Sadly, 2012 did not see a major number of solid exclusives for Sony’s PlayStation 3. What we did was was a handful of bundles, a few great downloadable games, and a couple of fun accessories to maximize the gaming experience. While there were great games that came out this year, this article is mainly geared towards products exclusively released on the PlayStation 3. Here are some of the games and accessories that are absolutely worth your time:
Retail
Jak & Daxter HD Collection
If you haven’t played this series yet, now is a great time to do so—and this collection is a great way to jump in. These updates do a good job of making the games accessible for this gaming generation. That said, as these are from the last generation, there are obvious and occasionally glaring flaws the likes of which this generation does not see much of, but the games also possess an endearing quality that sets them apart from many other platformers. It’s hard to go wrong here, especially since you’re getting three excellent games for $40—and if you shop around, you’ll get it for even less considering the collection came out at the beginning of the year.
Twisted Metal
Despite being plagued with some of the worst online issues I’ve seen in a console game in years, Twisted Metal is as pure an update to the series as fans could want. A slight change to the roster was a brief disappointment, but most of the best-loved vehicles are back. Racing around, fragging the opposition has never been this much fun. All of the classic weapons make a return as well, aided by a tight and elegant control scheme. Once again, David Jaffe has proven that his flagship series is still the king of vehicular combat.
Mass Effect Trilogy
For the first time ever, the seemingly-impossible has been achieved with the appearance of the Microsoft-published original Mass Effect on the PS3. The series is known for its decision-making elements, with the choices made in one game affecting the subsequent titles. Previously, you would have to start the trilogy with the second game on Sony’s console, slightly sullying the experience of choice affecting the entire series. Now, however, completionists can start with the original game and play through the entire trilogy so that all of the choices have their intended gravitas. Now’s the time to get in on Bioware’s epic sci-fi RPG if you have not done so yet.
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