Playstation 3: Looking Back

Hello everyone! Nice to see you again! No dinosaurs this week, instead we take a moment to reflect on the current generation of video games. As the Playstation 4 draws closer to release, I think it is time I take a look back at some of my most recommended PS3 titles. Now, when this generation began, a few of the heads at Sony were a little cocky due to the success of the Playstation 2, which included an argument with Dualshock that lost us rumble for awhile (to be fair, they were nowhere near as bad as some others have been lately). Pricing the PS3 at $600 was a steep price to pay and the console originally suffered for it. The PS3’s Cell Processor was also more difficult to develop for than the more PC style competition, but it did have it’s advantages when taken the extra time to master, but still multiplatform games generally didn't fare as well. It was quite a rocky start for the system. The third console curse was in full effect. But since then, things have drastically changed. Prices have dropped; mistakes were admitted too, egos acknowledged and apologized for, developers have warmed up to the Cell Processor. All this combined with their addition of the Playstation Plus service, has managed to actually push the system into the top seller of the generation, a far cry from its slow start, and large gap in sales that plagued it for the first few years.

Launch Box

Edit: Small note, since I posted this the videos on this page don't always seem to load for some reason. Sometimes they do. No idea what causes it or how to fix it.

Assassin’s Creed 2:

Assassin’s Creed is a series I’ve come to love more than I thought I would. The original game was released back in 2007 by Ubisoft. At the time they were struggling financially, and if things didn’t pick up they would have been bought out by Electronic Arts. The hype surrounding Assassin’s Creed, a stealth game set within the time of the crusades was enough to save the company from bankruptcy and launched them into new success. The first Assassin’s Creed, while rather repetitive, had a storyline filled with intrigue, corruption and mystery. Leaving off with a twist ending that set the series in motion. Granted Ubisoft’s yearly production of this franchise is debatable, but I’ve managed to love every game put out for it for each new time period and twist they bring.

Assassin’s Creed 2 is set in Italy during the renaissance. You play as Ezio Auditore da Firenze. The son of an Italian banker, Ezio has his way of life ruined and family murdered as part of a conspiracy that spans centuries. Assassin’s Creed 2 is set in large open world cities that include Florence, Venice, and Tuscany among a few others. Ezio meets some of history’s well known figures of the era, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Rodrigo Borgia to name some. Responding to criticism of the first and improving upon the game’s predecessor in every possible way, Assassin’s Creed 2 is much less repetitive with way more mission variety, the ability to swim, armor system, medicine for quick healing while in battle, more weapons, and more everything really. The game also has a brilliant soundtrack, take a listen to a couple tracks here and here. Whether you are running across rooftops, or swimming Venetian canals, the game is a lot of fun with a great story. If you ever check it out, hopefully it hooks you too! Assassin’s Creed 2 can be found in a collection with two other games in one package, telling the story of Ezio throughout all three. Ezio Trilogy

What is different on PS3: Assassin’s Creed 2 is the first game in the series to kick off the trend of Playstation only bonuses. While later PS3 games get full on special missions and cut scenes, AC2 gets the ability to link with the PSP game Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines to unlock special weapons from it, as well as money and bonuses for the PSP game.

Extra Note: Lately I have also been playing the recently released Assassin's Creed 4. It may actually be my favorite game in the series currently, so much awesome stuff to do and a HUGE world map to sail across. While it is probably not the best introduction to the series in terms of story, I really have to give a shout out to this game. I am loving it! Definitely another entry to consider checking out if you ever intend to delve into this series.

God of War 3:

God of War 3 (released in 2010) is the finale of the series that began on the PS2 in 2004. A hack and slash series of combat games set within Greek mythology. God of War is produced by Sony Santa Monica studios exclusively on Playstation. Following the tragic tale of the warrior Kratos, God of War 3 sees the end of the story that began with the cliffhanger ending of God of War 2. Ascending Mount Olympus, Kratos seeks to cast vengeance upon those that have wronged him.

