The Best PlayStation 3 Games of All Time
The Essentials – Multiplatform Games That Hold Up Today
PS3 Console Exclusives Best PS3 PSN Games Essentials Part 2
The best PS3 multiplatform games didn’t just showcase Sony’s Blu-ray advantage, they proved developers could master the Cell processor and deliver experiences that rivaled or beat the Xbox 360. The PS3 didn’t exactly start smooth (at $599), but Sony pulled off an amazing comeback. The built-in Blu-ray player helped win the format war, and when the Slim dropped sales really took off. Great exclusive titles kept people invested, developers figured out the Cell processor, and free PSN multiplayer meant no extra fees to play online. By the end, the PS3 outsold the Xbox 360—not bad for a console everyone thought was doomed.
Unlike other lists, this guide tells you which games to skip because better versions exist elsewhere.
The Essentials covers the multiplatform games that shined and hold up well today. If a newer version of a game is clearly better than the PS3 release, I leave out the original and mention the improved version at the end, so you can enjoy the best experience today.
To make my list a game needs to demonstrate at least two of the following: genre-defining innovation, outstanding technical excellence, enduring cultural impact, or universal acclaim.
Finally, heads up—I earn a small commission if you buy anything through my links. I only link to games I genuinely recommend. If a remaster or remake is better I tell you, even if it means losing a game sale.
2007
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare dominated 2007, tying with BioShock for most awards of the year, and redefined the entire FPS genre by switching from WWII to modern combat. Killstreaks, Create‑a‑Class, and Prestige ranks created the progression loop that became industry standard. It influenced Titanfall’s pilot systems, Battlefield’s unlocks, and every multiplayer shooter chasing that “one more match” hook.
Soap MacTavish and Captain Price hunt an arms dealer from urban battlefields to Pripyat’s radioactive ruins, racing to stop an ICBM launch that could ignite World War III. Campaign missions like “All Ghillied Up” raised the blockbuster cinema bar for FPS storytelling. It’s one of the defining games of the era. Even now, PS3 owners can pick up a cheap disc or private lobbies to revisit CoD4 on original hardware.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (Ubisoft)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas revolutionized console tactical shooters with its fluid cover system that switched between first‑person aiming and third‑person cover, proving tactical depth worked beautifully with controllers. Team Rainbow hunts terrorist Irena Morales and her mercenaries through neon‑lit Las Vegas casinos, coordinating D‑pad squad commands, context‑sensitive breaching, and rappelling‑while‑shooting that felt natural even on gamepads.
Its cover mechanics helped define the generation’s shooter design, inspiring Uncharted’s cinematic firefights and Army of Two’s cooperative approach while establishing conventions that later became standard. The PS3 version arrived in 2007, and physical copies remain cheap and easy to find for original hardware, keeping this essential tactical shooter accessible for players who appreciate first-person, close-quarters tactical breaching. It’s certainly one of the best PS3 multiplatform games.
2008
BioShock (2K)
BioShock dominated like few games ever have, sweeping major awards in 2007 and redefining what narrative shooters could accomplish. Set in Rapture, an Art Deco underwater dystopia drowning in its own ambition, the game delivers gut‑punch moments like “Would you kindly?”—a twist that weaponized player choice itself while plasmids, hacking, and moral decisions let you tackle problems your own way.
It became the blueprint for modern immersive sims, directly inspiring Dishonored, Prey, and the later Deus Ex games through its emphasis on player agency and systemic problem‑solving. It’s on every greatest games of all time list for a reason. The PS3 version launched a year after Xbox 360, but received the Challenge Rooms DLC as an exclusive add‑on. BioShock: The Collection brings the remastered version to the modern PlayStation as well.
Burnout Paradise (Criterion Games)
Burnout Paradise revolutionized arcade racing by ditching menus entirely and making Paradise City one big playground where you earn your Elite License through spectacular crashes at 60fps. Every intersection triggers instant events—races, Road Rage takedowns, Marked Man escapes—with total freedom to pick any route to the finish and discover shortcuts mid-race.
The genius is how it pioneered seamless multiplayer integration: Easy Drive’s d-pad menu lets you jump into online Freeburn without ever leaving the action, turning the entire city into a shared stunt park years before Forza Horizon 2 did it. The Ultimate Box adds bikes, Legendary Cars, and Party Pack multiplayer for couch competition. It’s just as fun to play today, making it one of the greatest arcade racers ever made.
Fallout 3 (Bethesda)
Fallout 3 was the best game of 2008, winning dozens of Game of the Year awards (more than GTA IV and LittleBigPlanet combined). Bethesda completely reinvented Fallout by transforming it into a fully 3D open world where VATS preserved the series’ tactical roots with cinematic limb‑targeting while letting you fight in real‑time. The Capitol Wasteland is still one of gaming’s most haunted worlds, and proved the Elder Scrolls formula could work beyond fantasy settings.
