Sony pc games list. Best free PlayStation 4 games in 2023

How to Play PlayStation 4 Games on a PC

Nick Steinberg has been writing about technology since 2014. His work has appeared in Goliath, Screen Rant, TechRadar, and many more publications.

What to Know

  • You can play PlayStation 4 games on a PC using Remote Play or Playstation Plus Premium.
  • Using Remote Play App: On PlayStation 4, go to Settings Remote Play Connection Settings Enable Remote Play.
  • Playstation Plus App: Sign into PSN account, connect a controller, and select a game from the list.

Sony has ported many of its first-party Playstation 4 games over to PCS in recent years, but there are still many titles that haven’t made the jump. To access your full PlayStation 4 games library on a PC, you can use the Remote Play feature to stream games from your PlayStation 4 to a PC. If you don’t own a PlayStation 4 or PS5, you can also use Sony’s Playstation Plus Premium service to stream select titles on your PC.

Requirements for Playing Playstation 4 Games on a Windows PC or Mac

If you already own a PlayStation 4 or PS5 console, the easiest way to play PlayStation 4 games on your PC is with Sony’s Remote Play app.

To use Remote Play on your computer, you’ll need:

  • A PlayStation 4 console
  • Wireless controller (DualShock 4 recommended)
  • USB wireless adaptor or USB cable
  • High-speed internet connection with at least 15 megabits per second (Mbps) upload and download speed (recommended)

Additionally, you’ll need to meet the following system requirements to run PlayStation 4 Remote Play:

Windows PC

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11
  • 7th Generation Intel Core processors or later
  • At least 100MB of available storage
  • At least 2GB of RAM
  • 1024 x 768 or higher display resolution
  • Sound card
  • USB port

Mac

  • macOS High Sierra or later
  • At least 40MB of available storage
  • At least 2GB of RAM
  • USB port (optional)

How to Play Playstation 4 Games on a Windows PC or Mac

Once you’ve met the above criteria, follow these steps to install the PlayStation 4 Remote Play software on your PC:

  • Head over to the official PS Remote Play website and select Control your PlayStation 4 console from a Windows PC from the list of options.

Scroll down and click Download. Make sure you also agree to the license agreement and privacy policy by checking the box.

Once installation is complete, click Sign In to PSN and enter your login credentials.

At this point in the process, you’ll need to set up Remote Play on your PlayStation 4 before you can connect using the PC app.

How to Start PlayStation 4 Remote Play

Once you’ve installed Remote Play on your Windows PC or Mac, the next step is to configure your PlayStation 4 console. You’ll also need to set your console as your Primary PlayStation 4 in order to use Remote Play outside of your home network.

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  • Turn on your PlayStation 4 console and open Settings Remote Play Connection Settings.

Turn on Enable Remote Play.

Return to Settings and select Account Management.

Select Activate as Your Primary PlayStation 4.

Select Activate.

Return to Settings again and select Power Save Settings.

Select Set Features Available in Rest Mode.

Check the boxes for Stay Connected to the Internet and Enable Turning on PlayStation 4 from Network. This way, you’ll be able to start Remote Play while your PlayStation 4 is in Rest Mode.

Configuring the PC Remote Play App

Once you’ve finished setting up your PlayStation 4, launch the PC Remote Play app on your PC and do the following:

  • Log in to your PSN account and select PlayStation 4.

The app will search for your PlayStation 4 and connect automatically. Once connected, you should see your PlayStation 4 console displayed on your PC.

If your PC is on the same network as your PlayStation 4, you can use Remote Play without having to activate your console as your Primary PlayStation 4 by selecting Link Manually in the Remote Play PC app.

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How to Play Playstation Plus Premium Games on a Windows PC

If you don’t own a PlayStation 4, you can stream hundreds of PlayStation 4, PS3, and other classic Playstation games on a Windows PC using Sony’s Playstation Plus service. This functionality used to be available through Playstation Now Cloud gaming, but this service was rolled into the Playstation Plus Premium tier in June 2022.

