The PS5 may still be somewhat new and that means there aren’t a large number of PS5-only games out for it yet, but there are plenty to get players started, and we decided to put together a list of the best PS5 games worth your money if you own the console, or plan to get one soon. Should you have been on the receiving end of one for a gift or if you’ve had one since launch day, or any time in between then and now, these are the best PS5 games that the console has to offer you at this point in time.
Keeping that in mind, this list is subjective and it’s going to be rotating with new PS5 games that we feel are the best options as more and more come out. The list will rotate mostly on a monthly basis. That said, if you’re not quite sure what to get for your new console, or for the person you picked up the new console for as a gift, this handy guide can help.
Astro Bot
Astro Bot is one of the best PS5 games available for several reasons, but the most important one is that it’s just a fun game to play. If you like platformer types like Super Mario and the many games that came after which it inspired, then you will probably love Astro Bot.
The other neat thing about it is that this is a game that utilizes the mascot from Astro’s Playroom. When the PS5 first launched, Astro’s Playroom was a free game that was available on the console right out of the box. In fact, if you buy a PS5 brand-new to this day it still comes with Astro’s Playroom. And there’s a good reason for that. It’s because it serves as less of a game and more of a fun way to introduce you to the features of the DualSense controller.
That being said, Astro, the main character, was so beloved that Team ASOBI decided to develop a full game based on Astro. That’s how we have Astro Bot, one of this year’s best games and a must-have for every PS5 owner. As Astro, you’re searching for your lost crew and will need to scour the galaxy to find them. There are 60 different planets teeming with all kinds of enemies and there are plenty of secrets to find.
There are also 90 levels spread across those 60 planets which gives you plenty of gameplay content to go through. As you make your way through each level and planet, Astro will be able to unlock new abilities to help him on his quest. One such ability is called the Bulldog Booster, which lets Astro dash through the air. This air dash also moves Astro through enemies and terrain. So it can be pretty useful at certain times. Another new ability is the Twin Frog Gloves that give Astro a long-distance punch. He can also use this ability to swing off of some surfaces.
And just like with Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot makes complete use of the DualSense wireless controller and lets you feel all of its advanced features. You might even find it hard to discover a game that utilizes the DualSense features more. While there’s no gritty combat and no emotional roller coaster stories, Astro Bot is simply a fun experience that shouldn’t be passed up. And as of right now, it’s even on sale for $49.79 instead of $59.99, although that offer does end on January 6, 2025. So pick it up for less while you can.
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 isn’t strictly a PS5 game since it’s also available on PC, but Helldivers is a PlayStation franchise and Helldivers 2 is available on PS5, so it’s deserving of being on this list. It’s also one of the best PS5 games available right now. What makes it so good really comes down to two core things. One is the comedic nature of the dialogue and gameplay. The other is the combat and all the cool weaponry you can add to your arsenal.
This is also a co-op game so you can rally up with a group of friends and spread managed democracy throughout the galaxy together. And you’ll want your friends by your side because the enemies of humanity aren’t exactly pushovers at later difficulty levels. You’ll need all the help you can get. The core gameplay of Helldivers 2 has you taking on missions across several planets in the galaxy that surround Super Earth – your home.
Each planet will be in one of three sectors, and each sector will have you taking on a different enemy. Either the bugs, the Automotons, or the newly added Illuminate. Each enemy poses a unique threat and fights in a different way. And each enemy will have different resistances, causing you to have to choose your loadouts wisely to make sure you “hopefully” get out alive.
When you set out on a mission, you can choose your primary and secondary weapons, as well as a general booster like a wider radar ping on the mini-map, or my personal favorite, the vitality booster. You can also choose four different stratagems, and these will do a number of different things. One of these can drop a heavy weapon for you, giving you a third weapon to use while on that mission. Others place down turrets that will engage and fire at enemies. There are also stratagems that will allow you to call down massive bombs to take out a large number of enemies in one go. Or a giant laser to take out the really big enemies that sometimes spawn in. You get the idea.
