The best PS5 games 2023

What are the best PS5 games? Ask anyone on your friends list and they’ll probably give you a different answer. But while we all have our favorites, we can all agree there are some stellar offerings on Sony’s console right now from little indie hits to first-party PS5 blockbusters. So, here’s our list of the best PS5 games in 2023.

Some of the best games of all time are currently available to play on the PS5, spanning a wide range of genres. We’ve been treated to some epic PS5 exclusives, and there are also plenty of third-party games that dazzle on the console as well. If you’re looking for a truly amazing new game to jump into, or you’re wondering which game in your backlog is worth playing through first, our list of the best PS5 games will help you make that all-important decision.

The best PS5 games are:

1. Astro’s Playroom

Packaged in with the console itself, Astro’s Playroom on PS5 is a marvelous technical showcase that highlights just why the PS5 is a technical leap forward from the PS4.

Showing off the tactile DualSense controller and what it is capable of, Astro’s Playroom also brings attention to features like the PS5’s activity cards, 3D audio, and super-speed SSD. In other words, it’s the perfect introduction to your PS5 and its hardware.

Easily one of the best baked-in titles ever released, Astro’s Playroom is a bitesize game perfect for any age that’ll keep you satisfied while you download the rest of the games on the list onto your shiny new console.

2. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

The conclusion to the newest trilogy in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Valhalla brought the franchise to England and placed us in the shoes of Vikings for the first time.

With a sprawling open world and dozens of activities to complete that can take hundreds of hours, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is one of the biggest Ubisoft open worlds to date, capturing ye olde England and Norway in all its glory.

You’ll get to experience this beauty by land and by ship, as your character, Eivor, pillages, fights, and negotiates their way to victory. The path isn’t easy, and like all good Assassin’s Creed games, you’ll need to defeat bosses along the way, but the payoff is absolutely worth it. There’s also a whole load of DLC these days, which expands that storyline even more.

3. Control: Ultimate Edition

For the most part, you won’t see remasters on this list as this is a collection of the best games built for PS5, but Control: Ultimate Edition is a completely revitalized experience on Sony’s new console.

Devoid of the many technical issues it suffered on PS4 in 2019, Control on PS5 runs at either a 4K resolution or a buttery smooth 60fps. Remedy has also implemented some game-changing DualSense support with Jessie’s footsteps being accurately reflected in the controller’s rumble.

Useful and informative activity cards, trophy tracking, excellent lighting upgrades and enhancements all around help round out a great package. The Ultimate Edition also comes bundled with the game’s two excellent expansions, which bring the worlds of Control and Alan Wake together. In short, Control: Ultimate Edition is the game it could never quite be on PS4.

4. Deathloop

Arkane has done it once again, producing a top-tier immersive sim for PS5 which utilizes the hardware excellently. With solid DualSense support and gorgeous visuals, Deathloop’s unique premise and excellent characters help round out one of the best and most unique games on Sony’s new console.

In it, two competing assassins find themselves trapped in a time loop that they need to break in order to survive. Playing as Colt, you’ll need to crack the code and kill eight visionaries in order to break the loop, all while trying to avoid being killed by rival Julianna. If you have never played an Arkane game before Deathloop is a great place to start and it offers a lot of content for you to sink your teeth into. Read our Deathloop review for our full thoughts.

5. Demon’s Souls

Bluepoint has quickly become a renowned PlayStation partner, following up its excellent Shadow of the Colossus remake with the restoration of the cult-classic Demon’s Souls for PS5.

Demon’s Souls, which was released alongside the PS5 in November 2020, was a dream come true for long-time FromSoftware fans, not only due to the fact it existed but because Bluepoint Games had done an excellent job of remaking the game.

Every inch of the kingdom of Boletaria has been masterfully recreated, with a few improvements here and there. Tighter controls, lightning refinements, and art-style changes now better match the atmosphere of the game. Some aspects of the experience, like the difficulty, obtuse puzzles, and strange boss mechanics might not be for everyone, but Demon’s Souls is worth trying out, whether it is to see some gorgeous vistas or just in case it might be the first “souls” game that grabs you.

6. Elden Ring

Elden Ring is a genre-defining game. It takes all previous Soulslikes, puts them into a centrifuge, and picks all their best bits. It then combines those best bits with a stunning open world that you can’t get anywhere else.