 Personally I’m a big fan of hack and slash games with God of War being my favorite series within the genre. The somewhat gritty Greek mythology setting is a favorite of mine, fleshing out new takes on classic monsters making them feel more “real”. Fitting for a brutal story of betrayal and tragedy, the tortured soul Kratos is a cursed warrior who has lost everything he values in life, Kratos devotes himself to the gods in order to have the nightmares of his horrible deeds cleansed from his mind. God of War expands upon the previous game’s combat systems with more enemies, more moves, more weapons, beast riding, brand new grappling mechanics along with graphics that set a much higher bar for the time. Technically impressive, each one of the main character’s teeth is actually individually modeled (that is dedication), if that isn’t enough the game features fully rigged, absolutely enormous titan characters. Unlike previous generations, these giant characters are not simply “tricks” of camera work, or non-moving set pieces, but actual in-game assets. God of War truly shows off the power of the PS3’s admittedly difficult to work with Cell Processor. While the campaign isn’t overly long, it is no less satisfying. Not to divulge any potential spoilers, but God of War 3 includes a message within its story (as well as a quote) that has helped me through some rough patches in my personal life since. Not something you’d expect from a series whose brutality often overshadows everything else upon first viewing. I like to believe there are parts in Kratos’ Journey we can all identify with. Loss, anger, loneliness, depression, the desire to see those that have wronged us pay for their crimes, but most importantly of all…. Hope. The entire God of War saga (sans the newest title: Ascension) is available in a 2 disc and one download code pack of 5 games. God of War Saga

Folklore:

An exclusive launch game for the Playstation 3, Folklore is an action RPG that follows two main characters. Developed by the now defunct Game Republic, Folklore is a unique game that sadly never got much recognition during its launch.

Set mostly within the various realms of the dead, Folklore has players as either Ellen or Keats working to solve the mystery of the letter sent by Ellen’s dead mother. Using the souls of various Folks (monster like creatures that are the transformed spirits of the dead) both characters control these creatures in place of attacks. Each Folk has a unique function, whether it be physical combos, a shield, rapid fire guns, or even jelly armor, you customize these folks to your face buttons. Some folks can only be damaged by certain other folks, lending some strategy necessary to either destroy or acquire more. Each playable character may even use a folk differently from the other based on their fighting style. Folklore makes the best use of the PS3’s Sixaxis function I have seen, for when a folk is defeated properly, a button is pressed to lasso the weak soul and yank it out by shaking the controller based on the onscreen prompts. While it can sometimes get frustrating with the larger folks (tip, clear out all the others first, because they will attack you), it is worth the effort to add a more powerful beast to your arsenal.

Folklore’s bestiary mostly includes creatures from Irish mythology, and the game’s beautiful color palette and art style really helps it stand out from other games. How this managed to sell poorly as a launch title no less, baffles me. If you are looking for something a little bit different, try Folklore. Even though Games Republic has crossed over to the realm of the dead itself, the various DLC is still available on PSN (one includes a free folk) for those who wish for a few more monsters and side quests to play with after the game’s dual sided story is over.

Littlebigplanet 2:

Developed by Media Molecule (recently acquired by Sony as a first party studio) Littlebigplanet started out as a group of people from Microsoft’s own LionHead studios. They actually pitched the idea of a game with a crazy amount of creation tools that allow users to build their very own levels to the (in)famous Peter Molyneux. He actually rejected it for being too ambitious. Let that sink in. Not content to let the idea go to waste, the developers formed their own studio and decided to work with Sony to bring the IP to life.

Littlebigplanet 2 follows your Sackboy (a customizable player character) through a story that teaches you the basic platforming mechanics (among others) in hopes that you will come up with something great to build for yourself and the community. Littlebigplanet 2 adds a large amount of new items and creation tools in which to build your own worlds with. All included with many tutorials narrated by none other than Stephen Fry himself. All items unlocked or created in the first game are transferred for use in Littlbigplanet 2, as an incentive for playing through the first.

