The Best PS5 Games In 2023

PlayStation 5 has amassed an impressive library of games and exclusives and more are being added at a steady pace. We've rounded up the best PS5 games right now, from first-party exclusives to generation-defining third-party hits. Though most of its best games are also on PS4, a respectable list are PS5-exclusive like Demon's Souls and Final Fantasy XVI. Some of its prior platform exclusives have since been ported to PC, like Returnal and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, as part of Sony's commitment to that platform. We'll continue to update this list periodically to consider new releases, and we've listed our picks for the best PS5 games in alphabetical order.

While the PlayStation 5 has had a relatively strong lineup for a new console since shortly after launch, the system is now getting a steady cadence of more groundbreaking releases as it settles into its sophomore years. As a result, several 2023 games have now joined the ranks. This list now includes the likes of Diablo 4 and Final Fantasy XVI, two massive RPGs that released within mere weeks of each other. Whether you're defeating the demon hordes in Sanctuary or sparking a revolution in Valisthea, these games will keep you occupied for dozens of hours. The list also has been updated to include Street Fighter 6, the latest in the genre-defining fighting game franchise, as it once again charts a new course and sets the standard with an inventive new adventure mode and excellent onboarding tools. If horror is more your flavor, 2023 got not one but two fantastic remakes: Dead Space reimagines EA's space horror franchise with a gruesome new level of detail, while Resident Evil 4 takes Capcom's landmark action-horror shooter and gives it modern refinements that make the gem of a game shine even brighter.

The PlayStation 5 has taken a leading position in the market with 40 million units sold--slightly slower than the PS4 but notably ahead of the reported 21 million Xbox Series X|S as of July 2023. There have been persistent rumors of a new model inbound as well. Last year, we saw rumors of a model with a detachable disc drive, which hasn't materialized. The latest rumors focus on a PS5 Pro model coming in 2024. Some kind of hardware revision is doubtless on the way, but in the meantime, you can give your PS5 a facelift with official faceplates, including one modeled after the look of Spider-Man in Venom in the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

If you're looking to get the most out of your PS5, be sure to check out our picks for the best PS5 controllers and best PS5 headsets. And if you own other systems, too, take a peek at our guides to the best PS4 games, best Xbox Series X games, best Xbox One games, and best Nintendo Switch games.

Editor's Note: Article updated on November 1, 2023.

The long-awaited sequel to the psychological thriller Alan Wake was worth the wait. The game follows Alan Wake as he seeks to escape from the Dark Place, while a concurrent campaign follows FBI agent Saga Anderson. The twisting (and very meta) story lets both characters inform and illuminate one another, delivering a visually striking and eerie experience full of moments like you've never seen in a game.

Astro’s Playroom may be preloaded on every PS5 console, but it’s also genuinely one of the best platformers in recent years. It’s one of the rare 3D platformers that captures a distinct charm and sense of magic as much as Super Mario. Astro’s Playroom brilliantly introduces PS5 owners to the DualSense and its myriad of new features. Throughout its more than 20 vibrant and colorful levels scattered across six worlds, Astro’s Playroom makes great use of the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, which truly immerse you further into the game. It's also an ode to PlayStation history, with Easter Eggs from the games (and tech) that've made the platform iconic through the years. Astro’s Playroom is a simply delightful platformer that would be worth the full price of admission, and it’s certainly the game you should play first on PS5 to marvel at the innovation.

See our Astro's Playroom review.

Larian's masterpiece RPG is an incredible display of player agency and choice. The game replicates the Dungeons & Dragons experience like no other, giving you the freedom to approach scenarios in almost any way you can imagine, truly crafting your own tale as you engage with a multitude of memorable characters. It's mechanically complex but approachable, often beautiful to watch, and always gripping.

A tiny cicada must navigate a puzzling world using an array of powers granted by orbs. The unassuming premise belies an experience of unexpected depth, as both the puzzles and the ultimate meaningfulness of the game unfold beautifully over time. Key developers of Limbo made Cocoon, and like that game, it's really best experienced for yourself.

While Control was a great game when it launched in 2019, it had some issues with performance on PS4, especially on base models. With the power of the PS5, Control runs amazingly well. The particle physics really pop in 4K, and the performance is silky smooth. The Ultimate edition comes with both of Control’s expansions, which expand on a story that’s full of surprises and gripping performances. In Control, you play as Jesse Faden, the new director of the Federal Bureau of Control, a secretive agency that investigates supernatural events. Control’s combat is thrilling, with a great mix of standard third-person gunplay and abilities that ooze with style. The story is thought-provoking and, at times, mind-bending. It’s also elevated by a foreboding atmosphere and beautiful art style. If you missed out on Control the first time around, you can now play it in its ideal form on PS5.