You’ll need to be subscribed to Playstation Plus Premium in order to play the service’s games on your Windows PC. While you can still download and use the PC app with an Essential or Extra tier membership, an active Premium membership is required to launch and play games.

Before you download Playstation Plus for PC, be aware of the following conditions:

  • You need an active Playstation Plus Premium subscription.
  • The Playstation Plus app is only available for a Windows PC. It doesn’t offer support for the Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android.
  • Gameplay is streaming only; you cannot download games.
  • PS5 titles are unavailable.
  • Only DualShock 3 and 4 controllers are supported.

Here’s how to access Playstation Plus Premium on a Windows PC:

  • Navigate to Playstations’s PS Plus PC site and click Download Playstation Plus app.

Follow the installation guide, launch the app, and click Already have a Sony account? Sign in now.

After signing in, select a game from the list.

Click Start under the game artwork.

Playing PlayStation 4 games on the PS5 is easy because of the PS5’s backward compatibility. If you own the game digitally, select it from the Playstation 5 game hub. Otherwise, insert the PlayStation 4 game disc into the PS5 console and begin playing.

Sony says that an overwhelming majority of its 4,000-plus PlayStation 4 games are playable on the Playstation 5. All PlayStation 4 digital games you’ve purchased in the past are available in your games library via the Playstation Store.

To remote play PlayStation 4 games on an Android or iOS device, first, enable Remote Play in your PlayStation 4 connection settings. Next, download the PlayStation 4 Remote Play app from the Google Play Store or the App Store. Launch the app, tap Start, and log into your account.

Best free PlayStation 4 games in 2023

The best free PlayStation 4 games are here whenever you have a need for a new game but a lack of cash to spend. And these are permanently free titles too, so you don’t have to worry about monthly time limits like with Playstation Plus

While the free games you get each month with Sony’s subscription service are excellent, you get a random selection every month. The games in these lists are permanently free-to-play (excluding some optional premium purchases), so are perfect for dipping your toe into certain genres, or if you want something to play while saving money to save up for a PS5.

Take a look at our top picks below, and also our selection of the best PlayStation 4 games overall too if you want more ideas and don’t mind coughing up a little dough.

Splitgate

You know how an FPS works, but how does it change when you can create portals to teleport around the map? You can find out by playing Splitgate, which offers a robust free-to-play option.

Across one of twenty maps, you’ll have to think fast to make shots (and avoid them) from multiple unexpected angles and seize victory. The game boasts 15 different game modes, so you shouldn’t get board of portal-enhanced gunfights too soon. But if you do, or you fancy something more casually fun, there are custom, cross-platform lobbies to be made where you can mess around with weird custom game settings to your heart’s content.

You Are Being Followed

If you have a PSVR headset, then you can try this virtual reality short about a blind woman and her guide dog. It’s based on a BAFTA Young Game Designers award winner, which should give you a good idea of the themes and tone-heavy design of this experience.

Since your main character can’t see, the game relies a lot on sound. There are still visuals though, meaning the VR headset is definitely needed. It’s a great shame if you don’t have one, since it’s not like any of the other best free PlayStation 4 games on this list.

Fantasy Strike

For an entry price of zero dollars, you can play Fantasy Strike, an easy-to-learn fighting game online in casual or ranked matches, or against the AI offline. If you want access to the rest of the modes, it’s 15.

What you do get however is all the game’s characters unlocked from the start. None of them use special inputs; all their fanciest attacks are bound to simple button presses. All you therefore need to do is FOCUS on learning the strategy of moving through the 2D arena, and figuring out the best way to defeat each of the different playable fighters.

This game is still competitive online however. Don’t mistake the simple mechanics of this best free PlayStation 4 games guide member for a mindless game!

Rogue Company

Sure, Rogue Company is another competitive shooter with optional microtransactions, but it still has a place on this best free PlayStation 4 games list because you can get started with the 4v4 objective-based battles for zero dollars.