On the topic of level creation, it is quite amazing what some users have come up with. Somehow managing to turn a 2.5D platformer into things such as flight simulators and first person shooters, I have a hard time wrapping my head around how well they know the creation system (there are so many creation tutorials I could never remember how the more advanced ones worked). There is just so much depth I fail to understand. Don’t take any of this as a negative; on the contrary, it’s a plus! Those with more time and patience have created some truly awesome levels! Coming in the vague future, is the new LittleBigPlanet Hub, which will be a demo that includes the first levels from both games that will allow you to purchase either game unlock at your leisure, a new way to unite the community and extend the life of the game a bit more than it’s already endless number of user created levels.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves:

Uncharted 2 is Naughty Dog’s amazing follow up to the original PS3 launch window title: Uncharted. The sequel is the closest I have come to finding the perfect third person shooter. Featuring Nathan Drake, an explorer and fortune hunter in search of the mythical Cintimani Stone within Shangri-La before a crazy warlord can get his hands on it.

Among Thieves features some really solid shooting mechanics, a great story, some awesome segments (such as escaping a falling train), well done visuals, and a great cast of voice actors. Beautifully designed levels, along with a few puzzles for the aspiring adventurer, Uncharted 2 balances everything perfectly, creating a well paced game with memorable moments. As said before, the shooting mechanics are rock solid and work exactly as they should, enemies aren’t much tougher than they should be, and finding ammunition is never too easy or difficult. Puzzles are well done, and thanks to your handy notebook, are usually just the right amounts of challenge without slowing the game down too much.

I can’t speak too much without outright spoiling the game, for there is just so much I love about it. Uncharted 3 was disappointing by comparison. While it was good, it was not GREAT like 2 was. From what I hear (and still need to play) Naughty Dog is back on top of their game with their latest game “The Last of Us”. From what little I have played of their newest adventure, I am inclined to agree. The Last of Us would very likely be on this list, and hell it might get added later once I buy and play through it, but for now Uncharted 2 takes this spot. The best way to get Uncharted 2 is with the currently for sale 2 pack with the first two games. The pack includes the Game of the Year edition with plenty of extra content (all multiplayer however, if you are into that). Uncharted Dual Pack

Infamous series:

Infamous (spelled inFAMOUS in the logo) is the newest IP from Sly Cooper developer Sucker Punch. Infamous is an open world super hero series chronicling the origin of Cole Mcgrath. Upon their respective releases, infamous was compared and contrasted with another super hero game by Activision that released within the same time frame. Prototype, turned out to be not as well polished and more or less The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction for current gen. Don not get me wrong, Prototype wasn’t that bad, but so much potential was wasted with its low caliber visuals, recycled assets, and interesting lore that was hard to explore within the game itself. All of it paled in comparison to Sucker Punch’s own super hero epic Infamous.

Infamous features a pseudo third person shooter combat system with melee, super moves (such as calling down lightning), free climbing system, and moral choices that affect the outcome of the game. Cole Mcgrath is gifted with the power to store and harness the power of electricity which is manifested by shooting it from his arm in various forms, throwing explosive grenades, forming shields, or grinding on power lines as a fast mode of travel. While in the sequel Infamous 2, Cole’s powers are expanded with ice and fire added to his repertoire. Electricity is found in many places that you would expect it to be, such as car batteries, light posts, generators (and if you are evil inclined, you can suck out the electrical muscle energy out of citizens, killing them in the process) and many other objects. You will need to remember this before you go walking into a fight and start wasting your ammo/health.

Featuring an interesting story with some cool lore behind it, the Infamous series has some great locations based on New York and New Orleans (1 and 2 respectively) in which to exercise your newfound abilities. If I don’t love anything about Infamous, it is how relatively easy the final boss (in the good ending) for 2 is. But that detail aside, the rest of both games are really fun to play with some awesome stuff to do and find. All set to a fitting soundtrack. Also worth checking out is the non-canon, stand alone downloadable game Infamous: Festival of Blood. Forgoing a morality system in this story, Cole Mcgrath becomes a vampire, and must cure himself before sunrise or become a slave to the vampire queen forever. All three games are included in a complete collection, much like the God of War Saga above. inFAMOUS collection

Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time:

The second entry in the Ratchet and Clank future series by Insomniac, A Crack in Time finishes the story started in Tools of Destruction, and the download only Quest for Booty. Crack in Time is personally, my favorite Ratchet since Going Commando. As far as Ratchet games go, the story is epic and really fun. The stakes feel much higher than usual for a game about a furry gun wielding character with a robot sidekick.

