Best PS3 Games 1
Image: Push Square

What are the best PS3 games? The PS3 proved to be Sony's awkward middle child, but when all is said and done, its tremendous recovery landed it in the hearts of PlayStation fans as much as its siblings. Launching on 17th November, 2006 in North America and on 23rd March, 2007 in Europe, it was an enormously ambitious console at the time, and it was this pushing of the envelope that led to its early struggles.

Yes, PlayStation 3's faults and missteps have been well documented by now. Its shaky start began before customers had even purchased the console, as they were faced with a premium price tag of $599.99 / £424.99 for the 60GB model. The high cost ultimately came down to a complex (and thus expensive) hardware makeup; PS3 attempted to innovate with the implementation of the Cell processor, a complicated CPU that, in theory, would allow for highly detailed visuals in the console's games. This, in conjunction with the new Blu-ray disc drive, built-in hard drive, and other bells and whistles, meant PS3 was significantly more expensive than its direct competition.

Best PS3 Games 2
Image: Push Square

It also meant development was a pain in the arse. PS3's system architecture was so convoluted compared to the Xbox 360 that many multiplatform games were inferior on Sony's console, despite the potential of its fancy Cell processor. A lot of games skipped the PS3 entirely, or released in a very sorry state. It wasn't a very good look, especially when coupled with that eye-watering price point — and, we mustn't forget the PS2, which was still enormously popular.

The thing is, a selection of launch games all sold the high-definition dream wonderfully. The PS3 launched with several super-impressive first-party titles, like MotorStorm and Resistance: Fall of Man, as well as third-party efforts like Ridge Racer 7. Even so, Sony had an uphill battle on its hands to get the console to a good place, and while it took some time, the company really did turn things around.

Eventually — with some price cuts, hardware revisions, and a brilliant run of exclusive software — the PS3 matured into a console Sony could be proud of. That tricky hardware still made development tough on studios, but after a few years, the Cell unit's potential began to reveal itself with better (and better made) games cropping up from all sides.

The console really did end up with a fantastic selection of software. It was this generation that gave us Uncharted and The Last of Us, the epic finale to Kratos' Greek trilogy with God of War III, and other first-party favourites like Resistance, inFAMOUS, LittleBigPlanet, and many more. Things turned out very well outside of PlayStation's own studios, too; Dark Souls, Grand Theft Auto IV, Red Dead Redemption, Portal 2, BioShock, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare — there are too many incredible games to name here.

On that subject, then, we're all here to talk about the best PS3 games. There are oodles of amazing games on this machine, so we need your help to whittle it down to the absolute top drawer stuff. Based entirely on your ratings, we've put together this list, and it's one that will evolve over time.

Using the above search function, you and your fellow readers can directly influence the games that appear in this feature. Rate all your favourites, mark down the games you didn't like — it all counts towards the user ratings on each title, and in turn, their ranking on this list. If you want to have your say on the best PS3 games, get your ratings in.

It's important to note that games will only appear on this list once they have at least 50 ratings, so be sure to make yourselves heard by voting for all your obscure favourites above.

Best PlayStation Games by Platform

Right! Enough chit-chat — let's get into the best PS3 games, as ranked and rated by you.

60. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PS3)

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is the game that catapulted Bethesda into mainstream popularity. The high fantasy RPG didn't have the uniquely imaginative setting of Morrowind, its predecessor, but it did give players a genre-defining open world to explore, which was absolutely peppered with cities, settlements, and dungeons — an incredible achievement at the time. Objectively speaking, Oblivion hasn't aged especially well — its visuals are far too bloomy, its combat is super-jank, and its voice acting is a meme — but there's simply no denying its wonky charm. Perfect if you're looking for a laugh to go along with your role-playing.

59. Yakuza 4 (PS3)

For the first time in the series, Yakuza 4 quite literally lived up to its name with four different playable characters: veteran protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, Akiyama, Saejima, and Tanimura. Each face brings a new type of fighting style to combat, which makes engagements constantly refreshing. It's the usual type of Yakuza get up with a gripping story, loads of mini-games, and excellent boss fights, but with so many protagonists to handle, Yakuza 4 feels a little too stretched and uneven at times.

