With Sony’s PlayStation 5 reportedly be backward compatibility, there soon could be a new excuse to bring out those old games that have long since been buried in the shelves. Now, to be clear, Sony has only confirmed thatPS4 gameswill be playable on the PS5, so it is best to keep any other expectations to a minimum.
Nevertheless, the possibility of having a platform that supports three or more generations of PlayStation releases is undeniably enticing. In honor of this appetizing dream, here are 10 PS3 games that would be perfect to revisit on a PS5.
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For a game to qualify, a PS4 version cannot exist. Games available through PS Now will still be considered as the service is not ideal for PS3 titles.
10Drakengard 3
Directed by Yoko Taro,Drakengard 3is not exactly the most polished game on the PlayStation 3, however, it arguably has the strongest gameplay out of the original trilogy. WithNier: Automatapushing this strange franchise into the public eye, it is more likely than ever that new fans might be interested in revisiting the mainline series that eventually spawned 2B.
Drakengard 3’s story is depressing, captivating, and ends with one of the most unsettling fights ever. The third entry also takes place prior to the events of its two predecessors and stands on its own relatively well. Although far from perfect,Drakengard 3delivers an experience that is hard to forget.
9Folklore
Among the earliestJRPGsreleased on the PlayStation 3,Folklorewas somewhat overshadowed by the genre’s subsequent offerings. AsFinal FantasyandTales ofreleases new entries during the eighth console generation, Game Republic’s action-adventure title remained a one and done affair.
Set in a universe loosely inspired by fairy tales and featuring a decent combat system that is elevated by a fun monster-taming mechanic,Folkloreis one of the more unique JRPGs released over the last 20 years. Not one of the best, but definitely one worth revisiting.
8Heavenly Sword
Prior to its release,Heavenly Swordseemed destined to stand alongsideGod of Waras one of PlayStation’s quintessential action licenses. Sadly, Ninja Theory’s plans to craft a trilogy ended up going nowhere due to the game receiving a lukewarm critical reception and alsounderperforming commercially.
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Heavenly Swordis not without its flaws, but its core hack and slash gameplay is tight, fun, and surprisingly deep. Even today, Ninja Theory’s 2007 title still looks quite stunning, makingHeavenly Swordquite an easy game to replay after more than a decade since its initial release.
7Infamous 2
As good asInfamous: Second Sonmight be, the PS4 sequel arguably fell just short of its PS3 predecessors. Even though 2009’sInfamoushas a better storyline and should not be skipped by newcomers to the series, 2011’s sequel improves in almost every other area.
Set in New Marais, a fully realized sandbox that feels alive while also facilitating for all sorts of superpowered destruction and traversal,Infamous 2does a fantastic of truly empowering the player. By the end, Cole becomes a proper powerhouse.
6LittleBigPlanet 2
LittleBigPlanet 3is somewhat capable of filling the void left by Media Molecule’s original two console entries, even if it is comfortably the weakest in the series. Prior to the studio’sDreams,LittleBigPlanet 2granted players a level of creative control seldom seen in console games.
Along with the story mode’s pre-created levels,LittleBigPlanet 2allowed for custom maps and games of various genres to be created by those inclined to do so. As such,LittleBigPlanet 2had endless potential and only began to decline once the PS3 lost some of its relevance.
5Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
As Konami and Hideo Kojima’s public divorce put in doubt the chances of another properMetal Geargame being created, fans might have to suffice with revisiting the classics.
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12 years later,Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriotsstill impresses on a technical level. The long cutscenes might not be to everyone’s tastes, but the polishedstealth gameplayand story’s self-serious tone are more than enough to justify sitting through an hour-long movie.Guns of the Patriotsis an impeccable entry in a franchise that helped define the PlayStation, and it is always a great time to revisit anyMetal Gear Solidtitle.
4Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
An argument can definitely be made that Sony overexposed theRatchet & Clanklicense during the PS3 era. Counting spin-off likesAll 4 One, the series spawned six new games during the console’s run, most of which failed to capture the charm of the original PS2 trilogy.
Out of all the franchise’stitles on the PS3,A Crack in Timestands as the very best and, in terms of gameplay, the closest to the Ps4’sRatchet & Clankremake. While it hardly reinvented the wheel,A Crack in Timerepresented the series at the height of its power, particularly when it came to the game’s core combat. As aRatchet & Clanksequel seems light-years away,A Crack in Timewill just have to do.
3Resistance: Fall of Man
AlongsideKillzone,Resistanceseemed primed to become Sony’s premium FPS franchise. Obviously, that did not happen, although Insomniac Games did manage to produce three decent console entries.
While visually dated by today’s standards,Resistance: Fall of Manholds up shockingly well for a title that was originally released in 2006, arguably even surpassing its sequels. The FPS genre has hardly lost steam since the PS3 era, butResistance’s ambitious storyline and enjoyable gameplay makes it perfect for a single-player playthrough.
Yakuzahas always been awesome, but Sega’s glorious send-up to B-movie gangster flicks enjoyed a boost in popularity following the release ofYakuza 0on the PlayStation 4. As Sega is slowly remaking the franchise’s older mainline entries, theDead Soulsspin-off would profit the most from the PS5’s backward compatibility.
With four playable characters, including Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima,Dead Soulsenvisions a timeline where an outbreak leaves Kamurocho infested with zombies. Staying true to the license’s reputation, the story strikes the right balance between silliness and gravitas, although the former is prioritized. At the end of the day,Dead Soulsis simply moreYakuza, and that is enough of a reason to replay it.
1Twisted Metal
If the PS5 does end up supporting PS3 games, franchises that have largely been forgotten will benefit the most from the feature. Sooner or later, older consoles are put out to pasture, leaving their libraries to follow suit. Backward compatibility would make a world of difference.
Not only was 2012’sTwisted Metalthe last entry in the series, but it also served as one of the vehicular combat genre’s final hurrahs. While the genre is not completely dead, entries have become few and far in-between.Twisted Metalhad a terrible storyline and could have used a few more characters, but its multiplayer offered countless hours of mindless violent fun. Hopefully, those days can be revisited in the future.
