only have 8 slots and if I play this, I’ll be playing the other two too
13. Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow - see above
14. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory - see above
15. Tomb Raider: Legend - was quite keen on these but might just end up playing the remastered trilogies on ps4/ps5 now
16. Tomb Raider: Anniversary - see above
17. Tomb Raider: Underworld - see above
18. Fallout 3 - played New Vegas this year and it reminded me how much I used to love the series. So it did bring 3 back into my consideration… meant to be an absolute pig to plat though, due to the many bugs… but also the game just breaking on ps3 at a certain point and being no longer playable
19. Sleeping Dogs - already played this on ps4… but I did love it, so could be open to another playthrough
20. Game of Thrones - the rpg, not the telltale
21. The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - not really considering this one tbh
22. The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena - not really considering this one tbh
23. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood - not really considering this one tbh
24. Call of Juarez: The Cartel - not really considering this one tbh

Tldr - I’d appreciate any help in refining the above 24 ps3 games into 8, thanks 😉

@colonelkilgore Impressive work with the PS3. I wasn’t keeping count but I did suspect you had gone way past the original goal of 15. It’s been inspiring and nostalgic to read the updates of your experiences.

That seems a daunting list that still remains though! 😂

I haven’t played most of those but I can definitely see how it all has to start with 1-3. Those are each from series that you really love so all a guarantee for a great experience, no doubt. I’m personally would lean toward doing 5&6, to complete the FF13 trilogy. I played about halfway through FF13-2 and was enjoying it, but I somehow fell off. It is different in its structure, but has a similar-ish battle system, iirc. I’ve always wished I would have finished it and been able to play Lightning Returns, but I felt I couldn’t without completing 2 first, and also LR was a victim of the proximity to the PS4 release and so it got left behind.

For the last three, I’d vote for Fallout 3, and the two Dragon Ages. Perhaps I’m tainted by recent hype about those two franchises, but also, I just would favor using these slots on games that are “stuck” on the PS3 and can’t be played on modern PlayStation consoles.

So basically, I’ve just given you my own wishlist of what I would want to play. 😅

I can’t remember, but just making sure you’ve played some of the others that are trapped on PS3 (some that I either loved or wish would be ported to PS5) — The Saboteur, Portal 2, Puppeteer, Batman Arkham Origins, Heavenly Sword… those are just a few that I don’t remember your having mentioned before. Also the Resistance trilogy. I know FPS aren’t your thing (nor mine) but those are games I probably should have played.

@colonelkilgore So if I'm reading it right, you have 5 non-negotiable games, thereby leaving 3 open slots?

I'd say Fallout 3 should be 100% on your list. Leaving two slots. Given your OCD tendencies, I wouldn't want two of a trilogy, which kind of eliminates Splinter Cell and Tomb Raider. Opens the door for the Dragon Age games. Though Deadly Premonition could be an awesome plat to own, though that game could be jank central, as it was a jankfest back in the day if I recall.

@Th3solution Very fond memories of Nariko and Heavenly Sword. Unfortunately that game was never blessed with trophies! The early days of PS3 saw release of a raft of games before trophies became commonplace, shame HS never got a list patched in.

@Th3solution yeah that’s pretty much where my thinking is at the moment really… though I am a bit concerned about pumping 100 or so hours into Fallout 3 and reaching a point where the game just breaks and the platinum is no longer possible. It could well be a risk worth taking though 👍.

So I played The Saboteur a few months ago and… it’s a masterpiece imo. I played a lot of incredible games this year and that is up there with the absolute best of them. I played Heavenly Sword back at its release, I wasn’t necessarily a fan of character-action at the time but did enjoy it. I remember ‘porcupining’ fallen enemies with hundreds of arrows… just for the fun of it 😁. I’ve heard high praise for The Puppeteer and looked into it as a result. Although I’m sure it’s great, it just doesn’t look like my kinda game tbh… and I like to think I’m generally pretty open about things. I think it probably comes down to the 2D-ness (or 2.5D in this case) and the aesthetic feels a bit kidsy… which isn’t a bad thing but just does nothing for me for whatever reason. Finally… the plats for Arkham Origins, the Resistance Trilogy and Portal 2 are unobtainable due to server closures. Well, in AO case I have heard there is some kind of work-around but it sounds a bit dodgy and you need like 6 other people and a couple of whole days to get the mp stuff done. Not necessarily a deal-breaker but there’s only so much online-participation I’m open too… and I’ve done enough for the next decade in 2024 😅.

