Do you sometimes let out a longish sigh thinking back to your good old PlayStation 3? Launched over fifteen years ago, the PS3 ushered in a golden age of innovation and creativity.

Sure, Sony’s console was up to a rather slow start. But soon enough, the best PS3 games like The Last of Us, GTA V, and Dark Souls would change the game forever. In earning a cult following, though, these triple-A smashing hits arguably stole the thunder of lesser-known PS3 games.

No matter how well-crafted or ground-breaking, some titles never got their time to shine. As overshadowed as they were upon their release, these video games still boast tons of qualities worth exploring. So, here are three underrated PS3 titles to check out on your vintage console or using an emulator.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom (2010)

Who doesn’t need a teeny bit of magic and child-like innocence? Published by Japanese studio Namco Bandai Games, Majin, and the Forsaken Kingdom is a poetic reminder of the power of the whimsical. The story embarks players on a journey across a colorful land suddenly thrown into disarray by a mysterious darkness. Aided by a powerful mythical beast, a young thief will try and restore the land to its past glory.

While the plot may sound all too familiar and even slightly unimaginative, this action-adventure meets puzzle game is much more creative than meets the eye. For one, the gameplay mixes single-player adventure with A. I controlled co-op.

The world-building is just as vividly captivating, with a charming design to boot. And despite its childish looks, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom soon grows into a thoughtful tale of friendship, whose characters gamers of all ages will come to fall in love with.

Sleeping Dogs (2012)

When it comes to gangster and mafia games on the PS3, Grand Theft Auto V is the first to spring to mind. Rockstar Games’ absolute classic usually tops the list of the greatest video games of the 00s. But such a resounding success could not fail to overshadow a string of entries too similar to make it to the mainstream.

An action-packed open-world adventure, Sleeping Dogs shares more than a few traits with the GTA series. In hindsight, however, this under-the-radar gem by Square Enix definitely feels like a commendable spin on the formula. Straying from the standard US and Sicilian environments, this mobster game follows a Chinese-American cop taking on an undercover mission to infiltrate Hong Kong’s Triad organization.

This crime thriller kicks off to a linear start before allowing players to navigate the crime-ridden back streets of the Chinese megacity. And while the impressively detailed recreation of Hong Kong is one of Sleeping Dogs’ strong suits, fun-filled side activities and a riveting storyline culminate into a sheer atmospheric masterpiece.

Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (2008)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe had not reached its current supremacy in the 2000s. Still, many movie tie-in games brought the adventures of the MCU’s superheroes to the PS3. And from Captain America: Winter Soldier to Iron Man, a great many entries were passable at best and plain terrible at worst.

This reputation did not bode well for Spiderman: Web of Shadows. Surprisingly, though, the game’s PS3 version was far from an unmitigated disaster. Diverging from a mostly uninspired PS2 iteration, this action-adventure game introduced exciting non-linear gameplay and an open world. Players were also given free rein to alter the story through moral choices, despite a storyline that could have benefitted from more depth.

Of course, subsequent entries would leap in quality and be a far cry from this polarising game. And Marvel’s iconic character continues to inspire the gaming industry, from board games to casino slots like Playtech’s Spiderman. Gamers may even claim juicy offers such as casino reload bonuses to test them out. Such bonuses reward existing players having played through their welcome package. Most platforms run them as an incentive regularly. Thus, players can levy them to have a blast with top Spider-Man-themed pokies before revisiting their underrated PS3 predecessor.

Alongside seventh-generation consoles like the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 had a fantastic run. Some of the games in its catalog would revolutionize the gaming medium as a whole. But while others gradually faded into oblivion, they are still worth trying out for all retro gamers out there.