PS5 exclusives: Top titles you can only play on PlayStation 5
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
The list of PS5 exclusives hasn’t grown much of late, but as we near the second anniversary of the PS5 we are more than overdue a big PlayStation Direct showcase. So perhaps we could have some announcements soon. However, the games we have here already are very strong, so if you’ve managed to nab yourself Sony’s latest console through a PS5 stock update this lot need to be on your radar.
We’re still seeing many games launch simulateously on PS5 and PS4, rather than being true PS5 exclusives. Because of that we’ve got a section down below for those titles too. All that being said, there is an ever-growing list of actual, honest-to-goodness PS5 exclusives that you truly can’t play on any other platform, and we’ve collated every single one of them into this handy guide.
Read on for all the PS5 exclusives available now or confirmed.
Out now
PS5 exclusives available now
Astro’s Playroom
(Image credit: Sony)
Astro’s Playroom may seem like a mere tech demo to showcase the new PS5 features, from ray tracing to the adaptive triggers of the DualSense PS5 controller, but that assumption couldn’t be farther from reality. This pocket-sized adventure (around 3 hours of length, with potentially more for the platinum) is an endearing tribute to the PlayStation franchise, featuring callbacks to previous consoles and games. But it also manages to provide a platforming experience that is charming as it is polished, and the fact that it comes pre-loaded with the console means that you can, and should, start playing right away while you finish setting everything up.
Demon’s Souls
(Image credit: Bluepoint Games)
All stories start somewhere. FromSoftware’s legacy began 11 years ago with Demon’s Souls, one of the most intriguing and challenging titles of the PS3 era. Now, under Bluepoint’s vision (the studio that brought back Shadow of the Colossus) the beginning of the ‘soulsborne’ genre gets the remake treatment on PS5. This is the same experience we remember, but it’s almost indistinguishable over a decade later. With only a few touches here and there in terms of gameplay, Demon’s Souls’ biggest change comes from the way it looks and plays on this new console generation — it’s a remarkable PS5 launch game that you shouldn’t miss.
Destruction AllStars
(Image credit: Lucid Games)
Destruction AllStars introduces itself as a new IP of multiplayer competitive racing. Don’t picture it as regular races, however — this is akin to the battle arenas of the Twisted Metal series or the collisions that you would see in a Burnout game, packed with a cast of 16 distinct characters. Perhaps its biggest twist comes when your car is destroyed: you will automatically enter a third person view of your racer and move them around the map as if it was a different game. Its player base isn’t as active as it was at launch, but if you can find a match in a timely matter it can be a fun way to spend a couple hours with your PS5.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
(Image credit: Insomniac Games)
Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is as triumphant a return as they come for the titular duo; a visual showcase for the PS5, a well-written story right up there with the best Pixar movies, and simply a blast of a platformer from front to back.
If you want something to show off what your PS5 can do, you can’t beat Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and it comes with the bonus of being an incredibly polished, well-made platformer/shooter even without considering its technical accomplishments.
Returnal
(Image credit: Sony)
As stunningly beautiful as it is blisteringly challenging, Housemarque’s 2021 roguelike Returnal will test your patience at the same time as it challenges your expectations about what’s possible in the new generation. It makes full use of Sony’s new hardware to deliver a visual spectacle, buttery smooth performance, and a new level of immersion thanks to its creative utilization of the DualSense’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. Returnal is another fantastic choice to wow your friends and family with as you show off your PS5, but don’t make them too jealous as you’ll likely need their support after you die for the thousandth time.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade
(Image credit: Square Enix)
It’s an expanded and remastered version of one of 2020’s best RPGs, itself a remake of one of the best RPGs of all time, and you absolutely need to play it if you have a PS5.
Make no mistake, this is more than just a simple remaster. Intergrade itself adds «classic» battle controls for the game’s normal difficulty mode, a photo mode, and improved frame rate and resolution. But the PS5-exclusive Yuffie DLC, formally titled Episode Intermission, is a whole new chapter where you get to play as Yuffie Kisaragi.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade is available as a free upgrade from the PS4 version, but Episode Intermission is a paid expansion unless you bought Intergrade as a standalone purchase.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
(Image credit: Sony)
A beautifully remastered version of one of 2018’s best superhero games, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered takes an already great game and makes it better. Thanks to 4K resolution, ray tracing support, and a buttery smooth 60 FPS (in performance mode), swinging around New York City as Spider-Man and beating up goons is more satisfying than ever. The framerate boost is especially appreciated during fast-paced, high-intensity scenes, which let’s face it, make up about 90% of the game.
Even if you’ve played the original game on PS4 already, be sure to pick up the remaster (it’s free if you own the game on PS4) and give it another go.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
(Image credit: Bethesda)
If you fancy taking a stroll through an empty, totally haunted version of the Japanese capital, then Ghostwire: Tokyo is the PS5 exclusive for you. Although it is also available on PC, it’s a PS5 console exclusive, and really does look excellent on Sony’s latest console. You play as the last human in a Tokyo where all the other living things — bar some adorable dogs, cats, and tanooki — have been whisked away to the spirit world. You’ll need to rescue your sister and discover the stories of the spirits that still linger, trapped between worlds, all the while fending off all the horrific creatures that do roam the streets. It’s creepy, atmospheric, and a fantastic world to exist in.
Gran Turismo 7
(Image credit: Polyphony)
PlayStation’s premium racing sim is back with Gran Turismo 7.
Although it’s had a ropey launch with online and maintenance issues, and discussions around updates making the need for microtransactions slightly more prevalent, it’s still a fantastic racer. It’s a huge and utterly beautiful racing game that will no doubt earn it a position among the best PS5 games of all time eventually.