The game, which is one of the best RPG games to date, will test your combat, stealth, and dungeon-crawling skills, all of which eventually culminate in huge boss battles against some of the toughest Elden Ring bosses. While it’s still a Soulslike at heart, it is a bit more approachable than some of its predecessors and that’s one of the reasons why it was named as the Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022.

We were also incredibly impressed by its gameplay and the way it iterated on several different genres, which is why we gave it our first-ever ten in our Elden Ring review and crowned it as our GOTY in 2022.

7. Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 is an unmatched RPG on PS5. Bringing the series into a new era, it offers something we haven’t seen before from the series with an epic fantasy story and kinetic, fast-paced, engaging character-action combat. It is on our list of the best PS5 RPGs and is at the top because it is just exceptional.

Our writer Callum Self wrote our Final Fantasy 16 review for us and called it “the best PS5 exclusive yet”. Despite telling a grand, nation-spanning tale with a lot of characters to get to know and kingdoms to become familiar with, it doesn’t feel too overwhelming. So, even newcomers can jump into the series here thanks to advancements in how it delivers that story through the Final Fantasy 16 Active Time Lore system, paving the way for future RPGs to borrow the innovations Square Enix has implemented here. From there, developers can build even greater RPGs that make it onto this list in the future.

8. God of War Ragnarok

This is the latest entry into the angriest dad in the gaming saga and it’ll tug at your heartstrings. Building upon the stage it set in the first game all those years ago, Ragnarok puts teenage Atreus and Kratos’ relationship to the test while introducing you to yet more frozen Scandinavian landscapes.

It is arguably one of the best games of 2022 and even led the nomination count for Game of the Year at The Game Awards. While it didn’t actually beat Elden Ring in the end, the Santa Monica Studios’ game has been praised for its storytelling, the way in which it approaches its emotive narrative, and its accessibility settings.

You can find out more about why we loved the game in our God of War Ragnarok review, but if you loved the first, you’ll love this one.

9. Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut

Remastered for PS5, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut enhances one of the best PS5 open-world games for Sony’s new console with 4K and 60 FPS support. In addition to even faster loading times, the Director’s Cut comes with Japanese lip-syncing on PS5.

It follows the story of Jin Sakai, a samurai, who’s tasked with protecting Tsushima Island against the Mongols in their first attack. There are RPG elements to the game, which allow you to defend the island using honorable or dishonorable tactics, which allow you to shape the game to your playstyle.

The combat feels satisfying regardless of which route you decide to take and the story – and the world you explore as you work through it – is breath-taking. The Director’s Cut is arguably the best way to play the game too, since it comes with the Iki Island expansion, which adds a few extra hours of content to the game, in which Jin will be forced to confront his past. The remaster makes one of PS4’s best open-world games even better, so it’s a must-play on PS5 for any fan of the genre.

10. Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Zero Dawn is undoubtedly one of the best PS4 games and Horizon Forbidden West follows in its footsteps. Once again, we return to a machine-filled open world, where you’ll need to band together with others in an attempt to find the source of a mysterious plague.

With a map that’s much bigger than the original, plenty more areas to explore, both above ground and under it, and plenty of new abilities and gadgets, this isn’t a game to be skipped.

While there is still a fair bit of bloat in terms of side-quests – a problem that the original game suffered – Guerrilla Games has refined the process making the quests more meaningful over time. Read our Horizon Forbidden West review here for our full thoughts.

11. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Building upon the incredible Marvel’s Spider-Man, Insomniac Games elevated its gameplay and narrative storytelling with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

Putting you in Miles Morales’ shoes as you live his day-to-day life, feeling his struggles and also his successes, Miles Morales advances the universe’s plotlines, while also being able to tell a heartfelt and engrossing story at the same time.

With Peter’s web-slinging powers and combat abilities imbued with his bio-electricity, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales adds a pulse and beat to the moment-to-moment gameplay, whether it be swinging through New York or feeling Miles’ electricity-enhanced moves through the DualSense controller.

Miles Morales is a top-tier triple-A action adventure and one of the best games Insomniac has ever made.

12. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

For fans of the first two Insomniac Spider-Man games (2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man and the Miles Morales spin-off), or for newcomers who love superhero titles, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PS5 is an absolutely must-play title.