Crack in Time features plenty of new and returning weapons and gadgets, familiar and new characters alike, including Dr. Nefarious and his robot butler Lawrence, plenty of fun new mechanics, such as space combat, time based puzzles, the return of moons (from Going Commando) and of course, the series’ trademark wit and humor. Now with a new CEL shaded art style (which I can’t quite tell if they dropped in the newer games…. It feels sort of like it is there, but it also doesn’t, weird thing to say I know) that compliments Ratchet perfectly. If you love Ratchet, do yourself a favor and check out this game (and the other two games too of course lol). Definitely not one to miss. Insomniac delivers upon expectations and then some (unlike Resistance 3, but let’s not get into that).

Journey:

Made by ThatGameCompany (no really, that is their name), Journey is less of a game and more of an experience, and captures one thing I really like about Sony. They are willing to fund these weird, non-conventional, experimental titles just because they like the concept and believe it deserves a chance. Even though it is not guaranteed to sell a large number of units. Despite this, Journey has sold fairly well and received plenty of awards.

What can I say about Journey other than… Just play it? It is available as both a single download off PSN, or in a triple pack on disc. Journey has you in the role of some sort of cloth person, who’s only goal is to walk to the mountain with the shining light far off in the distance. You will gain hints to the origins of this strange land and not much more along the way. All you can really do is walk, and sometimes jump to your destination. But this alone is not what makes Journey unique. Within the game, you will be paired with a random traveler while playing online. You are not given their username, you can only talk to them by beeping. No text chat, no voice, nothing. You must work out your own way to speak to this complete stranger. Two strangers, one road to follow, no words to be spoken amongst them.  I honestly cannot say much more than what I already have without risking ruining the experience. Just play it, Journey is amazing for its short length, but as they say it’s the journey, not the destination. And this is worth taking. You will feel something playing this game. That much I can say.

Honorable Mentions:

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection:

Ok, this honestly shouldn't be here. But the Ico Collection, converted to HD by Bluepoint Games (who do the best HD re-releases period.) is the best possible away to experience these PS2 games, either again or for the first time. Taking both of Team Ico’s masterpieces from the PS2 era and putting them on PS3 in a beautiful re-master that does them as much justice as possible. Completely repainting every texture in a higher resolution, both games look and run great without any hitches. Now with trophies to increase replay value even further (and 3D for those with capable TVs). As for the individual games, Ico is sets you as a small boy with horns, condemned within a castle for his cursed bloodline, while seeking freedom he finds a young girl whom he must help escape with. They will need each other in order to escape the mad queen and her dark shadows.
Shadow of the Colossus has you play as Wander, a man seeking to undo the death of the woman he loves. In order to do so, he must make a deal with a voice from beyond, defeat 16 colossal beasts within a large open world known as the Forbidden Land, in exchange for the return of her soul.

There is a variety of reasons why these games are both respected and admired, but there is no need to go into them, when a simple search can easily show why. Not much I can add there lol.

Heavenly Sword:

Heavenly Sword is a PS3 launch title centered around hack and slash gameplay and large numbers of enemies on screen by developer Ninja Theory. Featuring Andy Serkis as a writer, motion capture actor, and the voice of the main villain King Bohan, Heavenly Sword’s production is top notch. With a neat story and lore, HS sets the player in the shoes of Nariko, daughter of the village chief, who was foretold to be a male, and a hero. When the prophecy was wrong, the villagers took it as an omen and casted her to live on the fringes of her society. In a desperate bid to save her people, Nariko commits the ultimate sin and wields the Heavenly Sword, a blade said to be once used by a god. A weapon of such power, that any mortal who uses it will die within a few days. Nariko must take up arms for those who have shunned her, against the massive forces of King Bohan, the odds are truly against her.

