What Have I Missed This Gen? (PS3)

During the second half of this generation my interest in gaming waned a bit and I missed out on a lot of titles. Now I've recaptured that enthusiasm and I'm looking to fill in some holes with your help in the form of recommendations, doesn't have to be a critical darling, or belong to any specific genre, just has to be available on PS3/PC. Could just go through the highest-rated titles on metacritic but I'd prefer to know what YOU personally feel I missed out on.

What I have played

• Assassins Creed: Original-Revelations
• Arkham Series
• Bioshock
• Borderlands
• Burnout Paradise
• Modern Warfare 1 & 2
• Catherine
• Dark Souls
• Devil May Cry 4
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Eternal Sonata
• Fallout 3 (Not a fan of Bethesda games)
• Far Cry 2
• Final Fantasy 13 & 13-2
• God of War 3
• GTA 4
• Gran Turismo 5
• Heavenly Sword
• Heavy Rain
• Infamous 1 & 2
• Killzone 2
• L.A. Noire
• Littlebigplanet
• Mass Effect 1-3
• MGS4
• Mirrors Edge
• Motorstorm Pacific Rift
• Portal 2
• PoP 08
• Few Ratchet and Clanks
• Rayman Origins
• Red Dead Redemption
• Resident Evil 5
• Resistance 1 & 2
• Few Rockbands
• Skate 2
• Sonic Generations
• Soul Calibur 4
• SSF4
• Tekken Tag 2
• UMvC3
• Uncharted 1-3
• Valkyria Chronicles
• Vanquish
• Wipeout HD Fury

As well as most 360 exclusives, Fable 2&3, Gears, Forza, Halo, Viva Pinata, some other multiplat stuff but pre 08/09 so probably nothing that will come up here, only a couple of PSN titles like Walking Dead and Hotline Miami, and my steam library which isn't that big, and I'm not really looking to expand it, more of a console gamer.

Thanks but no thanks

• Skyrim - Don't think that they're at all bad, but Bethesda games just don't do it for me
• Saints Row - Played some of 1 & 3, neither grabbed me

Thanks very much, I realize this could be quite a sizable list, but like I said, I just want to know what you personally think I should sure I play before November rolls around.

Good lord, comma splices.

Sorry. Anyway, play Tokyo Jungle. It's hilarious.

If you enjoyed Dark Souls, Demon's Souls is great game on the PS3. If you enjoyed Valkyria Chronicles, look into XCOM on the PC. If you enjoyed the God of War style gameplay, try Bayonetta.

I also notice that there is a massive lack of smaller "indie" games on your list. Some of these may only be available to you on PC, but ones that immediately come to mind: Super Meat Boy, Limbo, Braid, Antichamber, The Swapper, Mark of the Ninja, and Journey are all games that can't be recommended too highly.

@jjweatherman: It's, fine, I'm, pretty tired, so, you'll have to excuse, my writing.

Thanks for the recommendation.

@bushpusherr: Really want to play Bayonetta but I heard performance on PS3 is so-so, will definitely add X-Com and Demon's Souls to the list. You're totally right about indie games, it's partly because I don't play PC much, but mostly because I prefer physical media. I have played some titles like SMB, Binding of Isaac, Trine, Limbo. There's a disc version of Journey now bundled with Fl0w and Flower, maybe I'll pick that up. Thanks dude.

I'll recommend Resistance 3 every time one of these threads comes up and I see it. The first one is all right, the second one is kinda poo, but the third one is pretty good in my opinion. It's one of the few shooters with a well-written and voice acted main character, and it's one of the few games I've played where the post-apocalyptic, nearly dead human race really feels desperate and impactful instead of more whimsical or Mad Max-ish. Metro 2033 is like this as well, where it's clear that humanity is *this* close to being dead instead of almost standing up on its feet like in the Fallout games.

Also of note are the InFamous games, the Ratchet and Clank games, and Journey. The Killzone games are big, dumb, stupid shooter fun, if you need that, but most people have had enough of that this generation.

You should really play Journey. The multiplayer servers won't be around forever.

This man knows what's up. Disregard what you feel for Resistance 2 (probably you hate it) and play Resistance 3 right now. I see you have not played Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite, so those are obvious. Ni no Kuni if you like JRPG. People seem to like Spec ops and Sleeping Dogs. Honestly just get PS+, in few months your library will explode.

Maybe check out The Witcher 2.

If you like RPGs on the PC check out Drakensang: River of Time. The optional fight at the bottom of the river temple is a challenge.

Deus Ex!

Demon's Souls is GREAT! The Old Monk boss fight is awesome if you have multiplayer enabled.