See our Control review.

EA's iconic horror franchise has been dormant since the third game, which received a mixed reception, but the remake provides fresh reason to hope for a renewed trilogy. Dead Space reimagines the body horror sci-fi shooter in which you, as engineer Isaac Clarke, stumble upon a cultish conspiracy. The necromorphs, as they're called, are still just humanoid enough to see what they used to be, before something changed them into horrific monsters. The remake is just as if not more grotesque than the original, but still retains the classic power fantasy as you become more and more capable of taking down legions of skittering flesh-monsters. And for sharp-eyed fans, it may just set up more Dead Space to come, which would make this not just a remake but a franchise reboot.

See our Dead Space review.

Deathloop may very well be the best PS5 console exclusive thus far, which is pretty ironic considering it was developed by Arkane Lyon--a Bethesda studio that is now owned by Microsoft. The exclusivity deal was struck before Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda, so PS5 users get to experience one of the best first-person shooters in a long time. Deathloop is set on Blackreef island, a strange place where the party never stops and everyone wants to kill our protagonist, Colt. The island is stuck in a time loop, and the only way to break it is by hunting down and killing a list of targets. Colt retains his memories from each loop but so do all of his targets. They know he's coming. Deathloop is an absolutely enthralling shooter that deftly weaves into systems into the loop in a coherent manner that gradually builds over time. It also tells a gripping tale and features some incredible acting. It earned a rare 10/10 in our review.

See our Deathloop review.

Demon’s Souls kicked off this generation in style by showing what the PS5 can do. Bluepoint Games’ remake of the 2009 action-RPG that ushered in the iconic Souls series runs like a dream. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering Bluepoint also developed the gorgeous Shadow of the Colossus remake. That said, remaking a game with such a devoted following is risky, but thankfully, Bluepoint remained faithful to the original while drastically overhauling the visuals and overall presentation. The result is a great game made even better. Demon’s Souls’ haunting environment and dangers that lurk within are all the more present with the absurd level of detail on display here.

See our Demon's Souls review.

Destiny 2 just keeps getting better. The recently released Witch Queen campaign takes Bungie's online shooter to new heights in terms of story and gameplay. Bungie has content plans for Destiny 2 until at least the end of the year, so it's not too late to jump into the shared online world. Plus, Destiny 2 is free to download, allowing you to play a decent chunk of story content as well as competitive multiplayer without spending a dime. Destiny 2 also happens to look incredible in 4K on PS5.

See our Destiny 2: The Witch Queen review.

A fast-paced action game with stylish combat is the perfect candidate for a PS5 upgrade. Enter Devil May Cry 5 Special edition, the definitive console version of Capcom’s 2019 action game. DMC 5 Special edition is impressive from a technical perspective and offers three different graphics and performance settings that offer different combinations of improvements such as ray-tracing, 4K resolution, or even gameplay at up to 120fps. It also comes with the Vergil DLC, which lets you play through the game as Dante’s twin brother. Two new modes are included as well: Turbo and Legendary Dark Knight. Turbo speeds the game up, while Legendary Dark Knight adds more enemies to the fight. Overall, the technical improvements and new content make DMC 5 Special Edition worth playing even if you already beat the original on PS4. It’s one of the best action games in recent years and includes one of the deepest combo systems ever in the genre.

See our Devil May Cry 5 review.

Blizzard's latest dungeon-crawler presents a massive world to explore, loot to find, and most importantly, a foundation for endless adventuring. After Diablo 3's rocky launch, it enjoyed a second life with tons of post-launch updates and two new classes. Diablo 4 at launch is relatively modest compared to how robust Diablo 3 eventually became, but the fundamentals are rock solid. With a new build system that puts more emphasis on carefully selecting your archetypes and five classes that feel nicely differentiated, Diablo 4 is another excellent visit into Sanctuary. On top of those qualities, it also expands the lore and story of Diablo with an emphasis on Lillith, the unholy Mother demon. With a presentation that gives you a front-row seat to the gruesome spectacle, this is the most cinematic Diablo has ever been, and it delivers with a more personal story.

