The PS3 was a console that brought a lot of joy in my teenager days and I’m sure that applies to many of you. It is not only one of the definitive consoles of the previous decade, but also one that proved the maxim that not everything needs to hit the ground running to work.

Despite the slower start compared to the great PS1 and the universally acclaimed and almost immortal PS2, Sony was able to turn the tables and release one amazing exclusive after the other, but we are not here to talk only about the exclusives. We are here today to talk about the 15 best PS3 video games.

15. Table of Contents

    Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Infinity Ward, 2007

It doesn’t matter if you are a COD fan or not, you have to accept that the moment COD 4 was released, you thought you played the most perfect FPS ever made.

While I personally declare the new Modern Warfare 2 as the greatest COD ever created, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare single-handedly revived the FPS genre and also solidified Call of Duty as one of the best videogame franchises ever.

14. Wolfenstein: The New Order – MachineGames, 2014

The moment The New Order begins you can actually notice that this will be the greatest Nazi-hunting story ever told. In this new entry you are still BJ Blazkowicz and you are still the most famous Nazi hunter and while it is presented to you as a mindless shooter, you will soon realize that this game examines the cost of soul-crushing fascism and the endless war.

13. Journey – ThatGameCompany, 2012

No overplots, no dialogues, no bosses, no combat, and no death in sight, and despite that, Journey is a game considered as one of the best of all time because is considered as art, pure art.

ThatGameCompany’s masterpiece is a game made to relax you, to make you understand that you can have fun without killing, without driving cars, etc. Relaxing is good, and this game will help you with that.

12. Batman: Arkham City – Rocksteady Games, 2011

When Rocksteady presented us Arkham Asylum we thought that the greatest superhero video game was already with us, but no. Rocksteady made possible the idea of “making something perfect more perfect than ever before” the moment they dropped Batman: Arkham City.

Haunting, striking, and unique; Arkham City is one of the best open-world videogames ever created. Widely regarded as one of the definitive PS3 games out there and the finest that the superhero genre has ever enjoyed over the years.

11. Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition – Capcom, 2011

This game is for the OG, for the old school.

Everybody knows that Street Fighter is one of those video games that doesn´t have a hater, even if you don’t like fighting games, and this opinion was set in stone when Street Fighter 4 was released in 2011. The game perfectly blends sense of humor, simple play style and the compromising roster of 39 fighters.

Something that you will realize the moment you play this game is that the immense fun it brings; pure and simple fun. And isn’t that the whole point of gaming?

10. The Walking Dead – Telltale Games, 2012

Personally, I’m not a fan of Telltale Games’ videogames, but I have to say that The Walking Dead is an amazing graphic adventure that shows you a both horrific and emotional story perfectly written and executed.

The game drops you into a nightmarish situation where your decisions can either save you and those around you or doom yourself and your friends. There are no heroes here, just humans.

9. BioShock – Irrational Games, 2008

Would you kindly go play BioShock if you haven’t played it yet? While it took a while for PS3 to get BioShock, this game is usually considered the first AAA video game of its generation and it set some standards like world-building, atmosphere, gameplay that many other developers tried to match the next seven years.

The unique yet scary atmospheres, the enemies, the plot twists… BioShock is one of the best video games ever made.

8. Mass Effect 2 – BioWare, 2011

While Mass Effect is technically better, there is something in Mass Effect 2 that makes it superior than its successor.

Often regarded as the best one of the trilogy, Mass Effect 2 is a game that any science fiction fan should play because it blends perfectly the action, the role-playing style of play and, obviously, a science fiction so good that it could rival with Halo.

7. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Bethesda Game Studios, 2011

Back in 2011, Bethesda was on top of the world when they released the sequel to Oblivion, a game that already set the bar high.

Skyrim was released to widespread critical acclaim and since then, almost every fantasy adventure video game was inspired by this magical entry. I still play this game to this day and I enjoy how it is able to easily grab your attention for hours.

I’m waiting for The Elder Scrolls VI as I’m typing these words, by the way. A man can dream.

6. GTA V – Rockstar North, 2013

2013 was the year when the most anticipated video game ever was released, and I clearly remember the moment when I was able to play this masterpiece. GTA V was everything we wanted, but better; sadistic, realistic, fun, and unique.

It was the first time in a GTA game where you could play with three different characters: the nice-guy but streetwise Franklin, the abrasive family-man Michael, or the infamous but realistic psychopath Trevor.

5. Metal Gear Solid 4 – Kojima Productions, 2007

This is my personal pick, because I have never ever played a video game so beautiful like this one. I was already obsessed with MGS 3, but the moment I played Guns of the Patriots, I realized that new entry wasn’t normal, it was something else; something mesmerizing and everlasting.

This is my personal opinion and you may not like it, but Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the best Metal Gear video game ever made.

4. Red Dead Redemption – Rockstar Games, 2010

It is hard to tell if Red Dead is better than GTA 5, is like comparing Roger Federer with Rafael Nadal. But it is safe to say that Red Dead’s story is something perfect that any GTA game wasn’t able to replicate… GTA IV was a close one.

Red Dead Redemption is a video game is a beautiful experience that any game or western movies’ fan should experience because this is the complete package.

3. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – Naughty Dog, 2009

The first Naughty Dog’s videogame in the list, it is obvious which one is the other one. Uncharted 2 is the closest thing we have to Indiana Jones, but with more action and guns. Considered by many the best one in the Uncharted saga and the best video game released in 2009, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the perfect balance between storytelling, action, puzzles, adventure, and platforming.

2. Dark Souls – FromSoftware, 2011

A game that singlehandedly changed the way we look at videogames and created its own genre, the Soulslike.

Dark Souls is the video game that make you go from a kid to a man because of how challenging the game is. Some say the game is unfairly hard but no: it is just challenging and that is something amazing because it forces you not to play well, but rather play perfectly. There is no room for errors in this peerless piece of art.

1. The Last of Us – Naughty Dog, 2013

It was obvious that The Last of Us was the top 1. There was no way around it. PS3’s best game is also considered the console’s swansong, and that feels more than fitting.

Often considered the best game of its generation, The Last of Us has everything a videogame wants to have: unique characters, perfect storytelling, great gameplay, amazing graphics… Everything about The Last of Us is mesmerizing and it’s safe to say that this game is a love letter to the video game industry as a whole.