Key Takeaways

• Hidden gems on the PS3, like
  Majin And The Forsaken Kingdom,
  offer unique gameplay experiences worth exploring.
• Games like
  Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
  and
  The Unfinished Swan
  provide captivating and underrated storytelling.
• Tokyo Jungle
  offers a standout concept by turning a post-apocalyptic Tokyo into a wildlife wasteland.

Throughout history, every video game system has had a handful of hits that define the platform. These are the games that become iconic. The Nintendo 64 has The Legend of Zelda and Mario 64. Xbox had Halo and Gears of War. The PlayStation 3 has God of War and Uncharted. But what about those games that flew under the radar? The ones that everyone slept on?

That’s what we’re here to discuss. We’re looking through the run of the PlayStation 3 as one of the most successful video game platforms of all time and finding some real hidden gems on the system. The games that most people overlooked even though they were good, for one reason or another.

Updated October 10th, 2024, by Michael Llewellyn: The shift to high-definition gaming during the PS3 era means that many games remain comparable to those on modern consoles. Numerous titles continue to look and play exceptionally well. Whether it’s a large-scale cinematic epic or a timeless indie game, the PS3 offered a wide range of amazing games that may have gone unnoticed. This list has been updated to include another hidden gem that PS3 fans may have missed.

23 Majin And The Forsaken Kingdom

Majin and the Forgotten Kingdom is a fantasy-themed action adventure game that focuses on the budding friendship between a thief and a mythical creature known as the Majin. The gameplay and mechanics share similarities to games like The Last Guardian, with its partner-based puzzles, and The Legend of Zelda series, with its exploration, combat, and family-friendly esthetic.

Its gameplay feels as fresh today as it did when it launched on the PS3, and it’s a hidden gem that adventure fans should add to their collection. The voice acting is a bit hit or miss, but its heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, It’s only available on the PS3 and Xbox 360, so fans will need to seek out a physical copy of Majin and the Forgotten Kingdom to enjoy it today.

22 Mars: War Logs

An Ambitious Sci-Fi RPG With An Excellent Story

Mars: War Logs is a low-budget but ambitious science-fiction RPG from Spiders. The desolate colonized setting is reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall and is embroiled in a civil war. The story is narrated by a character named Innocence via the War Logs. The story/logs change based on the main character Temperance, i.e., Roy’s decisions.

The dialogue and voice acting are wooden, but the story and world created by Spiders are interesting, and sci-fi fans will be engaged from the outset. Mars: War Logs got a sequel inTechnomancer, another title from Spiders that went under the radar, but on the PS4.

21 Bound By Flame

A B-Movie Style RPG That’s A Lot Of Fun

Bound by Flame was launched at the end of the PS3’s lifecycle and was ported to the PS4. It’s a solid action RPG from Spiders, the developers of Greedfall. The studio is known for borrowing ideas from other games, and Bound by Flame is no different. The RPG plays like a low-budget Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings and Dragon Age.

Bound by Flame is still a solid adventure for fans of dark fantasy and RPGs. The story and lore don’t compare to its influences, but it’s a game with its heart in the right place with the feel of a fun B-movie-style sword and sorcery movie from the 80s.

20 Back To The Future: The Game

A Worthy Sequel To The Popular Franchise

Telltale’s Back to the Future is an episodic interactive adventure game from Telltale Studio. The game is like the studio’s Walking Dead series, but the choices and stories aren’t as impactful. However, as a companion piece to the movies and a love letter to one of the best sci-fi adventure movies of the 80s, Back to the Future – The Game hits all the right notes.

Storywise, the game is the closest fans will get to a Back to the Future 4 and features Christopher Lloyd returning to voice Doc and special voice appearances from Michael J. Fox. Marty was played terrifically by A.J. LoCascio, who worked on Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, God of War: Ragnarok, Jurrasic World: Evolution, and more.

19 Eternal Sonata

A Stunning And Colorful RPG Adventure

Eternal Sonata is a colorful JRPG developed by Tri-Crescendo. Visually, its timeless artwork and character designs hold up today, and the story is one of the most unique in the genre. Players take on the role of a real-life composer, Frederic Francais Chopin, as he’s drawn into a fantastical dream world. It gets emotional as Chopin tries to save a young girl from dying of the same disease that affected his sister in the real world.

It is a shorter adventure than most JRPG fans will be used to, but it is an emotional game that hits all the right notes. Stylistically, Eternal Sonata is like a Tales and Star Ocean title, which makes sense since Tri-Crescendo helped co-develop games in both series.

