The PlayStation 5 is having a massive autumn, with a PS5 Pro console on the way and Astro Bot in the rearview mirror. While the rest of 2024 is looking a little light for Sony’s first-party lineup, there are still lots of games to catch up on or revisit on the platform. Here are the best PlayStation 5 exclusives, ranked from worst to best.
10. Demon’s Souls
Coming in at our number 10 spot is Bluepoint’s epic remake of Demon’s Souls. Originally released way back in February 2009 for the PlayStation 3, this now-legendary title kicked off the Soulslike subgenre of action RPGs now famed for recent installments like Elden Ring. For fans of the genre looking for a crash course on its history, or folks looking to get into it for the first time, there’s no better place to start than here.
The 2020 remake of Demon’s Souls launched with the PlayStation 5 and was one of the first titles to truly tap into the console’s capabilities. The core gameplay is still intact with this remake, but an added layer of polish makes this version the definitive way to play the title. And that’s yet to mention the graphical updates here. Demon’s Souls was rebuilt from the ground up for the PlayStation 5, and it shows with stunning visuals. For these reasons and all that made the original a classic, Demon’s Souls is a worthy addition to any PS5 player’s game library.
9. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Here we have another remake of a classic game that gets an absolutely incredible overhaul on the PlayStation 5. When Final Fantasy VII Remake was released back in 2020, it was one of the most hyped video games of all time. And yet, it delivered. It’s no easy task to live up to the legacy of one of the best games ever made, but somehow FF7 Remake manages. Final Fantasy VII Remake overhauls the gameplay and changes the structure of the original game, while still keeping much of the character and narrative that made this a seminal RPG intact.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade improves on what was already the definitive way to play the game, with even more content and visual spectacle. This “expanded and enhanced” version of the title allows players to choose between 4K visuals or buttery smooth 60fps gameplay and adds an all-new feel to combat with the PS5’s DualSense controller. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade also packages in the FF7R Episode INTERmission expansion, which includes new story content and features sections with Yuffie as a playable character.
8. Sackboy: A Big Adventure
While PlayStation has become best known for epic single-player experiences, the platform can still be fun for the whole family. Nowhere is that truer than in Sackboy: A Big Adventure. This title takes the aesthetic, characters, and world of Little Big Planet and tells a heartwarming story with adorable visuals.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a 3D platformer with a surprising amount of depth. The game has tons of adorable costumes and collectibles, with tons of customization on offer that allows you to create your own character.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is also a must-play for its brilliant use of music. The game not only has its own catchy soundtrack but also features some incredible levels where platforms and enemies are synched to some great hit songs.
Related: The PS5 Pro’s Biggest Problem Is That It Exists
7. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is also an incredible 3D platformer, albeit far less traditional than games like Astro Bot or Sackboy on PlayStation 5. This Insomniac title is the developer’s first return to their iconic PS2 mascot after their incredible Spider-Man games. In the most advanced Ratchet and Clank game yet, Insomniac gets creative with the PS5 hardware and controller, while still keeping the charm the franchise had back in the 2000s.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart features the whacky weapons and collectibles fans would expect from the franchise, but the DualSense controller adds new layers to these classic mechanics. Some weapons have alternate fire modes that are activated by pulling the triggers past a certain resistance threshold. The controller’s haptic feedback also makes collecting bolts more satisfying than ever.
This title sees Ratchet and Clank hopping through multiverses and dimensions seamlessly thanks to the PlayStation 5’s SSD, with new lovable playable characters and weapons that are a blast to use. But while it is certainly the most innovative and ambitious of the series, Rift Apart will still appeal to fans of the classic Ratchet and Clank games while remaining an excellent entry point for new players.
6. The Last Of Us Part I
While PlayStation was criticized for releasing yet another version of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic drama, the final product speaks for itself. This PS5-native version of The Last Of Us is the definitive way to play one of the best games of all time. The story that made fans fall in love with Joel and Ellie is better than ever thanks to improved fidelity and new character models which showcase more nuanced performances than ever before.
The game’s ruthless gameplay feels even more visceral than before too, thanks to improvements in graphics, sound, and the immersive features of the DualSense. For folks who have never played The Last Of Us before, The Last Of Us Part I is the best and most immersive way to experience this iconic story. For superfans, this package also has a lot to offer, with new collectible costumes, trophies, audio commentary, and a photo mode to take and share stylized screenshots of this gorgeous game.