See our Diablo 4 review.

When the PS5's lifecycle comes to an end, it seems likely that Elden Ring will have an argument for not just being one of the best games, but the best game on the platform. As one of the highest rated games of all time on Metacritic, it's safe to say that Elden Ring matched and exceeded From Software fans' lofty expectations. Elden Ring plays much like the Dark Souls series, but it's set in an absolutely massive open world. In traditional From Software fashion, Elden Ring lets its world do most of the storytelling. The world is utterly captivating and replicates the sense of adventure found in another genre-defying open world game (Breath of the Wild). Like all Soulsbourne games, Elden Ring has demanding and methodical combat systems that can seem like a big mountain to climb. It's worth scaling this beast, though. Elden Ring is the best open world game on PS5 right now. It earned a rare 10/10 in our Elden Ring review.

Final Fantasy VII Remake earned a rare 10/10 from GameSpot for its exhilarating and strategic combat, charming characters, stunning depiction of Midgar, and the ways it stands on its own apart from the original. Its PS5 version, sold as Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade, majorly upgrades the game's graphics and performance with next-gen power, offering two modes: one that lets you play the game in 4K with a lower frame rate, while the other prioritizes running the game in 60fps with sacrificing some graphical improvements. Notably, Intergrade also includes the Intermission DLC, which features a new story starring the lovable ninja Yuffie, adds new side missions and the Fort Condor minigame, and helps flesh out the wider FF7 universe. Whether you already own and played FF7 Remake on PS4 (in which case you can upgrade your game to the PS5 version for free) or are jumping in for the first time, Intergrade is the definitive version of a must-play adventure.

See our Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade review.

The latest in the long and storied Final Fantasy series also happens to be a platform exclusive for PlayStation 5. Square Enix looked to inspirations as diverse as Game of Thrones and Devil May Cry for this genre-bending entry, which breaks from series tradition by featuring a lone protagonist. That hero, a swordsman named Clive, is thrust into the cause of freedom fighters amid warring kingdoms who are fighting over magical resources--both crystals and the humans who can tap their power. Final Fantasy summons are reimagined as larger-than-life Eikons, supernatural beings that can single handedly turn the tide of battle, and who are alternatively revered or enslaved by various kingdoms. And while Final Fantasy has traditionally been known as a trailblazing turn-based RPG franchise, this latest entry sheds much of that identity in favor of a frenetic character-action game complete with combos and air juggles. It's a bold new vision for the Final Fantasy series and one that should definitely be experienced.

See our Final Fantasy XVI review.

Ghost of Tsushima was the last major exclusive to release on PS4 and made the most of the hardware since it already looked incredible and ran extremely well. The free PS5 upgrade makes the details of Tsushima’s lush open world even more rich and expressive. If you missed out on Ghost of Tsushima at the end of the PS4’s lifecycle, the upgrade, which supports gameplay at 60fps and 4K resolution, makes it look and feel like a native PS5 game. You play as Jin Sakai, a samurai who barely staves off a violent death and sets off on an adventure to thwart the first Mongol invasion of Japan. Ghost of Tsushima has great, fluid combat and well-integrated stealth mechanics. The open-world quest structure does feel fairly familiar, but all of the other aspects make it worth the occasional repetition. Outside of the campaign, there’s a surprisingly awesome co-op multiplayer mode dubbed Legends that adds numerous new layers to an already-great game.

You can also opt for the Director's Cut, which includes a brand-new story expansion that adds to the overall narrative.

See our Ghost of Tsushima review.

God of War is one of the most stunning PS4 games, and it is even prettier on PS5. The PS5 update adds a performance mode with 4K resolution that runs at 60fps. God of War is one of the best PlayStation exclusives in a long time already, so it’s definitely worth revisiting or playing for the first time on PS5 if you haven't yet. Its sequel, God of War Ragnarok, is a massive expansion of the concept and a continuation of the story. It's just as visually outstanding, while refining the already stellar combat and giving you new tools and RPG-like features to help you make the combat your own. It also continues, and possibly concludes, the apocalyptic story that the first game began, making these two a perfect duology to experience on your PS5.

See our God of War Ragnarok review.

