It is often said that nothing lasts forever, not even the good times. Truer words have never been spoken. The Playstation 3 was the system that (temporarily) ended Sony's reign as King of the Consoles, returning the crown to Nintendo for a short while. The PS3 was most certainly the "end of an era" for the PS line of consoles, and I don't mean as the first Playstation console to NOT be the biggest seller of its generation.
The PS3 had a lot going for it at launch: good faith from gamers, a WORLD WIDE fanbase already enamored by the brand thanks to the success of the Playstation 2, and...actually, that was it. The launch titles were some small name games that have long fallen into irrelevancy, including Genji, and Tony Hawk's Project 8. There was also the Madden franchise (obligatory, really) and a Marvel game called Marvel Ultimate Alliance, released a year before the MCU made the Marvel name BIG in the mainstream. Also, a PS3 cost a "mere" $499.
My sympathies to all those who paid full price for their PS3's back in 2006.
It's as though Sony learned NOTHING from the embarassment that was the Panasonic 3DO. The 3DO was the most powerful console of its time; a 32 bit, CD based console released during a time where most consoles were a scant 16 bit, cartridge based systems. The 3DO had all the markings of being the next hot thing, except it was unreasonably priced at $700. That's why hardly anyone bought it.
This began what can only be called a Dark Time for Sony; their next big system was flopping hard, they were losing to their competitors, and they had to rely on their previous system to stay afloat. Plus, it'd be at least two years before their BIG video games would finally see release.
The first BIG game in the PS3's library to really sell well was Metal Gear Solid 4, released in 2008 (Resistance sold a million copies first, but it wasn't a BIG name game). FINALLY, there was a game that justified having a PS3! Added to that the price cut for the PS3, dropping one hundred dollars from the tags, and the PS3 FINALLY entered the Console Wars (which Nintendo was still winning).
Although the 2006-2007 period was a dark time for the PS3, it doesn't mean there weren't classic games being released for it. The Uncharted series got its start during this period, raising the bar for graphical presentation in gaming. Seriously, the game STILL looks gorgeous! If anything, Uncharted 1 demonstrated a PORTION of the potential of the PS3, which would then be further shown off with MGS4 a year later, and FULLY shown with Uncharted 2 in 2009.
Another big franchise to be released in 2007 was LittleBig Planet, the series that practically pioneered the "player-created level" genre for consoles (as online, gamers had already experienced this concept with independent programs such as Super Mario Bros X) Although 2007 was a tough time for the PS3 and Sony, it was FAR from a drought in quality gaming for the system.
But while the 2006-2007 period was SOME growth, and the 2008-early 2009 period saw some growth, the GOLDEN AGE for the PS3 began with one little game: Uncharted 2. This is the first game to EXPLODE on the PS3, and became THE reason to own said console for all of 2009. Beautiful graphics, fantastic gameplay; many saw it as the closest we could ever get to a PERFECT game! I've even spoken about it here: https://vidgameanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/12/uncharted-2-among-improvements.html
This began what I call the Golden Age of the PS3: 2009-2014, when the PS3 was a hot commodity. This is the time period where the console-defining games were being released: Final Fantasy XIII, God of War 3, Arkham City, etc. But NOTHING could compare to THE game of 2013: Grand Theft Auto 5.
With over twenty MILLION copies sold on the PS3 alone, the success of the game speaks for itself. But more than just a successful game, it was also a demonstration of why the PS3 was the BEST console out there: it had the best games, it could play them perfectly, and unlike the XBox 360, it didn't break down.
In fact, that was the main advantage the PS3 had over the 360 over time: it was much more reliable. It didn't break as easily as the 360, forcing the player to either buy a new system or to get their system fixed. Although Microsoft would release new models that wouldn't get Red Rings as easily, the damage was done.
But what about the Wii? Why did the Wii dominate the PS3? Simply put, the Wii had more mass appeal; Nintendo had always been family friendly, and they had always been innovators in the industry. The Wii was unique, thanks to its motion controls; something never seen before in gaming. Couple that with legitimately good games that made use of the Wii's motion controllers, and you've got a recipe for a system that could legitimately bring Nintendo back to the top.
Thing about the PS3 is that it took too long to gain its legs; a system only has so long to show off its chops before it gets the ax. The fact of the matter is that the PS3 had to wait a whole year for it to start getting GOOD games, two years to start being affordable, and nearly THREE years to start seeing the games that defined the system! But thankfully, the PS3 would eventually gain traction; although its impact on gaming was NOTHING compared to its predecessor, it's difficult to live up to the legacy of the best selling console of all time.
What helped the PS3 bounce back was, again, the quality of the games. In this department, the PS3 was not at all lacking; particularly, I feel as though the Uncharted series is not only the BEST Playstation exclusive franchise, it's one of the best gaming franchises ever. Add to that the Playstation Network, which had a shop that allowed you to digitally buy many classic PS1 AND PS2 games, and you've got a system that would keep you entertained for days on end!
If I'm totally honest, I fucking LOVED the PS3, and I dearly miss playing it. To me, it was one of the greatest consoles I'd ever played, and it was almost as good as the PS2; but again, you just can't compare to the PS2.