You’ll begin a match by skydiving in, but once you’re on the ground, there are a couple of things you might be faced with. There will either be a bomb, which you may be tasked with either planting or preventing from being planted, or a series of control points you’ll need to capture.

Once that’s over, the next round will begin, with the chance for you to spend money you’ve earned that match for various mini-objectives on better guns and new ability upgrades.

Spellbreak

Forget your guns but bring your magical gauntlets for battle royale Spellbreak. While it’s a smaller scale fight than you might be used to, there is depth to be found thanks to six different battlemage classes and customizable load-outs for unique magical attacks, plus the usual power-ups to battle over around the map.

The game boasts a fully realized crossplay system, so you can play and make progress on a single account on any of your other current-generation gaming platforms, or just play with friends who don’t own the same console. What’s more exciting is the promised content that Spellbreak has in store for the future. You can expect this one of our best free PlayStation 4 games picks to gain more play modes, locations and backstory to be filled in throughout the game’s life, according to the developers’ promises.

Download Spellbreak from the Playstation Store

Genshin Impact

The Seven gods of Tevyat hold many secrets. Having woken up in this new world with no knowledge of it, and separated from your brother or sister, the answers to your predicament must be in their hands.

You’ll have to travel around Tevyat to find these deities, with your weapon of choice being the seven magical elements that the gods represent. You’ll also be able to traverse the landscape freely by land, water and air as the weather above you dynamically changes. Plus you can join up with up to three others to form a squad of adventurers.

This is the best free PlayStation 4 games list‘s answer to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it does a good job of it. So if you’re looking for an RPG with a FOCUS on exploration and magical combat that also happens to be free, then you really should take a look at this one.

Call of Duty: Warzone

You don’t need to have another CoD game on your PlayStation 4 to access Warzone, the franchise’s take on the battle royale genre. When you boot up the game and dive out of the plane into the game map, you’ll find yourself in a 150-player battle, on a huge island made of components taken from classic maps from the franchise. And when you take a fatal hit, you have a second chance in the form of the Gulag, a 1v1 match in a cramped environment against another player looking for a free rez.

Overall, there’s plenty that this member of the best free PlayStation 4 games guide offers, enough to maybe convince a Fortnite or PUBG fan to try a different game for once.

Smite

Most MOBA games place you as an aerial observer of the battlefield, but Smite puts you right behind your chosen character, who will be one of hundreds of gods from pantheons around the world. You stride, pounce or fly into battle against opposing heroes and their minions to destroy their Titan and win the match, taking out towers along the way.

Smite is easy to pick up thanks to automatic settings for leveling your character’s abilities up and buying key items. but there’s plenty of depth and tactical enjoyment too once you turn off these settings, and look around the enormous 108 character roster for your favorite champions in each role. This MOBA/third-person action game combo is a unique experience among the best free PlayStation 4 games, and one that might help fans of its mixed-up genres appreciate the other.

Download Smite from the Playstation Store

Mobile Suit Gundam: Battle Operation 2

You don’t need to have kept up with the enormous Gundam franchise of movies, TV shows and other games to enjoy this multiplayer game. Two teams of six head out onto the battlefield either on foot or in one of the series’ titular mechanical battle suits. This sequel also adds the option to leave the planet and fight in space, adding a whole new dimension to the fight.

Like many other best free PlayStation 4 games, you can unlock more and more content as you play, or pay with real money to unlock one of the 130 available mechas that takes your fancy straight away. The interactive lobby lets you meet up with other players to show off your collection, make upgrades and plan for the next battle. The developers are adding more and more content and holding special events too, so there’s always something new to check out.

Genesis

It’s hard to find a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) title on consoles, but Genesis wants to be the best free PlayStation 4 games equivalent of League of Legends and other massive titles that dwell on PC. You can pick one of 28 heroes to take into a 5v5 battle in a sci-fi themed maps with dynamically changing elements, either in traditional multiplayer, single-player or in a co-operative PvE campaign.

