Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment
As wild as it sounds, the PlayStation 5 has been on the market for nearly six years at the time of this writing, launching in time for the 2020 holiday season. Since then, the PS5 has destroyed the Xbox Series X|S as it continues to maintain Sony’s strong position. The console brings several impressive technical innovations to the industry, including games that utilize its ray tracing feature, while others are optimized for the PlayStation 5 Pro. Many of Sony’s biggest gaming properties have released new titles for the PS5 while the console has also seen the debut of some new fan-favorites.
With all that in mind, we’ve gathered the greatest games that are currently available for the PlayStation 5. For the purposes of this list, we’re putting a strong emphasis on PS5 exclusive titles, though there are several notable multiplatform games included here. We’re also avoiding games that received enhanced remasters on the PS5 from their initial PlayStation 4 versions. These are the 10 best PS5 games so far, each showcasing what the Sony console is capable of.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Before they took the reins on games starring Marvel superheroes like Spider-Man and Wolverine, Insomniac Games created the “Ratchet & Clank” series. A Playstation staple since the PS2, the franchise’s latest entry is “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart,” which debuted in 2021. The game opens with the titular duo battling the mad scientist Doctor Nefarious once again, with their feud spilling out into alternate dimensions. The game also introduces another Lombax and robot pair in Rivet and Kit, who feature similar mechanics as the returning heroes.
The developers of “Ratchet & Clank: Drift Apart” made the bold claim that it would be one of the best-looking games at the time of its launch, and they were right. The game is an absolute marvel to look at and handles the series’ usual explosive action seamlessly as Ratchet and Clank blast through enemies. More than just its presentation, the game’s core mechanic of flitting through interdimensional portals keeps players on their toes and reinvents the combat system. Proof that Insomniac’s franchise still has plenty of life 20 years since its launch, “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” is a vibrantly space-bending ride.
Horizon Forbidden West
Guerilla Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Guerrilla Games created one of the best PS4 games with “Horizon Zero Dawn” and the post-apocalyptic adventure game got a direct sequel with “Horizon Forbidden West.” The 2022 game has returning protagonist Aloy investigating a contagion in the western regions of North America. Retaining the third-person gameplay from its predecessor, “Forbidden West” has Aloy continue to evade and battle animalistic machines that prowl the untamed wilderness. The game also expands on Aloy’s navigational abilities and the capabilities of the weapons that she can find and upgrade via a crafting system.
Upon its launch, many critics praised “Horizon Forbidden West” as a worthy follow-up to the original 2017 game. The game’s open-world environment and wealth of features, like its side quests to complete, were regarded as a noticeable scale-up from the preceding title. The game’s major combat sequences are also more ambitious than the first game, while making the fighting more expansive and intuitive. A triumphant sequel, “Horizon Forbidden West” continues the winning streak enjoyed by Guerrilla Games and its hit franchise.
Gran Turismo 7
Polyphony Digital/Sony Interactive Entertainment
“Gran Turismo” holds an extensive legacy for PlayStation consoles, dating back to the original 1997 game for the PS1. The series’ latest installment, “Gran Turismo 7,” continues this high-octane tradition and is one of the most impressive looking racing games of the generation. The game features a wealth of gameplay modes, including the return of a single-player campaign and the usual arcade and online multiplayer options. The title also features hundreds of vehicles for players to choose from, along with over 100 racetrack layout variations.
With versions released simultaneously for the PS4 and PS5, “Gran Turismo 7” really does need to be played on the more advanced console. The game takes advantage of different aspects on the console’s superior hardware, including the ability to run at 4K resolution, noticeable ray tracing effects, and DualSense controller inputs.
Though the game does prominently feature the sadly inevitable microtransactions to unlock additional elements, there is enough available beyond this to earn it a space here. The best PS5 racing game to date, by a considerable margin, “Gran Turismo 7” continues the series’ strong history on PlayStation consoles.
God of War Ragnarök
Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment
The “God of War” franchise found its second wind with a 2018 PlayStation 4 game that brought Kratos to Scandinavia and gave him a son. This narrative continued with 2022’s “God of War Ragnarök,” as Kratos and his son Atreus scrambled to stop the foretold apocalypse from destroying the world. This places the duo against Odin, who has his own plan involving Atreus to prevent the cataclysmic event. Along the way, Kratos and his son grow closer while learning more about Atreus’ late mother, Faye, and her own divine heritage.
Early reactions to “God of War Ragnarök” labeled the experience a satisfying continuation of the 2018 game, improving upon its foundations in virtually every aspect. The scope had increased, the technical presentation took full advantage of the PS5 hardware, and combat mechanics were noticeably refined. Narratively, the game is an effectively emotional tale about family; not just between Kratos and Atreus, but also the Norse pantheon of gods shaping their journey. Another major step in the stunning transformation of “God of War,” “Ragnarök” is a thunderous installment in the long-running series.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment
One of the most notable launch games for the PlayStation 5 was “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales,” but its 2023 follow-up, “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2,” completely blew it out of the water. Tying together the story and gameplay from “Miles Morales” and the 2018 original game, Peter Parker and Miles find New York invaded by Kraven the Hunter and his private army.
This escalating conflict is juxtaposed by the return of Peter’s best friend, Harry Osborn, who is secretly treating his terminal condition with the Venom symbiote. Things grow out of control when the true nature of the symbiote is revealed after it bonds with Peter. Meanwhile, Kraven intensifies his targeting of the Spider-Men.
