That the Sony PlayStation 3 is a killer media console in undeniable, even to its toughest critics. Replete with multimedia niceties, the PS3’s ace-up-its-sleeve has always been the excellent Blu-ray player, which more than outdoes stand-alone players with its versatility. Oh, and did I mention the minor fact that this console also plays games!

Now, anyone who complains that the PS3 doesn’t have enough games to justify its existence needs only to look at this list we’ve compiled to realise their folly. Each of these games provides hours of non-stop entertainment, and more than justify their somewhat hefty price tags! If you’ve been tentative about going out and investing in games for your PS3, this is the best place to start!

God of War III: If there is one game that grabs you by the throat and forces you to engage, this would be it. It’s that brutal, and the violence that you hand out to a whole score of mythical beasts and mythological gods (not so immortal in hindsight, are they?) is so very real. The stunning visuals and the oft-overwhelming sense of scale have been pushed to their limits in the latest version of the God of War franchise. The experience it creates is so brilliantly executed and so focused in explosive action that the game stays on in memory long after you’ve completed the final mission.

MotorStorm Pacific Rift: If you’ve ever barrelled down a hillside in a cycle, you’ll know the pure exhilaration that MotorStorm Pacific Rift has in store for you. You start by picking one of eight vehicle classes, including an all-new Monster Truck class, and race them down one of the 16 tracks. Mate your vehicle to the track though — bikes are manoeuvrable but easily crushed by bigger vehicles and big rigs are slow but are great for ploughing through thick grass. Through trial and error (and mostly error), you get to figure out which route best suits your chosen vehicle. The computer opponents are challenging, but there’s nothing like getting some of your mates to line up for an out-and-out split-screen death-match! The sheer variety of the vehicles and the awesome tracks makes Pacific Rift one immensely playable game.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves: As treasure hunter Nathan Drake, you travel the globe in pursuit of Marco Polo’s lost treasure, and there’s almost an Indiana Jones feel to this adventure. With stunning visuals that rank among the best that you can see on games today, Uncharted 2 features a brilliant plot, and the game takes you through some clever puzzles and testosterone-fuelled gun fights without a hint of a breather. And when you’re done and dusted with the single-player game, there’s a multiplayer component that will keep you going till … well, Uncharted 3 comes along!

Grand Theft Auto 4: For one of the most popular game franchises across platforms, GTA 4 managed to outdo its predecessors with a compelling storyline, an immensely likeable hero and a well-crafted almost movie-like plot. Sure, it’s still got the heart of the GTA games series — stealing cars and gunning down cops and bad guys — but what makes GTA4 make the cut is the realistic dilemma of whether to take a mission or turn around and walk away. When you step into the shoes of illegal immigrant Niko Bellic, you wrestle with your own emotions and try to figure your way out past several choices in a new city, always trying ever so hard to get ahead without tempting your own doom. Top notch stuff this.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots: The final part of the Metal Gear Solid saga, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is a title that far exceeds all of the hype that was attached to the closing chapter. This is a legendary end for a legendary soldier…nay warrior Solid Snake, and the game combines the depth, technical wizardry and the solid game play of the full franchise to become a gaming standard that future action will be judged by.

Steer ahead

If you’re looking for the ultimate racing setup for your PlayStation 3, look no further than the Logitech G27 Racing Wheel. The difference in playing top racing titles like Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and Need for Speed: Shift over the gamepad/controller is striking — there’s no way you’ll never want to race without a wheel again.

Features wise, the G27 is complete — the 11-in wheel comes with 900 degrees of rotation and simulates tyre grip through force feedback, with the wheel pushing back at you when you’re taking a Bugatti Veyron through an impossible turn. The wheel itself is wrapped in leather, and sports six programmable buttons, gear paddles behind the wheel, and a funky rpm indicator. Plus, you get great looking gas, brake and clutch pedals and a stick shifter for when you want to go old-school. Revolution Racing, a team that competes in NASCAR, uses the G27 wheel for its driver training — quite the endorsement!

At Rs 24,995, it comes at a price though. Of course, if you’re putting down wads of cash for a proper racing seat and one of those car shaped frames for your den, this is going to feel like small change. The enthusiast will lap up the leather and metal combo, but for the casual gamer, there isn’t enough in this monster to justify the price.

• URL: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/gaming/wheels/devices/5184
• Price: Rs 24,995