58. Far Cry 3 (PS3)

For some, the series peaked with Far Cry 3. This open world shooter takes place on a beautiful tropical island, but it happens to also be home to some extremely unfriendly people. With his friends captured and possibly dead, you play as Jason Brody, who gradually turns from a scared rich kid into a revenge-fuelled killing machine. The addictive loop of taking down enemies and animals and upgrading Jason's abilities and arsenal makes this a super compelling game. So successful is the formula that, multiple sequels later, the series has yet to really move on.

57. inFAMOUS (PS3)

A fan favourite first-party franchise is inFAMOUS, starting life on PS3. Like some of Sony's other studios, this was a step into more mature territory for Sucker Punch Productions, following its run of Sly Cooper titles with a pulpy, open world superhero game. Playing as Cole MacGrath, who gains electrical abilities after a disastrous explosion, you can follow the route of good or evil as you jet about on telephone wires, blast baddies with lightning, and scale buildings in a flash. While it has its flaws, this first entry's entertaining story and fun superpowers laid the groundwork for a series that fans are still campaigning to return.

56. Jak & Daxter Collection (PS3)

Jak & Daxter is a PlayStation fan favourite, and so it's great to have the trilogy updated and together in one place. The Jak & Daxter Collection is exactly what it says on the tin, bringing the three main games to PS3 with remastered visuals and Trophy support. Whether you're in the mood for The Precursor Legacy's colourful, cartoonish vibes, or its edgier sequels, this is an ideal way to enjoy Naughty Dog's beloved platformers.

55. MotorStorm: Pacific Rift (PS3)

MotorStorm: Pacific Rift is an incredible arcade off-road racing game. While the original was great in its own right, Pacific Rift took the mixed vehicle class chaos and put it into a more tropical setting, resulting in much more varied tracks. The action is fast and frantic, with each vehicle type offering its own pros and cons. With shortcuts to discover, challenging AI to race, and of course, online competition to keep you going, this is among PS3's most entertaining exclusives.

54. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3)

Acclaimed at the time, but remembered less fondly, GTA 4 encapsulates the PS3 era: its muted colour palette, jittery framerate, and woolly controls all make it hard to return to in modern times. However, the story of immigrant Niko, arriving in Liberty City in search of the American dream, sets up some hilariously cynical writing and plenty of bombastic set-pieces. Sandwiched between the sunny settings of San Andreas and GTA 5, the game can feel a little cold – but this was Rockstar at its rawest.

53. Mass Effect 3 (PS3)

Even though Mass Effect 3's ending — and by extension, the whole trilogy's ending — remains controversial to this day, there's no denying that the third instalment in Commander Shepard's galaxy-hopping adventure is a thrill ride. With the Reapers, er, reaping havoc across all civilisation, the stakes skyrocket from the start, and so many character-driven stories are wrapped up in this largely unforgettable final act. What's more, the series' gameplay reaches its peak in Mass Effect 3, with much tighter shooting mechanics and redefined combat styles. It's also worth noting that the game's three expansions — Leviathan, Omega, and Citadel — do an outstanding job of elevating the overall experience.

52. Killzone 2 (PS3)

While Sony drew ire for its absurdly good-looking target render, Killzone 2 released and looked almost as good anyway. However, this sci-fi FPS is more than just its stunning visuals. It features a brutal campaign, with great enemy AI and uniquely weighty, punchy gunplay. And while the online multiplayer is no more, it was a fantastic competitive shooter too. For us, this is the peak of the series.

51. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PS3)

While it could never catch up to Call of Duty at this point in time, DICE provided a brilliant alternative with Battlefield: Bad Company 2. It featured a decent singleplayer campaign but, more importantly, a fantastic multiplayer suite, building upon the previous game's signature destruction tech. With compelling progression, squad-based gameplay, brilliant maps, and fun modes, it became the FPS of choice for many.