The arsenal is varied and it needs to be. Of course, what’s really fun (and funny) is the fact that friendly fire is always enabled. This can be annoying if you’re running missions with a party of random strangers. If you’re with friends, however, more often than not it turns into a really fun time. Because there’s just something about accidentally calling down an Eagle 500KG Bomb too close to your teammates and having one or two of them die.
This is equally funny when it happens to you as you and your friends are running for dear life to get to the extraction point. Plus, Arrowhead Studios is constantly adding in mission buffs or hindrances that can either take away one of your stratagems to make things harder or give you an extra one to really let things loose. It’s an excellent game that you definitely need. Plus, it has crossplay with the PC version. So even if your friends play on PC, you can all still play together.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring hardly needs an introduction at this point and that’s just more of a reason to get the game if you haven’t already bought it. As a From Software game, it’s far from an easy playthrough. There are many challenges that may take you days or weeks to get past. However, it’ll all be worth it in the end. Because that’s part of the reward you get from this game. Overcoming challenges.
Elden Ring is a lot like other Souls games in some ways, and much different in others. With an expansive open-world map and many things to discover, you can find yourself exploring for hours upon hours and finding all kinds of stuff. Sometimes hidden bosses, sometimes a new way to die. And sometimes, you get lucky and find yourself a neat new weapon. However, more often than not getting the best weapons will require you to complete several challenging quest steps or find hard-to-get materials.
With tons and tons of bosses, Elden Ring has no shortage of enemies that will require you to be at your very best to stay alive. Sometimes even your best isn’t enough and you’ll need to come back and try again. Either by retrying the fight or by actually coming back later after you’ve gotten stronger. You can choose from several different class types, although realistically the classes only matter for the really early stages of the game, as you can start with one class and then move in a different direction by filling out your stats as you level up.
For instance, you can start as a Samurai and then dump a bunch of points into magic-related stats. Allowing you to move into a magic build in the later stages of the game. Elden Ring also now has the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion available, and the game only gets better once you get to the expansion’s content. It’s also worth noting that you can play Elden Ring co-op with up to two friends. That being said, the co-op does work differently in Elden Ring than in other games. Nevertheless, it’s still a lot of fun roaming The Lands Between with a buddy or two.
If you’ve never played a FromSoftware game before, this is a good place to start because it’s more forgiving than some of the others.
Diablo IV
Diablo IV has been out for over a year now and there’s even an expansion available to play through after you beat the base game. And if you’ve yet to start your journey in Sanctuary, then now is a great time to do so. With several classes to choose from, you have your pick of a wide range of play styles. From ranged magic wielders to the rogue that gets up and close and personal. Or my new favorite, the still overpowered Spiritborn class that comes with the expansion.
This is probably the best that Diablo has ever been and as a top-down action RPG, the gameplay loop will have you going through and killing large hordes of enemies. Sometimes in dungeons, other times just out in the open-world. While there is plenty of content in the base game and expansion campaigns, much of the gameplay content resides in the endgame. Where you’ll go through harder and harder difficulties of Nightmare Dungeons and other endgame challenges to try for better and better rewards.
There are also the seasons, which add new stories for you to play through that are more bite-sized and can be taken in and completed in a much shorter amount of time than the campaign. There’s a lot of build variety with each class and if you love the chase of getting stronger and stronger gear to power up your character, then you’ll love Diablo IV.
And like Helldivers 2, Diablo IV allows for both cross-play, and it lets you play through content in co-op with up to three friends. So you can have a party of four players for almost everything. This makes going through the game a lot more fun, especially if everyone is choosing a different class type. Because then you get to see a variety of abilities and attacks going off and it’s pretty awesome with how good the graphics are.
If you want a good story with loads of fun gameplay and really cool combat, then definitely pick up Diablo IV. You won’t regret it.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
While Fantasy VII Remake was excellent, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth improves upon it in so many ways. From richer stories to better combat, encounters, and more, the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is one to write home about. Like the first game, there is a lot to do and you’ll find yourself spending no less than probably around 47 hours to beat just the main story. If you’re a completionist, then it might take you closer to 167 hours.
