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The last decade has been amazing when it comes to video games. Countless new franchises and series have sprung up, and the development of console technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the last ten years.
There’s something special about survival games, whether they take place in the wilderness or right in the middle of civilization. They provide an opportunity to put your skills to the test and fight through hostile forces against all odds. PlayStation 3 survival games are certainly no exception to this rule.
The PlayStation 3 has an extensive catalog of games. Although it may not be as large as its predecessor or its newer rival, the PlayStation 4, there are still plenty of amazing survival games to play on the system. If you’re looking to dive into classic PlayStation 3 survival games or just want to relax with lesser-known titles, look no further than these ten absolute best PlayStation 3 survival games of all time.
What are Survival Games?
Survival games are usually set in a post-apocalyptic world, where players must scavenge for supplies and maintain their health, sanity, or water levels.
Some survival games are set in natural disasters or war zones. One such game is DayZ, which is set during a zombie apocalypse. Another popular survival game series is The Last Of Us, set during a fungal pandemic that kills most of humanity.
The best survival games allow you to create your own path through the game’s world while offering plenty of options regarding how your character fares against their challenges.
Was the PlayStation 3 Known for Survival Games?
The PlayStation 3 introduced the world to online gaming and made it possible for people to play games with each other from around the globe. It also had a large selection of games. One of the most popular genres on this console is survival games in which you have to survive against a variety of challenges and enemies. These can be anything from zombies to aliens or even just plain old humans hunting you down.
Since the console came out in 2006, several different titles have been released for it. So, we’ve compiled a list of the absolute best PS3 survival games of all time so you can find what you’re looking for.
#10. emDead Space 3/em
- Dead Space 3 (PS3) In Good Condition
- A tense new story delving into the secrets of the Necromorphs - and the Markers
- Face a hostile new environment on a planet of ice
- Team up against the Necromorph threat with series-first co-op option
- Upgrade your weapons with the new Weapons Bench system
emDead Space 3/em takes the zombie apocalypse to a whole new level.
It’s not just about surviving and killing off your enemies; it’s about using their corpses as weapons to drive off more monsters and survive longer. You play as Isaac Clarke and have to work with different groups of people to stop an alien invasion. You’re tasked with exploring the wreckage of an abandoned mining ship discovered in orbit, which has been overrun by Necromorphs (zombie-like aliens).
The game has many different weapons, including a plasma cutter, pulse rifle, and flamethrower — all of which you can use against the necromorphs trying to kill you. It also has its crafting system, where you can make ammo out of anything from scrap metal to human flesh.
This game allows you to build weapons and tools to help fend off the undead hordes. The storyline is great, and there are plenty of ways to explore the world around you while playing this game.
Check it out on Amazon here.
#9. emAlien: Isolation/em
- Discover the true meaning of fear in Alien: Isolation, a survival horror set in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger.
- Fifteen years after the events of Alien, Ellen Ripley's daughter, Amanda enters a desperate battle for survival, on a mission to unravel the truth behind her mother's disappearance.
- As Amanda, you will navigate through an increasingly volatile world as you find yourself confronted on all sides by a panicked, desperate population and an unpredictable, ruthless Alien.
- Overcome an ever-present deadly threat - Experience persistent fear as a truly dynamic and reactive Alien uses its senses to hunt you down and respond to your every move.
- Improvise to survive - Hack systems, scavenge for vital resources and craft items to deal with each situation. Will you evade your enemies, distract them or face them head on?
One game from the list that stands out as a fantastic survival game for PS3 is emAlien: Isolation/em.
You play as Amanda Ripley, the daughter of Ellen Ripley, who has to navigate her way through an entire space station full of xenomorphs. This game is awesome because it forces you to be stealthy and quick to survive against what feels like an unending horde of enemies.
It’s one of those games where death comes at you from all angles and can sneak up at any moment, making every step carefully taken toward your goal feel tense and scary. The scares are amplified by atmospheric music that plays throughout the game, adding tension to the smallest things happening around you.
emAlien: Isolation/em has many twists and turns that will keep you on your toes as you try to survive against an ever-growing alien threat. To do so, you must use your wits and survival skills to avoid being captured or killed by the aliens. This means that you must be careful when exploring each room they encounter because there are plenty of opportunities for you to get caught off guard by these creatures.
You can find it on Amazon here.