18 Enchanted Arms

An Overlooked JRPG From The Creators Of Dark Souls

Enchanted Arms is a surprisingly traditional JRPG created by the developers of the Elden Ring and Dark Souls. The multiplatform title launched so early on the PS3s that it doesn’t have trophies. While not as groundbreaking as the Souls series, Enchanted Arms is a turn-based JRPG that features a simplified grid-based system that is not unlike Fire Emblem Engage.

Despite featuring some questionable stereotypes and voice acting that doesn’t hold up very well, Enchanted Arms‘ story is surprisingly good. Moreover, there are hundreds of golems/fighters to recruit, and its mechanics are deep enough to keep JRPG fans invested. Even though its Metacritic scores convey a below-average game, Enchanted Arms is an underrated PS3 JRPG worth another look.

17 Singularity

An Outstanding Sci-Fi FPS From Call Of Duty’s Raven Software

Raven Software is better known for its Call of Duty games, but one of its best titles, Singularity, was criminally overlooked on the PS3. With titles like BioShock and Deus Ex paving the way for narratively driven FPS games, Singularity is a time-bending science fiction game that deserves the same praise.

Where few games implement time travel cohesively and entertainingly, Singularity nails its complexities in one of the most rewarding first-person shooters on the PS3. It’s a title that deserves another look, and with the endless amount of remasters and reboots hitting the shelves, Singularity deserves another shot at success on modern consoles.

16 Dark Sector

An Excellent Sci-Fi Third-Person Action Game

Dark Sector is a horror action game that borrows heavily from Gears of War and Resident Evil 4. The overly dark tones and atmosphere are typical of the genre during the PS3 era, but the visuals and combat hold up surprisingly well. It was a big-budget game with stellar art design and a terrific voice cast led by Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum.

Where Dark Sector shines is its use of the unique Glaive weapon, a throwing weapon capable of taking out enemies in multiple ways and puzzle-solving. It’s inspired by Krull, the classic science fiction swords and sorcery movie from the 80s starring Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane in early roles.

15 Nier

The Original Version Of One Of The Best JRPGs Of The PS3 Era

Nier is an action RPG that became a cult hit with fans of the genre. Many critics wrote it off as a God of War clone, but it was a different and unique RPG. Thankfully, it was succeeded by the incredible Nier: Automata on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC.

The gameplay is a little janky as it features elements from different genres. However, Nier was far better than the sum of its parts and still has one of the best stories in the genre. A remaster based on the Japanese version features a younger protagonist. However, fans may still prefer the often-forgotten and older barbarian type in the role of a father, making the first title worth playing after all these years.

14 Resonance Of Fate

A Unique And Challenging Steampunk JRPG

Launched in 2010, Resonance of Fate was somewhat overshadowed by the highly anticipated release of Final Fantasy 13. This is unfortunate because Resonance of Fate remains one of the standout JRPGs on the system.

Resonance of Fate takes place in a steampunk world. It includes outstanding voice work from Nolan North, Scott Menville, and Jim Ward. Resonance of Fate was developed by tri-Ace, the same team that created the Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile series, and it employs a similar combat system and exploration. In Resonance, however, the game utilized Matrix-style gunplay that looked exceptionally cool in motion.

13 Binary Domain

A Surprisingly Clever And Involved Shooter From The Yakuza Studio

Developed by the same team that created the Yakuza series, Binary Domain is a third-person action game where split-second decisions and choices ultimately decide the outcome. It was a severely overlooked shooter that implemented unique gameplay mechanics and employed a surprisingly deep storyline.

The science fiction setting of Binary Domain resembles the Cyberpunk genre, with brand-new cities built upon the ruins of a world destroyed by global warming and floods. Binary Domain features fantastic set pieces, an excellent cast of characters, and an exceptional plot that deserves more attention.

12 Alpha Protocol

Play As A Spy Like James Bond Or Jason Bourne

Developed by RPG specialists Obsidian Entertainment, Alpha Protocol was a game plagued by certain time constraints and budgeting issues. Yet despite feeling unpolished in many areas, it remains one the best spy and espionage games ever developed.

Alpha Protocol features a dialogue wheel and choice-based gameplay that influence the kind of spy the player wants the protagonist to be. Whether playing as a suave James Bond type or a more brutal Jason Bourne type, there is a lot of replay value and fun to be had in this unique spy RPG.