@PorkChopExpress sorry buddy, it’s probably the way I’ve written it that isn’t entirely clear. So 1-3 is non-negotiable, 4. would be non-negotiable if not for the issues involved with getting online with it (the whole buying US PSN credit, creating a US profile etc.)… I’m just wary that it won’t pan out. Then with 5. I’ve said it’s not non-negotiable but I’m feeling it’s pull if you know what I mean.

Similarly, I do feel drawn to Deadly Premonition… I love Twin Peaks, I loved the bit of Silent Hill 2 Remake I played with the missus last month and I’ve heard it takes inspiration from both. Another vote for Fallout 3 too… I really need to research how and what causes the game to break on ps3 and how to avoid it.

@Th3solution @PorkChopExpress any way thanks guys, much appreciated and definitely feeling closer to that final list if 8 🍻

@PorkChopExpress Ah, yes, I forgot that Heavenly Sword had no trophies. With the classics catalogue starting to include trophies I do wonder if this is one that might come back with them now.

@colonelkilgore No problem. I enjoy living vicariously through other people’s game time. 😄

I can see the quandary with FO3. If it’s a similar issue that Skyrim had before they patched it, there may be a way to carefully play and save the game where your chance of crashes minimizes. That’s a tough one though.

As an alternative, I personally would go toward Sleeping Dogs. The presence of a PS4 port makes it less “special” in a way, but it would be a nice one to have in the collection since you hold it in high regard.

I will not help out of protest that you will never play another PS3 game after you are done...

I just started Fallout 3 a few days ago. Luckily for me I don't care about the platinum for it, so I should be ok about being able to finish it.

@Th3solution I doubt it given that it's a Ninja Theory game, but you never know! Indeed, if it did rise from the ashes, and with trophy support? You couldn't hold me back!

Good suggestion with Sleeping Dogs. Even by todays standards, I'd consider it a very strong game. Really a shame that we never got to see more from that world.

@KilloWertz I have to draw the line somewhere right 😅

@PorkChopExpress yeah I could definitely see myself playing Sleeping Dogs again… I really did enjoy it on PS4 and will always have a thing for crime-ridden open-world games. Not only would I love the Sleeping Dogs world to be explored in further games but I’d also love remasters/remakes of the old True Crime games from where it spawned too.

@colonelkilgore I guess. Obviously you took a much larger undertaking than I ever would. It'd probably be fun to given that it was one of the golden eras of at least modern gaming. So, I could never see myself completely boxing up my PS3 and saying "never again", but I can understand it would get in the way of playing current gen games. I'm sure you'd have a ridiculous PS5 backlog at some point if you didn't draw a line.

That is quite a list. I doubt I'd ever be able to bring it down to 8. I do want to play the 2 extra FFXIII games at some point too myself after finally finishing XIII I think last year. I've never played Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for no apparent reason either. I'm not sure if I have that one digitally or not. Either way, I'll be looking online for at least a few more PS3 games sooner or later while I'm playing Fallout 3.

@KilloWertz well, my ps5 backlog is already at around 100 (probably a bit more)… but it’s my ps4 backlog that concerns me most. It must be around 800-900 (maybe more). I imagine that I’ll be whittling down my final ps4 games ever from a far bigger list than 24 in around 8 or so years time.

The one game I can definitely recommend is Deadly Premonition. From what I remember the platinum was on the easier side and the game is a must play for horror fans. I purchased it a second time on the Switch to play it on the go cause I love the game so much.

@Ceridane okay, well I’m definitely considering it… and your endorsement only adds weight to that 👍

@colonelkilgore Proud to see lots of love for The Saboteur! One of my favourite games of all time! Still annoyed at EA for dissolving Pandemic. I'd be thrilled if it ever got revived someway, somehow.

One very memorable game you may or may not have played is an FPS action-adventure named Singularity. One of the better, and more underrated first-person games out there in my opinion.