You escape Vault 101 to find your father, getting pulled into the Brotherhood of Steel’s war against the militaristic Enclave while moral choices like Megaton’s fate cascade into hundreds of possible endings. You want the Game of the Year Edition, which bundles all the DLC without having to try to download it from the PSN. This is not just one of the best PS3 multiplatform games, it’s a landmark game for the entire generation.
FIFA Soccer 09 (EA Canada)
FIFA Soccer 09 demolished Pro Evolution Soccer and established EA’s 15-year football dominance—the game that made console soccer feel right. Over 250 gameplay improvements had responsive first-touch shooting, faster dribbling, and physics-based collisions where player momentum and weight determined every challenge. The animation overhaul represented EA’s biggest engine innovations in four years.
The groundbreaking 10v10 Clubs mode let 20 players battle simultaneously with genuine team tactics, years before massive-scale cooperative play became standard. Then came Ultimate Team DLC: the card-collecting mode that exploded into a multi-billion dollar phenomenon and created the monetization blueprint every sports franchise copied. FIFA 09 sits in “best FIFA ever” discussions, with gameplay proving EA could deliver depth and accessibility. FIFA 12 was the peak of refined play on the console, but 09 changed everything and remains essential for understanding how modern sports games evolved.
GRID (Codemasters)
GRID didn’t just modernize console racers; it quietly saved the whole racing genre by proving that real tension could coexist with a rewind button. Flashback turns potential rage‑quits into limited second chances, lowering the barrier for newcomers without letting experts brute‑force every apex. That balance became the template Codemasters refined and competitors like Forza quietly copied. It still hits the rare sim‑arcade sweet spot where heavy touring cars can dance and every wreck explodes into a choreographed stunt reel.
Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar North)
Rockstar’s most grounded masterpiece, GTA IV redefined open‑world storytelling and gunplay, delivering a serious crime drama that hits harder than GTA V. War‑scarred immigrant Niko Bellic’s American Dream unravels through revenge‑versus‑deal choices that change who lives and dies, giving the ending real moral teeth. The Euphoria‑powered physics made stumbles, collisions, and windshield ejections feel physical, while the cover system turned shootouts into tactical street fights.
On the PS3, Sixaxis motion features added platform‑specific flavor, and The Complete Edition bundles The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony for the definitive package. Even in 2025, IV’s themes, bleak humor, and grounded tone stand apart—and that’s exactly why it still belongs in any PS3 library. Just like Fallout 3, that is more than just one of the best PS3 multiplatform games, it’s legendary.
Mirror’s Edge (Dice)
Mirror’s Edge popularized first‑person parkour and proved games could deliver excitement without constant gunplay. DICE’s momentum‑based traversal directly influenced Titanfall 2, Dying Light, Ghostrunner, and Neon White, setting the template for the subgenre. Courier Faith Connors runs through a surveillance state to clear her sister’s name, chaining rooftop moves through an extensive first‑person animation set that sells speed and flow in ways third‑person cameras couldn’t do.
The momentum system rewards flow, while those primary colors and red Runner Vision cues remain instantly iconic. Mirror’s Edge still represents the gold standard for first‑person platforming, and it remains essential for anyone who wants to experience parkour gameplay at its purest; seventeen years later, its mechanics hold up.
NHL 09 (EA Canada)
NHL 09 is the console hockey game that made player careers feel real, turning a season into a fight for ice time, line promotions, an AHL‑to‑NHL climb and finally stardom. EASHL’s 6v6 online clubs pioneered organized team play on consoles and set the bar other sports series chased for years. The refined Skill Stick—and new Defensive Skill Stick—put goals and stops on your stick, rewarding hockey IQ over button-mashing shift by shift.
NHL 09 made the player‑locked career the standard for hockey games and influenced how other EA Sports modes evolved. Even today the Be A Pro loop is a ton of fun. NHL Legacy Edition refined the formula into the PS3’s best hockey experience, but NHL 09 deserves recognition as the game that invented the career mode every sports fan now takes for granted.
Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution (Firaxis Games)
Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution is the console’s best strategy game: a streamlined 4X empire-builder that transforms Sid’s PC masterpiece into addictive living-room sessions, where every tech tree choice and city placement feels consequential. You start as one of sixteen historical leaders, guiding your people from ancient huts to modern wonders. Victory comes through conquest, culture, science, or economics, whether by dominating capitals, launching a spaceship, filling the world with great persons, or amassing 20,000 gold.
Controller-optimized from the ground up, it solves genre console woes with intuitive radial menus, quick-build actions, and shortened eras that suit short bursts over marathon PC marathons. The PS3 version lacks trophy support, but delivers the same core excellence as 360, with PlayStation Network multiplayer and accessible empire-building that is still praised as the definitive console Civ. Backward compatibility keeps it approachable for new strategists today.
