The Playstation 3 is my most recent console purchase, and thus far I have had little regret in getting one. There have been a few games that have simply knocked me off my feet in multiple ways. I am not a big fan of some of the “features” this generation has wrought: DRM, DLC, console updating, and abusing the concept of regenerating health. Ultimately though, the games still shine through the concerns, and I’m happy to have played these amazing titles.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square-Enix/Eidos Monteral)
Color me a bit surprised that I’m hailing the latest Deus Ex the best PS3 game I’ve played thus far, but I really do think it deserves the acclaim. The gameplay is sensational, with the excellent Deus Ex playstyle being updated beautifully. The game’s plot is intriguing and multifaceted, the characters are mostly endearing and fascinating (damn you Sarif), and the level design is splendid. Even the bosses, the one harp most people have had with the game, didn’t really faze me too much. In fact, I really liked three of them (even if one of those had me reeling and restarting it twenty times XD ). So, on the whole, this is my favorite PS3 experience I’ve had the pleasure of playing so far.
Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar/Rockstar San Diego)
Red Dead Redemption is marvelous, it truly is. It makes a GTA style game maintain its enjoyment long after the sandbox thrill wears off. The controls are responsive and rarely wonk (wow, that’s actually a word), the characters and storyline are quite engaging, and the atmosphere is very well done. Having my save erased has been a little detrimental to my overall feelings towards it; it’s such a big game that replaying it to its fullest is a mammoth task I haven’t felt up to revisiting. Still, I treasure the mostly complete first go and have continued to enjoy dabbling in its world in subsequent replays.
Dead Space 2 (EA/Visceral)
Deus Ex is mucking up a lot of things; now I need to rewrite my 2011 Looking Back. XD So, I’m going to copy my comments from there for the purposes of expressing my joys with Dead Space 2. It’s a little longer than the other entries, but I think you can handle it.
Dead Space 2 is the closest any game has gotten to toppling Resident Evil 4 from its 3D action perch, and it was a wonderful, wonderful experience all the way through. The game improves itself from its prequel on every single level. The gameplay is stellar and features tighter controls, the enemies are more varied and even crazier than the first, the characters exhibit tons of personality and likability (even the twisted ones), the storyline is compelling and not so reliant on Issac to solve any little problem that comes up (the major issue with the first game’s plot), and the level design takes you to some very memorable setpieces, among the best in any game I’ve played (I’ll not forget the daycare any time soon). Not only that, but the terror this series has resurrected into the forefront showcases that a game can do survival horror AND be an action game at the same time.
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos/Warner Bros. Int./Rocksteady)
It’s a really close call between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. It’s almost razor-thin. What makes me feel more committed to Asylum is the Metroid-style progression. It’s wonderfully implemented here, and I don’t think any game (save Metroid Prime) has as brilliantly duplicated the concept in three dimensions. That’s my sole reason for plopping it ahead of Arkham City. Both have amazing gameplay, stellar voice work and are unbelievably fun.
Batman: Arkham City (Warner Bros. Int./Rocksteady)
See above for my reasoning for Arkham City being below Arkham Asylum. Otherwise, the expanded world, the inclusion of Catwoman, meeting up with more of Batman’s villain roster, and the tightened controls and gameplay make it (arguably) the better game. Both are really stunning examples of software, though, and you can’t go wrong with either of them!
Portal 2 (Valve)
Portal 2 lacked the innovative wow of its predecessor, but is overall the better of the two. The puzzles are cleverer, the humor is on a grander scale, and the diversity of locales gives the game some much needed visual spice. GLaDOS, Wheatley and Cave Johnson make the storyline sing, too. I haven’t tried out the multiplayer, but I would really like to someday!
Bioshock (Take 2/Irrational Games)
I’m not too keen on FPS games, but Bioshock dials into that special zone that manages to click the right switches in my brain to make me happy. Its plasmid variety gave the player plenty of options in terms of combat, and plucky players could manipulate the powers just right to create delightful combo strings. The story was phenomenal, and the art style of this game is perfectly implemented. It’s one of the better FPS games I’ve played, no question.
Rayman Origins (UBI Soft)
Michel Ancel’s return to his Rayman franchise was a glorious one. The animation quality, quirky levels and snappy music all combined to make one hell of a stupendous platformer. It’s a bit tough at times and the controls do on occasion seem out of control, but the overall game is really wondrous.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony/Naughty Dog)
Nathan Drake’s adventures initially put me off; before trying out this game, I felt total apathy for the series, and they didn’t appeal to me from what I had heard. Luckily, Grace wanted to give it a go, and once I watched her play through a bit of it, I gave it a try. I’m glad I did! It’s a beautifully well-made game that, despite some platforming problems and a few pacing issues, really won me over.
Dead Space (EA/Visceral)
Despite my misgivings for the original Dead Space in comparison to its superior sequel, at present it is worthy of a spot on my favorite games list. It still delivers a tense nightmare of a world to poke around in, and it has the better boss fights!
Contenders:
Pac Man Championship Edition DX (Namco Bandai)
Mirror’s Edge (EA/DICE)
Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
Super Street Fighter IV (Capcom)
