10 Hidden PS3 Gems You Should Track Down

The games industry never stands still. New technology is forever pushing it towards a future where the PlayStation 4 will look about as powerful as a hoop n' stick combo from the 40s.

The current hardware generation might only last for another couple of years, if reports about the PS5 and next Microsoft machine are anything to go by, and by this point, last-gen consoles will almost be considered nostalgic.

It's hard to believe the PS3 is over a decade old, having been released in late 2006. Doesn't it seem like only yesterday when DualShock 3 controllers and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare felt like the technological pinnacle of home console gaming?

Sony manufactured its final PS3 in May 2017, and while the machine doesn't quite count as retro just yet, it's still worthy of a spot under the TV beside your PS4 Pro. There are so many games in that vast library worth revisiting, and dozens that probably passed you by during the console's lifecycle.

Sony's previous-gen wonder played host to a vast library of games, including these hidden gems which might even breathe new life into your dust-gathering system.

Don't let the smutty anime-style visuals put you off, Catherine offered one of the most unique gaming experiences of the previous generation... maybe even of all time.

This oddball role-playing game from the makers of Persona follows a tech industry worker whose life spirals out of control following a night of infidelity with a buxom blonde. Its premise is your standard soap opera fodder, but what follows has more in common with offbeat Japanese horror movies.

The protagonist is plagued with nightmares, powered by the guilt he feels for going behind his missus' back, and these are the basis of Catherine's gameplay. They take on the form of challenging, and utterly addictive, puzzles.

But Catherine isn't a one-trick pony. There's also platforming, life-simulation and psychological horror to contend with. Players will encounter everything from giant murderous babies to talking sheep in this banquet of Asian oddballery.

Catherine was always a niche title, but if you're a veteran gamer who feels like they've seen it all, it's worth tracking down purely for the level of originality it provides.