Though it doesn't have much competition, Gran Turismo 7 is the best racing game on PlayStation 5 so far. That's probably not much of surprise considering the franchise's pedigree, but it's wonderful to experience a return to form for the iconic Gran Turismo brand. As hard as it is to believe, it's been more than eight years since the release of Gran Turismo 6. GT 7 ushers the series into a new, stunning era thanks to the PS5's powerful hardware. Gran Turismo 7 has top-notch car handling, a wide variety of single-player content, and heaps of customization that will undoubtedly make car enthusiasts happy. With more than 30 tracks and 400 cars, Gran Turismo 7 has a lot to offer at launch. If you get one racing game on PS5, it should be Gran Turismo 7.

See our Gran Turismo 7 review.

Hades is a roguelike that could make you fall in love with the genre. Supergiant Games' heralded action game arrived on PS5 this summer, bringing one of the best modern indie games to a new audience of players. In Hades, you play as Zagreus, the god of rebirth. Your goal is to escape from the underworld, but it won't be easy. Played from an isometric perspective, Hades has fast-paced and challenging combat that relies both on nimble fingers and strategic forethought. Between each run through the enemy-laden rooms, Hades compelling tale filled with interesting gods and goddesses unfolds. With plenty of room for experimentation and a structure that rewards you for sticking with it, Hades is an immensely satisfying action game.

See our Hades review.

IO Interactive’s Hitman reboot trilogy has proven to be one of the most inventive and interesting stealth-action series ever made. Hitman 3 caps off the World of Assassination trilogy on an all-time high note for the franchise as a whole. The hallmark of the trilogy has been player choice in intricate sandbox-style levels, and that is readily on display in Hitman 3, giving players a dizzying number of ways to tackle objectives as Agent 47. Brilliant level design is complemented by lively characters who draw you into this mesmerizing and often absurd world. Hitman 3 also places a greater emphasis on its story, which trickles down to the atmosphere to create a campaign that feels more consequential. If you haven’t played the previous two games, we’d recommend picking those up, too. Every level from the first two games can be imported into Hitman 3 with visual and gameplay enhancements.

See our Hitman 3 review.

Horizon Forbidden West is an excellent demonstration of the power of the PS5. Arguably the most beautiful open-world game ever made, Horizon Forbidden West is a visual triumph whether you're playing in performance or graphics modes. Aloy's second adventure takes place after the events of Zero Dawn, with the heroine on a new quest to unearth answers to the past in order to save the future of the world. Horizon Forbidden West has a nice mix of stealth and action-oriented combat when it comes to the signature machines (robot dinosaurs). If you're looking for a gorgeous open-world game with near endless activities, Horizon Forbidden West is bursting at the seams with content. The main quests are the stars of the show, but there are a bunch of compelling sidequests that encourage players to explore. While there might actually be too many systems in Forbidden West, those who like these sorts of open-world games will undoubtedly appreciate how much there is to see and do.

See our Horizon Forbidden West review.

Following the blockbuster success of the first Spider-Man game from Insomniac and its interstitial sequel Miles Morales, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 lets the two Spider-Men join forces in a sprawling and gorgeously rendered New York City. The two are come face to face with Kraven the Hunter, who has come to New York targeting Spidey's rogues gallery. The dual protagonists lets you play with two sets of powers, while the cinematic story is a treat for long-time web-heads.

The second cooperative-only game from Hazelight--the studio behind A Way Out--It Takes Two is a much more successful effort because actually controlling the characters doesn't feel like an afterthought. It's a delightful and experimental platformer set in a fantastical world imagined by a girl during her parents' heartbreaking divorce, and both Mom and Dad are forced to work together as they rekindle their love--via puzzles and jumping challenges, of course. Frequently hilarious and with inventive ideas in nearly every area, It Takes Two is the work of a studio that truly understands its strengths and where its previous games could have been better, and despite director Josef Fares' outspoken, often vulgar statements making him more of a meme than a man, he is also a true creative force. The Oscars may have abandoned him, but the video game industry sure hasn’t, and it's tough to imagine him topping It Takes Two with his next game.

See our It Takes Two review.

The Ultimate edition of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales comes with the remaster of one of the best PS4 games and its impressive follow-up. The remastered version of Marvel’s Spider-Man runs wonderfully on PS5 and makes use of the powerful hardware to offer several modes that boost frame rate and visual quality. Marvel’s Spider-Man also tells a heartwarming and grounded story filled with adept characterization and superb pacing. Even if you already played the original on PS4, the remastered version is worth running through again.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a more compact experience (think: Uncharted: Lost Legacy), but it uses the strong foundation of its predecessor well. Miles’ coming-of-age story is a joy to watch unfold, and the story has plenty of twists of turns. Together, these two games make quite the duo and should be in every PS5 library.