Any newcomers can watch a “previously on” recap of the first two games, but the story follows Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they attempt to balance their normal and alter-ego lives. However, two major villains in the form of Kraven the Hunter and Venom threaten to destroy the city.

The Loadout’s Callum Self calls the game the “ultimate PS5 experience” in his 10/10 Spider-Man 2 review, and once you play it, you’ll also see why. Not only is the gameplay satisfying, but the beautifully developed city of New York is fun to swing across, and it’s super-fast loading thanks to the PS5’s SSD.

If you love fast-paced action, emotionally strong stories, and a fun action-adventure experience, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the perfect example built for the PS5.

13. Mortal Kombat 1

Even after 30 years, the Mortal Kombat series is still going extremely strong, delivering numerous games worthy of our best fighting games list, and the latest entry is just as incredible. Confusing name aside, Mortal Kombat 1 delivers everything that the franchise is known for: a great roster of Mortal Kombat 1 characters, lots of blood, lots of gore, and lots of fun.

Despite some monetization issues, the Mortal Kombat 1 experience is as tantalizing as ever. The gorgeous visuals as you enter competitive 1v1 matches online and offline are second to none, and the timeline-bending fun found in the narrative is exhilarating, and thankfully, bite-sized too.

You can get a headstart by taking a look at the Mortal Kombat 1 tier list and learning the best fighters, but if you’re looking for a gory great time, Mortal Kombat 1 certainly delivers that. You can also read our Mortal Kombat 1 review here. For obvious reasons, it may be best to not play this around your kids or young siblings.

14. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Bridging the gap between a technical showpiece for the PS5 and an enjoyable action-adventure for the whole family, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a dazzling dash through dimensions that really shows what the PS5 is capable of.

The addition of Rivet gives the game a wider cast of characters to explore and the PS5’s SSD allows Insomniac to pull off some gameplay moments and set pieces that couldn’t have been done on the PS4.

Jaw-dropping vistas and levels, action-packed gameplay set pieces, and a wide variety of accessibility options make Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart a great game no matter your age or experience with the franchise.

15. Returnal

a fan of Alien, Prometheus, and a little bit of Lovecraft? Well, if arcade, third-person shooters are also up your alley, then Returnal should be one of the first games you play on PS5.

Set on an alien planet and offering a deeply challenging, yet addictive roguelike gameplay loop, Housemarque brings its trademark arcade action (which is just as good as it always is) and combines that with a narrative that remains intriguing and mysterious right to the very end.

Returnal also gets the accolade of having exemplary DualSense implementation with stunning haptic feedback.

Returnal might be the most hardcore and difficult game on this list, but don’t let it stop you from experiencing the new-gen features it has to offer.

16. Star Wars Jedi Survivor

Listen closely, if you love Star Wars, you’ll love Jedi Survivor. It’s arguably the best PS5 Star Wars game yet and that’s because it builds on everything that made the first game so good while adding new features into the fray.

The combat in this game feels particularly refined, giving you a rewarding experience when you’ve got a lightsaber in hand or you opt to use the Force. It also fits in with the theme of the story, given that Cal is now a tried and tested Jedi Knight and one who has earned that title.

Read our Star Wars Jedi Survivor review for our full thoughts.

17. Stray

This great big cat adventure will test your platforming and puzzling skills as you explore a cyberpunk-style world filled with robots. You’re a cat doing cat things while trying to solve a mystery – doesn’t that sound amazing?

The Walled City in Stray is a curious place, which is perfect for a cat. While it offers an urban playground for our ginger moggie to scale, it’s full to the brim with robotic companions, all of which have taken on human traits from their previous owners.

Their stories will distract you from the main storyline, but if you want to find out more about what actually happened to the city, you’ll want to chat with these friendly beings and learn more about the world around you.

Stray is a compelling little game that allows you to meow, scratch, and pounce your way to victory. If you’re a fan of cats and good storytelling, this is one stray you’ll want to take home as our Stray review details.

18. The Last of Us Part 1

If you’ve played The Last of Us Part 1, then you’ll already know that you’re in for a ride. If you haven’t, then where have you been? The Last of Us is by far one of the best experiences on PlayStation, and now with a remastered first game on PS5, followed by what is arguably one of the best upgraded PS4 games for PS5 on record, you’d be a fool to miss it.