The game continues to grow over time to maintain your interest, allowing you to equip the champions with different items and weaponry. The inclusion of the PVE mode means you can learn to play or just chill out by fighting against AI opponents by yourself or with friends. The developers are also very open to discussing balance changes, which means you can hopefully change the game for the better if you really want to get involved.

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Download Genesis from the Playstation Store

Dauntless

If you like Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, then this is one of the best free PlayStation 4 games for you. Either alone or with up to three other companions, you will be tracking and defeating enormous beasts, then taking the loot you’ve gathered home to upgrade your gear. The world’s rendered in a charming cartoon-ish style too, making it a joy to behold as you look for your next target, which will be one of many unique Behemoth creatures.

Along with the standard mode, you can also try out Escalation, a series of five battles that continue to raise the stakes and the difficulty so you and your companions can truly prove your hunting skills. There are also weekly trails that add different modifiers to add a fresh twist to your encounters, in return for unique rewards.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends puts a fresh spin on the genre made popular by PUBG and Fortnite, offering tactical, team-based gameplay in which 20 squads of three battle to be the last team standing. Apex Legends stands out from the best free PlayStation 4 games pack by allowing you to choose from distinct characters each with their own abilities (a la Overwatch), creating endless possibilities for how you strategize with your team. The game’s brilliant ping system lets you mark locations, weapons and enemies for your teammates without saying a word, and the smooth movement and gunplay just feels great.- this is the team that delivered Titanfall, after all.

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT Free Edition

In a battle between Materia and Spiritus, the gods of protection and destruction, two teams of heroes from the Final Fantasy series must fight for them. In this free version, you can pick from a rotating selection of four fighters from the original roster and fight in online or offline bouts, swinging your weapons and casting spells in teams of three to take down your opponents. You can’t play the game’s story mode, but you can play online with people who have bought the game, and transfer your progress from the free version if you decide you enjoy it enough to buy the full experience.

Fortnite Battle Royale

Despite some serious competition from games like Apex Legends, Fortnite is still one of the best free PlayStation 4 games for a reason. This multiplayer shooter has 100 players parachute onto a battlefield and scavenge for weapons and supplies, then fight until there’s one person or team left standing. However, Battle Royale stands out by incorporating the base-building mechanics of the core Fortnite game, which adds an exciting wrinkle to the formula by letting you create traps and strongholds as you fight to survive.

Fortnite remains one of the biggest games out there thanks to constant updates and in-game events, from new skins and map changes to rebalanced weapons to live in-game concerts and even a whole fresh start in the form of Fortnite Chapter 2. Its colorful, whimsical art style also makes it a great battle royale starting point for younger players.

Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters

Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters lets you try one of the biggest fighting games out there, but in the form of one of the best free PlayStation 4 games. But this is no limited demo.- while you’ll be restricted to a handful of characters (which rotate out on a regular basis), you can still play the bulk of this frenetic 3D fighter’s modes, including training mode, online battles and a portion of the game’s story mode.

Dead or Alive 6 evolves the iconic fighting franchise with a new meter system that lets you unleash devastating Break attacks, as well as the Fatal Rush which allows you to perform combos with a single button. All of this looks great thanks to the most stunningly realistic graphics the series has seen yet. If you like what you play, you can purchase individual characters a la carte, or upgrade to the full game.

Download Dead or Alive 6: Core Fighters from the Playstation Store

Gwent

Remember Gwent, the card game from The Witcher 3 that you spent more time playing than you did tackling actual quests? That card game is now its own stand-alone experience, and one of the most addictive of the best free PlayStation 4 games we’ve listed. Building on the original Witcher 3 iteration, Gwent is a free-to-play collectible card game that’s all about customizing your deck, summoning all kinds of cool attacks and spells, and outsmarting your opponent.

Even if you’re not a fan of CD Projekt Red’s high-fantasy universe, Gwent is one of the best free PlayStation 4 games for anyone who wants an addicting card battler. You’ll need to position your cards carefully and play them wisely, otherwise you’ll find yourself winning by a mile in the first round and losing the second and third. There’s a choice of factions too to compliment your play style, meaning there’s plenty to explore.

