Folklore
Unlike its precursor, the PS3 has very, very few exclusive RPGs. Folklore is one of the best, a surreal action-RPG seeped in Irish folklore. Why it’s worth straying for: The sheer style, not to mention the game’s unique combat system, based on harnessing the power of a hundred-odd monsters.
inFamous
Alright, so it’s not so long ago as to be totally forgotten, but inFamous was unfortunately buried under a mound of other releases at the time, specifically the rather similar Prototype. Why it’s worth straying for: It’s the ultimate open-world superhero game, only it’s up to you to decide whether the electrically charged Cole is the hero or villain of the piece.
MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
This generation has more than its share of gleaming, po-faced racers. Not MotorStorm, which ditches the stats in favour of frantic offroad racing around lush island terrain. Why it’s worth straying for: The sheer chaos of multiplayer, which allows up to 20 players to mix ATVs, dirtbikes and monster trucks in races around rivers of lava and the like.
Valkyria Chronicles
A WW2-inspired tactical JRPG with a narrative depth that would make Dostoevsky weep, it’s safe to say there’s no other game like Valkyria Chronicles out there, on any console. Why it’s worth straying for: That would be the game’s CANVAS engine, which renders the game’s 1930’s military-meets-anime chic in glorious watercolour.
Warhawk
Like Battlefield with a touch more class, Warhawk’s blend of third-person shooter, vehicular combat and aerial dogfighting makes for a compelling multiplayer (-only) experience. Why it’s worth straying for: The amount of variety you can experience in one of the game’s 32-player matches – stretching across vast, detailed maps – is pretty incredible.
