Best PS5 Games 2024: Must-buy titles for Sony’s next-gen console

While it might not be a PS5-exclusive, God of War: Ragnarök is of such a high quality that it’s still one of our favourite PS5 games to date, easily earning itself a full 5-star rating.

2018’s God of War reboot was a fantastic game in its own right, but Ragnarök manages to build upon its foundations and offer a gaming experience like no other. For starters, the game picks up several years after its predecessor, with Atreus now on the cusp of manhood and quickly outgrowing the need for supervision from Kratos.

With Atreus’ yearning for independence however, Kratos fears losing the family he has left, and the emotional tug-of-war that ensues soon becomes the catalyst for a much wider story that draws in the almighty Odin and his powerful son, Thor.

Ragnarök’s new villains are a fascinating pair, and are as fully-fleshed out as our main heroes, thanks to incredible voice acting and motion capture performances. In fact, if you’re after a story-driven adventure (and you’ve already checked out The Last of Us Part 1) then this should be the obvious next choice on your radar.

Gameplay-wise, Ragnarök is very similar to the previous God of War title, so returning players will soon settle back into the gameplay loop. What really sets the newer game apart however are the sections that see you play as Atreus, who moves and fights in a way that’s notably different to Kratos and takes some getting used to.

Beyond the main story, there are also plenty of side-quests to take on and tons of content that’s worth checking out after the credits roll. A ‘new game plus’ mode has also been added since launch that allows you to restart the game but with (almost) all of your weapons and armour along for the ride.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: God of War Ragnarök

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 may well be the greatest superhero game of all time, never mind on PS5. It sees both Peter Parker and Miles Morales share the screen, as they tackle new villains such as Venom, Kraven, Lizard and more.

Insomniac Games has introduced multiple upgrades over the preceding game, including web wings for improved traversal and new special abilities to make combat even more cinematic.

This is one of the first games to take full advantage of the PS5’s cutting-edge hardware too, with 4K visuals with ray tracing activated, as well as instantaneous loading whether you’re switching between Miles and Peter or respawning in the middle of a boss battle.

Anyone who enjoyed previous entries in PlayStation’s Spider-Man series will love this new sequel, as it retains the core experience but makes small tweaks to make it even more enjoyable. This is a must-buy PS5 game, especially if you’re a big fan of the web crawler.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Review

If you’re looking for a brutally difficult challenge, the Dark Souls trilogy has long been known as the best option. Elden Ring is the latest entry from FromSoftware, but has ditched the weaving, linear levels in favour of an open-world map to make it feel more like Breath of the Wild and Skyrim.

Now you can venture through optional dungeons to discover useful loot, or encounter massive beasts to slay that will reward you with a bounty of experience points. Elden Ring supports multiple playstyles too, whether you want to sneak through bushes for a high-damage backstab, or blast foes from afar with all of your magical spells or hand-crafted bolts from a crossbow.

Elden Ring is just one of the best PS5 games available, but it’s also set to become one of the greatest games of the generation. As long as you’re happy to contend with the high difficulty, this RPG is a must-play.

Reviewer: Alastair Stevenson
Full review: Elden Ring review

Horizon Call of the Mountain is the odd one out on this best PS5 games list, as it requires a PlayStation VR 2 headset in order to function. But since you also need a PS5 console to play this stellar VR game, we still thought it merited an inclusion.

Call of the Mountain may be set in the same apocalyptic world as Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, but the gameplay mechanics differ greatly. Since this is a VR game, you must physically pull back on your virtual bow to ping arrows at the monster machines, and raise your arms into the air to clamber up the mountain.

We found this to be an incredibly fun immersive experience, with a full-length adventure which is relatively rare in the VR space. We thought it looked drop dead gorgeous too, with 4K visuals and vibrant colours. Seeing objects in a virtual 3D space hits differently too, compared to 2D imagery from a TV.

We wouldn’t necessarily say that Horizon Call of the Mountain is good enough to justify a PSVR 2 headset purchase alone, but if you’re planning on buying the VR headset anyway, then this game is a must-buy purchase.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Horizon Call of the Mountain Review

Even though its presence marks the second time that Naughty Dog’s iconic title has been repackaged and served up to players, The Last of Us Part 1 still manages to be a must-have title for any PS5 owner by doing justice to the game’s original vision.

We were massively impressed by the massive graphical overhaul from the original. The visual boost allows Part 1 to not only tell a more believable story through its upgraded cutscenes and character models, but to also inject an absurd amount of detail into the world itself. We found ourselves more frequently distracted by the amount of care afforded to the game’s level design.

While we were disappointed by the fact that the gameplay is largely unchanged from its source material, Part 1 will no doubt find a new audience thanks to its ingenious accessibility features. With a huge amount of control over how the game’s core elements are portrayed from an audio/visual perspective, there’s never been a better time to see what all the fuss is about.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: The Last of Us Part 1 Review

You know that the winner of the Trusted Reviews 20201’s Best PlayStation Game had to get a shoutout; Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is one of the best entries in the series to date. The 4K visuals and ray tracing support mean that the game is packed with detail, so you can find something new in every frame. 

This game is family-friendly and can be played by pretty much anyone. The fantastic pacing and variety of puzzles keep the game feeling fresh, with an abundance of pocket-universe areas to explore for all the competitions out there. 