The Last of Us Part 1
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Out now
Naughty Dog’s masterpiece originally released on the PS3 has now made it way to the PS5 in the form of The Last of Us Part 1. This remake has been rebuilt from the ground up for the PS5, with upgraded visuals, DualSense features, modernised gameplay and mechanics, and accessibility options. It’s the same game, but brought into the PS5 generation in so many ways.
Upcoming
Upcoming PS5 exclusives
Forspoken
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Release date: January 24, 2023
Forspoken seems like a highly ambitious project, even for prolific publisher Square Enix.
It’s being developed by an all-star team of talent called Luminous Productions, formed from the dev team behind Final Fantasy 15. Better yet, Square Enix recruited Gary Whitta (of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story fame) and Amy Hennig (creative director on the first three Uncharted games) to build the world and write the story.
Forspoken stars a young woman named Frey from New York City, who celebrates her 21st birthday by being transported to the world of Athia, «where fantasies and nightmares are suddenly very real», reads the Sony blog post. It’s coming sometime in Spring 2022 exclusively on PS5.
Final Fantasy 16
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Coming 2023
Final Fantasy 16 is dropping exclusively on PS5 at some point in Summer 2023. Set in the world of Valisthea, the people there once lived in peace thanks to the crystal mountains found there, known as the Mothercrystals. But, that wasn’t meant to last, as there’s now a Blight spreading across the world.
The story will revolve around humans called Dominants, who are able to control Eikons, which are deadly and incredibly powerful creatures. Gameplay wise, this will be an interesting change in combat style, with a more action-orientated focus.
Horizon Call of the Mountain
(Image credit: Guerrilla Games)
Release date TBC
Horizon Call of the Mountain is an upcoming PSVR2-exclusive game based in the Horizon Zero Dawn/Forbidden West universe and developed by Guerrilla Games. Main Horizon protagonist Aloy will be in the game in some form, but Horizon Call of the Mountain stars a brand new protagonist. If that isn’t enough to excite you, former Forbidden West world designer Chris James recently said Call of the Mountain will «change what AAA means for VR,» which is honestly almost too much hype for us to handle right now.
Spider-Man 2
(Image credit: SIE/Marvel)
Coming 2023
Announced during the September PlayStation showcase in 2021, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will see the two Spider-Men — Peter Parker and Miles Morales — team up.
There’s only been a teaser trailer so far and a loose 2023 release window, but we know we’ll be ready to swing through New York again when it drops.
Marvel’s Wolverine
(Image credit: Insomniac Games)
Release date TBC
Like Spider-Man 2, Marvel’s Wolervine was revealed during that epic 2021 September PlayStation showcase. We don’t currently know that much about it beyond the fact it’ll obviously star the titular, bladed X-Man. It’s in development at Insomniac Games right now, with no set release window so we’ll no doubt here more about this in the future.
PS4/PS5 exclusives
PS4 and PS5 cross-gen exclusives
There are some titles that are PS5 exclusives, but also happened to simultaneously debut on the PS4 too. We’ll list those games below:
God of War: Ragnarok
(Image credit: Sony)
Out now
God of War: Ragnarok is that kind of sequel that any tidbit of news is poured over with a fervor.
Following on the narrative from the 2018 God of War reboot, we’ll back with Kratos and Atreus ahead of the world-shattering Ragnarok event, as they search for answers — and allies. Various Norse Gods and monsters will try to stand in their way as they travel the Nine Realms sometime in 2022.
Horizon Forbidden West
(Image credit: Sony)
Out now
Aloy’s second adventure arrived in March 2022, taking her to lands anew. As the title suggests, Horizon Forbidden West sees Aloy heading west into locales like Las Vegas and San Francisco in search of the source of a blight that’s killing the Earth. What she finds are new tribes, fresh threats, but also friends old and new. It’s a brilliant tale in one of the most impressive and full open worlds to date.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Out now
Sackboy: A Big Adventure launched as a launch title for PS5, but also dropped simultaneously on PS4.
However, it’s definitely best experienced on the newer console as the game really looks fantastic, and utilises the haptic feedback in the Dualsense to great effect. It’s Sackboy’s first foray away from the LittleBigPlanet name too, so don’t expect the creative elements of that original series here. This is a stunning story-driven title, with support for co-op too. It’s inventive, playful, and utterly adorable, so well worth a play.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
(Image credit: Insomniac/Marvel)
Out now
Arriving as a PS5 launch title, and also launching on PS4, this smaller Spider-Man story follows the titular Miles Morales as a direct sequel to the last PS4 Spider-Man game. He’s just got his powers, and he’s figuring out how to be his own version of the friendly neighbourhood superhero. Peter Parker is his mentor, but he has his own powers — including electric venom blasts, camouflage, and other gadgets. It’s set in the same world but with the focus being on Spanish Harlem, and Morales’ immediate friends and family.
It might be a more compact story than the main Spider-Man entry, but Spider-Man: Miles Morales is probably more impactful.
Stray
(Image credit: BlueTwelve Studio)
Out now
Stray is a game where you play as a cat. That’s all you need to know, really, isn’t it? Free with a PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium subscription, Stray tells the story of a lost ginger tabby who finds itself trapped in a locked-down city inhabited by robots. Quickly making friends with a tiny drone called B-12, you’ll meet the citizens and try to find a way back to the world you knew before. Filled with amazing little stories and plenty of ways to enjoy being a cat, Stray is a delight.
Director’s Cuts
Some of the PS5 exclusives also include Director’s Cut editions of PS4 games — essentially re-releases of the PS4 titles but with souped up graphics, and other additional features like DualSense haptics.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
(Image credit: Sony)
Out now
Not only did the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut give us a brilliant graphical upgrade, but it also gave us the top-notch DLC — Iki Island — bundled in for good measure.
