Despite some disappointment associated with the PSP, Sony’s flagship PlayStation 3 console exhibited an incredibly strong showing at this year’s E3 Media and Business Summit, offering up a healthy dose of software from both third and first party companies alike. Despite ample pickings for our nominees for the best PS3 game of the show, we’ve managed to narrow it down to the following four games, which we believe ultimately display a certain level of quality that distinguishes them from the rest of the pack.
Developed by Guerrilla Games, Killzone 2 has consistently remained one of the PS3’s most anticipated titles since its debut at E3 2005 over three years ago. Featuring meticulously crafted visuals, visceral, action-packed gameplay and extensive multiplayer functionality, Killzone 2 is set to offer one of the most intense experiences on a home console thus far. The game picks off following the events of the original title and its follow-up, Liberation, with players assuming control of ISA squad leader, Sev, as the unit mounts its crucial invasion of the planet Helghan, home to the notorious race known as the Helghast.
Insomniac’s highly anticipated FPS sequel looks set to deliver more than its fair share of standout moments when the game launches exclusively on PS3 later this year. Kicking off at the height of the Chimera’s invasion of North America, Resistance 2 signals the return of Nathan Hale from the original game as he battles against a relentless adversary in a variety of locations throughout the US. Concurrently, Hale must also continue to resist the Chimera virus that resides within him. In addition to a cinematic single-player campaign, the game also sports an online cooperative experience for up to eight players, as well as competitive multiplayer battles for up to 60 gamers. With big weapons, massive environments and gigantic, hulking boss creatures, Resistance 2 positively exudes all the qualities of a surefire blockbuster hit.
Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, Fallout 3 arrives fresh from the creative minds of Bethesda Softworks, the developers behind the highly extolled Elder Scrolls franchise. Taking the form of an action RPG, players must assume control of a fellow survivor holed up in Vault 101, a fallout shelter built on the remains of Washington DC. Venturing into the desolate wastelands outside in search of your father, gamers can explore a vast open world abundant with side-quests to perform, characters to meet and all manner of grotesque creatures to battle. As with Oblivion, players can shape the path of their character depending on how you interact with the world around you, and includes an intuitive combat system using VATs, allowing for a unique blend of both real-time and turn-based combat. Fallout 3 combines a gritty, bleak aesthetic with a compelling narrative to immerse players in what is shaping up to be one of the most extravagant single-player outings of this current generation thus far.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing and quirky titles announced for PS3 to date, LittleBigPlanet represents a key step in Sony’s plans to drive the presence of user-created content for its flagship gaming console. Owning much of the media spotlight since its initial unveiling two years ago, Media Molecule’s LittleBigPlanet affords gamers the opportunity to construct their own worlds by controlling a small character known as Sackboy. Players can achieve this solo, or team up with other players to form a co-operative gameplay experience. A key component of LittleBigPlanet is sharing your unique environments with other gamers, allowing you to tackle other “patches” by performing actions such as jumping, climbing, pushing and grabbing navigate the world around you. Furthermore, you’ll also be able to face off against various boss creatures throughout the game, as well as avoid multiple enemies and objects that aim to hamper your progress. For gamers out there with an active imagination and penchant for driving their own content, LittleBigPlanet is undoubtedly one of the most crucial releases on the horizon in the coming months.
And ‘Best PS3 Game of E3 2008’ goes to…
Edging out some very stiff competition (seriously, we debated this one for hours on end), Bethesda’s Fallout 3 nabs our crown for Best PS3 game of E3 2008. Featuring some of the most intricately designed visuals we’ve seen to date, this post-apocalyptic epic not only looks the business, but offers an incredibly vast, captivating gameplay experience explored through its bleak, open-ended wastelands of North America. With an intuitive combat system, dozens of classes to master, not to mention the inclusion of two viewpoints and gameplay styles to suit your own personal preference, Fallout 3 is the one game to watch out for when it finally hits stores, appropriately enough, this fall.