Simply put, “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” is a web-slinging masterpiece, and one of the greatest superhero games ever made. The game expands the open-world map beyond Manhattan to include parts of Brooklyn and Queens while letting players alternate between Peter and Miles. The two playable characters each have their own movesets and abilities that grow more distinct from each other as the story progresses, keeping the experience fresh. Providing an epic story, including a whole host of iconic supervillains, “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” takes its series to incredible new heights.
Astro Bot
Team Asobi/Sony Interactive Entertainment
After the 2020 game “Astro’s Playroom” showcased what the PlayStation 5 hardware was capable of, its 2024 follow-up “Astro Bot” became a platforming epic. The game has Astro and his friends piloting a spaceship resembling a massive PS5 through the cosmos, only to be attacked by a hostile alien. Astro sets out exploring various solar systems to rescue his friends, many of whom are designed after classic PlayStation games, while repairing their spaceship. To aid with this, Astro can receive temporary power-ups that feature different input mechanics based on the PS5 DualSense controller’s capabilities.
“Astro Bot” is one of the best platforming games in years, with lush environments and tight mechanics to reward players of all ages. This extends to challenge levels that will really put gamers to the test, but not too difficult that they completely disenfranchise players from the experience. But more than just providing prestige platforming, the game is a full-on celebration of the PlayStation legacy, including levels based on the franchises that made that legacy what it is. A complete joy that revives the nostalgia gamers feel for even the forgotten Playstation titles granted cameos here, “Astro Bot” is a game that only the PS5 could deliver.
Helldivers II
Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony has its own popular extraction shooter title in “Helldivers II,” which started as a console-exclusive title on the PS5 in 2024. The game series takes place in a future where the Federation of Super Earth extends its satirical brand of “democracy” across the cosmos. In teams of up to three, players control orbital shock troopers who are deployed to different planets on various missions. After battling enemies ranging from rogue androids to the dark and terrifying Terminids, teams extract from the respective combat areas via a summoned dropship.
In a time when live-service games are facing a precarious future, as with “Battlefield 6” losing 90% of its playerbase, “Helldivers II” holds relatively strong. This comes in the face of its own concurrent user drop, but developer Arrowhead Game Studios continually supports the title with solid new content and an evolving mythos. Also, the game is incredibly fun to play both alone or with a team, each bringing its own brand of chaos to the sci-fi shooter proceedings. One of the most fun online games to grace a PlayStation, “Helldivers II” is joyfully easy to pick up and play whenever gamers get a spare moment for a mission.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Square Enix
“Final Fantasy VII Remake” was one of the games that heralded the end of PlayStation 4 era, released in the console’s final months before the PS5 launch. After four years, the remake trilogy continued with its middle installment, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth,” in 2024, which was a PS5-exclusive for nearly an entire year. “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” is a much bigger game than expected, as Cloud Strife and his friends prepare for a rematch against the villainous Sephiroth. As this small party moves to save the planet, they discover that their many fates, stemming from divergent timelines, are colliding around the destined battle.
Early previews for “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” lauded the game for going bigger and better than its already impressive 2020 predecessor. Right from the first moments when players venture into the grasslands, they’ll find a much more immersive experience than the linearly preceding game, now with loads of side quests and minigames. The game’s combat mechanics have been expanded and revamped as well, taking better advantage of the teamwork and individual character traits present in the title. One of the greatest entries in the entire series, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” is an all-around level up for the franchise.
Silent Hill 2 (2024)
Konami
Once one of Konami’s biggest gaming properties, “Silent Hill” underwent a rise and fall arc that left the franchise largely dormant in 2012. In 2024, the series went back to its greatest installment, “Silent Hill 2,” for its revival. Developed by acclaimed horror studio Bloober Team, the “Silent Hill 2” remake recreates the story of James Sunderland visiting the titular town after receiving a letter from his late wife. Gradually discovering that the town reflects the trauma and inner demons of its visitors, James ventures deeper into the haunted community to learn about his own disturbing past.
The 2024 version of “Silent Hill 2” is faithful to the 2001 source material and was console-exclusive on the PS5 for over a year. In Bloober Team’s hands, the titular town is richly realized on modern hardware, with the atmosphere heightened as James ventures into increasingly dark and gloomy environments. There were a lot of things that the “Silent Hill 2” remake needed to get right, and the game far exceeded those expectations. As a result, the “Silent Hill” franchise has been completely reinvigorated, driven by an excellent reinvention of its most notable story.
Ghost of Yōtei
Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Another game that wrapped the PS4 era was 2020’s “Ghost of Tsushima,” an open-world action experience that took players across feudal Japan. This was followed five years later by the standalone sequel “Ghost of Yōtei,” set over 300 years after the previous story. The game follows new protagonist Atsu who barely survives an attack that wipes out the rest of her family. Becoming a hardened mercenary, Atsu sets out to avenge her family’s honor by hunting down those responsible for the massacre.
“Ghost of Tsushima” was one of the best-looking games on the PS4 and “Ghost of Yōtei” continues its tradition of a sumptuously rendered Japan. Beyond the presentation, the combat mechanics have been noticeably refined since the 2020 game while the open-world environment is impressively feature-rich. Expanding on the nonlinearity of the experience, Atsu can choose how she wants to proceed with her hunt, rather than taking on most of her targets in a predetermined order. One of the greatest open-world titles on the console, “Ghost of Yōtei” successfully lives up to the high bar set by its predecessor.