This is a 4K 60fps experience on PS5, with support for 3D audio and DualSense haptic feedback too. It’s the premium experience for Jin’s story, and it’s one of the best PS4 games ever so give it a look.
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut
(Image credit: Kojima Productions/505 Games)
Out now
Death Stranding was the second Director’s Cut to emerge and again brought this PS4 exclusive to PS5 with a new 4K 60fps sheen. It features additional story content, weapons and vehicles, a competitive ranking system, and more among the usual PS5 additions like DualSense haptics. Kojima calls it the «definitive» Death Stranding experience, and who are we to argue?
For more exciting PS5 titles check out the lists below:
- Upcoming PS5 games
- Best PS5 games
- PS5 launch games
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The 15 Best PS5 Games In 2022 Show Sony’s Console Is Soaring
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Illustration: Angelica Alzona
Finally, after (hold on tight) two years since release, the PlayStation 5 is readily available to U.
S. customers. As the console approaches its third holiday season, it’s got itself quite the decent line-up of first-party titles and essential plays. So read on for the 15 best games you can play on the Sony system.
First, know this: The vast majority of games playable on the PS4 are playable on the PS5 via backward compatibility. (Here’s our list of the best games for that console.) Then of course the revamped PS Plus means either system can get access to a wealth of PS1, PS2 and PS4 titles, as well as stream those from PS3. No matter what, you’ll rarely be short of terrific things to play on the PS5.
But if you’re looking for something suitably cutting-edge—something designed with this new console in mind—then read on. Many of these are still being released for the PS4, but they’re unquestionably better looking, and better running, on the more modern machine. Here, without further ado, are the best games for the PS5.
Screenshot: Santa Monica Studios / Sony / Kotaku
Kratos is back, in the sequel to the adored reboot of God of War, in which father and son once more explore the realms of the Norse gods.
With third-person combat, a pile of puzzle solving, and plenty of downtime paddling their boat, the mini-family is this time concerned with eschatological issues—Thor and Odin are battling their way to the end of the world.
Like most of Sony’s current next-gen offerings, God of War Ragnarök saddles the over-extended generational gap, releasing both on PS4 and PS5. And the PS4 version is a great (if noisy) swan song for that console, sure. But Ragnarok on PS5 is a far superior experience, supporting higher resolutions and silky smooth framerates. It really is the best way to play the game and luckily, God of War Ragnarök is also a damn fine game that should be enjoyed on Sony’s next-gen hardware.
A Good Match For: Folks who love epic and (extremely) long single-player action-adventure games or people who love Norse mythology.
Not A Good Match For: People who didn’t like the first game, players who prefer shorter games, or folks who can’t stand door puzzles.
(It has a lot of door puzzles…)
Read our review.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Target | Best Buy
Screenshot: Sony / Kotaku
Yes, yes, big shocker: The sequel to one of the best games of the PS4 generation is one of the best games of the PS5 generation. Though Horizon Forbidden West isn’t quite as groundbreaking as its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, it captures everything that helped it stand out—the splendor, the bow-based combat, the unique take on post-apocalypse—and then some. Once again, you play as Aloy, a young woman who carries the burden of “saving the world” on her shoulders. You fight giant robot animals and explore derelict ruins of human civilization, not unlike the first game. But Forbidden West also builds on that foundation with a bunch of welcome additions, including a hang-glider, a better climbing system, and a remarkably engrossing tactics mini-game called “Machine Strike.
”
A Good Match For: This may sound strange, but fans of turn-based strategy games: Seriously, “Machine Strike” is top-notch for the genre, practically a game unto itself. Oh, yeah, also fans of open-world games.
Not A Good Match For: Anyone who bounced off the first one, or can’t stomach a truly bonkers third act.
Read our review.
See it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Target | Best Buy
Screenshot: Bandai Namco
If you like getting your ass handed to you, you’ll love Elden Ring. It’s the latest game out of FromSoftware, a studio best known for establishing a relentlessly difficult live-die-repeat formula of action-RPGs with its Souls series (which has spawned a gazillion copycats). It’s also the first to apply that formula to an open-world framework.
Unlike most similarly structured games, Elden Ring refuses to hold your hand, instead letting you roam free. Sometimes, that means meeting a boss who kills you 242 times. But more likely, you’re just…seeing what exists in the nooks and crannies of this carefully designed realm. Though Elden Ring can be frustrating at points, there’s truly no game like it (until, of course, it spawns another gazillion copycats).
A Good Match For: People who like dying in Demon’s Souls, exploring in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and watching the withering corpses of dead gods decay into dust.
Not A Good Match For: People who don’t like dying in Demon’s Souls, exploring in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or watching the withering corpses of dead gods decay into dust.
Read our review.
See it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | GameStop | Target
Screenshot: Sega
Lost Judgment, the sequel to a spinoff of Sega’s immensely popular Yakuza series, is one of those rare games that’s both a throwback and a modern marvel. Unlike the prior entry, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which featured a turn-based combat system, Lost Judgment revives the fast-paced, no-holds-barred brawling of previous Yakuza games. The characters are a hoot. The writing’s sharp and clever. Plus, you get to ride around town—the series’ stalwart location of Kamurocho makes a return—on a skateboard.
A Good Match For: Fans of levity, mini-games, and old-school brawlers.
Not A Good Match For: People who value free time. Those damn kids.
Read our review.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Target | GameStop | Walmart
Screenshot: Square Enix
You probably know what you’re getting into when you start a Life is Strange game: pastel visuals, light puzzles, and pivotal choices for which there’s no “right” decision, with deliciously twee indie rock playing while you mull your options.
Yes, Life is Strange: True Colors is all of that, but it’s also much, much more. You play as Alex Chen, fresh out of a group home, visiting her brother, who’s offered her a chance at a fresh start in an idyllic new town. Though the plot starts slow, the stakes quickly hit a peak, folding in developments more bonkers than anything in prior Life. You often hear chatter about how games imitate films. Life is Strange: True Colors is one example where films should definitely imitate games.
