Ten PlayStation 3 games you may have missed
The Sony side of the street
Games Round-up While summer was a fairly dry time for games releases, this autumn has gone haywire in the build up to Christmas and as a result, it feels like more titles are being handed out than knighthoods.
As usual, we've sifted through the good and the bad to compile a list of any worthy ones you may have missed. While the following ten are well matched in terms of their repective review ratings, bear in mind that's because we weeded out the below average performers. Among the titles that showed promise but failed to deliver were Activision's 007 Legends and EA's latest Medal of Honor are notable absences here.
This selection PlayStation 3 games – available either on disc or as downloadable content – led to many a lost evening over the past couple months, in-between the time spent on various previously reviewed titles such as Fifa 13 and Dishonored, that is.
Don't fret if you're on Xbox either, as not only do plenty of these titles also appear on your gaming platform of choice - see the dropout box below each review for details - but we've put together a separate roundup of 360 titles.
Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
I had little opportunity to play Dark Souls upon its original release, but have struggled to put it down since the Prepare to Die Edition landed on my desk a month or so back. While negative things have been said regarding frame-rates of the long-awaited PC port, the expanded content here – which was also recently pushed separately as the Atorias of the Abyss DLC – adds further enhancement to a game that will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the most unforgiving ever.
Indeed, you'll get the idea when you end up face to face with the expanded content's first boss - the Sanctuary Guardian. This tough cookie appears shortly after our protagonist is sucked through a portal into the historical past of Dark Souls' lore. It took me a while to get to this point, mind.
Those of you yet to experience the game could be in for a shocker, but push on, fight your way through, you're in for a treat, as completion of the particularly tricky boss-battles delivers supreme satisfaction. You can read an in-depth Dark Souls review here on Reg Hardware.
Dead or Alive 5
I've been a huge fan of Team Ninja's DoA following its first release in 1996 and couldn't wait to sink my teeth into the latest version, a desire that had nothing to do with Tina's sizeable assets, I swear.
Unsurprisingly, story mode leaves much to be desired, yet as a fighting game, the influx of shallow character backstories is a practical necessity most are used to by now, no matter confusing or irrelevant they may appear. Instead, what really gives DoA sparkle is majestic fight mechanics, which continue here with ferocious combos and counter attacks unparalleled in the genre.
Interactive dynamic arenas offer new ways to obliterate opponents, while the jaw-dropping aesthetics packs DoA5 with far more punch than the average beat-em-up. The game runs pretty smoothly over the network too, with a couple of standout online modes to keep distraction levels high. There's also the ability to unlock some of the characters from Sega's Virtua Fighter, not that I've ever put those guys in the same league.
Next page: F1 2012
COMMENTS
DLC; making cheap games expensive
I think the main problem with some games is the massive amount of DLC. And also in such a way that it seems as if you're going to have to buy into this sooner of later if you really want to enjoy all merits of the game, depending on the game of course.
But I've also been looking at Tokyo Jungle for a while but then noticed the /huge/ amount of extra's available. Needless to say but that gives me a totally different impression of said game; I can't help wonder how long gameplay can really last without purchasing any DLC.
Re: Dark Souls
Yes... It can be really difficult and frustrating at times, but it's down to you to observe what you're doing wrong, and improve your strategy. Rarely does it feel like the game is being 'cheap' when dishing out death.
The respawning of enemies is completely intentional. The game wouldn't be so difficult, and yet so damn satisfying if you could stroll back to the boss after defeat. Things get a touch easier if you manage to summon help from other gamers online though!
It's definitely not a game for everyone, but Dark Souls and it's predecessor are easily my favourites of this generation and jumped straight into my top-five games of all time. Love them!
LBP Karting
Played it at eurogamer, and well, this was my take on it.
F1 Race stars played almost exactly the same as LBP Karting, which played almost exactly the same as Mod Nation Racers which was just a poop copy for Mario Kart. It just wasn't good.
Personally if I were to recommend a ps3 game people might have missed, it would be a much older one than that. Valkyria Chronicles. One of the best TBS games I've ever played, and not a single person I've talked into playing it has been able to disagree. If you like strategy then play that game.
Whatever any PS3 owner does this year...
...I highly recommend Okami HD, whether or not you played the original PS2 version. Its brilliant with or without the Move support, it looks awesome and it's one of the best PS2 games that ever came out.
Little Big Planet Karting as good as sonic racing? sonic racing is the best racing fun since mario kart on the snes.
we just got the new sonic racing transformed. cars then boats then aircraft. loads of fun and still pretty hardcore on the highest levels.
i do fancy Little Big Planet Karting but it was twice the price of sonic transformed. might pick it up after xmas when there are loads of user tracks.