Bayonetta & Metal Gear Uprising - the two action games this generation that do it right.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 is on PC - not quite as good as Xbox360 version but good still.

@pessh: Demon's Souls is a must. Also there is a new Deadly Premonition for ps3. Those few games are pretty much the only reason I haven't sold mine Noby Noby Boy.

The only PS3 exclusive I really liked was Yakuza 4, but I'd recommend just tracking down a copy of Yakuza 2 for the PS2 instead because it's still the best game in the series.

YAKUZA THOUGH

RESISTANCE 3! DO IT!!!!!!

Word. I am still bummed there is no word of the HD release of 1 and 2 for either Wii U or PS3.

• Yakuza 3
• Yakuza 4
• Yakuza Dead Souls
• Folklore
• Demon's Souls
• Playstation All-Stars
• Twisted Metal

I'll second the Yakuza games(except for Dead Souls), and also throw in Guacamelee, Dragon's Dogma, and Sleeping Dogs. And if you care at all for JRPG's you might like the Atelier games on the PS3. Personally, I thought the Atelier games got better with each installment.

Edit: Thought of a couple more. No More Heroes is kinda interesting, if you've never played it on the Wii. Also, the Sly Cooper HD collection and/or the new Sly Cooper game. Oh, and for another JRPG Tales of Graces f, or maybe the upcoming Tales of Xillia.

yep i second the yakuza games as well.

id also add asura's wrath, bayonetta, and bioshock infinite.

oh and metal gear rising.

That one slipped my mind. I'd definitely recommend that one, as well.

I think you lack a lot of memorable indie titles. If you have a PC available go for Bastion (PC), Journey (PS3) and FEZ (PC). So you have no interest in typical PC titles?

I'm playing through the new Tomb Raider right now and having a blast.

@pessh: I see a clear lack of METAL GEAR SOLID 5 on that list.

The Last of Us is something you definitely must play if you haven't yet. Also since you played Heavy Rain, you may enjoy the upcoming Beyond: Two Souls.

• Max Payne 3
• Dragon's Dogma : Dark Arisen
• Warhammer 40k : Space Marine
• Criterion's Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (2010) and Most Wanted (2012)
• Demon's Souls
• XCOM - Enemy Unknown
• All of the Battlefields (at least if you can get behind multiplayer, but BF:BC 1 was quite unique singleplayer-wise too)
• ...and lastly The Last of Us.

I would like to back this list as it is filled with goodness. Dragons Dogma.. such an amazing game.

This is what I could think of. I starred the ones that I think you really really really should play. Feel free to ask if you want me to expand on my feelings about any of these games.

• Alan Wake - Refreshingly not cover shooter with great ambience and storytelling
• Alan Wake's American Nightmare - Like the above but with more Remedy
• Alpha Protocol - Clunky but very interesting, may or may not be worth slogging through
• Antichamber - Like Portal but different, not really non-euclidean
• *Asura's Wrath - This game came out when everyone was all like "Dude fuck QTE's" but everyone liked it anyways
• *Bayonetta - It's rough on PS3, especially for someone with a fighting game background like you, but fuck man
• Binary Domain - Tight shooting, a bit arcadey, oddly charming characters
• *BioShock Infinite - Solid mechanically, great atmosphere and narrative, are you spoiled already?
• Borderlands 2 - Only if you finished Borderlands and thought to yourself, man, I'd be into more of this if they fixed X, Y, and Z
• Brutal Legend - This game is fucking weird, but a must-play if you have any affinity for metal
• Cart Life - Interesting in a mechanically dense and unforgiving way
• *Darksiders - It's like Zelda but not mired in outdated design, didn't like the second one
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution - It's Deus Ex man
• *DmC Devil May Cry - It's not as deep as DMC3/4/Bayonetta, but it's deeper than every other game in the genre
• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen - It's like a Bethesda RPG if the world was shittier but the gameplay didn't suck
• Dust: An Elysian Tail - It's almost worth playing simply because one dude made it
• Dyad - It's a lot of fun if you can get in the zone
• Enslaved: Odyssey to the West - Like Heavenly Sword but better
• Everyday Shooter - A super oldie but still one of the best twinstick shooters
• Far Cry 3 - The story is fucking dumb but the game is incredibly fun
• Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon - Only worth it if you like so unfunny it's funny 80's references
• Flower - Are games art?
• FTL: Faster Than Light - If you're up for a challenge, it's incredibly rewarding
• Iron Brigade - Brad Muir :D
• Journey - Games are art!
• King of Fighters XIII - Do you like KoF?
• *The Last of Us - 10 10 10 10 5/5 10 9.8 10 make sure you play it on hard
• Lollipop Chainsaw - I'm a sucker for Suda games
• Mark of the Ninja - Incredibly designed mechanics
• Max Payne 3 - If you aren't carrying too much franchise baggage, it's a fun shooter
• *Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - Not the deepest mechanically but it's still Platinum and the storyline is nuts
• Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - JRPG comfort food, nothing revolutionary but it looks real purdy
• Persona 4 Arena - Do you like Arc fighters? Or Persona?
• Remember Me - Solid albeit shallow combat in a great world with a fun story
• Shadows of the Damned - More Suda, sorry
• Shatter - A really interesting take on Breakout with killer music
• Sid Meier's Civilization V - Not as complex as Civ IV but still an incredibly deep game, now with a lot more polish
• Skullgirls - Do you like anime fighters?
• *Sleeping Dogs - It's like a GTA game if the gameplay was actually good
• Stacking - A fun curio from Double Fine, very cool aesthetic
• *Tokyo Jungle - One of the few games this generation upholding the legacy of wacky Japanese shit on PS
• Tomb Raider - Plays well and scratched a lot of those Metroidvania itches in 3D if you let it
• *Trash Panic - Brutally hard puzzle game, also wacky and Japanese
• *The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings - The best WRPG this gen? Probably
• *XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Not as deep as a Japanese TRPG on the battlefield but the metagame is really addictive