Download Gwent from the Playstation Store

Brawlhalla

Brawlhalla is the closest you’ll come to playing Super Smash Bros. out of these best free PlayStation 4 games picks, though it’s more than a mere knockoff. This frenetic platform fighter features beautiful hand-drawn 2D art, a colorful cast of characters and a unique battle system that lets you pick up weapons to completely change your fighting style midmatch as you strive to knock your opponent off the stage.

The game supports everything from local, four-player party brawls to intense, one-on-one, competitive online matches, and you can experience it all for free. The only thing you’d have to pay for is permanent access to all of the game’s characters; otherwise, you can pick from a limited, rotating pool of fighters. Even if your friends don’t own a PlayStation 4, you can still play with them thanks to cross-play with the Xbox One, Switch and PC.

Paladins

It’s easy to pass off Paladins as a cheap Overwatch clone at first glance, but this team-based shooter has its own special quirks — and as its inclusion on the best free PlayStation 4 games list suggests, it costs nothing to play. Paladins stands out from the Hero-shooter crowd by letting you customize your character via collectible cards, adding an extra level of strategy to the game’s tried-and-true objective-based combat. You’ll either be capturing points, pushing payloads into your opponent’s base, or just defeating as many as you can in straight-up combat, enhanced by a blend of fantasy/sci-fi themes and designs.

With a rich fantasy aesthetic and an ever-growing roster of champions, Paladins is a great team shooter for folks who don’t want to pony up the cash for Overwatch or dive headfirst into the well-established community of Team Fortress 2 — or for those who need a break from either one.

Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is an online role-playing game that lets you live out every fantasy you’ve ever had about boldly going where no one has gone before, in the form of one of the best free PlayStation 4 games. To boil down our full Star Trek Online review, this sci-fi space adventure lets you play as a human, as a classic Star Trek alien such as a Vulcan and Cardassian, or even as a member of your own custom alien race.

You’ll engage in both starship combat and on-the-ground shoot-outs, all while upgrading your tech to become even more power and playing through a rich storyline that delivers plenty of new lore for hardcore Trekkies to sink their teeth into. While Star Trek Online lets you purchase in-game currency for things like outfits and ship skins, you can also experience the entirety of its story for free. There are expansion packs on offer too if you’d prefer to spend your money on extra content.

Warframe

Warframe has been around since the PlayStation 4’s launch, and it remains on the best free PlayStation 4 games list because it’s still evolving. This online sci-fi shooter casts you as a futuristic space ninja who commands their own Warframe: a remote-controlled robo-suit that has its own distinct attacks and abilities. You can team up with friends to tackle the game’s story missions or test your strength in competitive multiplayer, fighting across a Solar System of the far future.

Warframe is constantly getting new characters and content, such as customizable spaceships, open-world sections, cinematic quests and of course extra weapons. All this content makes this game a great pick for folks who want to loot and shoot their way through a bunch of cool-looking sci-fi worlds. It’s great if you’re community-minded too, with one of the busiest fanbases around and an annual fan expo too.

Rocket League

Rocket League is an easy game to wrap your head around, it’s soccer but with rocket-powered RC cars. But don’t be fooled by its simple core premise, it’s one of the most mechanically deep games on this list. However, even with such a high skill ceiling, it still manages to be extremely newcomer-friendly thanks to its pick-up and play nature.

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Originally launched as a paid game in 2015, in September 2020 Rocket League adopted a free-to-play model and now stands as one of the best free games on the PlayStation 4 (or any console for that matter). There are a variety of modes on offer, but the classic 3v3 matches are where you’ll likely gravitate too. Just be warned, once you’ve scored your first winning goal, you’re almost guaranteed to be hooked on Rocket League and might find yourself lacking the desire to play anything else for quite a while.

Fall Guys

A delightfully silly take on the battle royale genre, Fall Guys lets you dress up your adorable bean character and then compete in hilariously high-concept obstacle courses and devilishly tricky mini-games in an attempt to be the last one standing and win a coveted golden crown.

