Editor’s note – We’ve not added Horizon Forbidden West to this list (which launched February 18 on PS5 and PS5) because we believe it’s best experienced on the newest hardware. 

Despite the fact that some of these have now made their way to PC , these are still PS5 exclusives when it comes to consoles. Most are available to play on the PS5 via PS5 backwards compatibility too, so their legendary status lives on. Plus, a lot of these titles will now be included for free as part of the new PS Plus Premium games libraries at the mid and upper tiers.

Before we get stuck in though, here are the rules we’ve laid down: this list of the best PS4 exclusives deals with console exclusivity, so some of them can be found on PC. Exclusivity has to be permanent and not timed (so we had to remove Nier: Automata when it released on Xbox One). Plus, the games have to be full-price releases, and not DLC or add-on content – though if we’re lucky they’ll show up on the free PS Plus games (opens in new tab) list at some point and there are always the best free PS4 games (opens in new tab) if you’re feeling thrifty. 

20. GT Sport

The best racing game on PS4

Specifications

Release Date: 2017Developer: PolyphonyGenre: Racing

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+Compatible with racing wheels+Online tournaments and events

If you’re looking for a driving experience on PS4… there’s only one choice. Sure, DriveClub was the previous favorite, but GT Sport (opens in new tab) offers everything that game had a way more. There’s the usual raft of high-end sports cars to choose from, and a bunch of high-performance models from commercial manufacturers, along with many of the world’s best tracks, lovingly recreated in game. But what sets this apart is the online options, offering tournaments, special events, and loads more – you can essentially live the life of the most exciting, well-travelled professional racing driver… er, without the risk of crashing (or the millions of dollars they’d probably earn). 

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19. Concrete Genie

A magical adventure that will capture your imagination

Specifications

Release Date: 2019Developer: PixelopusGenre: Adventure

Reasons to buy

+Heartfelt story+Beautifully stylised+Creative and imaginative

Concrete Genie offers an enchanting, creatively unique experience using the DualShock 4’s motion sensor controls to paint. Yep, that’s right, you create beautiful artwork by tilting your controller in different directions. While it sounds like a bit of an unconventional way to compose art, it actually works really well. Pixelopus offers a deeply heartwarming adventure that explores the impact of an environmental disaster on a now abandoned seaside town. You play a young bullied teenager called Ash who discovers a magical paintbrush that has the power to restore the town and bring his artwork to life. The story also touches on the issue of bullying with sensitivity, and it also shows you a different side to the bullies that you might not expect to see. 

18. Yakuza 6

The other great crime sim on PS4

Specifications

Release Date: 2018Developer: SegaGenre: Action RPG

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+Fully localised for the US and UK+Massive game, so great value

If you’ve never experienced the PS4 exclusive Yakuza series… what the hell have you been doing with your gaming life? It’s time to rectify that mistake with the latest Yakuza. No, really, the sixth core outing for the series is actually one of the best places to start as it does a great job of telling the story so far, while offering the best action and elements from previous games in one, meaty adventure. It’s essentially an action-RPG set in Japan, where you play as ex-Yakuza boss Kazuma Kiryu, who is now a good guy fighting for his adopted children and the people of his town. There are mini-game distractions galore, loads of wonderful side-stories to experience, and a gripping overall narrative.

17. Street Fighter 5

The fighting legend finds a home on PS4

Specifications

Release Date: 2016Developer: CapcomGenre: Fighting

Reasons to buy

+Massive list of characters+Also available on PC+Compatible with fightsticks

It might’ve launched in relatively rough shape, but after over a year of additional content, new characters, and countless refinements, Street Fighter 5 (opens in new tab) has realized its full potential as a phenomenal fighting game. Its ever-growing roster of unique characters has the perfect fit for any playstyle, and the inventive V-Skill and V-Trigger systems add another layer of excitement and strategic depth to each intense match. Whether you go with an old favorite like Ryu or opt for an oddball newcomer like Necalli, Street Fighter 5 delivers more of the infinite replayability and limitless skill ceiling you’ve come to expect from Capcom’s fan-favorite fighting game series.

