So, this post comes in after a long time. Reasons for the longer duration between posts is mainly due to the fact that I had been a bit swamped at work past couple of weeks and last week, I just got my new PS3 shipped to my place.
Its hard to put up in words as to how excited I am on being the owner of this console and it was totally worth it going on with noodles for 6 months to save up for it (just kidding).
I had been wanting to get a PS3 for long (the XNA programming bit is still going strong, if you had been wondering) and finally decided to get one last week. It is an awesome looking console, really pretty and sleek. This 40 Gig version does not play the PS2 games that I have but is overall a pretty good investment with the blu ray player and all.
Oh, by the way, I did get GTA IV with the PS3 as well. Another very good game with some simply mind blowing in-game graphics. Haven't looked around much on the multiplayer feature, but the game until now (4%....) looks real good.
And, while looking around for some more games, I came across this article online that listed the top 11 ps3 games and I decided to share that with all my reader(s). So here it goes....
11. Folklore
It's hard not to be mesmerized by the visual elements of Folklore. Not only are they beautiful and crisp, but they are a breath of fresh air in the otherwise fantasy-dominated RPG genre. The Celtic background gives ample space for some truly original design, and nearly every one of the monsters (there are more than 100 in the game) are stunning to look at.
What's most interesting is Folklore's approach to battling monsters. As you play though the game, you capture the spirits of monsters, called "ids", and use them to attack your foes. The catch is that after you beat down a baddie you use the six-axis control to yank the spirit out by pulling up on the controller...and this is executed amazingly well.
What saves this game from being just another monster collection RPG is the compelling narrative and the unique environments. You can also look forward to some downloadable content which should help keep things fresh in the future. It's a great tide-me-over adventure before Final Fantasy XIII, and who knows when that will actually release.
10. The Elder Scroll IV : Oblivion
Now that the PS3 version of the game has been released, it is quite possible that only one year into the current generation of next-gen consoles, we have already witnessed the finest American role-playing game on the new generation of systems.
With Oblivion, publisher and developer Bethesda has achieved complete and utter mastery of the American RPG, a style of gaming that, at its very best, enthusiastically embraces the Dungeons & Dragons archetype with no winks, nods, or other forms of irony. Fighting orcs, trolls, and worse with swords and sorcery and attempting to save the world from savage darkness was no laughing matter in Tolkien's world. What a welcome relief, then, to find an RPG that establishes the same level of earnest gravitas.
PlayStation 3 owners who are skeptical that their six hundred hard-earned dollars were spent in vain or who have already burned through the first wave of primarily action-driven games now have a deep, rich, and meaningful experience to play into. You'd be a fool to miss out on this one.
If you like blowing things up, your PS3 and Warhawk will help with this slight aberration, letting you enjoy the soothing art of explosions.
Going online in this online-only fragfest is delightfully painless and simple, and as soon as you join a game, your character will spawn at your chosen drop point. Immediately, there is no doubt you are at war; bullets are flying by your head, bombs are exploding off in the distance, and a thick cloud of smoke billows out of a burning building.
The flying aspect of Warhawk is what truly defines it and sets it apart from other third-person combat MMOs. There are plenty of planes scattered across the battlefield, and as soon as you make your selection and climb onboard, the plane starts hovering. Hold down the R2 button and you vehicle will rise up into the clouds. When you're at a safe height, tap the triangle button and the Warhawk converts to flight mode and you're ready to tear up the skies.
While at times it can be overwhelming and has somewhat of a steep learning curve, Warhawk slams just about every common type of type of weapon and vehicle, land and air, into its massive multiplayer mode and it's all good fun...easily the PS3's best multiplayer experience so far.
8. Motorstorm
Whether developer Evolution Studios has cracked the seal on the PS3's potential or completely tapped the system for all it's worth, we don't know, and frankly we don't care because this is one of the best looking and performing console games yet.
MotorStorm is about speed and smashing, but the game isn't the fastest around, nor does it cause the biggest pileups like, say, the Burnout series. What it does do is pair the speed and carnage together wonderfully. Don't think for a second that MotorStorm is all brawn and no brains, though: It takes a good deal of strategy to compete in the more difficult races.
If racing is the cake of MotorStorm, crashing is definitely the icing. The effect it has on the race aside, there are few things more rewarding than watching your vehicle blow up into hundreds of pieces. Better yet, you can pause during a crash and rotate/zoom the camera to view the carnage up close. Smashing
Simply put, MotorStorm is a visual triumph. The game's realistic graphics offer a tantalizing glimpse of what the PS3 may be capable of a year or two down the road.
Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection is one hell of fighting game, and without question the best in the series.
A few months ago the GamePro staff began to engage in lunch-hour battles. It started out innocently enough, with a few of the GamePro.com web programmers picking up controllers and button-mashing their way to victory. Some of us laughed at them.
Flash forward to three weeks later. Between eight and ten GamePro editors, GP.com developers, and interns crowded into our tiny game room every single day for a full hour of screaming Tekken matches. Rivalries were born. Legends were created. Dynasties fell. It was intense, it was epic, and it was some of the most fun we've ever had as gamera. And so, over the course of the next six months, the Tekken lunchroom battles took over the entire GamePro offices. We never missed a day.
The original release of Tekken 5: DR is actually one of the deepest, most balanced, and just plain fun fighting games of all time. And now it's got an online mode and for less than $30, it's a dang good deal.
6. Uncharted : Drake's Fortune
(one of my favorites)
The folks at Naughty Dog have produced some amazing Crash and Jak & Daxter games in the past, but Uncharted is a big departure from the cartoon-y subject matter of the past. Here, the team turns its attention to photorealistic characters and a compelling narrative to drive this action-adventure game home.
And it does a damn nice job with its first game for the PS3. Uncharted offers up some amazing visuals and the gameplay is perfectly paced. You're always doing something interesting, whether it's investigating ancient ruins, trading bullets with modern-day pirates, or skydiving out of a burning airplane. And even though the story is a bit far-fetched, it's almost addictive in the sense that you'll want to help Nathan solve the mystery behind Sir Francis Drake's diary just to see it all through.
Uncharted reminds of an Indiana Jones movie in that it's a fun and enjoyable romp It isn't going to single-handedly pull Sony's bacon out of the fire this holiday season but it is definitely a title that PS3 owners can be proud to call their own.
5. Heavenly Sword
It's not a stretch to think of Heavenly Sword as "Goddess of War" because the combat takes more than few pages from God of War, but it also features a complex narrative that centers on a troubled main character and is married to a deep and substantial combat system.
If there is one thing Heavenly Sword does better than any other PS3 games to date--sans Uncharted--it's delivering on a captivating story: the main character Nariko belongs to a tribe whose fate is tied to a prophecy which proclaimed that a man would be born into their midst to save them. Unfortunately Nariko, who was born at the prophesized time, was born a woman, a fact that her fellow clansmen see as an omen of doom. Tied into the prophecy is the titular Heavenly Sword, a magical blade that is under the protection of the clan's protection. The evil King Bohan seeks the blade to consolidate his power and a war breaks out.
The game plays out through intensely fun combat sequences, but what draws you in is the story presentation and dynamite acting that keeps this thing interesting the whole way through.
While the combat isn't quite God of War-quality, it's close. What's most important, though, is that it's easy to use and enjoyable with relatively few annoyances. And while the whole experience is a little on the short side, you'll be more than thankful for quality over quantity.
4. Superstardust HD
So how can a $10 downloadable game make #4 on our list? Simple. It's fun as hell.
The first real counter to Geometry Wars on Xbox Live Arcade, Super Stardust HD (a remake of the original Amiga game) is just as good, if not better than the 360's neo-retro hit.
It's as simple of a concept as can be: blast your way through a seemingly never-ending bombardment of meteors, rocks and other space objects. Use the left analog stick to move your spaceship and the right stick to fire. And surprisingly, Super Stardust manages to deliver an exceptionally deep experience for 10 bucks.
How? With variety and graphics, my son. You see, this little spaceship packs a punch with three distinct varieties of its blaster: the Rock Crusher, Gold Melter and Ice Splitter. Each one upgrades throughout the game, and bomb pickups provide that extra boom for clearing the screen. And lastly, a rechargeable speed boost is there to get you out of those sticky situations.
With multiple planets and bosses to face, Super Stardust HD doesn't let down for a moment. There is plenty of strategy involved in choosing the right weapon for the right object or enemy, and the nonstop action keeps you addicted. Top it all off with gorgeous 1080p graphics and a silky smooth frame rate, and this downloadable titles has more legs that many full-priced PS3 games.
3. Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Sigma is quite simply the best version of Ninja Gaiden. At its core, Sigma is still the same game, but what makes it so much more compelling than the original are the improvements that have been made.
For one, the game has received a graphical boost, no small feat considering how good the original looked. But that was in standard definition and the high-def boost is definitely welcome. Character models feature have higher poly-counts and better texture work, and certain FMV cutscenes have been remade using the in-game engine, which really allows the PS3 to flex its muscle. Oh, and the frame rate is now smooth and consistent as well.