5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Hype was high for a half-decade during the wait for the proper sequel to Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game. The iconic 2018 game set up the premise for an incredible sequel, which is exactly what fans got with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 delivers a return to an even larger New York City, adds more depth to the already iconic traversal, and improves upon combat. In this game, players bounce back and forth between Peter Parker and Miles Morales in main missions and the open world. There is plenty for both characters to do, and each feels distinct whether you’re playing as them in exclusive missions or general side content.
And the story of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one of the most epic stories ever told with these characters. Without getting into spoilers, the game sees Kraven the Hunter wreaking havoc throughout NYC as he seeks to hunt Venom and various other Spider-Man villains. The iconic Venom and the Symbiote suit deliver in narrative and gameplay, and giving Miles Morales and MJ such impactful roles in this story makes for one of the best Spidey stories ever spun.
Outside of the Spider-Man suit, Peter Parker has more depth than ever as his relationships with his best friend, Harry Osborn, and his partner, Mary Jane Watson, become more complicated than ever.
4. Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales
It is incredibly hard to pick between Insomniac’s Spider-Man games, as each plays similarly but offers a unique tone. Maybe it’s part nostalgia, but Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales is still the Spider-Man game that resonates the most in the series.
Focusing almost exclusively on Miles Morales, this game pairs down in scope and focuses more intimately on the world and civilian characters of Marvel’s New York. The result is a touching coming-of-age tale about a young man finding his strength and courage, set along the backdrop of a gorgeous snowy New York Christmas.
Miles plays a little differently than Peter as well, with unique electric “Venom” abilities that make excellent use of the DualSense for a new feel when playing as Spider-Man. In addition, it also has a lovely collection of side content that focuses on building and aiding community, and has lots of adorable collectibles to find. The Bodega Cat costume alone makes going after the Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales Platinum trophy more than worth it.
As an added bonus, the Ultimate Edition also comes with Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered.
Related: Best Games Like Astro Bot on PlayStation 5
3. God of War: Ragnarok
God of War (2018) is seen by many as one of, if not the, best games of all time. As such, it should be no surprise that this follow-up is one of the greatest games on PlayStation 5. While it doesn’t take as full advantage of the hardware as some other games on the list due to its cross-generation launch, God of War: Ragnarok is still a worthy sequel.
This game is absolutely stunning and only refines and adds to the combat and world which made players become obsessed with Kratos and his boy Atreus in the late 2010s. God of War: Ragnarok might be more of the same for some players, but with a foundation as solid as God of War (2018), that can be a great thing. Still, Ragnarok ups the scale and adds new options in combat, which makes for an even more epic journey than its predecessor.
2. Returnal
Our runner-up game here is a sleeper pick that deserves more recognition. Returnal takes the roguelike trend that’s popped up in games lately and does it with the level of polish and scale that folks have come to expect from PlayStation Studios’ games. Returnal’s runs are absolutely addicting and take the arcade stylings of developer Housemarque’s bullet hell games and puts it into a third-person perspective.
Returnal has incredible action and is just dripping with atmosphere. Every one of its alien worlds is breathtakingly gorgeous and varied, even if the game’s wicked-fast combat rarely lets you stop and smell the roses.
On top of that, Returnal has a shockingly profound story, which explores themes of grief and legacy with more depth than one would initially expect from a game of its ilk. Pair that with some PT-inspired sequences that put the player in first-person within protagonist Selene’s childhood home, and you have one of the most surreal games you can play, not just on the PlayStation 5 but any console period.
For added replayability, Returnal has since received a massive tower full of challenges for players to climb, as well as online co-op support. With all that said, Returnal is a blast to play and has a great narrative with a mind-bending sci-fi/horror journey.
1. Astro Bot
While some may say its too early to call, Astro Bot is likely to be the defining game of the PlayStation 5. With this instant classic, developer Team Asobi has crafted an essential 3D platformer that harkens back to a simpler time in gaming, while still providing all-new experiences that leverage the PS5 and its DualSense Controller to their fullest. Astro Bot is a game that can spark joy in anybody but will especially be loved by PlayStation fans for its countless delightful references and easter eggs to the company’s long legacy of iconic characters and games.
Despite its cutesy characters, Astro Bot has a grand adventure with hundreds of collectibles and over a dozen hours of addictive, wholesome gameplay that will keep you guessing what new feature it will introduce next.
Published: Sep 30, 2024 03:46 pm