Best Download-Only Games in the PS3 Store?

[Rick Dangerous]

Now that I have a big HDD, I need to fill it with some games!

 

Any recommendations that are download only? (I prefer physical when possible--thus won't be downloading retail releases.)

 

I tried to download Double Dragon Neon last night but it wasn't available anymore (bummer)

 

The Wipeout games look good...

 

Any other strong candidates?

[Rick Dangerous]

One thing I've noticed is that most good "download only" games for PS3 eventually became available in physical form. Journey is a good example, among others.

[Gamemoose]

Geometry Wars 3 is pretty sweet. If available and you like the web comic Penny Arcade, they had 2 RPGs released.

 

Castle Crashers is an oldie but goodie.

[Mord]

In my opinion, if you have a LOT of space to fill, I'd wait until the next flash sale pops up - there's one every month over one of the weekends. Usually the second or third weekend of the month. Unlike on the PS4, the PS3 flash sale prices are -usually- quite significant. Back when I was more actively filling up the 1TB drive on my ps3 with digitals you'd regularly see games going as low as 99 cents at times.I have a bunch of ps1 and ps2 classics I snagged for 1.99 each or less for instance. At that price, even if I had the original discs, it was worth buying digital so I wouldn't have to pull out the discs as often if desired.

[Rick Dangerous]

Awesome. Will keep an eye out for the next flash sale!

[Rick Dangerous]

The original Far Cry looks like it's download only. Will have to pick it up as I'm a huge fan of the Uncharted series and supposedly these games are right up that alley.

[PFG 9000]

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is a pretty unique First/Third Person Shooter hybrid. It was an exclusive on the original Xbox but got a digital HD release on the PS3. In the game, you collect small fictional creatures to use as "live ammo" (har har) and then try to pursue wanted outlaws for a bounty. Each outlaw can be killed or captured alive. You get a bigger bounty for capturing them alive, but of course that's much harder to do. You can switch between a FPS and 3rd person view at any time, which helps with platforming in some areas. The story is fairly decent with a nice twist, and the setting is like a faux-spaghetti western. It's definitely worth checking out, and you can probably get it on sale once in awhile for a steal.

 

If you like Doom, the Doom Classic Complete collection is the only console release of all the old Dooms in one spot. It includes ports of the PC versions of Ultimate Doom, Doom II, the Master Levels, and Final Doom. It's the first time the full PC versions were available on Sony hardware, and the first time a faithful port of Final Doom was available on any console. (The Playstation 1 release was missing lots of levels and had different music and sound effects.) Before someone nitpicks, you can get the PC versions of Ultimate Doom and Doom II with the physical release of Doom 3 BFG Edition on PS3, but that won't have the Master Levels or Final Doom.

 

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair is an awesome loot-collectathon take on the Metroidvanias. It was designed as an online multiplayer game and the community is no longer very active, but if you really like the GBA and DS Castlevanias, you might find this pretty enjoyable. It's still playable as a solo game, but it will be more difficult to accumulate loot. There are six massive sidescrolling levels (11 if you buy the DLC) and quite a few characters to play as. Most characters have different loot sets and attack styles, and they level up by either using subweapons, using magical spells, or accumulating enemies' souls, depending on which character you're playing as. Each area has a time limit that gets reduced when a member of your party dies. You can find items in the levels to resurrect your teammates. You need to work together to find your way to the boss, which has a chance of giving you the best loot after you kill it. There's not much story to the game, and if you hate grinding for loot you might hate this game, but if you like Castlevania there's probably something there for you. Harmony of Despair never got a physical release on any platform.

 

R-Type Dimensions is awesome if you like shmups, although if you do then you probably have R-Type in some form already. This one has a nice graphical update, and you can switch between original graphics and updated graphics on the fly. It has R-Type and R-Type II. If you don't like shmups, you probably won't like this.

 

People really seem to like Limbo, and its sequel, Inside. They're high-profile indie games that never saw a physical release. I think they're both decent, but not necessarily essential. Worth playing through for sure if you like sidescrolling platformers with a focus on puzzle solving, or if you hate color in your games.

 

Hardcore: Uprising is a spiritual successor to Contra: The Hard Corps. It's one of those games that I've always intended to put more time into, but it's never high enough on my list to actual see the play time. But if you like Contra, it's worth looking into.

 

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a pretty fun Isometric puzzler/platformer. It's kind of a mix between Tomb Raider and Total Carnage/Smash TV. It's intended to be a couch co-op game, but it's perfectly playable as a solo game - the designers actually tweaked each level to be different depending on whether you're playing solo. The puzzles are satisfying and you unlock better firepower as you play, which helps with the action elements. And Keeley Hawes reprises her role as Lara Croft's best voice actress.

 

Guacamelee is digital-only on PS3 but got a physical release on PS4 and other formats, so I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for. But it's a nice Metroidvania with a very Mexican/wrestling theme in which you swap between "dimensions" on the fly. There are some unique platforming and puzzle elements because of this. It's also fun to look for all the nods to other games as you play through it.

 

Fez is another indie game that never saw a physical release. It's pretty inventive in that it takes place in a 3D environment, but you always view it from the side, and your character can navigate platforms regardless of their location on the Z-axis. You can rotate the levels by 90 degrees along the Y-axis. It's really hard to explain, but if you watch a video you'll see what I'm talking about. I never got more than a third or so through it because it gets pretty complicated, but it's worth checking out for the 2D-while-3D novelty alone. If you've seen Indie Game: The Movie and you don't want to give Phil Fish any money, I won't hold it against you.

 

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate: HD got a physical release on the 3DS, but only a digital release on the PS3. The HD version has no physical release on any platform. It's a modern take on the Metroidvania with a story that bastardizes Castlevania lore more than enough to piss off any diehard fan. But it's not a terrible Metroidvania and has some nice atmosphere in places.

 

I think that's all I can recommend of the digital-only games I have on my PS3. Hopefully it's not too much info or too late.

[Rick Dangerous]

Thanks. Last night I downloaded:

 

-FarCry Classic (Never got a physical release on consoles)

 

-Doom Classic Complete (have Doom 3 BFG Edition, but this has extra levels from PC)

 

-Double Dragon Neon (finally was able to!)

 

-Metal Gear Solid, and VR Missions (PS1) (came with an anthology I purchased.

 

Will probably get Wipeout soon. Thanks everyone.