After theimmense success of the PS2, it was all but guaranteed that whatever followed would pale in comparison. A fact that was all but confirmed by the immense success of the Xbox 360.
10 Underrated PS2 Exclusive Titles You Need To Play
The PS2 was the king of the 2000s, which means a lot of great stuff slipped through the cracks.
However, even if it couldn’t rival the best-selling console of all time to this day, the PS3 still had an awful lot going for it. One of which was its array of outstanding exclusive games.
However, it’s usually the same titles that get mentioned in the exclusives discussion, despite the fact that there aresome really interesting gems within that lineup.
So if you have an old PS3 lying around and feel like dusting it off and seeing what exclusive titles it has to offer, you might want to make a note of these super games only accessible on PS3.
10Folklore
A Way With Words
As an Irishman, I know all too well that the Emerald Isle is known for its storytelling and, by extension, the poets that have called the island home.
This is something that Folklore, a narrative-driven action RPG, uses as the central plot device, offering a variety of unique visual styles to present a surreal fantasy epic with the written word serving as the game’s core focus.
It’s a game that weaves an intricate tale, has an eye-catching art direction with detailed world building, and it also offers a surprising amount of dynamic systems in combat too.
It’s somewhat of aPersona-esque creature tamerwhere you can use the beasts found in the Netherworld as your means of besting tougher foes, and while awkward at times, it’s a system that feels fun to experiment with.
It’s one of those games that you can tell was a real passion project of those who worked to bring it to life. So, in their honor, it’s about time you cracked the spine on this story and jumped in.
When It Rains, It Pours
Next, we move to a very rare PlayStation 3 exclusive that, for the most part,never made it out of Japan.However, it’s a real shame as this one is a novel little narrative-driven epic.
Based in 20th Century Paris, you play as a young boy on the hunt for a young girl he meets eyes with from his bedroom window.
It’s a classic meet-cute, but the catch is that she’s completely invisible unless she’s out in the pouring rain. A fate that befalls you as soon as you head outside to search for her.
With the city deserted, you would think that it would be a piece of cake to find her, but terrifying beasts are also given shape by the rain, and your only safety is in under shelter in this surreal Parisian ghost town.
It’s a puzzle horror format that feels like a precursor to Little Nightmares and the like with a little less emphasis on true horror, and if you have the opportunity to check this one out, you should absolutely take it.
8Tokyo Jungle
The Law of the Jungle
Tokyo Jungle
It’s fair to say that the gaming collective loves an apocalypse, and while the end of the world is pretty well-trodden ground, some games manage to offer a fresh and unique take.
That is exactly what happened when Tokyo Jungle appeared on the PS3, offering a decapitated city overrun by animals, and via controlling a bunch of different species that call this city home, you’ll be able to uncover the secrets within, and the reason why humanity is nowhere to be seen.
The gameplay is pretty simplistic,offering a survival-focused setupwhere you’ll need to find food, kill predators, and obey the law of the concrete jungle. Plus, the game offered an endless co-op survival mode, too, so this one is fun to play with a pal, too.
I’ve never been a huge fan of yappy Pomeranian doggos, but I’ll make an exception here, because Tokyo Jungle is a forgotten gem well worth checking out.
7Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Hack and Slash
Heavenly Sword
People probably best know Ninja Theory for their groundbreaking work on the Senua series, or perhaps the divisive reboot of the DMC series.
However, before they had made a name for themselves, they gifted gamers a phenomenal hack-and-slash title in the form of Heavenly Blade. A game that was perhaps a little on the short side, but to its credit, it’s a game that definitely leaves you wanting more.
It’s one that may feel a little awkward for some with the need to engage with clunky Siaxis functionality, but if you’re able to get past that, you’ll bear witness to a staggeringly fun and fluid martial arts beat-em-up with incredible vocal performances and writing that people simply don’t talk about enough.
6Lumines Supernova
A Brainy Brick Breaker
This one is a little cheeky because anyone who plays puzzle games regularly will be pretty familiar with the Lumines series. However, outside ofthe puzzle games communityI’m still surprised just how few people are familiar with the acclaimed block breaker.
Supernova could easily be written off as just another in a long line of Lumines titles, but even among its very polished brethren, it’s a nifty little number.
With the addition of DigDown and Sequencer modes, the fourth in the series really builds up on the strong foundation of the standard gameplay, making this one feel like a real leap forward for Lumines.