A Good Match For: Anyone who’s dreamed of having a superpower (the ability to sense others’ emotions, in this case) and wondered how they’d grapple with its related consequences.
Not A Good Match For: Folks looking for a mechanically intensive game.
Read our review.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Target | GameStop | Walmart
Screenshot: Square Enix
Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t just candy for Marvel fans.
It’s also a decadently crafted story-driven game about the lengths to which lonely souls will go to make families out of friend groups. Though you only play as Star-Lord (voiced by Jon “Not Chris Pratt” McLaren), you spend near-constant time with the whole group of galaxy-trawling heroes. You can further direct these companions in a battle system that mixes action-forward combat with RPG menus—kind of like (modern) Final Fantasy games—giving GotG more pep and verve than your standard sole-protagonist action game. And yes, the gameplay is serviceable, but the real draw is the story, which goes from 0 to 60 out of the gate and doesn’t slow down after. Not bad for a game about a talking raccoon!
A Good Match For: Players who like choice-based RPGs and PS3-era action platformers. Anyone who enjoys gaping slack-jawed at gorgeous sci-fi environments.
Not A Good Match For: MCU fans hoping for a to-the-letter adaptation of the films.
Read our review.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Target | GameStop
Screenshot: Housemarque / Kotaku
Few games show off what the PS5 can do better than Returnal. Developed by Housemarque (the folks behind PS4 launch title Resogun), Returnal is a cross between a roguelike and a third-person shooter. You play as Selene Vassos, an interstellar scout who crash-lands on the uncharted planet of Atropos. Your goal, which sounds simple, is to escape Atropos and crawl your way back to civilization. However, every time you die, you’re sent all the way back to where you started, with none of the items or weapons you acquired in the prior life. Yes, Returnal is a time loop game—and a relentlessly difficult one at that—but Returnal is much more than what you see on the screen. When it rains in-game, you’ll feel the cadence of a gentle rainstorm in your palms.
When you shoot, you’ll feel the trigger tense up at the halfway point; pushing past the tension activates a secondary firing mode in a technical display you can’t experience on the PS4 or a simple DualShock. Plenty of games look like next-gen games. Returnal feels like one, too.
A Good Match For: Fans of time loops, particle effects, roguelikes, and time loops.
Not A Good Match For: Players who grapple with soul-crushingly challenging gameplay. Anyone who’s willing to lose everything (knowing that runs can easily last hours).
Read our review.
See it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Walmart | Target | Best Buy | Amazon
Screenshot: Capcom
Resident Evil Village will give you anxiety. Picking up shortly after the events of Resident Evil 7, Village once again puts you in the shoes of Ethan Winters.
At the start of the game, Chris Redfield, another longtime Resident Evil hero, shows up at Ethan’s house, shoots his wife, kidnaps his daughter, and disappears into the night. Ethan is dropped in a nondescript European village in search of answers. Instead, he finds monsters. The moment-to-moment gameplay is tense, and is far less focused on action than some of the more recent series entries. Ammo isn’t exactly plentiful. Guns can jam up (a gameplay tick made all the more impactful by the DualSense’s pressure-sensitive triggers). And though fear is of course subjective, there are some moments that are genuinely terrifying. Oh, yeah, and there’s also a tall lady.
A Good Match For: Longtime fans of the series’ “good” entries, particularly those who liked Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 7.
Not A Good Match For: Longtime fans of the series’ “bad” entries, particularly those who liked Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6.
Read our review.
See it in action.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Target | Amazon | Best Buy
Screenshot: Insomniac
If you’ve played a Ratchet & Clank game, you’ve played Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Everything that made the series a mainstay in the first place—clever writing, airtight third-person shooting and platforming, just the right amount of wacky hijinks—is present here. So, no, Rift Apart doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but it’s self-evidently among the best-looking and smoothest playing console games out right now. A new player character, a Lombax called Rivet whom you spend half the game playing as, injects some freshness into the formula. At the start of the game, longtime series villain Dr. Nefarious steals a machine that allows its user to travel between dimensions. Of course, everything goes wrong, and the universe is.
..well, read the name of the game. It is then up to you to bounce between these two characters—and between dimensions—to restore the fabric of reality. Tall order for a pair of small space-cats. But given that you have more than a dozen unique guns at your disposal—including one that turns every enemy in the vicinity into shrubbery—you’ll be fine.
A Good Match For: Series newcomers. Series not-newcomers. Anyone who likes platformers, third-person shooters, and fast-paced, lighthearted games.
Not A Good Match For: Players craving a massive, endless open-world game, as Rift Apart is fairly contained. Dr. Nefarious.
Read our review.
See it in action.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Walmart | Target | Best Buy
Screenshot: Square Enix
Final Fantasy VII Remake’s 2020 PS4 release was shockingly groundbreaking. More than a phoned-in remake, it showed what could happen when developers reimagined a beloved game.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, the PS5 version, is the same thing but better looking. Remake takes the first party of Final Fantasy VII—a several-hour stretch of game in which Cloud and pals blow an energy reactor to bits and then escape the city—and expanded it into a 40-hour adventure. Intergrade adds to that a currently PS5-exclusive bit of DLC in the form of an add-on chapter starring Yuffie, another character from the original. There’s only one catch: If you’re picking up Intergrade new, you get the Yuffie chapter at no extra cost. If you already own the PS4 version, you can upgrade your game for free, but you’ll have to get the add-on piecemeal.
A Good Match For: Fans of the original game, or action-forward JRPGs in general. The door.
Not A Good Match For: Remake is mostly on-rails, so those who like open-ended RPGs might not get much enjoyment out of it.