Fall Guys might have a colorful cartoon aesthetic but it’s nevertheless a surprisingly intense experience when it comes down to the final stages of a match. However, its joyful comedic streak ensures that even when you’re eliminated in an early round, you’ll be laughing at the ridiculousness of the events that lead to your demise. This helps to avoid some of the frustrations that come with the battle royale genre.

If you’d rather step into the blunderdome with friends by your side, Fall Guys also offers a co-op mode. And the development team regularly releases limited-time events and periodically adds new courses and mini-games into the mix in order to keep things fresh and interesting for players.

Best PS5 games 2023: top Playstation 5 titles to play right now

If you’ve been itching for something new to play then the best PS5 games are a great place to start. We’ve compiled all our top picks below to help break your boredom and enjoy a new experience.

The PS5 has been available for almost three years which means that its game library is now at its peak, as there’s a wealth of new titles and exciting titles of all genres to indulge in on the platform. Whether you’re into action games, shooters, racing titles, puzzlers, or something completely different, we’ve done the heavy lifting to give you this definitive overview of what the latest Playstation console can offer.

So whether you’re looking for a fast-paced shooter that pushes the console’s technical capabilities, a family-friendly adventure that showcases the DualSense controller’s innovative features, a simply stunning PS5 exclusive that will immerse you in its action, or something else entirely, you’ll find it here. Read on for the best PS5 games right now.

Best PS5 games

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FIFA 23

EA is now done with its ‘FIFA’ series of soccer sims, but FIFA 23 is a fitting swan song for the long-running franchise. Building on the foundations laid by its predecessor, FIFA 23 is arguably the most authentic soccer SIM you can play – and an impressive showcase of what the PS5 is capable of.

The addition of HyperMotion 2 technology in this entry makes players and their animations look Hyper-realistic while gameplay feels smoother and more authentic than ever. FIFA 23 is the breath of fresh air the franchise needed and the best sports game on PS5 right now.

Astro’s Playroom

Astro’s Playroom is the best pack-in game since Wii Sports, as it perfectly showcases what Sony’s new system can do. From the sumptuous, crystal clear 4K visuals, to the pleasing 3D audio, this is a gem of a platformer and it’s pre-installed on every PS5. It’s the way Astro’s Playroom shows off the DualSense controller, though, that really steals the show.

You’ll feel sensations that you didn’t know were possible before thanks to Sony’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers tech, such as what it feels like to walk along different surfaces or fire a Gatling gun. It’s a surreal, magical experience, and we recommend booting up Astro’s Playroom first before you play anything else. Better still, not only is it a genuinely top PS5 exclusive, it’s completely free. This is a must-play for those who want to see what the DualSense controller is really capable of.

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

Many RPG games claim to offer a spectrum of choice, but that usually boils down to doing a “good thing” or a “bad thing”. Washed-up cop simulator Disco Elysium doesn’t make things so simple.

Amnesiac from drug and alcohol abuse, your cop explores all the shades of gray in between what constitutes a pure or dark morality in his quest to solve the murder of a hanged man. The writing is exemplary throughout, pulling you into Disco Elysium’s vaguely European, vaguely post-communist city of Revachol, and the award-winning soundtrack is equally evocative. It’s not one for action fans – you’re primarily engaging in conversation-driven detective work here – but it’s roleplaying of the highest order, an RPG quite unlike any game you’ll have ever played. Disco Elysium: Final Cut is easily one of the best RPGs on PS5 right now.

Gran Turismo 7

Gran Turismo 7 restores the racing SIM franchise to its former greatness, fixing the lack of content and slightly underwhelming visuals in both GT6 and GT Sport. GT7 gets back to what the charming racing SIM does best: offering bags of content with sublime racing gameplay, all wrapped up in a wonderfully charming and inviting user experience that’s remarkably moreish.

