Summary
The PlayStation 3 generation was aturning point in console history. It marked a shift in gaming, with titles enjoying bigger budgets, larger worlds, and online play. Some of gaming’s biggest franchises, includingCall of Dutyand FromSoftware’sSoulsborneseries, would find success during this time.
In recent years, gaming has seen several successful remake releases, includingSilent Hill 2,Resident Evil 4,andDemon Souls. These games are not just remastered cash grabs but entirely recreated games that build and expand on the original release. The PS3 featured many titles that found early success but have either fallen into obscurity or been overshadowed by later releases. These games would benefit greatly from a modern remake and introduce a whole new audience to some long-forgotten classics.
7Rain
A Unique Puzzle Game
While many titles on this list come from renowned series,Rainis a smaller, indie-like game that felt like a missed opportunity.Raincenters around the gameplay mechanic of invisibility. Players can only see their character and the enemies around them when they are in the rain.
WhileRainis a pretty game withstrong emotional tones, it fails to live up to its potential. The game was generally popular on release, with critics praising its distinctive style. A modern remake ofRain, with some additional writing and rework of its puzzles, could make an interesting, emotional journey that the original never quite was.
As Marvel movies began to gain popularity, video games soon followed with the release ofInfamouson the PS3. The game puts players in control of Cole MacGrath, a bike messenger whose life changes after he is caught in a giant explosion. Finding he has superpowers, Cole begins his journey asa vigilante superhero.
Infamousis a fun, open-world game where players scale buildings, gain powers, fight enemies, and uncover the truth behind the explosion that changed everything. The games allow players to choose their path, with Cole gaining different powers and changing appearance depending on his good or bad actions. The series would release two more entries and find some success. However, the games never reached their potential. A modern remake of the firstInfamousgame could be what the series needs, with a fresh take on the fun franchise.
The Resistanceseries was a highlight of the early PS3 generation, with three mainline releases. The first game,Resistance: Fall of Man, was released as a PS3 launch title and received praise for its gameplay and setting. The game takes place in 1951 in an alternative history, where analien race has invaded Europe. Players control US Army Ranger Sgt. Nathan Hale, sent to the UK to help in the conflict.
Resistance: Fall of Manblends a familiar historical setting with sci-fi action and is a fun and immersive shooter. Later games would push the setting into grander and sometimes darker territory and be critically praised. A modern remake ofResistance: Fall of Mancould reinvigorate the forgotten franchise and bring fans a welcome dose of nostalgia for the early days of the PS3.
Considered one of the greatest video games ever,Heavy Rainis an interactive adventure game where players control four separate protagonists. The game centers around a serial killer known as the Origami Killer, who only kills during heavy rainfall. Players can interact with the world and must perform quick-time events during the game.
The player’sactions have a big impact on the story. Each playable character can die during a playthrough, creating multiple possible narratives.Heavy Rainwould greatly benefit from a remake. Using modern technology, this immersive story could become even richer, with an all-new audience discovering one of the PS3’s standout releases.
With the successful remake of several classic horror titles, such asDead SpaceandSilent Hill 2, this underrated horror game could greatly benefit from the same treatment.Siren: Blood Curseis the third installment of a largely forgotten series. Centeredaround a cursed village, this tense stealth horror game features some unique mechanics, such as a split-screen effect, where players can see an enemy’s POV.
The game features several protagonists, whose stories are played over twelve episodes.Siren: Blood Cursehas a bleak tone, gory effects, and many terrifying and unique creatures. It is a fun mix of body horror and the supernatural. With modern technology and a little rework of its gameplay and level design,Siren: Blood Cursecould be a fantastic horror experience that genre fans will love.
TheUnchartedseries became one of themost well-known and belovedfranchises in modern gaming. Taking the treasure-hunting formula ofTomb Raiderand placing a wisecracking action hero as the protagonist, the series was fun, epic, and addictive. However, it was only inUncharted 2that the series found its feet with an action-packed cinematic style.
The first entry in the series,Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, may have laid the groundwork for later entries, but it fails to live up to what the series became. A remake ofDrake’s Fortunecould bring the original release up to modern standards and allow it to sit alongside the other fantastic games in the franchise.
Starting on the PS2 withKillzone, this futuristic, WW2-like shooter follows the interplanetary war between the fascist Helghast Empire and the unified forces of the ISA or Interplanetary Strategic Alliance. While the first game was a solid shooter, its sequel,Killzone 2,pushed the series into darker, grittier territory.
Killzone 2follows the first game’s events, with the ISA starting their full-scale invasion of the planet Helghan. The gameplay is clunky, bloody, and a lot of fun. There’s a stronger emphasis on strategy and shooting from cover as players push forward into the Helghast capital.Killzone 2looked fantastic, with some stunning lighting and level design. While the graphics hold up surprisingly well, a modern remake would breathe new life into this forgotten classic while revitalizing the franchise that never got better.