This is much longer than a lot of people want to spend playing a single game. The beauty of this one and its completionist timing, is that it gives you something to do over perhaps several months. You can easily go through and beat the main story and then move on. Then come back to this game and find new stuff to do to work towards completing everything the game has to offer. And there’s something about that that’s truly magical.
Now if you’ve played Final Fantasy VII Remake then there are a lot of similarities here. What’s awesome about Rebirth is all of the available side content you have access to. For example, the questline to unlock a special summon is particularly amazing. Although it does get a little challenging toward the end. All the different Chocobo types are also a really nice touch, bringing variety to how you traverse the different regions in the game.
Speaking of regions, this is another reason why Final Fantasy VII Rebirth really improves on Final Fantasy VII Remake. You get access to the continent, whereas, in the first game, you only have access to Midgar. There’s a lot more to explore in this game and it’s pretty breathtaking to see all of the beautifully crafted areas. If you love Final Fantasy and you loved the first game in the remake trilogy, then you definitely need to grab the sequel. Because it’s one of the best games to come out in a while.
Rise of the Ronin
This is a must-have title if you loved Ghost of Tsushima. The combat is similar in nature and then of course there’s the fact that it’s a game about samurai in a changing Japan. Rise of the Ronin follows the story of the main character, you, while Japan is opening up its borders to the West in 1863. The story is most certainly one that pulls you in and holds on tight, but the combat is what really makes this game a blast to play.
There are several different attack styles for you to choose from and each has unique abilities. You can even turn your ronin into more of a shinobi with a couple of shinobi-specific attack styles. While the game world isn’t open-world per se, each zone’s regional map is pretty big. This allows for some extensive exploration to find and conquer various challenges. Such as secret bosses that offer up powerful rewards should you best them in combat.
Speaking of the combat, as mentioned earlier this is where the game really shines. Rise of the Ronin was developed by Team Ninja, the same studio behind the newer Ninja Gaiden games from the last couple of console generations, and the Nioh series. Both of those franchise have deep combat systems that allow the player to experiment with new and exciting ways to dispatch enemies. And you’ll get that same level deep combat complexity here.
Rise of the Ronin also isn’t as challenging (mostly) as those games, which makes it simpler for more people to get into. There are lots and lots of main quests and side quests to complete as well. Providing you with several hours of gameplay. The best part is that the main story only takes you about 27 hours. So if you just want to experience the main bits, it won’t take you too long to get through it and can easily be beaten in a few days.
You also get to make a series of choices that have an impact on further game outcomes, and that’s always a nice detail in games if you want some level or player choice.
Marvel Rivals
This is another game that isn’t exclusive to PS5, but it’s definitely a worthy game for this list. Marvel Rivals is a team shooter that is a lot like Overwatch in its prime. So if you love or have loved Overwatch, then you need to give Marvel Rivals a try. For starters, it’s a free game so you don’t have to pay for anything. That’s always nice. It’s better when a free-to-play game is excellent though. And Marvel Rivals is excellent.
With a huge roster of heroes and villains to play Marvel Rivals is a fun experience with a variety of combat styles. In Marvel Rivals you also have characters broken up into types like supports, attackers, and tanks. You don’t have to choose a specific role. But it’s always good to have a healer and a tank, so there’s someone to take the damage and someone to heal as the attack characters do most of the damage.
There are a variety of different match types as well, including escort matches and defense matches. Again, things are a lot like Overwatch here. Where it stands out is all of the special abilities for each character, and it’s quite honestly more fun than Overwatch in its current state. Plus, this game is going to have seasons so there will be something for players to chase and give them reasons to keep coming back.
Something that’s unique about this game compared to other hero shooters is the hero synergies. Specific heroes will gain a special ability or attack when they team up with certain other heroes. For instance, if you’re playing Wolverine and there’s a Hulk on your team, Hulk can throw Wolverine a far distance, letting you close huge gaps in an attempt to take down players on the enemy team. There are several hero team-ups too.
While not a completely unique game in this genre, it’s one of the best ones out there. And again, it’s hard to argue with free when it’s this good.
