Playstation Gamer UK

To make up for my week absence and my slightly fanboyish last article I’m going to write a second, legitimate one. I’m going to tell you what are the 10 most underrated games on the PS3 since it’s inception. All of these games are underrated but that doesn’t mean they have poor sales numbers or bad review scores, just that they weren’t recieved as well as they should’ve been.

Honourable Mentions:

Socom: Confrontation -

The reception for this Socom was bad for a reason, it was really, really bad. But the patches have made some huge strides and while it may be still lacking a certain something in the social aspects of the game the gameplay aspects are top notch. This is not a run and gun shooter like Gears or Halo this is a methodical, almost sim like, 3rd person shooter. You’d better be paying attention and you’d better be communicating with your teammates or your ass is grass.

Mirror’s Edge -

The reviews were mediocre at best, and for a good reason, the combat is horrible. That being said it’s still worth it to buy this game. Just the adrenaline rush that jumping off the top of a building not knowing if you’ll land on another building or plummet to your death and hear that bone rattling crunch. That said, be ready for some frustration, there are points in the game where you will feel the urge to launch your controller into space but deep breathes, that’s all you need. Plus, it has some really, really easy trophies.

10) Army of Two

Army of Two isn’t the best game out there. It wasn’t the prettiest game at the time of it’s release and it had some control issues. But it’s still a solid game from EA. The game is built around co-op and that’s really the only way to play it because the AI for your partner is horrible when you play alone. Army of Two is like Gears of War for PS3. Maybe it doesn’t look as good but it’s a very good co-op and multiplayer, and overall it’s underrated.

9) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Ever wanted to zap someone with force lightning or choke someone with force choke? Well in Force Unleashed you can. It’s a tad on the short side, with no multiplayer and the level design isn’t great but there’s nothing cooler than pulling a vent out of a wall and throwing it at some Stormtroopers. The Force Unleashed uses a new AI system and the Euphoria Game Engine, these two things make for a very interesting experience. Your enemies will grab onto anything near by as you fling them about and when you blow up a tree, it actually splinters. Plus, this is one of the few Star Wars properties to have a worth wild story.

Assassin’s Creed

I’m not exactly sure this game was “underrated” but following the bashing Yahtzee gave it it certainly took a dive in the public opinion. The story is strange, to say the least, you can’t skip the cutscenes and the gameplay can be repetitive. But those are the only negatives. The gameplay is fun (if a little repetitive at times) the map is huge and awe inspiring and the combat is actually really good. Being able to stand atop a tower looking out over a city, dive off into a cart full of hay and then run off and stab someone in the heart is very entertaining.

7) Folklore

One of the best RPGs on the PS3 and nobody cares about. Folklore was released in the Fall of 2007 and was almost instantly forgotten about. The best RPG on the system at the time and still in the top 10 it has been pretty much ignored by everyone. It’s more of a JRPG than RPG but it’s not really. It’s not emo girlish guys it’s got a distinct western feel but it’s not a huge experience like an Oblivion or Fallout 3. It’s only about 15 hours long but it looks amazing and has amazing presentation value, definitely worth buying.

6) Burnout Paradise

The second best racing game on the PS3 (the best is coming up). It recieved pretty good reviews but still wasn’t a smash hit although it should’ve been. Especially with the free DLC. For only $20 you can download it off the PSN Store and have a blast with it. All of the problems have been fixed in the DLC and there’s more upcoming.

5) Warhawk

Warhawk is the second best multiplayer experience on the PS3 (second only to Resistance 2). It’s only real short coming is it’s lack of a single player mode. It’s not the best looking game but it has decent graphics. The controls are good once you get used to them. It’s a third person style shooter but has a more arcade like control than say MGS4 or Dead Space and several variety of vehicles. The game can be downloaded from PSN and has three expansions.

4) Resistance: Fall of Man

This was the best console first person shooter on the PS3 until the release of, well the next game in the series, Resistance 2. Resistance is not as polished as Halo 3 and didn’t have the multiplayer features but it was still a very good game. It looked great, played great and was the best launch title the system had. While it’s well known and appreciated amongst PS3 gamers it gets very little recognition from the casual and non-gamer crowd.

3) Dead Space

The BEST survival horror game of this generation and possibly the last. It’s like Resident Evil but cooler and with better controls. The game looks amazing, it’s user interface is very creative, the use of music and sound really helps create an amazing atmosphere. If you play it at the right time (like 3am) it can really scare the hell out of you. It’s a top tier game but was largely ignored because of some of the bigger releases at the time.

2) Valkyria Chronicles

The best Strategy RPG on any system, handheld, console or PC. Somehow this game didn’t manage to sell 100, 000 copies and it’s just amazing. The art style is incredible, the gameplay is original and well made and the story is pretty good. It’s like a JRPG but without the bad parts. If you haven’t bought this game (and judging from the sales numbers you probably haven’t) you should definitely pick it up. Don’t wait, go now, buy it! Well, read the last game, then buy it.

1) WipEout HD

The most underrated game on the PS3 is WipEout HD. This is the racing game to end all racing games and it’s only $20! If you haven’t bought it, buy it (along with Valkyria Chronicles). It runs at 1080p, 60 frames per second. It looks amazing, it sounds amazing, it plays amazing and it’s available for download now on the PSN store, so go get it! The only flaw with the game is that there’s only one difficulty and near the end of the game you’d have to be a computer to win some of these races but a recent patch appears to fix this.