See our Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales review.

No game had a better comeback story last generation than No Man’s Sky, the ambitious space-exploration sim from Hello Games that originally launched in 2016. Over the past four-plus years, Hello Games has changed the narrative from unfulfilled promises to exceeding expectations. From adding a bevy of new features like base-building and space fleet management to introducing entirely new ways to play thanks to multiplayer, No Man’s Sky has become a wonderful experience. On PS5, No Man’s Sky runs in 4K at 60fps, has more detailed planets, and features better lighting and shadows. For a game that focuses on exploration and discovery, No Man’s Sky’s visual and technical improvements make it an even worthier voyage across space.

See our No Man's Sky Next review.

A PS5 exclusive, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a thrilling new adventure in the action-platforming series, and it looks and feels incredible on next-gen hardware. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart introduces a lovable new character, Rivet, who teams up with the iconic duo after they're thrust into an alternate dimension. With gorgeous visuals, immersive DualSense functionality, and new traversal tools that refine platforming and combat, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was one of the first games that felt truly "next-gen" and is a must-play for any PS5 owners.

See our Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart review.

Resident Evil 4 is one of the most revered third-person action games of all time, and one that helped set the standard for years to come. Capcom's decision to remake the classic couldn't have come lightly, but the studio pulled off the feat with aplomb and met the understandably high expectations. The remake of Resident Evil 4 is not just a significant visual improvement over the original. It's a thoughtful reimagining of the best parts of RE4, and a reinvention of the pieces that were less successful. The result is a game that is both recognizable and fresh, paying homage to a fantastic game and making it feel utterly modern in the process.

See our Resident Evil 4 review.

Returnal is not a game for everyone--it's extremely difficult and its roguelite structure can feel overwhelming at first--but those who keep playing will be rewarded with one of Housemarque's best games. Essentially a AAA-level third-person shooter with arcade sensibilities, it retains the essence of Housemarque's older, smaller games like Nex Machina and Resogun, with dodging through enemy projectiles and memorizing their attacks playing a huge role. But on top of this is a surprisingly deep story focused on an astronaut named Selene and a planet that she just can't seem to escape, even in death. Shortcuts and a little bit of luck can make the run between the game's six different biomes much less daunting, and little tidbits of exposition and world-building make even your failed runs feel worthwhile. And that's good, because you're likely going to have a lot of them before you see the ending.

See our Returnal review.

Street Fighter 5 was a divisive part of the long-running fighting franchise, and clearly Capcom intended Street Fighter 6 to be a reset. It appears to be mission accomplished, as the latest game is getting praise across the board for being an excellent entry for fighting game veterans as well as a great entry point for those who have had trouble penetrating the scene. A newly refined combo system also helps novices learn not just how to pull off complicated moves, but also the strategy behind when and why to do it. Perhaps the wildest revision is a new World Tour mode, which has you create a custom fighter with their own blend of moves that you learn from several masters--famous Street Fighter characters like Ken and Chun-Li. And the fighters themselves are a diverse set of strange and inventive new characters alongside classic faces like Blanka and Dhalsim. It all comes together to be the best Street Fighter package in years.

See our Street Fighter 6 review.

The philosophical first-person puzzler The Talos Principle demanded a sequel as ambitious and heady as it was, and the second game delivers. Talos Principle 2 is once again a contemplative experience that raises big questions even as you stay occupied with a series of clever puzzles. You'll explore deep existential questions and unravel the nature of the world. The first game was an unexpected treat but The Talos Principle 2 shows that developer Croteam can still create a delightful puzzle box even when we think we know what to expect.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon's PS5 version launched months after the game's initial release, but it's every bit as great as the Xbox Series X version. It supports native 4K resolution or 60fps with a slight dip in resolution. Like a Dragon is the most experimental entry in the beloved Sega series. With a charming new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, and an inspired turn-based battle system, Yakuza: Like a Dragon takes the series in a whole new direction. Still, it retains all of the endearing quirks that Yakuza is known for, which makes Like a Dragon a great experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Along with its incredible mainline story, Like a Dragon has a ton of awesome side content that makes seeing and doing everything in its beautiful world a worthwhile endeavor. It's worth noting that while the PS4 version has a free upgrade to PS5, save data doesn't transfer.

See our Yakuza: Like a Dragon review.