The PlayStation 5 is getting into its groove, now - Sony's next-generation console brings a brand-new controller (DualSense) and the power to make games that look miles better than anything we've seen on a console before.
It might still be relatively young for a console, but there are already a host of superb games to pick up for the PS5, between true next-gen experiences and some of the highlights of the last generation running better than ever before. We've gathered the very best for you, right here, but if you're looking for a specific genre you can find it linked in the table below.
| Our other PS5 game buyer's guides |
| • Best role-playing games (RPGs) |
| • Best racing games |
| • Best shooters |
| • Best indie games |
What are the best overall games on PS5?
- Elden Ring
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Demon's Souls
- Deathloop
- Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- The Last of Us Part 2
- Disco Elysium
- Returnal
- Resident Evil Village
- Stray
Elden Ring
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An unbelievable achievement that successfully blends open-world design and discovery with the deep and rewarding combat of the Souls series, Elden Ring was long-awaited and arrived as one of the best-reviewed games in history, with good reason.
It offers up stunning sights around every corner, ridiculously inventive enemies and countless ways to build a character to face them down, as well as some of FromSoftware's most devious bosses ever. This is a true treat.
Horizon Forbidden West
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The sequel to one of the PS4's most-loved games, Forbidden West takes its hero Aloy out of her home territories on a sprawling journey to try to save her world from a choking plague that's curtailing its flora and fauna.
It looks simply breathtaking, easily one of the most visually impressive console games ever released, and has more of the first game's impressive free-form combat against a wide variety of robotic foes. You'll trip them and trap them, and look amazing doing it.
Demon's Souls
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It might be a remake, but this is an unbelievable update to the FromSoftware game that started the Soulslike genre off - a fantastical world peopled by terrifying and dangerous opponents that you must explore oh-so-carefully.
The visuals are astonishing, and anyone who played the original knows to expect some of the most memorable locations and battles in all of gaming. It's a gem for new PS5 owners.
Deathloop
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Deathloop is genius - a shooter wrapped in a puzzle fueled by a time loop, it has you figuring out how to break the loop by killing a set of targets before it can reset. That'll make you explore a set of intricate levels across different time periods to figure out how you can get them all in one go.
It's amazingly free-form and reacts to your actions beautifully to create an incredibly intuitive set of gameplay options. Even better, you can drop into other players' games to derail their efforts in madcap multiplayer duels.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
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The first Spider-Man game from Insomniac was an absolute blast, and we've got a quick follow-up in the form of Miles Morales, taking on the suit and bringing his own new set of powers to the party.
The visuals are amped up and look simply stunning, while the textbook swinging-and-fighting action is just as fun as last time out, and that's a heck of a good thing.
The Last of Us Part 2
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A swan song for the PlayStation 4, The Last of Us Part 2 is a masterpiece of storytelling and gut-churning action, and we loved every minute of it on the PS4. Our console, though, seemed to hate it, running the hottest and loudest we ever saw it.
If you want to try Naughty Dog's latest effort without a console's fans drowning out the sound, get it running on your PS5 and you'll have a way smoother and more enjoyable experience, trust us.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
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Perhaps the most astonishingly well-written RPG we've ever played, Disco Elysium is a superb detective game that'll have you gasping with delight at the audacity of its writing and voice acting. You're free to play however you want, far more so than in more mainstream games, and some of the niche outcomes this can lead to are genuinely breathtaking.
It's got a unique art style, superb voice acting and really has to be played more than once, so that you can adequately start to understand just how ambitious it really is.
Returnal
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A game that came out of nowhere for some people, Returnal is a superbly atmospheric rogue-like third-person shooter. You play as a stranded scientist, Selene, who is stuck in a time loop on a ridiculously hostile alien planet.
It's beautiful to look at, makes superb use of the Dualsense controller, and has absolutely loads of systems to master. It's also tough as nails, so if you've finished Demon's Souls and need another challenge this'll be right up your street.
Resident Evil Village
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The latest Resident Evil game is an absolute blast, whether it's frightening the pants off you, or letting you rip with a wide arsenal of weaponry. It's got genuinely terrifying segments, and a story that's absolutely ludicrous fun.
It looks beautiful on PS5, too, with stunning lighting and super-sharp resolutions lending it a clear next-gen sheen, all the while sticking to a nice high frame rate.
Stray
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Stray has captured the hearts of so many gamers, putting you in the paws of a delightful little cat navigating a confusing world of post-apocalyptic robotic settlements in the hopes of finding your way to the outside world.
It's gorgeous in the extreme and has so many delightful touches that make you really feel like a chaotic little kitty, while telling a simple and heart-warming tale, so we really recommend you try it out.