16. inFamous: Second Son

A superhero adventure that’s not to be missed

Specifications

Release Date: 2014Developer: Sucker PunchGenre: Action adventure

Reasons to buy

+Brilliant superhero action+Great use of the DualShock 4+Top notch graphics, despite it’s PS4 launch date release

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

Despite the fact it was one of the original PS4 launch games, inFamous: Second Son is a wonderful example of how technical tweaks for the PS4 Pro release can change the quality of a game dramatically. Sucker Punch’s brilliant smoke-fuelled superhero story looks fantastic even four years after release, and its tale of origins, family, and brotherhood is still one of my favourite PS4 games to date. It make Seattle your playground, and nothing feels quite as good as chaining together attacks with your newly found powers to stop the big bad that’s threatening your town, and your family. Utterly brilliant. 

15. The Last of Us Remastered

The best game story ever told

Specifications

Release Date: 2014Developer: Naughty DogGenre: Action adventure

Reasons to buy

+One of the best game storylines of all time+Looks fantastic on Pro+Epic stealth sections

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

Okay, okay, so technically The Last of Us was one of the best PS3 games (opens in new tab), but it’s tricky to compile a list of the best PS4 exclusives without at least mentioning this fantastic remaster. Not only do you get the original The Last of Us game in glorious 4K if you’re rocking a PS4 Pro, but you also get a load of additional content bundled in as well. Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic tale is still one of the best video game stories (opens in new tab) ever told. So if you’ve not experienced Ellie and Joel’s tale yet, settle back (although not too far, this is a tense game with mutants in it), and immerse yourself in one of the best games of all time. 

14. Tearaway Unfolded

A papercraft adventure where you’re the star

Specifications

Release Date: 2015Developer: Media MoleculeGenre: Platformer adventure

Reasons to buy

+Best use of the DualShock 4’s unique feature+Adorable papercraft world+Puts you right in the game

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

Tearaway Unfolded is one of those rare games that is a sheer delight from start to finish. Its beautiful paper craft world is one that you’re immersed in from the get go, using the touchpad on the DualShock 4 to draw and craft your own creations that get placed inside the game. And, the more you play, the more the world of Tearaway Unfolded becomes a reflection of your artistic talents. Trust me, you don’t need many, thank the PlayStation Gods, but even a shambled together star adds some pizzazz to this already stunning world. Of course, there’s a story here too – it’s not all scissors and glue work – and it’s up to you to help rid the world of the evil Scraps and restore order once and for all. Meet some adorable creatures along the way, make friends, earn yourself some sticks and poke and prod the world using the power of the DualShock 4, and more in this unique PS4 exclusive adventure. 

13. Ratchet and Clank

A wonderful remaster of the PS2 classic

Specifications

Release Date: 2016Developer: Insomniac GamesGenre: Action adventure

Reasons to buy

+An animated space odyssey+Brilliantly silly weapons and story+A PS2 classic brought into the present day

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

If you played Ratchet and Clank back in the days of the PS2, you know how amazing the duo’s adventures are. This oddity of a space odyssey will have you chuckling at the ridiculousness of the guns, groaning at the brilliantly awful jokes, and dazzling at the stunning world that Insomniac Games has created, with a colour palette to make any galaxy jealous. This is absolutely the magic of the original brought onto the PS4 in a beautiful remaster that proves that games don’t need to be totally overhauled to be brought onto current gen consoles. This is fun, imaginative and utterly wonderful.

12. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

The female-led Uncharted that you absolutely have to play

Specifications

Release Date: 2017Developer: Naughty DogGenre: Action adventure

Reasons to buy

+Incredibly compelling fresh protagonists+Storyline is one of the best in the series+Absolutely stunning visuals

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

While Nathan Drake has been the face of the Uncharted series since it debuted in 2007 on the PS3, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (opens in new tab) is all about giving someone else a turn. Drake moves aside to let two female characters from the series – both former villains/double crossers, I might add – in the form of Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross. The two women are a compelling double act that still retain the feisty, tongue-in-cheek antics that’s synonymous with the Uncharted series, but with a fresh take on the boisterous bromance of Sully and Drake. Brilliant set pieces, top notch puzzles, and a touch of the supernatural all add up to make this an Uncharted spin-off that could just be the start of a new Uncharted tale. 