#8. emCondemned 2: Bloodshot/em
- Face horrifying enemies and endless heart-stopping surprises in the shadows of a strange and sinister world
- New set of high-tech forensic tools; new vicious combo attacks and over-the-top finishing moves
- Gritty environments with secondary objectives and multiple path solutions
- Smart and devious enemies featuring realistic AI behavior--befriend them and they might fight on your side
- Powerful projectile-based weapons; online gaming for up to 8 players with 3 unique modes
emCondemned 2: Bloodshot/em is a top-notch survival game that has you play as Ethan Thomas, a detective investigating crime.
The game takes place in an abandoned asylum, so there are plenty of creepy, dark corridors to explore. You’ll get to use guns, knives, explosives, and your wits as you try to uncover who’s behind all the murders. It’s an intense experience that puts you right in the middle of the action rather than just having you watch as it unfolds.
In this sequel, it’s not just your common serial killer or rogue cop that wants to take you down — it could be anybody at any time. Players will have no choice but to watch their back at every turn because there are so many dangerous enemies lurking around each corner, and they will attack when they’re least expecting it.
Just as much as players need to look out for themselves, they also need to be mindful of their surroundings and always keep track of what’s happening around them; otherwise, the scares may come from within. If you love story-driven games with a gritty and brutal feel, then emCondemned 2: Bloodshot/em is one of the best survival games for the PS3.
Check it out on Amazon here.
#7. emDead Space/em
- Fight with Weapons and Telekinesis
- Graphics, Effects, and Sound Increase the Horror
- True Zero-G Effects
- Dead Space for PlayStation 3 is sure to please any action, adventure gamer looking for a bloody battle against deadly aliens
- Gameplay takes place on the USG Ishimura where the crew has been infected by an alien scourge
emDead Space/em is an amazing survival game that can be played on the PlayStation 3, and it has never been matched in terms of atmosphere, gameplay, and sheer terror.
The game takes place in the distant future, where humanity has discovered an alien ship floating through space called USG Ishimura. The ship is inhabited by necromorphs — undead humans killed in an accident but reanimated by unknown means.
Players play as Isaac Clarke, an engineer aboard the Ishimura, who must fight against the necromorphs using a wide array of weapons and tools which can be upgraded as they progress through levels.
The player also has access to several tools, such as welding tools which can be used to repair damaged areas within their ship. They can even use blades attached to their suits to cut through thick metal doors blocking access into previously sealed areas within engineering decks. With a mix of melee and shooting gameplay, you’ll need to explore the ship’s eerie corridors to uncover what caused this outbreak.
The game is full of suspense and tension; you must ensure your character doesn’t die. It’s got high-quality graphics, a great story and characters, and plenty of weapons to use.
Take it home from Amazon here.
#6. emResident Evil HD Remaster/em
- RESIDENT EVIL HD REMASTER BIOHAZARD
emResident Evil HD Remaster/em is a remastered version of the original Resident Evil game released on the PlayStation 3 in 2015.
This updated version of the original game maintains the same atmosphere as before while improving minor gameplay aspects. You can still switch between two control schemes: one where your character moves automatically through the environment or one where you have full control over their movement with the analog stick.
The game features multiple playable characters; players can switch between Chris, Jill, and Rebecca Chambers at any time during gameplay. The story focuses on a group of people infected by the T-Virus who must escape from Raccoon City while being pursued by the Tyrant.
The remaster has been beautifully redone and includes a graphical overhaul that makes it look like a true next-gen game. The soundtrack has also been updated with orchestral tunes to set the mood. For fans of classic Resident Evil gameplay, this is a great place to start with the series because it harkens back to what made the series so great while still being modernized enough for today’s standards.
You can get it on Amazon here.
#5. Lone Survivor: The Director’s Cut
Lone Survivor is a survival horror game in which you control a man who fights to stay alive after the outbreak of a mysterious disease to find his loved ones.
The player controls this character as he tries to survive in his apartment, scavenging for food and water and trying to escape from the city without being killed by the zombies or other survivors.
The game is presented as a series of dreams and hallucinations, which play out in real-time as you sleep. You can take either blue or green pills throughout the game to help you sleep more effectively or dream more vividly — but if you don’t save enough food and water during your daydreams, those pills won’t be enough to keep you alive when they run out.
As a player, you will have to make decisions that can affect your progress through the game. The game uses an inventory system, allowing players to collect resources such as food, water, and medical supplies that can be used to heal themselves at campsites or other locations throughout the map.
Each playthrough has different objectives and goals for players to accomplish while playing Lone Survivor: The Director’s Cut.
#4. emMinecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition/em
- Learn your way around one block at a time in the new tutorial mode
- Craft all sorts of items from boats to diamond armor and create enormous structures
- Team up with friends in eight-player online multiplayer and four-player split-screen modes
emMinecraft: PlayStation 3 Edition/em is a game that lets you create your world in a world.
