The PlayStation 3 is almost 20 years old and sadly it shows. Most games from that era offered beige color palettes, low textures and loading times that could break the patience of a Zen master. Yet, not all games on the console were made equal. There are truly some amazing titles to explore on the PlayStation 3.
These are games where character, story, and plot points grab your attention and refuse to let go. It was the golden era of gaming and there are still a few rough-around-the-edge games that’ll capture your heart if you let them. Here are five games on PS3 that have aged like a fine wine despite hardware limitations.
5
Bioshock Infinite
While the first Bioshock brought us one of gaming’s greatest twists ever, arguably Bioshock Infinite brought us several twists to mess with our heads long after the credits rolled. Age wise, the repetitive bullet sponge enemy types and the frequent loading screens let Bioshock Infinite down compared to modern titles. However, narratives like this simply don’t exist anymore. A game where the creators don’t second guess the players’ intelligence and instead rewards us with a complex time-splitting thriller that needs to be experienced by all.
Bioshock Infinite presents well-written characters like Elizabeth, Comstock, and the main protagonist Edward and fills them with secrets that slowly unfold throughout your playthrough. The game reaches cinematic brilliance at it’s peak and delivers a sci-fi story that’ll leave you exploring your own ‘what if’ theories as the game draws to a close. Bioshock Infinite‘s plot alone has us eagerly awaiting Ken Levine’s next project, Judas.
4
Portal 2
Portal 2 proves something that we all secretly knew. Visuals don’t really matter. The visuals here are solid sure enough, but it simply doesn’t matter. The writing, voice work, and sense of dark humor throughout Portal 2 have never been matched. Your journey through Aperture Science is as much a narrative masterpiece as it is a brain-scratching puzzler. With amazing writing and character development, one minute you’ll be hell-bent on destroying GLaDOS and the next, you’ll be protecting her like she’s the last piece of promised cake!
Stephen Merchant as Wheatley deserves a special mention, as his comic timing is second to none. Once you’ve mastered the portal guns and the new abilities the game throws at you, you’ll still feel lost in wonderment as the game slowly reveals its huge depth and poignant character plot points that will continue to surprise you. Chell’s journey through the history of Aperture Science and the huge story reveals about characters like Cave Johnson and Caroline will stick in your mind long after you shoot for the moon. A timeless masterpiece.
3
Red Dead Redemption
The western game that started it all. John Marston’s tale of redemption as he hunts down his old gang and tries to keep his family safe will go down in history as one of the greatest stories in gaming ever told. The visuals don’t quite live up to modern standards, but that ceases to matter moments after you step into John’s shoes. The wild west setting immediately sucks you in and takes you for a ride you’ll never forget.
Red Dead Redemption is more than just an open-world adventure. Characters have weight and their words carry meaning. The game deals with themes of morality in a shifting civilization where the old ways are being eroded by progress. Is it progression for good or are people losing their freedom? These themes and, in fact, John Marston’s plight still ring true today. Red Dead Redemption is simply the second-best western game to ever be made. And the first? Well, that crown goes to its sequel, of course.
2
Batman: Arkham City
Where the first game taught us just how satisfying it was to don the cowl and be the bat, Batman: Arkham City took everyone’s favorite superhero and dialed everything up to eleven. Set in a closed-off part of Gotham, overrun with villains, you spend one very memorable night in hell, trying to clean up the streets, defeat Hugo Strange and perhaps have one of the most memorable moments in comic book history with your arch rival, The Joker.
The visuals are still decent by today’s standards and the amount of content crammed into Arkham City is a thing of beauty. You’ll come up against many foes, including Mr. Freeze, Clayface, Two-Face and The Penguin to name a few. Rocksteady did an incredible job to make you feel like you truly are The Dark Knight and all the responsibilities that come with that. The story, though, is where Batman: Arkham City really shines.
This one night in hell delivers huge story beats that you won’t soon forget. Memorable moments include Mr. Freeze hunting you down, playing as Catwoman and some huge twists that you need to see for yourself. The ending borders on art and was a bold move rarely seen throughout the history of the caped crusader. Batman: Arkham City might be the best Batman story ever told and deserves your time.
1
Grand Theft Auto 5
No list of PS3 games would be complete without Grand Theft Auto 5. While we’re eagerly awaiting the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 on November 19, 2026, we’re all still playing this great title. It first burst to life on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and we’ve been playing it ever since. It’s had nearly as many re-releases and new versions of every device as Skyrim. And sure, the OG game isn’t as polished as more modern updates, but it still shines brightly.
Grand Theft Auto 5 gave us three playable characters in the main story and set us up for multiple ways to complete large missions while also always keeping the action fun. It ditched the heavy realistic driving of GTA 4 and went for a more arcade-style feel. It’s all the better for it too. But make no mistake, the main reason Grand Theft Auto 5 is still being played today is because of GTA Online. Alas, there is no official way to play GTA Online for the PlayStation 3 anymore as the servers shut down a few years ago.
That gives us all the perfect excuse to boot up the dusty PS3 and focus on the single-player campaign. The story of Michael, Franklin, and Trevor still holds up really well and pulling off the big heists is still so much fun to do. With multiple endings on offer, a replay gives you a chance to see a path not previously taken too. GTA 5 is chaotic fun and still a blast to play through today.
The PlayStation 3 might be almost 20 years old, but there’s still life left in that old fox. It may creak and groan as much as my knees when I walk upstairs too fast, but there’s still life left in it. The five games listed above are the cream of the crop, but they also sit atop a large pile of really excellent games, so perhaps now is the perfect time to revisit some old treasures on the PlayStation 3.
- Brand
-
Sony
- Original Release Date
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November 11, 2006
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$499, ¥49,980 (20 GB model) / $599.99, ¥60,000, £425, €599 (60 GB model)
- Operating System
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CellOS
- Storage
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20-500 GB
- VR Support
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No