Granted, it is a little short, and didn’t have multiplayer functionality on release, but all in all, this was a sign that the Lumines series would continue to thrive for years to come. It’ll probably always live in Tetris' Shadow, but to play second fiddle to an industry icon isn’t the worst fate.
5Siren: Blood Curse
Back To Hanuda
While I would personally argue that Forbidden Siren is a bit of an underrated gem in and of itself, that goes double for Siren: Blood Curse, an underrated re-imagining of the PS2-era horror epic.
This one sees you return to the chilling locale of Hanuda village, and as you would expect based on the title, the blood curse that turnsthe townsfolk into terrifying Shibito zombiesis front and center of this horrific tale.
10 Soulslikes With Minimal Grinding
Soulslikes like Sekiro and Hollow Knight place a greater emphasis on skill and optimization than raw stat building.
However, the key difference between this one and the original is that the story is told through multiple characters in an episodic manner.
But players can still expect the famous Sight Jacking mechanic, which, thanks to a split screen upgrade, now allows you to see through the Shibito’s eyes and sneak around simultaneously.
It’s Forbidden Siren, but enhanced for the better. So, if you want to play the most complete version of this horror cult classic, this is the way to go about it.
Walked So Battlefield Could Run
This one is a little bit of a cheat entry, as MAG is no longer a playable title, as they shut off servers many moons ago. However, I still think it deserves a posthumous mentionbecause of how revolutionary it was.
MAG was a precursor to what Battlefield and many battle royales would later perfect, allowing up to a whooping 256 players to occupy one battlefield at once in a classic boots-on-the-ground shooter. Not to mention, it offered a semi-FTP format, making it one of the first of its kind.
It was a game that simply couldn’t offer the same polish or garner the same appeal as Call of Duty and other rivals on the market, but for the ambition alone, and the fact that, while not perfect, the game pulled this format off. You simply have to respect this trailblazing shooter. Gone too soon.
3Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
Tropical Torque
Motorstorm is a weird series. It’s one that is relatively well known on account of being a launch title for the PS3 upon release.
But, aside from the novelty of the first title and the eye-catching mud physics, you don’t find many people talking in glowing terms about the extended series.
Which is a shame because Pacific Rift was a game that really pushed on from its predecessors and offers abrilliant off-road racing experience.
The move to a tropical island paradise was a strong one for the series that allowed the graphical capabilities of the engine to shine. Plus, the game really leaned into potential multiplayer aspects, allowing for a seamless four-player split screen.
It was all the brilliant high octane, violent racing from the first game, but with more eye candy, more custom options, and potential for more fun with friends. Honestly, it’s just such a shame that so few players have seen what Pacific Rift had to offer.
2Puppeteer
Putting On A Show
It may not be a huge statement, as the PS3 era was not a time when the platforming genre was going from strength to strength.
But lack of competition aside, I’ll say it regardless. Puppeteer isprobably the best platformerto appear on the PS3, and it’s criminal that so few people have ever heard of it, let alone played it.
This title has you play as a decapitated puppet, and as you travel through the magical world this game has to offer, you’ll need to acquire different heads, which will allow you to use different powers, aiding in profession, combat, and exploration.
All the while making use of your sentient scissor companion to cut through assets to reveal new secrets and move around the screen with ease.
It’s a game that is visually outstanding and totally unique, not to mention completely over the top due to the on-stage, unseen audience gimmick the game makes clever use of.
Sure, the combat is a little repetitive, and it’s clunky in parts, but to put it bluntly, bold ideas like this simply aren’t given the green light anymore, and Puppeteer is proof that we are missing out, as this is a true hidden gem.
1Fat Princess
Let Them Eat Cake
Fat Princess
We finish things off with what was my personal favorite online multiplayer game of the PS3 era, and yet, not a lot of people talk about this one anymore, but they should.
Fat Princess is a comical capture-the-flag game that’s pretty simple to understand, but in practice, it’s actually rather tactically deep.
Players play one of many roles within the castle, either serving to support warriors on the battlefield, doing the killing themselves, working on odd jobs to protect their fortress, or perhaps stuffing the opposing princess full of cake.
Ah, I should also mention. The ‘flag’ is the princess.
It’s a game that unceremonially disappeared from the multiplayer zeitgeist, and it’s one I truly wish could have a modern glow-up, as there has been nothing like it ever since.
It was cartoonish, comical, calamitous fun, and while it’s not exactly politically correct by 2024’s standards, I say, let them eat cake!