You are dropped into a vast world made entirely out of blocks in Minecraft. Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things, from the simplest homes to giant, sprawling castles. Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep underground and encounter dangerous monsters to gather rare materials such as gold. You can even upload your creations onto public servers so that anyone on any platform may enjoy them.
You can play with friends in eight-player online multiplayer mode, which is great if you want to work together or hang out with friends and family from different parts of the country. With the tutorial mode, you can learn how to build one block at a time. You can also build stuff yourself and share it with others online.
There are tons of additional items available for purchase in-game or through microtransactions. These include armor sets, weapons, tools, and so on. So, if you like building stuff and crafting things out of materials found throughout the Minecraft world, this game is definitely for you.
Check it out on Amazon here.
#3. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is one of the most innovative games in the survival genre, designed to be played in a third-person perspective, with the player viewing their character from a slightly raised angle so that they can see above and below them and what is going on behind them.
The game’s plot revolves around rescuing the President’s daughter, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult. It has the great story, characters, and gameplay that made its predecessors so popular. The graphics are great for their time, and they seamlessly transitioned from cutscene to gameplay.
Plus, the combat system takes some getting used to since the camera is fixed on Leon instead of following behind him like most third-person games. You might find yourself fighting enemies that seem like they’re coming out of nowhere because they’ll pop up right in front of you while you’re walking around exploring an area.
The game takes place on multiple levels, such as abandoned houses, underground tunnels, sewers, and other areas where you can use your environment to your advantage by turning it into traps that help keep the zombies at bay. At the same time, you figure out how to escape alive.
There are tons of weapons available throughout this game, including handguns, shotguns, submachine guns, and even rocket launchers. Be sure to take advantage of everything around you because even though this is considered a survival horror game, there will still be plenty of opportunities to use these weapons against enemies who may not have been expecting them.
#2. emDead Space 2/em
- Chaos Hits The Sprawl
- Master The Terror
- Tear Through Space In Zero G
- Online Multiplayer
emDead Space 2/em is a fantastic game, and it’s one of the absolute best PS3 survival games, featuring an immersive narrative, thrilling gameplay, and the ability to play in a variety of difficulty levels.
The game’s story is about a man named Isaac Clarke, who is forced to fight against the necromorphs invading his ship. The game has many different types of weapons that you can use to fight off necromorphs and other enemies, which makes it fun to play.
There are tons of different upgrades that you can buy for your character so that you can get more powerful. This game is worth playing if you love action-packed games with lots of shooting action.
The gameplay in emDead Space 2/em is similar to that in its predecessor: you explore rooms filled with enemies and solve puzzles while trying not to get killed by these enemies. However, there are some significant improvements here as well. For example, there are more weapons available this time, so players can choose from different types of weapons, such as shotguns or assault rifles, instead of just having one type throughout the game.
Check it out on Amazon here.
#1. emThe Last of Us/em
- Developed by Naughty Dog, creators of the best-selling Uncharted series
- Genre-defining experience that blends survival and action elements
- Character driven story about a population decimated by a modern plague
- Explore a brutal post-pandemic world
emThe Last of Us/em is a game that has stood the test of time, praised by critics and gamers alike for its storytelling, gameplay, and graphics.
emThe Last of Us/em is an action-adventure game that tells the story of a young man and woman who are forced to travel through the ruins of a post-apocalyptic world.
The game’s protagonist, Joel, is completely alone and must fight through hordes of infected people to survive. To do this, he must collect supplies, craft weapons, and items, and use stealth tactics to avoid killing infected people or triggering their attacks on him.
emThe Last of Us/em is not just a beautiful game, but it also makes great use of its world and characters. The game’s art style is realistic but slightly stylized — it gives everything in its world a sense of weight and vibrancy while remaining grounded in reality. And, even though it takes place during an apocalypse, many things still feel alive: plants, animals, people—even dead bodies.
The gameplay is smooth and easy to pick up, but there are enough options for players who want more depth and won’t be bored when playing this game. You’ll have access to various weapons — firearms, melee weapons, bombs — and you can combine them in different ways depending on the situation.
You can find it on Amazon here.
Final Thoughts
The PS3 allows you to get a solid survival game experience at home or on the go. Ultimately, all the games on this list are fantastic, and you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Whether your idea of fun is fighting off hordes of enemies, immersing yourself in strategic combat with up to four-player co-op, or just trying to survive long enough to be rescued, there’s a game for you. These PlayStation 3 titles will provide you with hours upon hours of entertainment.
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