That said, I've got two sore points. First: no new Kingdom Hearts games. A shame, really, as Kingdom Hearts practically defined the PS2. Also, the Final Fantasy entries for the PS3 were NOTHING compared to what had come previously. This is more the fault of the developers than the system, but I still yearned for a REAL Final Fantasy game for the PS3.
Next week, we end Playstation month with the PS4.
Best selling games: Grand Theft Auto 5, Gran Turismo 5, The Last of Us, Uncharted 3, Uncharted 2
Games that defined the console: Uncharted 2, God of War 3, Metal Gear Solid 4, Fallout New Vegas.
Best Franchises: Uncharted, God of War, Metal Gear Solid, GTA, Gran Turismo, Fallout
My personal top 5: Uncharted 2, Disgaea 4, God of War 3, Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted 3.
The first BIG game in the PS3's library to really sell well was Metal Gear Solid 4, released in 2008 (Resistance sold a million copies first, but it wasn't a BIG name game). FINALLY, there was a game that justified having a PS3! Added to that the price cut for the PS3, dropping one hundred dollars from the tags, and the PS3 FINALLY entered the Console Wars (which Nintendo was still winning).
Although the 2006-2007 period was a dark time for the PS3, it doesn't mean there weren't classic games being released for it. The Uncharted series got its start during this period, raising the bar for graphical presentation in gaming. Seriously, the game STILL looks gorgeous! If anything, Uncharted 1 demonstrated a PORTION of the potential of the PS3, which would then be further shown off with MGS4 a year later, and FULLY shown with Uncharted 2 in 2009.
Another big franchise to be released in 2007 was LittleBig Planet, the series that practically pioneered the "player-created level" genre for consoles (as online, gamers had already experienced this concept with independent programs such as Super Mario Bros X) Although 2007 was a tough time for the PS3 and Sony, it was FAR from a drought in quality gaming for the system.
But while the 2006-2007 period was SOME growth, and the 2008-early 2009 period saw some growth, the GOLDEN AGE for the PS3 began with one little game: Uncharted 2. This is the first game to EXPLODE on the PS3, and became THE reason to own said console for all of 2009. Beautiful graphics, fantastic gameplay; many saw it as the closest we could ever get to a PERFECT game! I've even spoken about it here: https://vidgameanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/12/uncharted-2-among-improvements.html
This began what I call the Golden Age of the PS3: 2009-2014, when the PS3 was a hot commodity. This is the time period where the console-defining games were being released: Final Fantasy XIII, God of War 3, Arkham City, etc. But NOTHING could compare to THE game of 2013: Grand Theft Auto 5.
With over twenty MILLION copies sold on the PS3 alone, the success of the game speaks for itself. But more than just a successful game, it was also a demonstration of why the PS3 was the BEST console out there: it had the best games, it could play them perfectly, and unlike the XBox 360, it didn't break down.
In fact, that was the main advantage the PS3 had over the 360 over time: it was much more reliable. It didn't break as easily as the 360, forcing the player to either buy a new system or to get their system fixed. Although Microsoft would release new models that wouldn't get Red Rings as easily, the damage was done.
But what about the Wii? Why did the Wii dominate the PS3? Simply put, the Wii had more mass appeal; Nintendo had always been family friendly, and they had always been innovators in the industry. The Wii was unique, thanks to its motion controls; something never seen before in gaming. Couple that with legitimately good games that made use of the Wii's motion controllers, and you've got a recipe for a system that could legitimately bring Nintendo back to the top.
Thing about the PS3 is that it took too long to gain its legs; a system only has so long to show off its chops before it gets the ax. The fact of the matter is that the PS3 had to wait a whole year for it to start getting GOOD games, two years to start being affordable, and nearly THREE years to start seeing the games that defined the system! But thankfully, the PS3 would eventually gain traction; although its impact on gaming was NOTHING compared to its predecessor, it's difficult to live up to the legacy of the best selling console of all time.
What helped the PS3 bounce back was, again, the quality of the games. In this department, the PS3 was not at all lacking; particularly, I feel as though the Uncharted series is not only the BEST Playstation exclusive franchise, it's one of the best gaming franchises ever. Add to that the Playstation Network, which had a shop that allowed you to digitally buy many classic PS1 AND PS2 games, and you've got a system that would keep you entertained for days on end!
If I'm totally honest, I fucking LOVED the PS3, and I dearly miss playing it. To me, it was one of the greatest consoles I'd ever played, and it was almost as good as the PS2; but again, you just can't compare to the PS2.
That said, I've got two sore points. First: no new Kingdom Hearts games. A shame, really, as Kingdom Hearts practically defined the PS2. Also, the Final Fantasy entries for the PS3 were NOTHING compared to what had come previously. This is more the fault of the developers than the system, but I still yearned for a REAL Final Fantasy game for the PS3.
Next week, we end Playstation month with the PS4.
Best selling games: Grand Theft Auto 5, Gran Turismo 5, The Last of Us, Uncharted 3, Uncharted 2
Games that defined the console: Uncharted 2, God of War 3, Metal Gear Solid 4, Fallout New Vegas.
Best Franchises: Uncharted, God of War, Metal Gear Solid, GTA, Gran Turismo, Fallout
My personal top 5: Uncharted 2, Disgaea 4, God of War 3, Metal Gear Solid 4, Uncharted 3.
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