It's safe to say that the PlayStation 3 didn't have the smoothest start to life during the buildup to its November 2006 release. Sony's console had numerous delays, was excessively expensive, and frustrated gamers with its lack of PS2 disc compatibility. Because of this, Sony handed an audience of gamers to Microsoft's Xbox 360 and they struggled to regain the faith of many until their excellent PS4 launch.
The poor marketing of the console was a great shame, as it could be retrospectively argued that the PS3's hardware was underappreciated. The console may not have had the best start to life, but it showed by the end of its cycle that it was indeed the PS2 upgrade that everyone had hoped for. Even today, many PS3 games look fantastic to the modern eye and exemplify why the PS3 doesn't deserve to be looked upon as a disappointment. The ten games on this list, in particular, show just how cutting edge the PS3 was during its lifespan.
10 Dark Souls
With the thousands of articles and YouTube videos covering FromSoftware's iconic Dark Souls, there's not much to say about the game that hasn't already been said. One thing that is often overlooked in favor of lore, bosses, and level design, however, is the game's aesthetics. Despite lacking the huge budget of some of the other games on this list, FromSoftware created one of the most visually memorable games on the PS3, with environments that helped enhance or even tell the game's story.
Of the many incredible sights, being carried over Anor Londo's huge surrounding walls to see the area for the first time is undoubtedly the most iconic.
9 Killzone 2
Killzone 2 may seem like an odd inclusion on this list, as Killzone 3 released on the same console; but it earns a spot for two reasons. Firstly, the game came out early in the console's lifecycle and was one of the first games to truly show off the console's hardware. Secondly, despite the game releasing two years prior, many people believe that it looks even better than Killzone 3.
The game wasn't a perfect advert for the PS3, as its poor implementation of motion controls didn't do Sony any favors, but it certainly set a benchmark for graphics and aesthetics.
8 Bioshock Infinite
The original Bioshock was close to making it onto this list, as Rapture still feels as immersive and intimidating as it did when it first released; but it's hard to deny just how impressive Bioshock Infinite's floating city still looks today.
The game's developer Irrational Games were rewarded for their effort at the 2014 Game Developer Choice Awards, winning the award for Best Visual Art.
7 God of War III
It may seem easy to dismiss God of War III, as 2018's God of War set a new standard of visual design for the series; this would be a disservice to the 2010 game though, as God of War III's visual design played an important role in enhancing the epic adventure.
The boss fights, in particular, benefited from SCE Santa Monica Studio's attention to detail, as the character models gave the series its best collection of fights to date. The David vs Goliath fight against Cronos was particularly memorable, as the sheer size of the titan made for a memorable battle.
6 The Last Of Us
The Last of Us was one of the PS3's last major releases, so it wasn't a surprise when early screenshots showed off the impressive visuals. Despite the lofty expectations, Naughty Dog amazed players with its unsettlingly immersive post-apocalyptic world that taught the player without words the devastation that happened between the game's opening and its jump to twenty years later.
The Last of Us' narrative understandably receives the bulk of the game's praise, but the incredible landscapes helped enhance it each step of the way.
5 Grand Theft Auto V
At this point, it's easy to forget that Grand Theft Auto V was released around the same time as The Last of Us on PS3. Despite the game's numerous updates and latest iterations, GTA 5 still looks as incredible as before on the PlayStation 3.
Rockstar may want to consider sending CD Projekt a fruit basket or something, as Cyberpunk 2077's poor console performance has indirectly reminded people of just how impressive GTA 5 was for 2013.
4 Ōkami HD
Originally released on the PS2, Ōkami came to the PS3 over six years after its initial release in the form of a high-definition remaster. HexaDrive had the difficult job of improving upon Clover Studio's stunning art design but managed it by not trying to complicate things and simply fine-tuning the pre-existing visuals.
Ōkami HD also helped the IP reach the sales figures that it deserved, as the original release went somewhat under the radar despite its whopping 93 Metascore.
3 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots
The first Metal Gear Solid game to release on the PlayStation 3 was always going to have a huge weight of expectations on its shoulders, and the high hopes of fans went through the roof when they saw the first batch of images and trailers for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots.
Releasing all the way back in 2008, Guns of the Patriots, much like the aforementioned Killzone 2, was an important release for Sony as it showed off the PlayStation 3's hardware at a time when the public perception of the console was still quite negative.
2 Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
The third entry to the PlayStation 3's most iconic trilogy, Uncharted 3 may not have been as well-received as its predecessor, but the visuals certainly surpassed it.
Whereas Uncharted 2: Among Thieves largely took place among snowy mountains, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception predominantly featured scorching deserts. Many visuals details can be praised, but the game's sand physics, in particular, deserves the most acclaim.
1 Beyond: Two Souls
Quantic Dream's follow-up to the revolutionary Heavy Rain (which nearly made it onto this list) offered one of the most movie-like game experiences ever released up until that point.
The big-budget cast that included Willem Dafoe and Elliot Page didn't just provide vocal performances, but motion capture too; the expensive cast would have been wasted if it wasn't for how incredibly detailed the character models and more specifically, the facial expressions were.
Sadly, the game failed to impress, scoring just 70 on Metacritic. However, it showed just how far the gaming industry had come, and why it was becoming such a powerful form of media.