@PorkChopExpress yeah The Saboteur is just something else, so ahead of its time in terms of gameplay and open-world activities… artistically beautiful too. As someone who always felt I’d really missed the boat on missing out on a game that would be perfect for me (Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction) it actually felt I got a piece of it through Pandemic’s subsequent work. Amazing game that I can’t recommend to people highly enough.

I’d never actually heard of Singularity but it looks really cool. There’s no way I’m opening myself up to that much further ps3 multiplayer after the year I’ve had though. While I loved my return to GTA IV that just about eradicated any last remnants of me wanting to game socially with people for a while. I’m not particularly social anyway but… **** I ain’t gonna bad mouth anyone or any community because ultimately I got there and that’s all I wanted but bloody hell! 😅

@colonelkilgore Aww man, I didn't realise that Singularity has MP trophies. Bummer, dude. It's a really brilliant campaign. The fact I still remember it is testament to that. I definitely understand your reasoning, though!

Yeah, with regard to Pandemic, I'd argue that you got peak Pandemic in my opinion. Mercenaries definitely had more in terms of explosions/firepower, but The Saboteur had such a terrific blend of every facet from art style, gameplay, sound design, and voice acting for the time, too. And I'm a sucker for anything WWII related. Not so much a hidden gem, but I'd say sorely underrated. A top 5 PS3 game in my honest opinion, that's how highly I rate it. Game of the Year in 2009 was Uncharted 2, a brilliant game by anyone's metric. Though if Saboteur was Sony 1st party, and Uncharted was by EA .... just my 2 pennies.

@PorkChopExpress I couldn’t be more with you bud, while Uncharted 2 is undoubtedly a classic, I’d rank The Saboteur above it. In fairness to the former though, the latter is far more my kinda game if you get me.

@colonelkilgore Hahaha, 100% I get you. Me too. Completely impartial opinion, mind. 😅😅

@colonelkilgore So, basically you're saying you'll always be 2 consoles behind when you die? My backlog is nowhere near that big, but I doubt I'll ever finish it all either. That's beside the point though.

I can see you making the two Final Fantasy XIII games non-negotiable at some point. I still have to buy both of them eventually.

@KilloWertz well it depends where I draw the line on each generation. Don’t get me wrong I’ve played a shed-load of ps4 games and a fair few ps5 games (including this year while I’ve been concentrating on ps3 too), so it’s not like I was 2 consoles behind on those generations when I was playing those games… it’s just that as I got back into gaming (in a big way… I’d always gamed but was very casual from my late teens to mid 30’s) I realised that there was a lot of amazing games that I missed. So many in fact that I’m still in the process of getting around to all of them… the amount I’ve gotten through in the last 4 years though is… well I ain’t gonna toot my own horn but it’s a lot.

@colonelkilgore Although I think the industry has become a little remake/remaster heavy in recent years, I’m much more in favor than the average Joe is of gaming companies’ penchant for re-releasing older games on modern consoles because it does really help with prior gen backlog management. Of your final eight candidates, I’d argue most need a PS5 remaster.

I’ve been basically a nonstop PlayStation fan since my youth and have played all consoles back to PS1, and I still missed a lot of classics along the way. PS3 was probably the generation where I was the most distracted and had a few lapses of time and ended up missing some important games.

So I very much welcome the remakes and remasters that come out to help plug those holes. I really don’t see why Square-Enix doesn’t release a FF13 trilogy pack for modern consoles, like was done for other classic PS3 trilogies like Mass Effecr, BioShock, Batman Arkham’s, Uncharted Nathan Drake collection, AC Ezio Trilogy, Borderlands (although I don’t think they ever bundled the BL1 remaster together with the Handsome Collection remasters), etc, etc. Ditto for why we haven’t seen a re-release of Resistance trilogy, Infamous 1-2, Dragon Age 1-2, Fallout 3 & New Vegas, among others including solo games that might do well on PS5 like The Saboteur and Spec Ops: The Line.

But I am happy that there are still plenty of producers that have greenlit remasters and remakes that I missed the first time around… as I stare at my backlog with games like Resident Evil 4 remake, Dead Space remake, Mafia 1 & 2 remasters, FF7 Crisis Core Reunion, Nier Replicant, Alan Wake, etc, etc.