11. Shadow of the Colossus

Epic monsters on an epic console

Specifications

Release Date: 2018Developer: Team IcoGenre: Action adventure

Reasons to buy

+Atmospheric and intriguing world building+Cinematic and thrilling boss battles+Monsters look fantastic

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

Shadow of the Colossus (opens in new tab) is one of those games that everyone wanted to be remastered for years upon years. And then it happened. Announced at E3 2017, but arrived in February 2018, this is the kind of game that makes huge ripples in the gaming industry, because it still felt as thought-provoking and artistic as it did when it originally released some 13 years earlier on the PS2. This is a genuine slice of gaming history, and you owe it to yourself to experience it. 

Turn to page two to see which titles fall into our ultimate top 10 best PS4 exclusives…

10. Ghost of Tsushima

A beautiful swan song for the PS4

Specifications

Release Date: 2020Developer: Sucker PunchGenre: Open world

Reasons to buy

+Empty List

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

You’ll be thankful for every minute you spend in the beautiful, full, and surprisingly chill world of Ghost of Tsushima. Sucker Punch’s latest takes an Assassin’s Creed-style Japan, adds a Red Dead Redemption 2-sized world, and blends in an entire library’s worth of Akira Kurosawa movies to create this tribute to the Japanese culture is so clearly reveres. This is a fantastic swan song for the PS4.

09. Detroit: Become Human

One of the smartest narrative games ever made

Specifications

Release Date: 2018Developer: Quantic DreamGenre: Adventure

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+So many endings to see+Looks incredible

The latest game to join this exclusive club, Detroit: Become Human is a tour de force of storytelling. It follows the story of three Androids, who all break their programming to become ‘free’ in the year 2038. As well as looking insanely pretty, this game does some interesting things with player choice – not only do you genuinely feel in control of the destiny of each character, but you’re also made aware of the different story paths you could have taken at the end of each level. It’s light on action, but heavy on talking, but that’s the point here. Once you invest in the various characters, and their struggles, you’ll be hooked… and you’ll genuinely fret over some of the game’s tougher moral choices.

08. Persona 5

One of the finest JRPGs around

Specifications

Release Date: 2016Developer: AtlusGenre: JRPG

Reasons to buy

+A classic JRPG+Masses of depth+Looks amazing

Playing Persona 5 (opens in new tab) borders on overstimulation due to its sheer sense of style, where everything from the colorful visuals and snazzy soundtrack to the vibrant menus and peppy voice acting is vying for your rapt attention. This accessible-yet-deep JRPG is like a playable anime, following a group of Japanese high schoolers who become empowered as the Phantom Thieves, bettering society by stealing the coveted items corrupting the hearts of delusional adults. Whether you’re infiltrating the psychological palaces of your chosen target or simply hanging out and building friendships via a wide variety of after-school activities, Persona 5 offers over 100 hours of joy to anyone with even the slightest affinity for JRPG adventures. And yes, you can technically play it on PS3 – but then you’d be missing out on that sweet, sweet 1080p resolution.

07. The Last Guardian

A sweeping epic that began life on PS3

Specifications

Release Date: 2016Developer: SonyGenre: Adventure

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+Prequel to Shadow of the Colossus+Unique story

Fumito Ueda’s games are renowned for the way they stir the player’s emotions and sense of wonderment, and after years of waiting and wondering if it would ever see the light of day, The Last Guardian (opens in new tab) lives up to the same high standard as Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. You play as a young boy marooned among ancient ruins, befriending a humongous bird/dog hybrid named Trico as the two of you make your way towards freedom. Trico’s unique, at times disobedient, AI makes him feel like a truly living creature you need to coax and cooperate with in order to solve a variety of third-person puzzles, creating a bond between player and animal that’s not unlike the companionship of a real-world pet. 

06. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Nathan Drake’s latest and greatest

Specifications

Release Date: 2016Developer: Naughty DogGenre: Adventure

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+Incredible looking game+Cracking multiplayer options

Like all the greatest action movies, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (opens in new tab) knows when to balance explosive set-pieces and riveting car chases with quieter moments of human drama and warmth. Nathan Drake’s still a lovable modern-day Indiana Jones, hunting for treasure and evading armed goons with panache, but watching him interact with his loved ones – Elena, Sully, and even his newly introduced brother Sam, all brought to life via fantastic mocapped performances – is more rewarding than the discovery of any ancient secret. Uncharted 4 is a fitting end for Nathan’s story, and playing it feels like completing the satisfying final chapter in a beloved adventure book that’s made an indelible mark on your heart.

