WeView: Just How Good Was The PS3’s Launch Line-up?

[videoyoutube]Bit of a change this week – Kris is away and I’m ignoring his moans about “polls” and “Metal Gear” – I’d like to look back (briefly) at the PlayStation 3’s (European) launch line-up, and switch WeView around a little.

Essentially: did you buy lots of day one games, and do you regret doing so or do you still hold them proudly in your game drawer?

Way back in March 2007, on some lonely rainy evening, I waited in line (in what was then a pretty big GameStation), splashing out well over £650 on stuff I didn’t really know much about.

It was enough to warrant a police escort to a taxi, which despite being in Glasgow, amused me no-end. It was midnight and the streets were filled with onlookers – what could possibly have happened?

There was some real trash out for launch, but there were some gems, too – Resistance, MotorStorm, Formula One Championship Edition and Ridge Racer 7 were all in my plastic bag, but I also picked up a couple of others, including Virtua Tennis.

And for those counting, the version of FIFA was ’07.

So who still owns Resistance, arguably the best in the series (the Manchester level is still a blast)? Who still likes making muddy mess in MotorStorm (again, arguably still right up there) and although there’s been a few Ridge Racers since 7, it’s still probably the most comprehensive version, and now runs in stereoscopic 3D (albeit at half the frame-rate).

We’d have to assume that each launch game is now a tenner, for the sake of this discussion. So, for me: Resistance: Buy; MotorStorm: Buy; Formula One: Avoid (recent games are much better); Ridge Racer 7: Buy. Fairly straightforward enough, but perhaps we’ll get someone who hated the first Resistance – is that you?

Pick a couple of games, and write what you think of them now. Be creative. But importantly, be honest: if you bought Def Jam Icon, admit it. We won’t point.

A list of the European launch line-up is here.

35 Comments

  1. I only played a few seconds of Resistance back in November 2006I fell down a really steep thing then died at the bottom…
    Bought Ridge Racer 7 and MotorStorm at lauch, which I later sold, but bought back again about a year ago.
    Have fond memories of MotorStorm.

  2. The first Resistance was brilliant. I loved the story, the cliffhanger ending (which subsequent sequels squandered I believe) and the multiplayer got me into online gaming in a way I’d never really bothered with before. I actually played it with a friend the other day in local Co-Op and we played for a good few hours. Even better than I remember (helped by a much bigger telly than I had then).

    Motorstorm was also brilliant but the rubber banding was a huge frustration. It was made even worse in the later games. I sold it a while back and I don’t think I’d want to play it again now.

  3. I had Resistance, Motorstorm, Fight Night Round 3 and Skate shortly after getting my PS3 (which was in June, so only 3 months after release). All of which were fantastic and I would still play now, if other games hadnt come along. They have all been the best in the series for me as well, bar Skate. So I would say Buy it for the first 3, then get Skate 2 (not 3) for the latter.
    I was one of those who got Def Jam Icon, I still own it, as I do with the rest of my first PS3 games. It was one of the worst games I have ever played.

  4. I didn’t get my PS3 until September 2008, but of the launch games I’ve played- Resistance is Buy, Motorstorm is Buy (both are the first and best in the series) and Ridge Racer is Buy.

    Only problem I ever had with Motorstorm was the ridiculous loading times, but only WipEout and Burnout bettered the racing for me.

  5. I bought Def Jam: Icon!! Along with Call of Duty 3, MotorStorm and Need for Speed Carbon….I think the entire bundle on release day was only £400 (maybe £500).

    I thought all the games looked crap…..until I realised I needed a component cable to view them in HD!!

    I actually think the concept of Def Jam (although limited) was actually rather good, and the environments were good. Also, any game where you can kick the shit out of Sean Paul is good in my book.

    I still own CoD 3 (which had MP vehicles, and the ability to kill/revive/kill/revive your own team – much to their annoyance, lol!!) and Def Jam, but I didn’t enjoy MotorStorm so sold it and NFS got replaced by something else, probably the next NFS game. All-in-all, the titles were good at the time but wouldn’t do well against newer games now.

    • cod 3 was great online just got a bit overlooked unfortunately.

      • Agreed – the levels and vehicles were good, and it was very balanced!

      • Loved Call Of Duty 3, enjoyed the single player and the MP was great. Shame a YLOD made me loose the game.

  6. i remember seeing the ps3 running in toys r us..
    seeing the demo for socom blew me away..turned out to be a pile of shite..
    metal gear looked good but its just a 10 hour anime film..
    of the bunch resistance is still one of my fave games of this gen.

  7. I didn’t get mine on launch day, but when I did buy it, I had Resistance which I thought was excellent in single player, hated the MP because of lag and too many good players. I also had COD4 which was amazing back then, and still pretty good, except lag again.
    I was amazed by the PS3 when I bought one, I swapped in my xbox for it, and was glad I did. I had much more fun on it.

    • blasphemous wretch! may you burn in the fires of hell..
      swapping an xbox for an overpriced internet ready bluray player.
      was you mental?

      • I hope you are joking and are not just being a massive a fanboy. *facepalms* As we tend to feed them to Tuffcub. ;)

  8. Picked up my ps3 with Resistance & Motorstorm bundled from toys r us the very day the price dropped from the original price. Resistance was the game that got me into the online shooters & with its younger brothers, still gets played now!

  9. Wasn’t heavenly sword also a launch game?

    I never bought my ps3 on launch it was too much, I bought mine when the slim came out but was was wrong with def jam: icon not as good as new York but it was decent we even had Kano representing lol

    • No, Heavenly Sword didn’t come out until September ’07, six months after launch.

  10. I’m with Alex, of the launch titles Resistance, Motorstorm and Ridge Racer 7 were the highlights and arguably still the best examples of their respective franchises.

    • Me too, Resistance and Motorstorm were exceptional.

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