Alpha Protocol (buggy but otherwise phenomenal), Spelunky, Binding of Isaac, Orange Box, La Mulana (supposedly 2D Dark Souls), pretty much any HD remake that came out this gen of games you haven't played yet

It's not a PS3 game, but since you did mention games available on the PC, I feel like I should recommend The Book of Unwritten Tales. If you have any interest at all in adventure games, it is an absolute delight.

I definitely reiterate these.

Also, I personally really liked:

• Red Faction Guerrilla - One of my favorite open world games of all time
• Blur - One of my favorite car combat/racing games
• Dead Space 1 & 2 (didn't really like 3)

SXX is pretty baller too. Not all of it, but trick-centric tracks are a hoot and a holler! Second Dead Space 1 & 2. Didn't get around to the third one yet, but the demo was fine too. Red Faction Guerrilla has gaming's best sledge hammers, so if wrecking shit with a sledge hammer sounds like a good time to you - you should definitely play it.

Thanks for all the recommendations. Are the Demons Souls servers still up?

@mrfluke: @metalbaofu: @demoskinos: @tyler1285: Never played Yakuza 1 and 2, would I be alright just jumping into 3/4/Dead Souls? Is it still worth it at that point?

@starvinggamer: Wow thanks dude, interested in Max Payne but concern was not enough baggage. Never played the first 2. Where would you recommend I start with out of Bayonetta/Rising/DmC?

Play Metal Gear Solid 4. It's the last proper Metal Gear game ever.

@pessh: Eh, you can watch the movies at the beginning of 3 or 4 to get the run down of plot. But I would highly suggest if you ever want to play 1 or 2 to play them first. As the game has evolved quite dramatically and playing 1 after 4, or 5 if they ever think America gives two shits about Yakuza, will probably hurt your head a lot. Avoid Dead Souls at all costs unless you fall deeply in love with the series. Even then..

Regardless of whether or not you played them on the PS2, you should definitely play the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus HD collection. The higher resolution and improved framerate do wonders.

@pessh: I jumped in with Yakuza 3 first with no problem. As mentioned, I felt the summary things they have did a good enough job filling in what happened previously.

@pessh: Hmmm, if you're sure you're going to play them all, I'd say Rising > DmC > Bayonetta. All three are solid story-wise in their own ways, but that order will give you a nice progression of gameplay. I honestly have no idea how bad the PS3 version of Bayonetta is though, so it's hard to say whether or not you'd be able to appreciate it fully.

@believer258: I agree. Resistance 3 is a solid game, and I had a good time playing it all the way through. Resistance 1 wasn't great, and Resistance 2 was good for it's co-op mode. But the story/campaign in Resistance 3 is great. Doesn't hurt that it's a great looking game either.

I'd also suggest Bayonetta. The combat engine is brilliant fun and full of depth, and I love the over the top, tongue in cheek humour laced throughout the game's design. That said It does run like ass on the PS3. Had it drop to 1fps quite a few times. Sega botched the port job apparently.

Other than that you've listed pretty much everything I would've recommended.

None. You played Valkyria Chronicles. That list is as perfect as it'll ever get. Otherwise I'd say Far Cry 3, Demon's Souls, Witcher 2, and a few others.

But... Valkyria Chronicles. It's done already. Go. Rest. Save your strength.

Folklore - it was mentioned before, but this is probably one of the most hidden gems of the generation. A monster-collecting JPRG.