Read our review, and our impressions of the new DLC.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Target | Walmart | Best Buy
Screenshot: IO Interactive / Kotaku
Make no mistake: Hitman 3 on next-gen consoles is the definitive Hitman. Not only is IO Interactive’s stealth paradise visually stunning (no surprise there) but, on PS5 at least, it also makes subtle use of the DualSense controller’s advanced haptics. You can also carry over all of your data and unlocked levels from Hitman 2, though the process is admittedly somewhat confusing. Any stages you import will join the six included in Hitman 3: Dubai, Dartmoor, Berlin, Chongqing, Mendoza, and the Romanian backcountry. For the most part, these are just like any other level from the recent Hitman games. You’re given one or more targets and let loose in a sprawling open area. You have to pay attention to the environment and nearby characters for clues.
You can lift the clothing off incapacitated NPCs for a disguise. The missions aren’t long, but they’re designed to be played over and over as you unlock new starting locations, stash spots, and pull off unique kills. It’s tense, tough, often silly, and just as approachable for novices as it is accommodating for longtime fans.
A Good Match For: Fans of stealth, puzzles, environment analysis, and costume parties. Anyone plagued with serious wanderlust.
Not A Good Match For: Those who prefer to go in guns blazing (unless you’re down to play the bombastic final level ad infinitum).
Read our review.
Find all* of the bananas.
Purchase From: PlayStation Store | Target | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart
Screenshot: Bungie
In December 2020, Destiny 2 received a next-gen overhaul. Before the update, Bungie’s space-faring loot crawl was a solid shooter.
Now, it’s one of the best on the market, with stunning visuals, top-shelf performance, and even support for 120fps in the Crucible PvP mode (provided you have a compatible display). A November update—the Europa-bound Beyond Light—brought a new area, new missions, and new abilities, but the fundamental gameplay remains blessedly unchanged. If you’ve been away for a while, it’s worth getting back in the fight. And if you never checked it out in the first place, now’s as good a time as ever—Beyond Light includes an easy start point for new players.
A Good Match For: Fans of first-person shooters with endless streams of loot. Anyone who likes poring over in-game lore text.
Not A Good Match For: Those hungry for a competitive scene on the level of Bungie’s pivotal Halo 3. Anyone who can’t take storylines about Light vs. Dark seriously.
Read our review of Beyond Light.
Watch it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Walmart | GameStop
Screenshot: Insomniac / Kotaku
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is everything its predecessor (2018’s Spider-Man) was and more. Playing as Miles Morales gives you access to a far deeper bag of tricks than Peter Parker had at his disposal. You can still swing from Harlem to Fidi in seconds, but can bust out more than 20 stylish SSX-style flips along the way, rather than just a handful. Miles also has a literally shocking set of powers that augment his strikes, and can turn invisible at the drop of a hat. Beyond the toolkit, the narrative is tighter, more personal, and more contained than the 2018 game’s. (Full disclosure: Kotaku alum Evan Narcisse wrote for the game.) Also, there’s a cat suit. (See above.) Of course, since this is a next-gen launch title and all, you’re probably wondering about visual enhancements and the like.
The answer is yes, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is quite a looker, featuring two different rendering modes that prioritize either razor-sharp resolution and image quality or a smooth framerate of 60 fps. Both are stunning. Just like this game.
A Good Match For: Fans of action games. Friendly neighborhood heroes. Manhattanites (have fun tracking down your office or apartment).
Not A Good Match For: Rhino. Anyone looking for a 700-hour time-sink; Miles Morales can be fully completed in under 30 hours.
Read our review.
Watch it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Amazon | Best Buy | Target
Screenshot: Ubisoft / Kotaku
By now, you probably think you know what you’re getting with Assassin’s Creed. That’s what makes Assassin’s Creed Valhalla such a pleasant surprise.
Though unmistakably more similar to the recent series entries (Origins, Odyssey) than the middle-aged ones (Syndicate, Black Flag), Valhalla is very much its own creature. For one thing, side-quests don’t exist at all, supplanted instead by a dizzying amount of bespoke narrative vignettes and environmental challenges. For another, the narrative is vivisected regionally, so you get a bunch of shorter main arcs alongside an overarching narrative (kind of like a long-running, well-crafted TV series). And the setting—England and Norway in the late-9th century—is distinct, at least in the video game world. That it’s rendered so marvelously is just icing on the cake; you can practically taste the crunchy autumnal leaves of Cent and Sciropescire.
A Good Match For: Fans of massive, compelling open-world games—including the prior two Assassin’s Creeds—and historical drama.
Not A Good Match For: Players tired of Ubisoft “map” games.
Anyone not down to play a morally dubious raider.
Read our review.
Watch it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Target | Best Buy
Screenshot: Sony
Although the PlayStation 5 didn’t come out of the gate with a deep lineup, the Demon’s Souls remake developed by Bluepoint Games is one of the best console launch titles in recent memory. It maintains most of what made the PlayStation 3 original so special, sprucing things up a bit with a massive upgrade to visual fidelity and some very useful quality-of-life updates. It may not be the best or most fulfilling Souls adventure—a high bar—but Demon’s Souls both justifies making the jump to a next-generation system and solidifies Bluepoint as a studio we’d want to remake our favorite games if and when the time comes.
A Good Match For: Demon’s Souls fans who don’t mind a few aesthetic changes, folks looking for a relatively easy entry point into the Souls series, and anyone who doesn’t mind a good challenge.
Not A Good Match For: Demon’s Souls fans who wanted just a straight-up port. Players who want their games to be as free of frustration as possible.
Read our review.
Watch it in action.
Study our tips for the game.