05. Bloodborne

From the creators of the Dark Souls series

Specifications

Release Date: 2015Developer: FromSoftwareGenre: Action RPG

Reasons to buy

+Super hardcore game+Amazing gothic atmosphere+Going cheap in 2018

The night is dark and full of terrors, the majority of which will mercilessly kill you in seconds if you’re not careful. But that’s a risk you’ll just have to take to explore and experience Bloodborne (opens in new tab)‘s gorgeous gothic city of Yharnam, the setting for From Software’s brilliant spin-off that experiments with the studio’s own Dark Souls designs. This elegant third-person action RPG opts for a quicker pace of play compared to classic Souls without devaluing the need for constant caution and alertness, lest you fall prey to a diverse range of horrific monsters lurking through the Victorian-era environments. The dual forms of each melee weapon, mixed with the careful timing of pistol-enabled parries, gives you even more room to express your preferred fighting style as you claw your way from one memorable boss encounter or picturesque vista to the next, guided (or hostilely invaded) by the ghosts of other players.    

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04. Marvel’s Spider-Man

The greatest superhero game of the generation

Reasons to buy

+Movement is incredible+Looks amazing+Loads to do

Reasons to avoid

-Empty List

Easily the best superhero game of recent years, Spider-Man is an absolute storming exclusive for PS4. It looks incredible, is stuffed full of things to see and do, and it feels glorious to play. From the moment you take your first swing around NYC, to the later stages when you’re mixing together movement, combat, and powers this is an absolute delight to just sit and play. The story is gripping, funny, and genuinely surprising in places, and the presentation is slick as hell. It very much captures the spirit of both the comics and the new Marvel versions of Spidey. If you’re looking for something brand new, which will wow your friends and keep you playing for weeks and weeks… this is the one for you.

03. Horizon Zero Dawn

An incredible open-world adventure

Specifications

Release Date: 2017Developer: Guerrilla GamesGenre: Adventure

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+Beautiful photo mode+A massive adventure

We’ve seen far too many desolate, lifeless, post-apocalyptic wastelands in games, to the point where they’ve become as dreary as the crumbling world they portray. But Horizon Zero Dawn (opens in new tab) dares to push far, far beyond the fall of modern society to give us a glimpse at a new chapter for humanity, where primitive tribes have slowly begun to rebuild among unique species of sentient, robotic wildlife that roam and own the now-verdant ruins of metropolitan areas. You explore Horizon’s expansive, enchanting open world as Aloy, an instantly likeable lead who’s a capable and courageous hunter in this far-future frontier. Establishing diplomatic relations with other human tribes, exploring the breathtaking environment (and capturing Kodak moments with the delightful photo mode (opens in new tab)), hunting down every last secret tucked away in the sprawling landscape, trying to bag yourself a massive dino-like Thunderjaw – whatever you set out to do in Horizon Zero Dawn, it’s going to be incredible.

02. God of War

The best action PS4 title

Specifications

Release Date: 2018Developer: Sony Santa MonicaGenre: Adventure

Reasons to buy

+Enhanced for PS4 Pro+Looks incredible+A brilliant, action-filled story

Yes, it’s that good. The latest God of War, which essentially reboots the franchise and takes it to a whole new setting, is the best game you can play on PS4. And that’s something we may well be saying until PS5 inevitably rolls out. Ditching the linear action structure of the originals, this outing lets you explore a fully realised, utterly beautiful Norse world, picking fights and solving puzzles as you go. The story is both well written and well paced, with Kratos far more than a one-dimensional murder-machine now. Enemies are well constructed too, and the combat is just as fluid and thrilling as it always was. There are heaps of things to discover, and each new area is more jaw-dropping and feature-packed than the next. Only Horizon comes close to showing the power and versatility of the PlayStation in the same way, making God of War an essential purchase for anyone with a Dualshock in their hands and a hankering for a fresh experience. 

01. Last of Us Part 2

The best PS4 exclusive ever

Specifications

Release date: 2020Developer: Naughty DogGenre: Action

Reasons to buy

+Powerful storytelling+Fierce, brutal combat+Ingenious level design

Naughty Dog has closed out the PS4 generation with its most ambitious game to date. Not only does this exclusive justify its existence as the sequel none of us thought we needed, but it’s an outstanding achievement in its own right. Visually astonishing, absurdly ambitious, and utterly epic in scale, The Last of Us Part 2 (opens in new tab) is a game that will be a part of you for many, many years to come.

