The PS5 is probably the best console on the market right now. We offer an outstanding catalog of games, a wide range of exclusive products, and a clear vision for the future. It's also the best machine to take advantage of this generation's technological advancements, especially with how realistic many of Sony's games are.
However, many of the best games on PS5 are still cross-platform or from previous generations. This is especially true if you're joining the PlayStation family for the first time. Here we'll take a look at some of the best games to help you get started on this must-play experience. We'll also tell you which games you might be better off picking up the sequel to if you already have a PS4.
Astrobot
If you only play one game on the PS5, well… that would be a huge waste of money on the console. But if that's really your plan, that game should be Astro Bot. This game is one of the steadily growing exclusive games, and is probably the best platformer of all time. Although it's technically a sequel to Playroom, it's a pack-in digital game for the PS5 and is more of a tech demo than a full game.
Astro Bot expands the creativity of Playroom and adds even more depth, elevating the feature showcase to an instant classic video game. It also serves as a tour through PlayStation history as you progress through each level rescuing mascots from games past. Can you recognize them all?
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
The first installment of the Horizon series focuses on Aloy and her journey through a post-apocalyptic world, and how it all came to be. It's probably one of the coolest games ever released on PlayStation. Intricate battles using killer robots and unique equipment make the ideal first impression.
Sequels Horizon Forbidden West and Zero Dawn have extensive DLC that expands the story without forcing more robot gameplay than you can handle. If you're looking to dive into a new sci-fi franchise, both Horizon titles are perfect.
Sequel Warning: Horizon Forbidden West
Spider-Man Remastering
If you want to get in on the web-swinging action that made the PS5 respectable, the remastered version of Marvel's Spider-Man is the best way to introduce the story and feel the progression of the mechanics. But starting with Miles Morales or Spider-Man 2 won't hold you back.
Insomniac's Next Spider-Man Game Should Avoid the Multiverse
Enough about multi-verse, enough about multi-verse!
Featuring the best web swinging and level design compared to previous Spider-Man games, the remastered version takes full advantage of adaptive triggers and DualSense controls. If you want a simple Spider-Man adventure without any story context, buy Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Sequel Alert: Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Spider-Man 2
Elden Ring
The most anticipated From Software game since it was first announced, Elden Ring has proven to be the pinnacle of Soulslike titles, with its largest map and deeper lore to date. Although it can be difficult at times, Elden Ring is the perfect game to pick up or put down as needed.
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC adds about 24 hours of content with some of the hardest challenges the game has to offer, if you're looking for even more torture until the very end. Elden Ring is a great first game for those with Dark Souls experience or looking for a challenge.
Sequel Alert: Multiplayer Spinoff Elden Ring: Nightreign
Ghost of Tsushima
Set in Japan in 1274, Ghost of Tsushima follows the story of Jin Sakai, a fallen samurai who seeks to reclaim Japan from Mongol invaders. Ghost of Tsushima perfectly blends storytelling and mechanics, allowing you to tailor the narrative to your play style.
You'll be given plenty of freedom to learn and master the controls as you travel through Tsushima Island, while also providing obstacles with high skill limits to keep things interesting. Of all the single-player narrative games on PlayStation, Ghost is one of the best.
Sequel Alert: Ghost of Yotei
no man's sky
Despite a rough launch and months or even years of urgent development, No Man's Sky is virtually unrecognizable from its initial launch in the best possible way. With the release of the Worlds Part One update, No Man's Sky surpasses every other space sim on the PlayStation Store.
A unique part of No Man's Sky gameplay is that it includes all the upgrades and changes you can make to your base, characters, ships, and weapons, giving you the feeling that you're always evolving. What started out as a barren sandbox cluster of space has become a living world ripe for exploration.
Baldur's Gate 3
Recognized as one of the best RPGs of all time, Baldur's Gate 3 traverses the Dungeons & Dragons universe of Faerûn and uncovers a grand conspiracy involving the bug in your brain. You also don't need any knowledge of D&D mechanics or the stories of the previous two games to get started with BG3.
Baldur's Gate 3 companions have been ranked for their most evil actions in the game.
Judge them all by the worst things they have done.
What makes BG3 infinitely replayable is the high degree of freedom it gives you when making choices that impact the story, giving you hundreds of options to mix and match your characters. No two games of BG3 look the same and it will surprise you every time.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2, the sequel to the original Red Dead Redemption, follows new characters in the life of John Marston as he attempts to save his band of outlaws from outside forces. Combining the richest story in history with fantastic acting, RDR2 will be a game that anyone can play.
RDR2 also captures the essence of what makes Western movies and games so intangibly appealing, by taking its setting seriously and never becoming stale.
cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 also got off to a rocky start, with many bugs that made it consistently unoptimized and somewhat unplayable. Since then, CD Projekt Red has gone above and beyond to make Cyberpunk 2077 one of the best sci-fi action games to date.
Filled with classes to score, secrets to find, and companions to meet, 2077 has mastered its immersion and setting to the point where it's hard to even put down photo mode. The Phantom Liberty DLC also includes enough content to be a game in itself with Idris Elba.
The Last of Us Part 1 Remastering
A franchise that spawned a remastered sequel to The Last of Us Part 2 and an award-winning TV show, the story of Joel and Ellie surviving an infected apocalypse is one of the best in gaming history. It's also fairly generous and not shy about including many accessibility options.
The game itself excels at providing new and unique challenges that still keep things fresh without overwhelming you with unnecessary game mechanics and story-impeding loot. Every game in The Last of Us franchise is good enough to be the best first game you can play on PS5.
Sequel Alert: The Last of Us Part 2
15 Best RPGs on PS5
Explore a huge world with sharper graphics than ever before.