Combat focuses on stances, as the sword has three different forms, speed, range, and power. Each useful in different situations, and must be chosen accordingly. The game also features a mode called “aftertouch” in which you can use the Sixaxis to steer thrown objects or projectiles. As much as I enjoyed the game and its lore, and all the unanswered questions the ending left, it is highly unlikely as Ninja Theory has moved onto other projects. But Sony Europe does own the IP now, and with rumors of a movie being made soon, a sequel may come to fruition, so it is possible, but at this point, not likely. Would still love to see it though!

All 4 One:

Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One is something I am stepping up to defend. It is true it is not like previous Ratchet games, but that is exactly why it has received unwarranted criticism. The majority of people who seem to hate this game act like it was supposed to be another single player Ratchet and play much like them. It is as if they missed the entire point, the title, the previews, the trailers and well….. EVERYTHING. All 4 One is a great multiplayer game (that can be played solo too) that is for up to 4 players, a game where you are both cooperating and competing for both progress and items. Much like Deadlocked, every time Insomniac tries a new side game for Ratchet with different mechanics, it receives criticism from a somewhat decent amount of the fan base that somehow can’t grasp the concept. I’m just here to say those people are idiots and not much else. If you need a good “party” game to play with people, give All 4 One a try!

Lost Planet 2:

Another game I am stepping up to defend that I shouldn’t have to. Lost Planet 2 by Capcom manages to improve on its predecessor in every single way. And yet, somehow receives a lot of hate. Lost Planet 2 features, more bosses, more enemies, a much more coherent story, online and offline co-op, character customization, and more online modes.  Lost Planet 2 even has a boss you can fight from the inside! Hell, in two player mode you can even combine certain mechs together and pilot them! What is not to love? The story is still completely playable solo with multiple difficulties to earn higher points to be used in the customization slot machine to unlock new weapons, character parts, titles and etc.

Lost Planet 2 sets you as different factions in a story where they all converge in their attempt to save their planet from being destroyed by Nevec who intend to drain it of all its resources and leave you and the colonies to die. Along the way you will fight robots, enemy soldiers, and giant monsters. Some levels even include alternate, secret paths to discover and play through. Up to 4 players can team up online and take on the campaign, and even more can participate in battles. Even with all this, people still manage to hate this game because “its not as good as the first one, because they focused on multiplayer” or “its just Monster Hunter now with guns” Just because they added more multiplayer options, does not mean the single player lost anything. The core mechanics are still the same with some minor improvements. I have played through the campaign solo several times just to earn enough points to unlock absolutely everything in the slot machine. That is how much I love this game. As stated before, the story now is actually coherent, and makes sense (go back and watch the first one’s story and tell me what the hell is going on, because it jumps everywhere and the bad localization doesn’t help either, the main character also has amnesia.. its like a bad anime) despite having you play as a couple different factions. Hell, the PS3 version even has a free dlc costume that puts you in Rathalos Armor from Monster Hunter! What’s not to love?

Dragon’s Dogma:

Last on this list (trust me it could go on if I included more) is another multi-platform title by the name of Dragon’s Dogma by Capcom.

Dragon’s Dogma is a medieval action RPG (wait don’t go anywhere, it isn’t a Skyrim clone!) that places you in the shoes of your created character the Arisen, a chosen hero who is the first to have the courage to face the dragon that is birthed into the world every cycle. A destructive force that sweeps across the land, obliterating all in its path, with the only thing able to stop it is you. Not only do you create your own character, but in a cool, unique new system you create a second character known as a “pawn”. This pawn you can outfit with gear, select their class and skills to aid you in battle. But the system does not stop there, by connecting online you can borrow (they still keep their pawn however, it is like what happens when you rest at an inn, where they have been sort of thing) your friends and random user’s pawns to add to your party. Pawns gain knowledge of enemies and how to fight them when traveling with you or with another person. But they can only level up with you, so syncing them with the server often will make sure you and they have the most current version of your pawn available. You can also send gifts with your friend’s pawns when sent back through the dimensional rift. The combat in the game is real time, magic and skills are cast by expending stamina, so taking care to watch your meters is advisable. There are several classes to choose for your character, including a few hybrid ones, such as mystic knight, or magic archer. You can change classes anytime by speaking to the correct NPCs so you are not permanently locked into anything, same for your pawn. Adventuring across the mythical land of Gransys is quite fun with plenty of places to explore and monsters to fight. If one can hold anything against it, is that there are only two true “towns” on the map, and enemies are not randomly generated. And for those who hate walking, the fast travel system is likely not for you. Though I don’t mind it. Some performance issues also hold the game back now and then. Hopefully a sequel next gen can remedy that.