Purchase from: PlayStation Store | Amazon | Target | Best Buy
Want more of the best games on each system? Check out our complete directory:
The Best PC Games • The Best PS4 Games • The Best Games On PS Now • The Best Xbox One Games • The Best Games For The Xbox Series X And S • The Best Games On Xbox Game Pass • The Best Nintendo Switch Games • The Best Wii U Games • The Best 3DS Games • The Best PS Vita Games • The Best Xbox 360 Games • The Best PS3 Games • The Best Wii Games • The Best iPhone Games • The Best iPad Games • The Best Android Games
How has this list changed? Read back through our update history:
Update 24/11/2022: Astro’s Playroom has finally slipped off the bottom, its promotional work now done, heralding the arrival of God of War Ragnarök.
Update 4/20/2022: We’ve added Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, while removing Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Update 1/21/2022: The Pathless loses its way on the path, but three newcomers are found: Guardians of the Galaxy, Lost Judgment, and Life is Strange: True Colors.
Update 6/28/2021: And that’s 12! Returnal, Resident Evil Village, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart join the list. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, once a PS4-exclusive, knocks off Godfall, which will soon no longer be a PS5 console-exclusive.
Update 2/4/2021: Excellent work, 47. Hitman 3 joins the ranks.
Update 12/25/2020: Immortals Fenyx Rising has earned a seat on the pantheon. Also, Destiny 2‘s next-gen update and Beyond Light expansion make it feel like a new, and awesome, game.
Best PlayStation 5 Games 2022 — Top PlayStation 5 Games Released in 2022
List
147
According to gambling rating
from high to low to high to high
on the release date
, at first, the old
rating
from high to low
in alphabetical
A-ZZZ -A
Stray
PC, PS4, PlayStation 5
Adventure
Vampire: The Masquerade — Swansong
Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
RPG
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
FPS, MMO
Metal: Hellsinger
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Action
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Adventure, RPG, Action
Syberia: The World Before
Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Adventure
ELEX II
PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
RPG
Elden Ring
PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
RPG0, Action 90
A Plague Tale: Requiem
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
Horror
Evil West
PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
TPS, Horror
Rainbow Six Extraction
PC, PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series
FPS
1
2
.
..
10
more
16 best PlayStation 5 games in 2022
There are many PS5 games, but which ones are worth the time and money? Here’s our top pick of the best games for the Sony PlayStation 5.
The PlayStation 5 has been around for over a year now and the platform’s stellar games are starting to emerge, with an extensive lineup of PS5 games available for anyone who’s actually managed to get their hands on next-gen consoles among world shortage of reserves.
From top-notch exclusives like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to stellar third-party games like Elden Ring and Stray, there’s a game for every taste on PS5. The problem is, with so many options available, how do you know which ones are worth your time and money? This is where we come into Tech Advisor. nine0005
If you’re one of the lucky few to get your hands on Sony’s next-gen console and you’re looking for the best PS5 games that take advantage of the hardware on offer, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our definitive list of the best PS5 games available right now.
Contents
- Best PS5 Games (2022)
- 1. Ratchet Death & Clank Rift Apart
- 2. Horizon Forbidden West
- 3. Elden Ring
- 0130
- 5. Dying Light 2 Stay Human
- 6. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- 7. Stray
- 8. Returnal
- 9. Resident Evil Village
- 10. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker 910 Cagary 9012 9012 6
- 12. Demon’s Souls
- 13. Call of Duty Vanguard
- 14. Jurassic World Evolution 2
- 15. No Man’s Sky
- 16. Spider-Man Miles Morales
1. Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart
Pros
- Stunning graphics
- Fun, light-hearted gameplay
- Showcases what the PS5 can do.
Cons
- Not many side missions
Ratchet & Clank’s latest adventure is exclusive to the PS5 platform, and it’s easy to see why; it’s the perfect showcase for Sony’s new hardware without a single loading screen — a particularly impressive achievement considering you spend most of the game jumping between different dimensions.
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Continuing the events of 2013’s Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, Rift Apart is the perfect combination of stunning Pixar-level aesthetics, intense gameplay, and a compelling storyline. used to play R&C.
In the title, the titular duo follow Doctor Nefarius into the multiverse, jumping between wildly diverse open worlds as they try to stop the comical Nemesis from taking over everything.
The 15-20 hour campaign is overcrowded and there is reason to replay the game with many cheats and skins unlocked during your first playthrough. It’s still a Ratchet & Clank game, but with such a popular format, it’s not bad. nine0005
More weapons, more missions, more mechanical monsters, more unlockable skills, more crafting, more inventory systems. This is a game that adds a lot — sometimes to disadvantages.
Playing again as the red-haired hunter Aloy in the post-apocalyptic future, you will have to travel to the (forbidden) west to collect some MacGuffins to re-build a terraforming AI that should rule the world, but has relaxed a bit. The West basically looks the same as the East in reality, but thanks to the power of the PS5, it is rendered in stunning detail. nine0005
The gameplay is pretty much the same (just more), but improved climbing and a new swimming mechanic help Forbidden West thrive in the post-Breath of the Wild world. Robot beasts, both big and small, are still the stars of the show, with returning favorites and some standout new additions.
When Horizon 3 inevitably rolls around, it could possibly win a little less — sometimes the jumble of abilities, upgrades, and inventory makes the Forbidden West very messy — but if you want the open world to get lost, then this works great. nine0005
3. Elden Ring
Plus
- worked out, pleasant combat system
- Cruel call
- Awesome open world with many discoveries are possible to reduce complicated complicated complications
- 0 9017 .
- Very little explanation of how the game works
FromSoftware has a reputation for being particularly gritty games, hot on the heels of the Dark Souls trilogy and, more recently, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Like the rest of the games in the developer’s collection, this game is just as great and even harder to master, but it takes place in a brutal open world. nine0005
You are not bound to a strict path, you can travel the world however you see fit with very little direction compared to most open world games filled with objective markers and other hand holding mechanics. There is none of that here. In fact, you are essentially stuck at the deep end and just expect to survive. Classic Souls-like, amirite?
