The PlayStation 5 has had a couple of years to settle in, and now has quite a roster of superb games for you to explore, although it’s still bafflingly challenging to find it in stock.
It already has a genuinely astonishing catalogue of titles for you to try out, between true next-gen experiences and some of the highlights of the last generation running better than ever before. We’ve gathered the very best for you, right here, but if you’re looking for a specific genre you can find it linked in the table right here.
For
- Jaw-dropping world Amazing combat So much to discover
Against
- Can still be so difficult
An unbelievable achievement that successfully blends open-world design and discovery with the deep and rewarding combat of the Souls series, Elden Ring was long-awaited and arrived as one of the best-reviewed games in history, with good reason.
It offers up stunning sights around every corner, ridiculously inventive enemies and countless ways to build a character to face them down, as well as some of FromSoftware’s most devious bosses ever. This is a true treat.
Smooth combat Gorgeous direction Huge amounts to do
Doesn’t feel very new Story rushes to a close
Building on 2018’s God of War in some genius ways, Ragnarök is an unbelievable achievement that looks and plays like a true stunner on PlayStation 5, including the option for native 4K resolution. It has a truly massive sense of scale but retains the intimate approach to storytelling that made the last game so engaging.
You’ll again play as Kratos, as he takes on a new set of challenges and grapples with what it means to be a father - all against the backdrop of the endgame of Norse mythology, with giants and gods vying for supremacy. Combat is more fluid than ever, but still crunchingly impactful.
Beautiful world Loads to explore Well-told story
Holds your hand too much
The sequel to one of the PS4’s most-loved games, Forbidden West takes its hero Aloy out of her home territories on a sprawling journey to try to save her world from a choking plague that’s curtailing its flora and fauna.
It looks simply breathtaking, easily one of the most visually impressive console games ever released, and has more of the first game’s impressive free-form combat against a wide variety of robotic foes. You’ll trip them and trap them, and look amazing doing it.
Stunning visuals Amazing sense of progression Superb sound design
Major difficulty challenge
It might be a remake, but this is an unbelievable update to the FromSoftware game that started the Soulslike genre off - a fantastical world peopled by terrifying and dangerous opponents that you must explore oh-so-carefully.
The visuals are astonishing, and anyone who played the original knows to expect some of the most memorable locations and battles in all of gaming. Demon’s Souls is a treat for new PS5 owners.
Amazing upgraded performance Devastating story Supreme stealth gameplay
Can be a little too confronting for some
A swan song for the PlayStation 4, The Last of Us Part 2 is a masterpiece of storytelling and gut-churning action, and we loved every minute of it on the PS4. Our console, though, seemed to hate it, running the hottest and loudest we ever saw it.
If you want to try Naughty Dog’s latest effort without a console’s fans drowning out the sound, get it running on your PS5 and you’ll have a way smoother and more enjoyable experience, trust us.
Beautiful version of New York Amazingly smooth gameplay Great web-slinging
Quite a short game
The first Spider-Man game from Insomniac was an absolute blast, and we’ve got a quick follow-up in the form of Miles Morales, taking on the suit and bringing his own new set of powers to the party.
The visuals are amped up and look simply stunning, while the textbook swinging-and-fighting action is just as fun as last time out, and that’s a heck of a good thing.
Incredible writing Amazing world-building Fun art style
Pretty wordy Some might find it slow
Perhaps the most astonishingly well-written RPG we’ve ever played, Disco Elysium is a superb detective game that’ll have you gasping with delight at the audacity of its writing and voice acting. You’re free to play however you want, far more so than in more mainstream games, and some of the niche outcomes this can lead to are genuinely breathtaking.
It’s got a unique art style and superb voice acting, and really has to be played more than once so that you can adequately start to understand just how ambitious it really is.
Brilliant tactical fights Fun relationship-building Engaging story
Slow to get going Enemy variety is a tad lacking
Another superb Marvel game, this one is much more tactical, seeing you take leadership over a motley crew of famous and lesser-known heroes to defeat the evil witch Lilith.
Midnight Suns is a brilliant good time, with bite-sized moreish missions and a load of relationship-building exploration to do outside of those adventures.
Incredible visuals and audio Really scary, consistently Great open level design
Familiar to uber-fans
This remake feels like it was cooked up in a lab by experts - it’s an almost perfect tribute to a historically-excellent game that drags it twitching into the newest generation of console hardware.
The visuals and audio design are class-leading, the story is a well-told bit of fun schlock, and it comes together into a highly stressful, totally thrilling horror experience.
Fun emergent shooting Nicely woven story Engaging multiplayer ambushes
Slightly too much handholding from tips
Deathloop is genius - a shooter wrapped in a puzzle fueled by a time loop, it has you figuring out how to break the loop by killing a set of targets before it can reset. That’ll make you explore a set of intricate levels across different time periods to figure out how you can get them all in one go.
It’s amazingly free-form, and reacts to your actions beautifully to create an incredibly intuitive set of gameplay options. Even better, you can drop into other players’ games to derail their efforts in madcap multiplayer duels.
How to choose your next PS5 game
If you haven’t played many of the games on this list, you might be stumped on how to pick the right one for you. Here are some handy questions to help you narrow things down a bit!
Do you want to play with friends or alone?
When you get a new game, you might be looking for something to sink into on your own for hours at a time, exploring a world and meeting new characters. Equally, you might be looking for a game that you can play online with your friends, to enjoy the wonders of modern gaming together. Have a think about this before you choose your game, and check out whether it has any online modes if you do feel like playing with mates.
Do you want a shooter?
Some people love shooters, whether they’re first-person or third-person in nature, but it’s a pretty divisive area, so if you’re particularly keen on either shooting enemies or not doing so, that’s something to bear in mind as you run through our list of the best games out there.
How important is the story for you?
If you want a seriously great story to run through, and that’s actually your top priority, there are a few games on our list that might stand out as great options - rather than others that are more focused on gameplay and mechanics. This could help you to ensure that you have a more rewarding time with whatever game you end up choosing.
Does difficulty matter?
Finally, another factor that should play into your choice comes down to difficulty - some games are harder than others, unavoidably, but a few on this list are standouts for their levels of challenge, in particular Demon’s Souls and Returnal. If you’re looking for a more relaxing time that doesn’t require you to fine-tune your skills and learn obsessively, you might want to steer clear of them both for now!
