Summary
- Disney Universe was a fun platformer akin to Kingdom Hearts, offering co-op adventures across Disney worlds.
- Dragon's Dogma Online and Dynasty Warriors Online were MMO spinoffs that Western fans likely missed out on.
- Fracture from LucasArts attempted innovative combat mechanics using environmental manipulation.
After the success of the PS1, the PS2 was like a victory lap for Sony. It quickly became one of the best-selling consoles of all time and was only dethroned when the Switch was in its prime. As such, it’s easy to see why Sony got a big head when they released the PS3, but as everyone from that era remembers, that console had a rocky start.
8 Best PS1 Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
The PS1 was a chaotic console, with a bunch of games released for it that are a great time, but remain almost totally unknown.
Things improved eventually, but due to some publisher hesitancy, many games flew under the radar, especially when it came to the PS3’s main competition: the Xbox 360. So, let’s look back to see if these forgotten PS3 games are worth remembering now.
8 Disney Universe
A Smaller Kingdom Hearts
|
Platforms |
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PC, Amazon Luna |
|---|---|
|
Released |
October 25, 2011 |
|
Developer |
Eurocom |
|
Genre |
Action-Adventure |
Kingdom Hearts was a big deal that combined a bunch of Disney properties into one big adventure. Disney Universe was a riff on that same idea, removing the Final Fantasy and RPG concepts to instead focus on platforming.
It featured a handful of planets to visit, including worlds based on Pirates of the Caribbean and Aladdin. There weren’t many planets, but there were more Disney movies featured through costumes, at least, as players could customize their characters for this co-op adventure.
7 Dragon’s Dogma Online
The Hidden Interquel
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Platforms |
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC |
|---|---|
|
Released |
August 31, 2015 (Japan) |
|
Developer |
Capcom |
|
Genre |
MMO |
Dragon’s Dogma was released in 2012 and became a cult hit that fans had to wait over a decade for a sequel to in 2024. Western fans may not know that there was a sequel released in between, Dragon’s Dogma Online, which was released in 2015 for PS4 and PC alongside its PS3 version.
Dragon's Dogma Online had a good run, featuring the same action gameplay as the original despite being an MMO, until it was shut down in 2019. Another MMO spinoff worth noting is Dynasty Warriors Online, and it is worth mentioning further that Japan has had many MMOs based on recognizable properties that Western players probably don’t know about.
6 E.X. Troopers
A Forgotten Lost Planet Spinoff
E.X. Troopers
- Released
- November 22, 2012
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- HexaDrive
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Shooter
Lost Planet was released in 2007 in North America, a year after its launch in Japan, and was an early hit in the first HD generation that saw many sequels. E.X. Troopers was a spinoff that was previewed in the West, but it never got a full release following its 2012 debut on PS3 and 3DS in Japan.
8 Best PS2 Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
From platformers to RPGs, these PlayStation 2 are more than just a little on the obscure side of history and likely remain unknown to most gamers.
While the gameplay still revolved around killing bugs on a snowy planet, the action was a lot more stylized thanks to the cel-shaded visuals and the manga-like effects. It’s a game Capcom fans still want to see localized to the Western market, and it’s never too late.
5 Fracture
A LucasArts Original
Fracture
- Released
- October 7, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen - Animated Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action
LucasArts was known for making adventure games like The Secret of Monkey Island and various Star Wars titles. They also occasionally made original action games, with Fracture being one of their last projects before being restructured following the Disney buyout.
In this third-person shooter, players could manipulate the environment by raising or lowering the earth with specialized weapons like grenades. This aided in some puzzle-solving sequences, but mostly it was a cool idea that was used in combat. While the execution wasn’t 100%, Fracture should be remembered for trying something new in a genre that was already oversaturated when it was released in 2008.
4 Gotham City Impostors
Vigilantes Of Vigilantes
Gotham City Impostors
- Released
- February 7, 2012
- Developer(s)
- Monolith Productions
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Gotham City Impostors was a online-only game featuring two factions. Random Gotham citizens decided to start a war, dressing up as either Batman or Joker impostors for a team-based shooter akin to Team Fortress 2, which was a sensation in this era.
The goofy nature of the gameplay, costumes, and gadgets all made this game memorable, but despite the good reviews, it never had a huge player count. The last bastion of the digital storefronts remained open for the Steam version until 2021, when it, too, was delisted.
3 Kamen Rider: Battride War
A Musou For Tokusatsu Fans
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Platforms |
PlayStation 3 |
|---|---|
|
Released |
May 23, 2013 (Japan) |
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Developer |
Eighting |
|
Genre |
Action, Musou |
The West tried to make Kamen Rider as popular as Power Rangers, but it never stuck. Kamen Rider is equal to Power Rangers (or Super Sentai) in Japan, though, with a bevy of games, including an interesting Musou concept called Kamen Rider: Battride War.
6 Best RPGs You've Probably Never Heard Of
While there are many well known and beloved RPGs, there are quite a few lesser known games in the same genre.
Players could choose from a variety of heroes from the series and fight in big battles akin to Dynasty Warriors. While it didn’t have the stamp of approval or quality from Koei Tecmo's Musou games, Kamen Rider: Battride War was a good replica for fans of the series, and saw many sequels over the years.
2 Natsuiro High School: Seishun Hakusho
Pokemon Snap For Weirdos
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Platforms |
PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 |
|---|---|
|
Released |
June 4, 2015 (Japan) |
|
Developer |
Tamsoft |
|
Genre |
Adventure, Open-World |
Gal*Gun is a niche game, but some players may have heard of it as it was eventually ported to the West via a remaster on consoles beyond the PS3. It was an on-rails shooter where players would have to quell teenage girls from mauling them with their love.
Natsuiro High School: Seishun Hakusho is an even wilder idea, as this 2015 game featured an open city to roam around in, giving players the freedom to take camera shots of underwear. It was like Pokemon Snap with more stealth and anime fan service, which was played for laughs and is not the strangest PS3 concept by far. Still, it’s not a game many players will want to get caught enjoying.
1 Vandal Hearts: Flames Of Judgement
One Last Tactical Battle
Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement
- Released
- January 20, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, Strategy
When it comes to PS1 tactical RPGs, Final Fantasy Tactics will probably jump to the head of the line, but Konami fans remember Vandal Hearts fondly. There were two games from this series released on the PS1, and as far as fans were concerned, that was it.
However, there was a final game released over a decade later called Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement. It was a download-only game from 2010, featuring the same grid-based tactics as its predecessors. This won't help PlayStation fans access it, but the game can still be enjoyed on consoles thanks to backwards compatibility on Xbox systems. While not as good as the PS1 titles, it will salve that tactical urge adequately.
8 Fantasy Games With The Best Exploration, Ranked
From smaller experiences to open-world continents, these fantasy games offer an unmatched degree of deep and engaging exploration.