It’s fair to say, horror fans had a plethora of incredible titles to jump into throughout the PlayStation 3’s lifespan. Whether it was venturing through theNecromorph-infested IshimurainDead Space, or teaming up with a buddy to survive against hordes of Majini inResident Evil 5, the system offered many memorable horror experiences to enjoy. However, this did also result in a lot of games being completely forgotten about, especially during the PlayStation 3’s later years.
The immense success of the Xbox 360 during the seventh generation, paired with the technologically superior PS4 which was looming on the horizon, meant that most of the PS3’s later horror titles went under the radar for many people. Additionally, any horror games that could have stood out were all completely overshadowed by the enormous success ofThe Last of Usreleased during the system’s final year. This list is going to reflect on the PS3 horror games which never got a fair chance to shine due to being released so late, and whether they are worth returning to for any horror fans out there.
It’s hard to believe aResident Evilgame would ever be “forgotten”, but when it comes toOperation Raccoon City, there are a few reasons why a lot of people, even die-hard fans of the series, decided to dismiss it entirely. For one, the game wasn’t directly developed by Capcom, which had a lot of people worried that it would end up straying too far from the series' roots, but the fact it released just a year before the PlayStation 4 also didn’t help. Though the game is admittedly a lot different from previous entries, the merciless enemies and effortlessly creepy Raccoon City still ensure it retains that oppressive atmosphere which the series is so admired for.
It also has quite a unique story since it shows the fall of Raccoon City from the perspective of Umbrella operatives who are tasked with intercepting Birkin, and hunting down survivors such asLeon and Claire. The different classes add a lot of variation to the gameplay, and though not everyone will enjoy how much it deviates from the earlier games, it’s still a decent co-op experience that has more than a few scares to watch out for.
5Saw 2: Flesh And Blood
Metacritic User Score: 5.7
Movie video game adaptations have always been known for being poor quality and, in most cases, a waste of time, but this popular viewpoint has led a lot of people to ignore themovie-inspired games that are actually quite good. A prime example of this isSaw 2which, while rough around the edges, still offers a memorable horror experience which places a large emphasis on solving riddles and puzzles quick enough to avoid an untimely death. These tricky minigames always feel intense due to the ticking clock that’s ticking in the background, and though there is melee combat, it’s been greatly improved since the first game.
For puzzle-based encounters, players will need to get creative and use their environment to trap their enemies before they get too close, while the melee-based combat focuses on dodging attacks before striking the enemy when they’re vulnerable. The story and characters might not be anything to write home about, butSaw 2still includes plenty of unique gameplay segments which make it well worth returning to for anyone who gave it a miss when it was released.
After the enormous success of the first twoF.E.A.Rgames, a lot of fans were eagerly awaiting the moment they could jump into the third and final entry, but unfortunately, Day 1 Studios failed to maintain this momentum. Due to internal conflicts between Day 1 and producers Warner Bros, the game went throughdevelopment hell, being delayed multiple times with the release date being pushed further and further into obscurity. Although the game was actually very good, by the time it finally dropped, the hype had all but washed away, with most people not even realizing it was released at all.
It’s a shame becauseF.E.A.R 3, despite the arduous development cycle, did turn out to be a pretty good game which, just like the previous two entries, leaned heavily into psychological horror. There are two separate characters players can choose between who both come with their own unique abilities, including an incredibly fun mechanic which allows Fettel to take control of NPCs. While the horror has been dialed down a little, the dark and dreary environments mixed with the paranormal enemy types still invokes a sense of dread that lasts from beginning to end.
3Silent Hill: Downpour
Metacritic User Score: 6.9
Even thoughSilent Hill: Downpourmade a huge attempt to return to the survival horror roots of the series, a lot of people lost all faith in the series after the previous game,Silent Hill: Homecoming, which was more action-heavy in its gameplay. Therefore,Downpoursadly got overlooked, but it’s still far from a bad game and actually contains quite a compelling story which centers around Murphy, whose personality can be subtly changeddepending on moral choices made by the player in the story.
Much of the gameplay involves players wandering through the mysterious town of Silent Hill where they’re tasked with uncovering clues to piece together why Murphy’s ended up in such a place, and why there are monsters everywhere he goes. The world also features plenty of optional side-quests and puzzles, along with a dynamic weather system which really helps to make the whole area feel alive and realistic, making it a joy to explore.
When people think about the much belovedDead Risingseries, they usually look back fondly on the mainline games, especially the first two, with anything in between often being completely forgotten about. This is exactly what happened withDead Rising 2: Off The Record, a standalone game which reinterprets the events ofDead Rising 2, this time, with the plucky protagonist from the original game,Frank West. Though the area of Fortune City has remained more or less the same as it was in the second game,Off The Recordalso includes more areas, enemies, weapons and objectives, along with Frank’s camera making a return.
Though theDead Risinggames have always had a comical tone to them, they’ve still managed to be unsettling and creepy when they need to be, especially when the psychopaths show up.Off The Recordis no exception to this trend, as players will run into a plethora of terrifying enemies along their journey, including Chuck Greene himself, who’s been driven mad after the death of his daughter Katy. Some people may have seenOff The Recordas a needless re-hash or a quick cash grab, but in reality, it offers more than enough to stand on its own two feet as a worthy entry in the series, and is a ton of fun to jump into.
Metacritic User Score: 7.5
The first and secondDead Spacegames were smash-hits which quickly became beloved by horror fans after they were released, butDead Space: Extractionnever gets the same credit as these games, and in many cases, is forgotten about entirely. Rather than taking a third-person view like previous entries,Dead Space Extractionis anon-rails shooterwhere players take an FPS view, getting up close and personal with the nightmarish Necromorphs who are as dangerous as they look.
Between blasting off Necromorph limbs and picking up as much ammo as humanly possible, players will also be able to find audio logs which shed light on the origins of the Marker, and where exactly it came from. The game is also essential to play for any fans of theDead Spaceuniverse since it features plenty of unique scenes that were never seen in the mainline games. Some examples include seeing Nicole’s fate first-hand, and being able to witness the extent of the Necromorph outbreak on the Ishimura just hours before Isaac and the team arrive in the Kellion. It might not be anywhere near as celebrated or well-known as the mainline series of games, butDead Space Extractionis still a fantastic horror-filled thrill ride which is more than worth returning to.