Ratchet And Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet And Clank: Rift Apart is a must-play game even if you’ve never played any of the previous titles in the franchise. For one, it makes use of the cool new features on the DualSense controller. This is something that more games make use of these days, but when this game came out, there were far fewer titles that were utilizing all the special DualSense features. This is also one of the games that does this the best.
Beyond that though, it’s just a fun game to play which is why we think it’s one of the best games on PS5. There’s a wonderful story and the gameplay overall leaves you feeling satisfied. It’s a title you can dive into and easily blow through hours of it. Losing track of time because of how much fun you’re having.
Your job is to stop an interdimensional robot that aims to destroy cross-dimensional worlds. You’ll acquire new weapons and power-ups that weren’t featured in previous games, and there’s even a gun that can bring items into the game world from other dimensions. Like the giant robot dinos from Horizon: Zero Dawn.
This is also a game that’s rated E for Everyone, which means it’s a cool game for players of a younger age. Compared to a lot of other PS5 games on this list, which are really not kid-friendly.
Stellar Blade
Stellar Blade is absolutely one of the best PS5 games out there and it’s a must-have game for any PS5 owner that’s old enough to play M-rated games. With its mix of Nier Automata-style themes and aesthetics and action combat that feels Souls-like, Stellar Blade is a rousing experience from start to finish.
It also has a pretty good story, but the real jewel of the game is the combat. Plus all the little side things you can do. For many, that includes finding and acquiring all of the different outfits that you can unlock for Eve, the main character. That being said, the quality of the graphics, and the adult themes of the character designs, definitely mean this is not a kid’s game. That being said, it’s incredibly fun to play and a great game for anyone old enough who’s looking for a challenge.
Story-wise, the earth is now basically a desolate wasteland that’s been ravaged by alien forces, causing humanity to have to flee and create colonies elsewhere. You play Eve, a special kind of military unit that is tasked with saving the human race. Your main weapon is a blade that conveniently fits into Eve’s outfits as part of her hairstyle, and you also have access to a few different ranged weapon types.
As you progress through the game, you can unlock tons of new abilities for Eve that open up your attacks with new powers and attack combinations. There are also several little collectibles to find that aren’t part of the story or core gameplay. However, they’re fun to hunt down and add to your collection of stuff. Most of all, the game has a ton of content and most of it is free. With a Nier Automata DLC being the first extra content players have actually had to pay for.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is not just one of the best games available for PS5, but one of the best games available period. While it is a very long game, the journey is well worth it. With a rich story and a varied set of combat styles based on your character choices, you’ll have a lot of ways to take on this big adventure.
Graphically, the game is impressive. The best part about it though is how you have so many ways to overcome everything from map traversal to combat encounters. The developers have given players so much freedom of choice it’s almost uncanny. Having trouble getting to a particular area to get to a person you need to kill? You could get stronger so it’s easier to get through all the enemies along the way. Or, you could use an ability that lets you jump and stack a bunch of crates on top of each other until you can attack your enemy from above. This is the kind of thing that’s possible here. Just like in a real D&D game, Larian Studios has coded in a lot of unconventioinal ways to play. Things you may not have even thought of doing.
Since this is a Dungeons & Dragons game, combat is turn-based and your actions will hinge on dice rolls. The outcomes of those rolls will be heavily impacted by your stat choices. So make sure to really dig in and look over the stats and think about how you want to play. Because it makes a big difference. Baldur’s Gate 3 also has multiple endings. So even after you beat it once, you can replay it and try for those different endings.
This game also has a deep and varied character creator. So if you like styling your characters and making them look incredibly unique, you have a lot of options here. From different races to different class types, you can build a character that is truly your own. Baldur’s Gate 3 is mostly a single-player game, and can be played as such. Having said that, it does also support multiplayer and you can invite a friend to your game save. This is a really fun way to play the game.
It’s easy to switch back and forth between the two game modes as well. If you have plenty of time and don’t mind spending a lot of it playing a single game, then give Baldur’s Gate 3 a try.
2025-01-01 15:05:22