2009
Assassin’s Creed II (Ubisoft Montreal)
Assassin’s Creed II completely fixed everything wrong with the first game and became the franchise‑defining masterpiece. Winning Best Action Adventure Game and earning six BAFTA nominations, Ubisoft transformed repetitive missions into varied gameplay across Renaissance Italy. Ezio Auditore became one of gaming’s most beloved protagonists, proving the series could deliver compelling characters alongside parkour action.
The additions were massive: villa economy systems, tomb platforming, dual hidden blades, smoke bombs, poison, and diverse assassination missions. On PS3, three exclusive Templar Lairs and bonus gear (unlocked by linking Bloodlines on PSP) sweetened the package. Ezio’s journey through Florence and Venice with Leonardo da Vinci elevated the franchise beyond parkour sandboxes. AC2 established the formula every subsequent Assassin’s Creed followed, and its Renaissance playground, character depth, and mission variety still make it the best entry in the series.
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady)
Batman: Arkham Asylum revolutionized superhero gaming and proved comic book games could be legitimately great. The Joker’s seized the asylum, released the inmates, and Batman has to navigate it solo while stopping a Titan serum plot. Rocksteady improved the free‑flow combat system that Mark of Kri pioneered, fixing button‑assignment issues and making it flow seamlessly. It created the blueprint that shaped Shadow of Mordor, Spider‑Man, Sleeping Dogs, and countless action games since.
The predator stealth sections made you genuinely feel like Batman, watching thugs grow terrified as you picked them off one by one. Written by Batman scribe Paul Dini and backed by 18 major awards, Arkham Asylum delivered. On PS3, exclusive Joker challenge maps sweetened the package, and I’ve linked to the GOTY edition. The free‑flow combat’s rhythm, enemy pacing, and counterattack responsiveness remain a masterclass today, making Arkham Asylum one of the best games released on PS3.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 took CoD4’s foundation and cranked everything to eleven, delivering the blockbuster shooter that defined console shooters for a generation. Task Force 141 (Soap, Ghost, Roach) hunts Vladimir Makarov across the globe while Army Rangers defend Washington D.C. from Russian invasion. The customizable killstreak system let you chain Predator missiles into AC-130s into tactical nukes, creating absolute chaos.
Spec Ops introduced co-op missions that became the template every co-op mode copied, and controversial missions like “No Russian” proved games could tackle serious subjects. MW2’s “everything is overpowered” philosophy—UMP dominance, One Man Army noob tubes, unstoppable killstreaks—created its own balance that players still argue about today. The iconic story missions are essential playing, and MW2’s unhinged multiplayer chaos remains unmatched. With dozens of Game of the Year wins backing it up, more than just one of the best PS3 multiplatform games, this stands as one of the best games of its generation.
Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix)
Final Fantasy XIII revolutionized JRPG combat with the Paradigm system, letting you switch between six combat roles mid-fight to create tactical depth that felt new and fast-paced. Lightning battles to save her sister Serah after both are cursed as l’Cie—unwilling servants forced to destroy Cocoon’s floating city or transform into monsters.
The Paradigm system’s tactical switching was ahead of its time, directly influencing the Final Fantasy VII Remake and FFXVI’s combat design. Despite a getting divisive reception it spawned two direct sequels, making it the first Final Fantasy to receive a complete trilogy. The PS3 version showcased Blu-ray’s superiority with beautiful CG cutscenes that the Xbox 360’s multiple-DVD version couldn’t match. FFXIII is essential gaming on the PS3.
This is just the first third of the best PS3 multiplatform games, which means plenty more are coming. If you’ve enjoyed the ride so far, expect nothing less than the very best the PS3 had to offer in the next installment. Agree, disagree, or have your own picks? Drop them in the comments, I’d love to hear them.
Essentials Part 2
Games That Were Not Included
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006). Oblivion Remastered rebuilds the entire game in Unreal Engine 5 with overhauled combat animations, improved leveling systems, and expanded quest content.
F.E.A.R (2006). Great game in a lot of ways, but it didn’t play well on the PS3.
Mass Effect (2007). The Legendary Edition comprehensively overhauls the original’s combat system, vehicle handling, and technical performance while adding hundreds of bug fixes. It has the whole trilogy and everything you could possibly want.
The Orange Box (2007). This amazing compilation just did not do well on the PS3, the 360 is the best console to play it on. Sorry.
Skate (2007). Black Box screwed up the port for the PS3, which is a shame, and 2 wasn’t much better. Play Skate 3 instead.
Dead Space (2008). The 2023 remake completely rebuilds the game from the ground up with modern graphics, enhanced audio design, and expanded story content. Play that.
Devil May Cry 4 (2008). The Special Edition adds three new playable characters with completely redone cutscenes and expanded gameplay systems.
Street Fighter IV (2008). Keep reading, you’ll see it in part 3.
Bayonetta (2009). This is another great game that performed poorly on the PS3 compared to the 360.
Dragon Age: Origins (2009). The PC version’s hugely improved system combat and camera advantages meant the best way to play was on the PC, even back in 2009.