Elden Ring supports a variety of playstyles — this is what catches the eye: players can sneak up on unsuspecting opponents, blast enemies from afar with spells, or simply pour hell with their crossbows. Throw in a compelling storyline, an exceptionally well-crafted open world, and some of the toughest bosses we’ve ever faced, and you’ve got a very challenging game that will really quench the itch for those who love to be punished. nine0179
Deathloop, Arkane’s latest game, is one of the best games available on the PS5 platform right now, combining enjoyable gunplay, tactics, a gorgeous open world that changes throughout the day, and, of course, plenty of cursing.
Much of this comes from the main character Colt, who wakes up on Blackreef Island and finds himself stuck in a time loop. If your day started afresh every day, you would probably swear a lot too! Colt soon discovers that in order to break the time loop, he must kill eight seers on the same day before midnight. It may seem simple, but these pesky seers don’t stay in one place all day long — and that’s where the fun begins. nine0005
You will have to explore the areas of Black Reef Island at different times of the day, learning new information, gaining access to new weapons and improving your abilities in order to influence the Seers. How to kill two visionaries when they are in different places at the same time of day? In this addictive first-person shooter, you’ll put your exploration skills to the test.
It’s important to note that shooting is a lot of fun, and combined with a variety of abilities, you’ll find new and creative ways to take down the increasingly aggressive inhabitants of the island. nine0005
This time you play as Aiden, a pilgrim who roams the infested world as a post-apocalyptic Amazon driver of sorts in search of his long-lost sister, Mia. The action of the unfolding post-apocalyptic walled city of Villadore is the last bastion of humanity. The problem is that zombies also roam the open world.
Dying Light 2’s open world features unprecedented verticality — levels that Cyberpunk could only aspire to — as you climb skyscrapers, explore abandoned buildings, and clear infested subway stations. This is where modernized parkour really shines, providing a fast and very enjoyable way to navigate the environment. nine0005
Combat is just as fun with an ever-changing list of melee weapons that can be customized using the junk you collect as you explore. Want a hammer that spit fire and electrocutes enemies on impact? Dying Light 2 will help you.
The story is exciting as ever, with more player decisions than I’ve seen in a game in a very long time, and they can have a huge impact on the overall storyline, so you’d better be careful. nine0005
The only annoyance is that there are huge areas of the map (which can be seen with binoculars on tall buildings) that are inaccessible at launch and will later appear as paid DLC. The first, dubbed Bloody Ties, is due out on consoles and PC in October.
6. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Pros
- Satisfactory combat mechanics
- Lots of fun Easter eggs
- Vast open world
Cons
- The open world can feel empty
- Repetitive side missions
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is one of our favorite open world RPGs we’ve all been waiting for recent iterations of the Assassin’s Creed series. Put on the fur-lined shoes of Eivor the Wolf-Kissed and travel to old England to forge alliances, travel across a large and varied open world, and even pillage cities and monasteries to obtain supplies to improve your homestead. nine0005
The story is gripping, with key moments determined by your actions affecting the outcome of the game in unforeseen ways, and being the title of Assassin’s Creed, there are many side missions, puzzles to solve, pagan gods to appease, and hallucinatory dream states, to explore..
Combining some pretty brutal combat, a simplistic but effective weapon system, a highly customizable character, and a charming open world filled with secrets and easter eggs that the British will especially appreciate (including a man chasing his pet screaming FENTON!) , you will probably lose yourself for hundreds of hours in the magnificent world created by Ubisoft. nine0005
7. Stray
Plus
- Detailed, Bright half -open world
- many discoveries and trophies for the collection
- CARE CASURE TO TI.
- Can be done in a few hours
If there’s a game that’s taken 2022 by storm, it’s Stray.
As the name suggests, you jump in the shoes (or should they be the paws?) of a nameless stray cat in a post-human world. After tripping and falling into the sewers of a walled garden city populated by robots, the task of the cat hero is to find a way out and find out what really happened in the seedy city. nine0005
The kitten character is as adorable as you can imagine, with characteristic feline characteristics such as meowing on demand, scratching surfaces to stretch out, and even knocking glasses/plates/whatever off surfaces as you explore. Even though there is very little spoken dialogue outside of the main cutscenes, the game does a great job of conveying the stories and emotions of the city’s AI residents, and with the help of the additional memories you discover, you’ll better understand what’s going on. the human world you find yourself in. nine0005
The open world environment is a joy to explore as a cat, with areas and paths normally inaccessible to human protagonists. This game is filled with areas where you can get a little naughty (and plenty of side quests and collectibles) and you don’t feel like rushing it, especially if you want all the loot to be available. This is even more true, as once you leave the area, you can’t go back for the same run, so you need to be 100% sure you’ve explored every nook and cranny before moving on. nine0005
This works well, although with the caveat that it’s not always clear when you’re moving to the next area, and this can be a little frustrating for 100 percenters.
However, if you’re a fan of cats, robots, and post-apocalyptic worlds, Stray offers something intriguing and a little different from most 2022 games.
8. Returnal
Pros
- Great visuals
- Amazing DualSense 9 support0130
- Satisfactory shootout
Bessions
- It is incredibly difficult
- Runes can continue for some time
- Lose progress if you leave the game in the middle of
- 9
RETURNAL-You will be similar or hate it — but if you’re a fan of the roguelike experience on offer, you’ll be wasting hours in the superbly detailed yet bleak world of Atropos.
