Underrated Open World Games On PS3

Key Takeaways

• Some PS3 games, like
  Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows
  and
  Sleeping Dogs
  , deserve more attention after glowing reviews.
• Prototype
  is a hidden gem featuring a Venom-like character with an open-world city and unique gameplay mechanics.
• The Saboteur
  , set in Nazi-occupied Paris, offers a different World War 2 experience that unfortunately went underappreciated.

The PlayStation 3 was home to many iconic open-world games, including The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, and the exclusive Infamous games. However, for every popular game that makes billions of dollars in profit and leaves a legacy, others are not so fortunate.

Several high-quality PS3 games did not receive much attention for various reasons, from falling under the radar or being denounced prematurely. Many of these games, whether superhero-themed or racing, deserve more appreciation for their contributions to open-world adventures, despite not being the most successful titles ever made.

9 Rage

Bethesda’s Newest Shooter Franchise About The Apocalypse

Although it was successful enough to warrant a superior sequel, gamers were, initially, not kind to Rage in 2011. Thanks to its apocalyptic setting, which mixes first-person shooter gameplay with open-world exploration, Rage was often labeled as a blatant copy of Borderlands, which had come out just two years prior.

The similarities exist, but Rage executes those elements effectively, showcasing what iD Software and Bethesda could achieve with a new intellectual property. Although not as extensive as Rage 2, the side missions are still enjoyable. The game presents a unique take on an apocalypse, illustrating Earth’s fate after being struck by an asteroid.

8 Red Faction: Guerrilla

Players Are Given the Chance To Roam Mars

The Red Faction games have always been a franchise that remains in the background while bigger titles in the genre vie for the top position. Red Faction: Guerrilla is no exception. It provides a high-quality open-world experience where players roam the surface of Mars to lead a rebellion against the Earth Defense Force.

Being able to freely explore Mars is worth the price of admission alone, especially since the game was remastered in 2018. In addition to that, the fully destructible environments are ahead of their time, with realistic destruction that can be used strategically or to simply satisfy a player’s need for carnage.

7 Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012)

Fairhaven Has All The Racing And Chasing Fans Expect

During the PS3 era, many Need for Speed games offered well-crafted experiences; however, the reboot of Need for Speed: Most Wanted stands out as the ideal choice for players seeking a more free-roaming experience, just like its predecessor. It allows players to explore Fairhaven to compete in races, unlock cosmetics, flee the police, and discover new cars to use.

Being chased by police cars can be stressful, but Need For Speed: Most Wanted has a more relaxing campaign. Driving through a city while listening to music can be just as calming as it is thrilling. The lack of story can be disappointing, but most players are there for the drive, and the reboot makes that its major priority.

6 Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD

War-Torn Louisiana Introduced The First Female Protagonist

Originally made exclusively for the PlayStation Vita, Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD is the fully remade spin-off of Assassin’s Creed 3, focusing on the first female protagonist in the series: Aveline. She has to fight the Templars and other evils through 18th-century Louisiana, continuing the pattern of making every new map in the Assassin’s Creed series diverse.

Unfortunately, the release of Assassin’s Creed: Liberation HD went unnoticed by many gamers because of limited marketing and a quick judgment against it as a game originally designed for handheld devices. However, over the years, fans of the franchise have reconsidered the game and praised it for its unique setting and adherence to the classic Assassin’s Creed formula.

5 Batman: Arkham Origins

Batman’s Early Arkhamverse Adventures On Christmas Eve

With a limited production cycle and being a new company, Batman: Arkham Origins faced significant challenges. In 2013, fans were quick to denounce the game even before its release, particularly when it was announced that Batman and the Joker would be voiced by Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker, rather than the iconic Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill.

Fortunately, over time, Arkham Origins has become a beloved prequel, celebrated for its engaging boss battles, compelling storytelling, and the strong performances of its voice actors. While it does reuse some assets from Batman: Arkham City, it distinguishes itself by its unique holiday setting and showcasing an angrier Batman at a younger age.

4 Sleeping Dogs

A Gripping Undercover Crime Thriller Set In Hong Kong

Square Enix and United Front Games went all out in crafting an immersive experience of playing an undercover cop on the streets of Hong Kong with Sleeping Dogs. Unfortunately, it was not the hit they were expecting. It was the victim of premature criticism, with many comparing it to Grand Theft Auto when it was far more than that.

While Sleeping Dogs involved running around Hong Kong as a criminal, it also incorporated martial arts combat and parkour, alongside traditional third-person shooter gameplay. It achieved several things that Grand Theft Auto V would replicate almost a year later. This serves as another example of how people often judge games too quickly.

3 Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows

Choose To Embrace Darkness Or Be A Marvelous Hero

Before Insomniac Games conquered the world of Marvel games with their Marvel’s Spider-Man titles, Activision and Treyarch made Spider-Man: Web Of Shadows, which walked so that future games could run. With the ability to freely swap between regular and symbiote Spider-Man, players could freely roam New York City to fight villains and meet other Marvel heroes.

Both forms of Spider-Man possess unique combat skills and abilities, as well as aerial combat features that even modern Spider-Man games lack. Web Of Shadows also included a morality system that allowed players to make good or evil choices, impacting the story’s events. Unfortunately, it doesn’t receive as much appreciation as other open-world Marvel games.

2 Prototype

Proof That A Venom Game Could Be Violent And Fan

The best way to describe Prototype is that it’s the closest thing to an open-world game about Venom from Marvel. Prototype features a fully destructible city, allowing players to take on the role of a man infected with a virus that grants him the ability to transform his body into a living weapon.

Alex Mercer possesses superhuman strength, super speed, and various other powers that enable him to navigate the city like an anti-hero. Over the years, Prototype and its sequel have become cult superhero gems that should have become a massive franchise but have been locked in a void of obscurity outside a minority of gamers who show the games nothing but love.

1 The Saboteur

Far From A Standard World War II Game

Made by the developers of the original Star Wars: Battlefront games, The Saboteur was an ambitious title that tried something different from other World War II games. Rather than a typical shooter, it gave gamers the chance to explore an open-world version of Paris and its countryside in the 1940s, during the Nazi occupation.

The Saboteur is a forgotten treasure of a game, with players controlling a one-man rebellion against the Nazis by accomplishing missions and helping the people of France. It was rich with potential for sequels, but after disappointing sales and the closure of Pandemic Studios, it was soon forgotten and became another undervalued title.