Set in a post-apocalyptic America after a fungal outbreak has turned humans into unknowing (and frankly disgusting) zombie-like hosts, this survival horror delivers an incredibly emotional narrative that will have you angry, excited, crying, and more. Unfortunately, the multiplayer component in unavailable in this remake.

Interest in the series is at an all-time high, thanks to the recent HBO series, so if you’re new to the games, make sure to play the first game in its new, remastered form. You can read our The Last of Us Part 1 remake review here to see why it is so great.

19. The Last of Us Part 2

We can’t promise the journey will be pretty, but the second part of Ellie and Joel’s journey is a dark story that takes place five years after the original game. It is gritty, full of interesting explorations of the themes of revenge and redemption, and takes some big risks when it comes to narrative and combat.

While it delivers on everything a sequel should do, following the continuation of Ellie’s story after the first game, The Last of Us Part 2 expands the game’s combat from being just decent to superb, offering deliberately grounded and difficult-to-watch moments that will have you clenching your teeth.

If you haven’t played the first game, we’d recommend doing that now, as The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered will be released in January 2024. It is set to offer a new mode, cut levels, and improved visuals for newcomers, as well as a cheap $10 upgrade path for those who own a copy on PS4.

20. Baldur’s Gate 3

Despite the hardcore CRPG style that Baldur’s Gate 3 offers, it’s become one of the biggest games in the world, and for good reason. The team at Larian Studios has poured unfathomable amounts of passion into this project, and it shows.

Set in the Dungeons and Dragons tabletop universe and following the D&D 5th edition ruleset, Baldur’s Gate 3 can seem like it lives in a genre difficult for most players. However, if you can make it past the learning curve of the combat, it offers an unparalleled story that delivers on the consequences of your choices.

Paul Kelly over at our sister site, PCGamesN, gave the game a 9/10 in their Baldur’s Gate 3 review, calling it “a marvel, and easily one of the best RPGs ever made”, cementing it as one of the greatest role-playing games you can get right now.

21. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

Directed by the genius behind the Metal Gear Solid series, Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding sees you play as Sam Porter, a freelance courier who is tasked with making challenging deliveries to unite the broken United States of America following a mass extinction event. It sounds simple enough, but like many other games from Kojima, things can get very weird, very quickly.

Death Stranding’s gameplay mixes the boundaries of survival, walking simulator, and action while delivering a confusing yet enticing story. But the immersive feeling of making a difficult journey and barely scraping by is second to none, and years after playing it, Death Stranding still sticks with us. By playing the Director’s Cut, you also get the optimal experience, with plenty of Quality of Life features, as well as additional gameplay features.

There’s no better time than to play now too, with the Death Stranding 2 release date coming soon.

22. Alan Wake 2

The wait between 2010’s Alan Wake and its eventual sequel in 2023 was long and difficult, but it was certainly worth it. Earning a rare 10/10 score in our Alan Wake 2 review, this horror title is one of the most tantalizing, exciting, and terrifying experiences with ever had the fortune of playing.

Alan Wake 2 follows Saga Anderson, an FBI agent investigating a string of murders in the seemingly pleasant town of Bright Falls, the location of the first game. It offers a lot of meta-commentary as this reality-bending horror offers not only brilliant combat but a narrative that feels like an incredible drama series.

Whether you’ve been waiting to return to Bright Falls after playing Alan Wake years ago, or looking for an incredible horror experience and you’re new to the series, Alan Wake 2 delivers on everything you could hope from a sequel.

23. Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition

Despite being the fifth major entry in a long-running series, one that spans back into the early PS2 days, Devil May Cry 5 is both a perfect starting point for newcomers, as well as an exciting entry that brought millions of fans back into the franchise.

Devil May Cry 5’s combat is some of the best action in a game we’ve ever seen, offering high-octane and ridiculously stylish hack-and-slash combat that is fluid, blood-pumping good fun. And with four major characters to play as, all with their own playstyles, combos, and abilities, it gets even better.

Devil May Cry 5’s story is also interesting, delivering a narrative that fans have been waiting for since DMC 4’s release in 2008. But don’t let the number fool you, you can watch a recap within the game or find plenty on YouTube to catch up, but the action is what really sells the experience.

So there you have it, the best PS5 games you can buy right now. This should keep you busy until the next new PS5 games and new PS4 games rock up – and trust us, there are loads on the way. If you can’t wait until then, make sure to check out our list of the best free PS5 games to play right now.