You play as Selene, who crash-landed on an alien planet and is now stuck in a time loop, returning her to the crash site every time she (or you, the player) dies. It’s a tense, adrenaline-inducing game, especially in later biomes as the enemies become more difficult, deadly, and unpredictable. You’re never too far from death in Returnal, and while you may be frustrated at first, you’ll soon catch the loop. nine0005
Every time you die, everything is randomized; starting location, map, route, and even enemies you’ll encounter along the way, making it almost impossible to preempt gameplay even after multiple playthroughs and help keep things fresh. The story is fascinating and mysterious, and you’ll have to pay attention to the little details if you really want to understand what’s going on in Atropos.
Story and gameplay aside, Returnal is the perfect showcase for the PS5’s technological and graphical capabilities, and looks and feels fantastic. nine0005
Village’s answer to this is to make four different Resident Evil games at once and see which ones catch on.
7 protagonist Ethan Winters is back, this time stranded in the wilderness of Eastern Europe trying to save his little daughter.
As you make your way through the titular village (suddenly filled with werewolves), you’ll have to fight four local lords and ladies, each with their own domain.
The castle of the now infamous Lady Dimitrescu is closest to the classic Resi, but other segments include a nightmare without fighting in a house filled with dolls, a puzzle-focused water section, and a brawl-filled zombie cyborg walk through the floors. factory. nine0130
There was a lot of hype before the launch of Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and it’s not hard to see why. The game features all nine films of the Star Wars franchise, with locations and characters from each film available for play.
This time the hype was justified.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is filled not only with content from all 9 films, but also with many secrets and Easter eggs to discover along the way. It has Lego’s signature tongue-in-cheek charm while introducing new mechanics to a long-standing formula. nine0005
First, the latest Lego title has redesigned the game mechanics to make it more «over the shoulder» like most third-person games, allowing you to get closer to the action and better appreciate the Lego-filled challenges in the game’s various environments.
Shooting is still run-and-gun, but the new camera angle means you now have the ability to take cover and aim for a more traditional shooting experience.
There’s also a new skill tree that will allow you to upgrade the powers and abilities of different character classes as you play, providing more incentive to collect different collectibles in each level as you fight your way through the defenses of the Galactic Empire. nine0005
The only real downside to The Skywalker Saga is the user interface; Even for longtime fans of Lego games, the various character unlocking and skill upgrade purchasing systems can seem overwhelming at first glance.
11. Far Cry 6
Pros
- Diverse open world
- Fun homemade weapons and vehicles
- Giancarlo Castil Esposito as 9013
-
Cons
- Repeats near the end
- Parkour can be frustrating
The Far Cry series has gone through a minor crisis in recent years: Far Cry Primal, Far Cry New Dawn, and even Far Cry 5Far failed 6 takes everything back to its roots on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara.
The island is absolutely magnificent, from dense forests to small villages and big cities with skyscrapers (a first in the series!), but its inhabitants are under the heel of the dictator Anton Castillo. Every Far Cry game needs an OTT antagonist, and Castillo is just one, causing the islanders to rebel against him as he desecrates the island and its people in an attempt to create his world’s first cure for cancer. nine0005
Gunfight focuses on homemade weapons that range from cool (like a flamethrower) to downright insane (did someone say a CD player gun?), with great feel and fluid motions that make gunfights feel fluid and exciting.
Far Cry 6 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and it can repeat itself as you travel through the island’s main regions to help enlist Libertad’s support and overthrow the dictator, but the gameplay loop is far more immersive than in recent games. in the series, and co-op also makes multiplayer fun. nineserved as a precursor to the infamous Dark Souls trilogy.
This is more than just a generous layer remaster, with many quality of life fixes to alleviate the occasional fatigue of the original. However, it’s just as brutal, and like subsequent Dark Souls games, rewards players willing to go on and on and on to fight each boss (and often even the normal enemies in between).
No, this is not the best Souls game. But thanks to some tweaking of the PS5, it’s certainly great and by far the most beautiful. nine0005
Aside from the campaign, it’s all about the multiplayer game modes, of which there are many, including a fun but simple zombie mode. With 20 maps available at launch, it’s quite a diverse affair with plenty of game modes to choose from, and a revamped menu system lets you search for games based on factors like number of players.
It’s still a Call of Duty multiplayer experience, broadly identical to its predecessor with fast-paced firefights, killstreaks, and plenty of skins to unlock, but given the formula works, it’s unlikely to change anytime soon. nine0179
Jurassic World Evolution 2 is the sequel to the first dinosaur-themed park management game, and while the core concept remains the same, it’s clear that Frontier has listened to the community and made a number of improvements this time around.
Dinosaurs are not only more detailed, but flying and aquatic dinosaurs are now available with a special dome needed to contain flying inhabitants — or at least to contain flying inhabitants. The interface has been updated and annoying features of the original, such as the power cable system, have been redesigned. All of this makes building a park more enjoyable, although it can all be a little overwhelming for new users. nine0005
This is where the campaign starts because it’s more like a giant textbook.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, the sandbox mode where you’ll create the park of your dreams, or the more interesting What If-style Chaos Theory mode will take you right into the middle of the turning points of the five Jurassic movies. offers a richer and more intense fleet management experience.
If you love the idea of building your own dinosaur hideout, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is the perfect place to start. nine0005
The procedurally generated No Man’s Sky universe, featuring planet-sized planets full of unique flora and fauna, opens up for exploration on PS5. There’s 4K @ 60fps performance and DualSense support to improve the experience, and the game is constantly expanding both in terms of performance and new features through free extensions.
There’s even multiplayer support with a special game mode that sends the No Man’s Sky community on temporary quests in certain galaxies, which means you’ll run into other explorers. In such a large universe, seeing someone else is always unforgettable! nine0130
- Repeatable side quests
If you enjoyed Marvel’s Spider-Man on PS4, you’ll love what the Miles Morales-themed sequel has to offer, although it’s closer in scope to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy than to a brand new game with a relatively short campaign.