11 Valkyria Chronicles

An Alt Universe WW2 Tactical RPG With An Excellent Story And Characters

Despite getting several sequels, remasters, spin-offs, and critical acclaim, the Valkyria Chronicles series is still one of the most overlooked tactical RPGs across two generations. The first entry was released on the PlayStation 3 to very little fanfare outside Japan.

The game is set in an alternate World War 2, but despite this, it tells a more believable and emotional story than other games set in the era. The characters are fantastic, and the gameplay keeps the excitement and the tension at an all-time high, ensuring players are fully invested from start to finish.

10 Bulletstorm

Humorous And Cinematic FPS Action

Not all games that are well-received by critics are commercial successes. That was, unfortunately, the case with Bulletstorm. First-person shooters were all the rage around that time, but that proved an issue for Bulletstorm. It was a market filled with similar games, and this got overlooked.

The action title has familiar mechanics to fans of the genre but has enough style to appeal to fans. It is chock full of crude humor. That was evident in the profanity, abundance of violence, and creative kills. Bulletstorm got positive reviews, yet a lot of its style was met with controversy. A virtual reality version launched on the Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and PSVR in late 2023.

9 Dragon’s Crown

An Action RPG In The Vein Of Coin-Op Classics Like Golden Axe

Merging RPG mechanics with the side-scrolling slash ’em-up genre, Dragon’s Crown blends incredible visuals with a moreish gameplay loop that keeps players coming back. Some character designs are hand-drawn with HD sprites that hold up today on modern consoles.

This 2013 title allowed players to work in groups of four as they traveled through dangerous locations like labyrinths and dungeons. They could seek out fortune and engage in battle against dangerous enemies. It is a game that mixes role-playing elements with side-scrolling hack-and-slash mechanics that fans of Golden Axe and Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom will enjoy.

8 Spec Ops: The Line

A Mature And Thought-Provoking Miltary Shooter

Similar to Bulletstorm, this third-person shooter got overlooked in a crowded field. Call of Duty and Battlefield are the titles that come to mind in the military shooter genre. However, Spec Ops: The Line is one of the best shooters in a generation.

The biggest knock on this game was a lack of innovation. It still delivered intense gameplay elements, a thought-provoking plot where the protagonist experiences hallucinations, and impressive graphics. Spec Ops: The Line racked up accolades like Best Narrative and Cinematography. Spec Ops: The Line handles its subject matter with a maturity and weight that few war-based shooters can match.

7 ModNation Racers

A Fun Mash Up Of Little Big Planet And Mario Kart

Go-kart-style racing games like Mario Kart, Sonic Racing, and Crash Bandicoot Racing are better known to fans. But every once in a while, something comes along that can compete with those powerhouses. ModNation Racers did just that.

Launched in 2010, ModNation Racers was unique, sharing a similar concept to LittleBigPlanet. It allowed players to create, modify, and share their created content with everyone else engaged in the game. Its single-player and online multiplayer received acclaim from fans and professional reviews.

6 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel

A Deep JRPG With Terrific Writing And Characters

The Legends of Heroes franchise has always flown under the radar compared to hits like Final Fantasy, but the long-running series has gained a more considerable fan base in recent years. The first installment arrived way back in 1989. The Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is part of the larger Trails subseries. Fans often recommend playing Trails from Zero and Trails in the Sky as they are part of the same story arc.

Hitting shelves in 2013 in Japan and 2015 in North America, this game has a deep plot with themes of segregation, social classes, war, and a coming-of-age drama set in a military school. It received widespread acclaim and was nominated for the Game of the Year Awards by several media outlets.

5 Castle Crashers

An Old School Indie Slash ‘Em Up

Until Streets of Rage 4, the classic genre, beat-em-ups were among those most often overlooked. Castle Crashers ranks near the top of the most enjoyable games within that genre. Arriving for the PS3 in 2010, it features improvements to the original Xbox 360 release.

Castle Crashers is set in medieval times in a universe where an evil wizard kidnaps four princesses and holds them captive. Taking control of Four Knights, players are tasked with rescuing the princess and retrieving a stolen mystical gem. It all sets the stage for a great time. A remastered version was released for current-gen systems.

4 Fat Princess

A Quirky And Fun Real-Time Strategy Game

The PlayStation Network is a great place to discover hidden gems. Fat Princess is a gem of a game fans can find on the PlayStation Store. Despite critical acclaim, the game is not a big-budget mainstream title, but those who played it understood how great it was.

Fat Princess was launched in 2009 and was a real-time strategy game. Players take part in chaotic 16-on-16 team battles in games like Catch the Flag, soccer, or things that are a bit more violent. It remains one of the most fun games in the PlayStation 3 library.