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a title that everyone should have in their PS5 library; it perfectly takes advantage of the next-generation console and offers up a brand new adventure that anyone can enjoy.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart review

Gran Turismo 7 is one of the more accessible entries into the racing simulator series, with a massive breadth of features and an excellent driving experience that anyone can get into. Handling is excellent with the DualSense controller, with fantastic handling and weight to each car you can drive.

The PS5 offers up amazing visuals, with our reviewer noting a high level of detail to the car interior and exterior, especially in the likes of photo mode where ray tracing is activated. There’s a clear love for cars in this game too, as you can chat to characters in the Café about the history of various vehicles. And if you’re not a car fanatic, you may well become one after playing Gran Turismo.

You can also race online with friends, with a new Meeting Place feature that allows racers to join and race in a more casual environment. Sportsmanship ratings also ensure that users will drive with respect and that you’re paired with people who have a similar skillset, giving a sense of parity and fairness. If you’re into hyper-realistic racers, this is one of the best PS5 games you can buy.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Gran Turismo 7

Deathloop is one of the most innovative AAA games we’ve seen in a while; Arkane Studios threw away the formula and created an interesting narrative with explosive gameplay. With a Groundhog Day type time loop mechanic, your character is tasked with killing eight targets before the end of the day. 

Seeing as this game puts you in the same position every day, you’ll become very familiar with the island of Blackreef, giving you more time to appreciate the beautiful graphics and cartoony artwork. 

This is a very rewarding game, not only can you take on a different plan of attack each playthrough, but the way the world changes and morphs over time means it always feels new and engaging when you dive back in.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Deathloop review

With the daunting task of having to remake one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, Capcom had anything but an easy task on its hands when developing 2023’s Resident Evil 4. Still, in spite of the lofty expectations weighed against it, Capcom has managed to capture lightning twice in making one of the best games of this generation.

For starters, Resident Evil 4 benefits from the full grunt afforded by the PS5 to give every detail, from the character designs to the game’s expansive locales, a serious overhaul. The game runs on the new RE Engine which is particularly noteworthy for its impressive lighting techniques, helping to deliver a game with a lot more atmosphere than its source material.

The gameplay has also been updated for the modern age as it’s now possible for the game’s protagonist, Leon S Kennedy, to move whilst aiming, taking away the tank controls of the original title. To balance things out however, the enemies are now more aggressive, and you’ll have to keep an eye out for any flying projectiles designed to do harm as well, but you can also parry with Leon’s knife this time around to get yourself out of a tight situation.

Outside of the gameplay, the story has been tightened up to present a more cohesive narrative off the back of the Resident Evil 2 remake, and Leon’s character arc at that – the events of that game have taken an immense toll on the character, and Resident Evil 4 takes the time it needs to delve into those more personal moments.

What cements this game as a modern classic even further is the absurd amount of replayability on offer here. The game requires multiple playthroughs in order to unlock all of the costumes, weapons and secrets on offer, and that’s before mentioning the arcade-style The Mercenaries mode which is just pure frantic chaos. For series fans and newcomers alike, Resident Evil 4 is a must-have title.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: Resident Evil 4 Remake

Resident Evil Village is one of the best entries in the franchise, boasting HDR graphics so you can see the gooey mouldy monsters in high definition. Village takes on a first-person view, which amps up the narrative to a more personal level. 

Speaking of, you will be treated to Bram Stoker type environments, with gothic towers and skulking werewolves. The protagonist, Ethan Winters, likes to shoot and slash his way through the game, with less emphasis on stealth meaning that you have even more opportunities to tackle your enemies head-on, which really adds to the scare factor. 

If you fancy a horror game, this is one the best PS5 games to buy. Not only is there a gripping and spooky story to follow, but blood and gore have never looked this good on this console.

Reviewer: Alastair Stevenson
Full review: Resident Evil Village review

Looking for a more family-friendly game? Then the Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is an excellent option, especially considering you can pair up with a second player on your adventure through all nine main films in the Star Wars series, from The Phantom Menace to The Rise of Skywalker.

While Star Wars fans will be treated to oodles of fan service, this game is also welcoming to newcomers of the franchise with lots and lots of rib-tickling jokes. There are plenty of puzzles to solve and hidden collectibles to discover, while we found that the revamped combat makes smashing up Lego characters twice as fun as previous entries.

We were also impressed by how great the visuals look, especially on the PS5. Classic Star Wars locations have been remade in Lego with wonderful details, with the underwater city of Otoh Gunga looking particularly dazzling.

The Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga can of course be played in single player, but we recommend pairing up with a friend or family member for the best experience, and spend hours laughing at all the various gags.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review

Horizon Forbidden West is a fantastic sequel to the Horizon Zero Dawn, featuring lots of new machines to hunt, as well as a bigger and better upgrade system with a highly satisfying gameplay loop reminiscent of the Monster Hunter series.

The open-world looks incredible on the PS5, with a variety of distinctive biomes to explore from dense rain forests to sweeping deserts. Forbidden West also features an intriguing story, plunging even deeper into the sci-fi rabbit hole.

There are a few weaker elements to the game, as combat with humans is still a bore, while the platforming can feel clunky and frustrating. But those flaws are easy to forgive when it’s so much fun taking down a robot T-Rex with nothing but a quiver of arrows.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Horizon Forbidden West Review