Special Shoutout: Playstation Home

What can I say about Playstation Home? Sony’s experiment into an online, 3D interactive social network has been both a cool, and strange one. I have sunk a lot of hours (and some money) into Home so there is no saying I don’t enjoy it (I play it every night, it’s a great place to meet up with friends, especially when we don’t share enough games, since Home is a neutral ground everyone can access for free it fits what we need perfectly, other than a chat room that would get really boring) as well as meet new people who might share common interests. But much like any other similar online experience, there is bound to be annoying people aplenty, as well as stupid ones. Sadly, that is unavoidable. Anywhere. But it’s the good friends that make it worth going back to, as well as all the neat events held by various publishers. While the amount of actual video game content (as in things like AAA titles, and other games found at retail) has decreased since it first launched, there is still plenty of standalone content to enjoy. A lot of people are quick to trash it (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the “Home is still going?” comment) I don’t know if Sony plans to continue the service on PS4, but it appears to still be going strong enough on PS3 (except for Japan Home, which has stopped publishing content updates). So if you are into this kind of thing, or just wanting to potentially add some people to your friends list, give it a try and try not to let first impressions fool you. It’s not all idiots…

There are plenty of other games I could talk about (such as Mirror’s Edge, Dead Space, The Darkness, and the High Moon Transformers games) but this article has already gone on long enough, and I already deviated a bit from the exclusives. But it is not quite over yet!

Playstation 4 aka Why I am HYPED!

The Playstation 4 is already miles ahead of the awful start the PS3 had. This time around, Sony went to developers first to ask what they wanted out of the next console. The Playstation 4 will have a more standard PC-esque architecture, making it much easier for developers to build games on. Multiplatform games will not have to suffer from porting, and first party developers don’t have to spend the extra time understanding the processor. This can only be good.

8GB of shared ram: Compare that to the current 512MB (split in half for different functions) ram in the PS3 now. That is a big jump. Things like party chat are no longer impossible (the split nature of the ram is what prevents the PS3 from using this feature).

Sharing: Now with the simple press of a button, one can share their gaming experiences through video recording (the PS4 passively records the past 15 minutes of gameplay in case you ever want to save something) or directly streaming it to a web service, such as Ustream or Twitch. Thanks to hanging out with my friends online, I have come to love streaming content and watching movies among other things with them live. And now you are telling me I can do that with my console games without having to buy an expensive capture card, hooking it up and dealing with all that? Oh man, I am going to have so much fun with that!

The Games!

If there is one thing I am not hyped for, it is that multiplayer gaming on the PS4 will require Playstation Plus to use. However, I am primarily a single player kind of gamer (Monster Hunter not withstanding), and Plus will not be required on Vita or PS3 retroactively for MP, and if I do decide to start subscribing to Plus, there are plenty of bonuses still worth it that carry over across all PS consoles. Furthermore, apps such as Netflix, Flixster, the sharing and streaming functions, and any free to play game will NOT require Plus in order to function. So I can at least take comfort in that, I hate online fees, always have. So we’ll see if I do plan on Plus or not. At most maybe I will get a short sub every once in awhile, but who knows.

And there you have it! My look back on the PS3, and why I’m excited for its successor! I took count recently, and as much as I loved the PS2 era, I actually have more PS3 games. Did not expect that lol. I hope you enjoyed this article! And I also hope to see you on PS4 someday! Peace out gamers!