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And that’s because Detroit: Become Human is all about dealing with the extremities of human nature. The game sees you play as a trio of androids: Kara, a domestic model programmed to look after homes and children; Connor, a detective; and Marcus, who just happens to be trying to lead an android revolution. But for me, it’s Connor and Kara that are the most interesting from the sections of the game I’ve played so far. 

It’s Kara that’s the one facing the abusive father in the Paris Games Week trailer. This specific scene happens a way into the game, when you’ve already gotten to know Todd, the father, and Alice, as well as their home. You’ll know the little details if you’ve bothered to poke around enough. And if you have, you’ll know there’s a gun in Todd’s bedside cabinet, or that there’s a window that leads onto the low roof outside for an easy escape. 

But before you can get there, you’ll have to learn that it’s possible for an android to become a ‘deviant’ aka breaking the rules. The scene starts with Kara serving the family dinner, turning on the lights, pouring the water. Simple stuff. It’s not long, though, before Todd is ranting about his estranged wife, about his hatred of androids, about losing his job, about his ‘shitty’ life. Alice tries to run to her room, but he catches her. Hits her right across the face and I physically wince watching it. No-one wants to watch even a CGI child get hurt. But it brews this rage in me that fuels Kara’s next steps. Alice retreats to her room, while Todd paces in the living room and commands Kara not to move. 

And it’s here that you can choose to break what Quantic Dream is calling an android’s mind cage. Actively disobeying a command from your owner constitutes such a break and also means, if you want her to, Kara is going to become a deviant. A few long presses of the shoulder buttons later and Kara is free from her cage. The spiderwebbing decisions don’t even stop there. A choice whether to protect Alice or attempt to reason with Todd pop up on the screen and my sudden surge in maternal instinct goes into overdrive. Kara’s running up the stairs to the sobbing girl, sneaking her down the corridor behind closed doors and eventually down the stairs, out the front door and onto a passing bus to freedom. 

In another playthrough I attempt the reasoning route. It doesn’t go well and I end up chasing Todd up the stairs, just in time to stop him going for Alice with his belt – and anyone who’s watched that trailer knows how that ends up if you don’t make it in time. 

But the fact it’s actually all done with minimal input on your part means that it’s not gamified to a ridiculous degree. In fact, I felt driven by pure emotion to save that little girl because the whole thing felt like an ordeal. Goodness knows what I would do if I was ever in such a position in reality. The fact it was so horrifying is what made it so powerful, and the characters so realistic. 

And the same can be said for the section I played as Connor. He’s been sent to a penthouse flat to negotiate with a hostage taker, who’s holding a young girl – a different little girl thankfully – at gunpoint on the edge of the rooftop. Your initial objective is clear: save the girl. But, there’s a constant reminder of your potential success rate that pops up on the screen every time you learn something new about the case as a whole. 

Investigate the dead body to discover the real reason why the android, Daniel, has flipped out, or go into the little girl’s room to find out she has quite the bond with Daniel, or used to anyway. The more you learn, the more communication ammunition you’ll have – or real ammo if you find and pick up the gun. I played out the actual negotiation tactics in a few ways, one of which ended up with Connor pushing himself and Daniel off the roof, saving the girl, while another saw Connor sacrificing himself with a bullet to the temple. But the most powerful saw him convincing Daniel to trust him and free the girl, only for Connor to have to watch him get shot to death. There’s a clear human realisation  of ‘oh God, what just happened’ in that second, as the two androids stare at each other in Daniel’s final, sputtering, moments.

But there are plenty of signs that he’s not human too. For example, you can spend a while playing with a fish that’s flopped out of a smashed tank before you even get into the apartment when playing as Connor. While the mother is screaming and the police are barking instructions, you’re just standing there not even aware of how inappropriately timed your new fish obsession is. Plus, there’s a mechanical quality to the way Connor speaks that makes him almost eerie. 

I don’t know how all the three pieces of the puzzle fit together yet and that intrigues me. Watching Connor and Kara learn what it is to feel – Kara for Alice and Connor for the android he watched die – makes Detroit: Become Human an intriguing proposition. What’s even more interesting is that both of those playable characters could have died in those scenes. How that affects the ongoing story is unknown at this point, but I have to say that I’m keen to find out – even if I do have to go through all those emotions again.

The post Detroit: Become Human preview appeared first on Game News.