For all its refinements, Sigma is still just a port of the Xbox games, but that's fine, because the developers followed the "if it ain't broke" school of thought. The combat is still lightning fast and exciting, and the controls on the Sixaxis are just as intuitive and tight as they were on the Xbox. And that's important, because Ninja Gaiden Sigma is as difficult as ever, so if you haven't played in a while, or have never played at all, prepare to see the Game Over screen quite a few times.
A few side missions have been added that let you play as Rachel, the scantily-clad axe-wielding fiend hunter. There are also a slew of new weapons and powers, and also, as in Ninja Gaiden Black, leaderboards are present so you can gauge your ninjutsu skills online.
2. Everyday Shooter
Yup, another $10 (it was on sale for $5 during part of November) PSN game made the list, but this isn't your average downloadable title.
One of the best PS3 games yet released is also one of the least-known. Everyday Shooter is the brainchild of Jonathan Mak, who provided the floaty guitar-only soundtrack, graphic design, and core programming for the game. "Indie" in the truest sense of the word, Everyday Shooter plays similarly to other popular retro-styled shooters like Geometry Wars and Super Stardust HD. The player controls a tiny ship (in this case, a dot) with one analog stick; the other analog stick controls aiming and firing. So far, so good.
Its simplistic nature (there are no bombs or special moves; all you can do is shoot) belies its complexity. There are several reasons why Everyday Shooter goes way, way beyond Geometry Wars in both presentation and gameplay. For starters, the sound effects and soundtrack are limited to acoustic guitar samples.
Yes, we know how weird that sounds, but it's a genius move because it gives Everyday Shooter a less manic pace than Geometry Wars (though later levels get plenty hectic) and helps draw you into the retro-styled world. Almost every action in the game, from collecting point power-ups to destroying chains of enemies, expands upon that level's harmonies and helps influence the music. You're not exactly "creating" music by blowing up enemies, but it's close.
But just when you think you've figured out Everyday Shooter, it adds a new wrinkle. Each of the game's 8 levels is a completely different beast, each with its own art direction, music, enemies and gameplay. That's part of the bliss that is Everyday Shooter: figuring out how to succeed in each level and score massive amounts of points.
One level faces you off against a gigantic evil eye, which quickly multiplies and bombards you with attacks; another, more whimsical level pits you against tiny toy-like biplanes and hawk-like gliders. It's all very trippy, especially when it's set against the game's all-guitar soundtrack.
But the best part is, earning points in the game allows you to unlock fun secret features, starting with extra lives (to help plow through all eight levels), mind-bending visual effects like contrast boost and color inversion, and a whole host of other upgrades. It's all minor stuff, but it's a surprisingly compelling reason to keep playing. And keep playing we did -- Everyday Shooter is one of the most compulsively re-playable games we've ever played.
1. Ratchet & Clank Future : Tools of Destruction
It's fitting that the first installment of the Ratchet & Clank series on the PS3 is called Future, because in many ways it sets the bar for all future PS3 games. Starting with the opening cinematic to the very last moment, the game is a prime example of what developers can accomplish on the platform.
Tools of Destruction outstandingly delivers in the visuals department, doling out sweet eye candy like a friendly old lady at Halloween.
It would be easy to take the lush and vivid detail of the game for granted, but witnessing a giant building collapse as you rail-grind past it is truly a jaw-dropping experience. The best part is that the game's frame rate rarely dips or stutters, which means the intense action never misses a beat.
Of course, the true star of any Ratchet game is the many gadgets and weapons that you get to use, and considering this installment is subtitled 'Tools of Destruction', you should know Insomniac went all out. These toys are inventive and vicious as ever. Take the Groovitron--it shoots a giant disco ball into the air causing all nearby enemies to start dancing, a clever diversion that gives Ratchet ample time to give the grooving baddies the smackdown. Each enemy has its own style of dancing, and you just can't help but laugh each time it happens.
Insomniac is known for its creativity and talent, and here the studio delivers its finest game to date; a wonderful blend of comedy and action that plays out in near-Pixar quality. Casual gamers will enjoy the witty dialogue and imaginative characters even if they're not into addictive robot and alien destruction, Tools of Destruction is an amazing PS3 game that fully leverages the power of the console. It sets the bar high for not only the series but for all PS3 games to come. For many, it should be reason enough to buy the system.
Although only one of my top games feature in the top 11, it still is a good list of some really popular games for PS3.
My top games :
1. GTA IV
2. MLB08
3. F1 2007 Championship edition
4. Uncharted : Drake's fortune
Until next time, Happy Gaming !!!