GT7 is also a stunning showcase of PS5 tech, making arguably the best use of the DualSense Wireless Controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. You’ll feel every bump in the road, every screech around a corner, and every gear change as you maneuver around GT7’s litany of tracks. Pair this with lightning-quick load times and you end up with a beautifully seamless racing experience in GT7. You rarely wait longer than a few seconds to dive into – or retry – a racing activity. GT7 is a glorious return to form for the series and easily the best racing game to showcase the PS5’s capabilities.

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate

Mortal Kombat reigns as a king of the fighting game genre and Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate only cements that position. Combining Mortal Kombat 11, Kombat Pack 1, the Aftermath expansion, and Kombat Pack 2, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is the quintessential Mortal Kombat 11 experience. With two cinematic stories to play through, 37 fighters to get to grips with, and a bunch of new fatalities, stages, and brutalities to try out, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate offers hours of gruesome fun.

What’s more, on PS5 Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate benefits from 4K dynamic resolution, enhanced visuals, and drastically improved loading times (compared to its PlayStation 4 counterpart), so you won’t miss a second more of the action than you need to. This is the best fighting game on PS5 right now.

Resident Evil Village

Taking place a few years after the events of Resident Evil 7, Village sees protagonist Ethan exploring an Eastern European village in hopes of finding his kidnapped daughter – but the village residents are. less than welcoming.

action-focused than its predecessor, this sequel is visibly closer to the classic Resident Evil 4 in its moment-to-moment gameplay – but blends this with the survival horror elements that we love about older entries. Factor in a slew of quality-of-life improvements, a roster of memorable characters, a well-paced, gripping story, and superb utilization of in-game audio, and Resident Evil Village is a fantastic horror game. We think it’s definitely one of the best examples of how PS5 3D audio can enhance your gaming experience.

Returnal

As one of Sony’s biggest PS5 exclusives, Returnal is bound to draw in many gamers who maybe haven’t played a roguelike before, and therefore may find its punishing difficulty, ever-changing levels, and permadeath mechanic to be a real shock to the system. That said, after a few cycles within Returnal’s harsh alien world, they may also find it difficult to stop playing.

Returnal brings developer Housemarque’s signature ‘bullet hell’ approach to the roguelike genre, which means that you’ll never know what to expect when you enter a room, only that you will have to start over again from the beginning when you die. However, thanks to a tantalizing story and immersive gameplay, which take full advantage of PS5 3D Audio and the DualSense’s full range of features, you’ll likely keep returning for just one more run. If you want to see what the PS5 is capable of, Returnal is an experience you don’t want to miss.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is one of the most important exclusives here. This is a game that’s perfect for families thanks to its kid-friendly nature and four-player local co-op, and manages to go toe-to-toe with the critically acclaimed Super Mario 3D World.

It helps that Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a truly wonderful platformer, one that manages to avoid the common pitfalls that many developers fall into when designing games for younger audiences. Don’t sleep on this one as it’s one of the best PS5 platformers that you can play with friends and family.

Horizon Forbidden West

If you’re on the hunt for an open-world, narrative-driven adventure in your search for the best PS5 game for you, then look no further than Horizon Forbidden West. Developing and expanding on all that was great about Horizon Zero Dawn on PlayStation 4, Aloy’s next adventure is staggeringly beautiful, gripping, and filled with exciting rob-dinosaur action.

Many will say that it doesn’t change a whole lot from Zero Dawn, or break ground that much, but Forbidden absolutely is one of the best experiences you can get on PS5 right now. And absolutely do not skip the side quests, with some of the best we’ve played on PS5 (or any platform, for that matter) in recent years.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

A sequel that’s most akin to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in terms of scale, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales puts you in the Adidas-branded sneakers of the charismatic and rookie web-slinger, Miles. With Peter Parker off on holiday, it’s up to Miles to take over the stewardship of New York, and predictably, his first week on the job doesn’t go smoothly.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales delivers a blockbuster, cinematic experience that rivals Hollywood’s best. The game’s fidelity mode shows off the power of ray tracing (realistic reflections and lighting) and there’s a silky-smooth 60fps performance mode, too. Miles Morales’s debut is the best family-friendly action-adventure on PS5 right now – and definitely worth trying if you plan on playing the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok is the critically-acclaimed sequel to God of War (2018). Picking up several years after the events of its predecessor, this single-player epic once again follows Spartan Kratos and his son Atreus. But, this time, the pair are preparing for Ragnarok, a great battle that is prophesized to bring about the destruction of the Nine Realms.

