Top 5 Best PS3 Games (Showdown)

Top 5 Best PS3 Games

Welcome to another MojoPlays Showdown! I’m Ty!

And I’m Aaron!

Today, we are giving you our personal Top 5 Best PlayStation 3 Games!

Keep in mind these are our own personal favorite games from the PS3 era so if you don’t see a game you think should be on this list, we probably loved it too but had to limit our entries to only 5 each.

But tell us down in the comments what your Top 5 PS3 games are, and I will see you there!

Aaron’s #5: “Split/Second” (2010)

God I miss the old Burnout games. With nearly every racing game, arcade or sim going open world, I miss the days of closed tracks and shaving precious seconds off your best times by learning and memorizing the layout and shortcuts. Split/Second was an incredible throwback to the arcade racing games on the PS2 and managed to put its own spin on the genre by framing the entire game as a television show. While the racing itself was as frenetic and solid as you could hope for, it was the Power Plays that really made the game stand out. After building up your meter you could blow up obstacles or even the entire track to take out the other racers and in turn change the layout of the track completely. With constant explosions around every corner as the world zips by in a blur, this was the peak of arcadey racing on the PS3.

Ty’s #5: “PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale” (2012)

In my eyes, “PlayStation All-Stars” is unfairly labeled as a Smash clone. Yes, it's a platform-fighter themed around a specific platform, but it presented some unique ideas to stand on its own. For instance, the focus on the AP meter encourages players to find windows of opportunity to incorporate their Supers into regular combos. Then, you have the way stages are designed, crossing over various IPs for not just aesthetic, but for environmental hazards, layout, and music. I am very well aware that Kratos was (and still is) broken. However, to me, this wasn’t just about delivering a solid fighter; it was also about celebrating PlayStation history.

Aaron’s #4: “Borderlands 2” (2012)

I’m usually not one for multiplayer games. Even ones designed with multiplayer in mind, if it has a single player option that’s how I’m going to play. After starting Borderlands 2 solo, a few friends of mine convinced me to join them one night and it honestly became some of the best and most memorable experiences I’ve had playing video games. Combined with the fact this is the best Borderlands game to date, solid gameplay and bazillions of guns, guns, and more guns and one of the most charismatic villains in gaming, Borderlands 2 was already an incredible game and a marked improvement on its predecessor, made all the better by the people I played it with. I haven’t had a multiplayer experience like that since then and I may never have it again with all those friends having moved on with their lives, but the memories will last forever.

Ty’s #4: “inFAMOUS” (2009)

I know that many “inFAMOUS” fans are more drawn to the second game because of the new ideas, new powers, New Marais, etc. I am too much of a purist to accept such a different voice for Cole and to accept Subway as a part of New Marais. The first “inFAMOUS” was just so special in its concept and execution. Wield lightning powers around Empire City as a Jason Statham-looking dude? Of course I wanna play that! And even after playing the first two games recently, I still have more appreciation for the first game’s story for its writing and tougher player choices. Of any PS3 games that should be brought forward to PS5, “inFAMOUS” would benefit significantly!

Aaron’s #3: “Portal 2” (2011)

The original Portal was lighting in a bottle and the true standout of an already impressive package when it was released with The Orange Box collection but the sequel managed to take all of the things that made the first game so original, build and improve on them and create one of the most rewarding and hilarious video games ever made. Video games are designed to teach you their mechanics and make you feel clever for using them the way the game intended and no game accomplishes this better than Portal 2. Combined with a well written and consistently hilarious story and the introduction of one of gaming’s greatest minds in Cave Johnson, the intricacy in which the puzzles are designed allows for not only experimentation but also manages to guide the player through them without constantly holding their hand. For science!

Ty’s #3: “Twisted Metal” (2012)

I have to admit, Aaron chose a better game than me for my number three. I played “Portal 2” on PC and Xbox 360, though. So, I couldn’t count it here. BUT “Twisted Metal” deserves a spot from me. Some fans weren’t about the focus towards online play and the condensing of the story. I, for one, didn’t care for that either, but still loved everything else. I honestly thought in terms of narrative, this was the best and most ambitious we had seen from “Twisted Metal”. Gameplay-wise, I felt the controls were better than before with how vehicles handled and how responsive they felt. I loved the massive selection of vehicles that included cars old and new. All of this gave me and my brother hours upon hours of fun as we spent our summers and weekends indoors, messing with the physics, sniping each other, bullying the AI, and more. Call it an opinion based more on personal experience, I still think “Twisted Metal” was one of PS3’s best games.

Aaron’s #2: “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” (2009)

This is where I feel modern cinematic video games started. While the first Uncharted was a decent time, besides its story and instantly likable cast, the moment to moment gameplay left much to be desired from a developer clearly still finding its footing with their new direction. Uncharted 2 was a SUBSTANTIAL leap forward over its predecessor, improving nearly every aspect in a meaningful way. The story was more emotional, the gunplay and cover mechanics were a huge step up, the cinematics had no equal at the time, and best of all, no jet ski segments. Uncharted is still the high bar the franchise reaches for and while the likes of Uncharted 4 definitely managed to outdo the series’ second entry in every way imaginable, Uncharted 2 will always hold a special place for me.

Ty’s #2: “ModNation Racers” (2010)

First off, I’d like to commend my colleague for recognizing “Split/Second”. That is truly one of the most remarkable racing games I have played. BUT, when it comes to the PlayStation 3, there is one racing game every PS3 owner needed - “ModNation Racers”. This wasn’t just PlayStation’s “Mario Kart” - this was a kart-racer that you could make your own in more ways than one. Design your own karts, create your own drivers, and build the track of your dreams with a variety of easy-to-use and intuitive tools. And even if you weren’t the creative type, you could still find enjoyment in the single-player campaign with its top-notch track design and hilarious writing. This game was one of the very titles that embodied me throughout high school, but not as much as my final pick.

Aaron’s #1: “The Last of Us” (2013)

You had to know this was coming. The Last of Us was the swan song for the PlayStation 3 and like the Uncharted series before it, completely changed the landscape of cinematic gaming for the whole industry. The story of a viral outbreak had of course been done before but never on such a personal level as the journey across the ruined United States with Joel and Ellie. These were clearly damaged and broken characters who grew to care for one another just as the player did and though their dynamic has been applied to countless other games since, none have managed the same nuance and fidelity as Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. I’ve replayed this game 7 times now and every time I still manage to become fully engrossed in the story as if I’m playing it for the first time all over again. This is without a doubt one of my favorite video games of all time.

Ty’s #1: “Brütal Legend” (2009)

I cannot deny that Aaron’s list is really, REALLY strong. But we all went through these generations playing different games, and the game I kept coming back to again and again, even to this day, is “Brutal Legend”. As a huge fan of rock and heavy metal, this was a game I could get lost in for hours, days, weeks, months even. Developer Double Fine Productions had crafted an entire world from the styles of heavy metal, filled with lore and environments unlike any other open world games. On top of that, you could customize the Deuce into a hot rod of nightmares and rage, there were cameos from various rock legends like Ozzy and Lemmy who starred as their own characters within the world, and the enemy designs were some of the most creative I’ve seen. Some days, I just boot up the game just to drive around and have “Electric Eye” blasting! And the story? Truly one of the best I’ve experienced, and I still rewatch some of the cutscenes today. “Brutal Legend” is worth every second of your time, and it’s a real shame that we still haven’t seen a sequel.

So far I think this is the first time we both agree that each of our lists are really solid but who’s list did you prefer and what showdown would you like to see us go head to head against next? Leave us your suggestions down in the comments.