Ragnarok will feel familiar to those who played God of War, but what really makes this sequel great is its emotive narrative, which shines in its subtler moments, while clever evolutions to combat introduce welcome changes that advance gameplay without oversaturating it. It’s a sequel that is often as brutal as it is poignant, making it easily the best mature open-world adventure on PS5 right now.

Best PS5 games: FAQs

What PS5 games are coming out soon?

There are a tonne of PS5 games coming out in 2023. Just a few of the most notable Playstation 5 games releasing in the coming months include Final Fantasy 16, Dead Island 2, Hogwarts Legacy, and Street Fighter 6.

For a full list of upcoming PS5 games and when they’re releasing, make sure to check out our new PS5 games roundup.

What games are way better on PS5?

A number of PlayStation 4 games have been enhanced for PS5, with some benefiting from improved frame rates and visuals that make them both look and play better than before. Just some PlayStation 4 games which have had PS5 improvements are God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us 2. But, don’t forget, most PlayStation 4 games will benefit on PS5 anyway thanks to significantly improved loading times.

How we made our best PS5 games list

Many of us at TechRadar Gaming play a lot of games on PS5 and have experience with dozens and dozens of the games on the platform. this means you can trust what we think make up the best PS5 games. From playing loads of individual PS5 games and committing hundreds of hours that span all genres, we’re well placed with game experience to recommend the best PS5 games to you.

TechRadar Gaming is the best place where gaming, tech, and culture meet and our writers and editors are passionate about all three. This means you can trust our lists, and know that we’ve put the hours, and thought. and excruciating decisions. into making these lists. We’ll also be constantly curating our choices for top PS5 games so keep it here if you want up-to-date recommendations.

PS5 exclusives release schedule (2023): Final Fantasy XVI, Spider-Man 2 more

Sony/Marvel

A lot of fantastic Playstation exclusives have already been released for the PS5 in 2023 and there’s a great lineup for the rest of the year and beyond. Here are all the upcoming exclusives coming to the console in the future.

Sony’s fifth-generation console, the PS5 has an exciting ever-expanding library of exclusives titles that take full advantage of its lightning-fast SSD and the DualSense controller features.

We’ve got a full list of every confirmed PS5 exclusive game that’s coming to the console in 2023 and beyond below.

Contents

PS5 has picked up where its predecessor left off in terms of exclusive games.

Upcoming PS5 exclusives

2023 is shaping up to be a huge year for Sony, with the announcement of titles like Final Fantasy XVI, Spider-Man 2, and more coming to the PS5. Below is a list of all the current and upcoming PS5 exclusives, along with any confirmed release dates we have so far.

Upcoming Playstation exclusives coming in 2023 and beyond

The 16th installment is shaping up to be equally as brilliant as the other Final Fantasy games.

Despite this installment being the 16th Final Fantasy game, this franchise never seems to dwindle or falter in its successes. Final Fantasy constantly impresses and from the looks of it, Final Fantasy 16 will be no different.

Featuring classic characters, the style many know and love, and equally fantastic weapons, this will be a game everyone should try out, even if it is only a timed exclusive.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is set to be a fantastic crossover.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

While Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) and its Miles Morales-based follow-up set a new Spiderverse in motion, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will see it expand in multiple ways. For one, it appears both Peter Parker and Miles will be playable, while Kraven and Venom will be the villains this time around.

That’s quite a list of titles that Sony has already released for the console, and this is only the beginning of the PS5’s library, as many more are releasing within the next year or so.

So, there you have it – that’s everything to know about all of the current and upcoming PS5 exclusives. With so many games to look forward to, be sure to check out our hubs below: