The best PlayStation 5 games for 2022
Hello everyone, and welcome to our first update of Engadget’s top PlayStation 5 games list. As usual, we’ve sought for games that deliver substantial upgrades over their last-gen counterparts when played on PS5, or are limited to the system. Deathloop and Final Fantasy VII Remake have joined the overwhelmingly Sony fray in our 2022 update. We’ll keep this updated as often as possible; if a game has just been released and you don’t see it listed here, chances are that we haven’t gone through it yet. Alternatively, it’s possible that we despise it.
Astro’s Playroom
It’s unusual to begin a list of the best games with one that is included with the console, but if you’re like my son, who deleted Astro’s Playroom in order to make room for other Call of Duty games, I’ve got something to say. Astro’s Playroom is a love letter to both 3D platformers and the PlayStation system as a whole.
It’s also the game that makes the best use of Sony’s DualSense controller, with fantastic haptic feedback and clever usage of the pad’s adaptive triggers. (Although, eight years on, I’m still not convinced anyone has found a compelling reason for that touch pad.) It’s a game that even completionists can finish in about six hours, but those six hours were among the most enjoyable I’ve had with the PS5 so far.
Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade
We didn’t think it would ever happen. Final Fantasy VII is regarded as an important JRPG in terms of expanding the genre to the West. It graced the top 10 lists of all-time best games and introduced 3D maps and numerous other 32-bit console technologies, including polygons, 3D maps, and countless more features. n23 years later, Square Enix has taken a risk by remaking, not rehashing, the game. It will be split into 23 episodes that will improve upon Midgar’s history and start at the beginning of the game.
It’s all very different. It’s also beautiful, with a more current combat system that no longer focuses on static characters and menu options. The battle system somehow manages to function. FF7R’s fights are smoother and more enjoyable than those in Final Fantasy XV, the latest entry in the franchise. Each character, from old-school hero Cloud through to environmental activist Barret and florist Aerith, plays differently owing to the distance between them and their opponents. Some sub-missions and diversions feel as though they were included just for the sake of extending your playtime, but the original’s world has been carefully reconstructed, so it’s a little nitpick.
Anyone who purchased the PS4 version of Final Fantasy XV will be eligible for a free upgrade to the PS5. However, to access the PS5-exclusive DLC chapter focused on ninja Yuffie, it’ll cost you cash. Two new extra chapters complementing the events of the original installment of this remaster are available for download. The opening of the game feels like it was designed to reveal the new PlayStation’s potential, with Yuffie zipping down poles through vertiginous levels, wall-running and mixing up long-range and short-range assaults in a way that differs from Cloud, Aerith, and the rest. It suffers from trying to connect old spin-off titles’ FF7 lore together, but it’s an enjoyable interlude until Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is released in 2023.
Buy Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade at Amazon – $70
Demon’s Souls
The ‘Bluepoint’ or ‘Demon’s Souls Remake,’ as it’s also known, will not appeal to everyone — no game in the series does. In 2009, the PS3 version of Demon’s Souls became a sleeper hit, establishing the basic format that was later cemented in Dark Souls and then emulated by an entire industry until we essentially had a “Soulslike” genre. That’s all well and good, but most of those aspects are still present in many modern Souls games. Today, that entails overcoming challenges, leveling up by gathering souls from slain enemies, reclaiming your corpse to collect said souls, a labyrinthine map to explore, and if you’re doing it right, some show-stopping boss fights. Demon’s Souls established the genre as a progenitor; however, it does not have quite as many of them as other games in the series. It employs a portal system rather than a large sprawling world. Its bosses aren’t nearly as impressive or difficult as recent Dark Souls games’ bosses.
While the graphics are beautiful, graphically Demon’s Souls is a true showcase of what the PS5 can do, with lovely high-resolution visuals, smooth frame rates, and quick loading. While the aesthetics certainly catch your attention, it’s the fluidity and load times that are most significant. The first game ran at 720p and… …25 to 30 frames per second while the remake lets you choose between a locked 30 or 60 fps at 4K or 1440p. And being able to respawn in less than two seconds instead of thirty is wonderful.
Buy Demon’s Souls at Amazon – $70
God of War
After a six-year absence, Sony’s God of War franchise reclaimed its throne in early 2018 with the release of its latest installment. For good reason, it had laid dormant for half a decade. antiquated gameplay and sensitive themes had made it an unsuitable fit for today’s gaming environment. No more. God of War successfully reboots the series while turning previous games’ narrative shortcomings into strengths. Kratos is now a father, and the camera is now practically attached to his shoulder; as a result, Sony has what will undoubtedly become another successful series on its hands.
God of War was the first outright PS4 game on this bundle, and it has been patched to work better on PS5, which allows it to run at 4K/60. This one is free for PlayStation Plus subscribers who buy the PlayStation Plus Collection for PS5.
Buy God of War at Amazon – $20
Ghost of Tsushima: The Director’s Cut
This tale of samurai retribution is like Japanese film come to life. There are several betrayals, sad deaths of several close associates, tense sword duels, villages and castles under attack, and even a ‘Kurosawa mode’ black-and-white filter for the whole game. The world of feudal Japan, with some creative license taken, is stunning, with fields of grass and bullrushes to race across on your trusty steed, temple ‘puzzles’ to navigate around and fortresses to evaluate and attack.
As you complete the main story mission and several additional side missions and obstacles, you’ll be able to use more powerful sword techniques and postures, as well as new weapons and black arts that are neatly woven into the plot of a samurai pushed to the edge. It still has too many fetch missions, relics strewn across Japan’s prefectures, but Ghost of Tsushima’s stunning visuals trick you into thinking it is the greatest open-world game on PlayStation. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good.
With the new Director’s Cut version on the PS5, you get dynamic frame rates up to 60 FPS, ensuring that the game appears and feels even more like a tribute to Japanese cinematic auteurs of the past. DualSense techniques, such as a bow that physically tightens as you pull on trigger buttons, and subtle rumble as you ride across Tsushima’s countryside, are also included in Director’s Cut. The game adds a few more surprises to Jin’s bag as you travel across the Iki isle, and it deepens the relationship and backstory between the game’s hero and his father. nWithout revealing what happens, the game nicely links the original narrative into the DLC, ensuring that despite being DLC, it feels firmly connected to the main game.
Buy Ghost of Tsushima: The Director’s Cut at Amazon – $79
Deathloop
The concept of a day that repeats itself is easy to grasp: you’re trapped in an endless looping day. You’ll go back to the start of the day if you perish. If you survive until nightfall, you’ll repeat it once more. Colt must “break the loop” by murdering seven key characters before sundown by eliminating them quickly and efficiently. It’s also stylish, approachable, and enjoyable.
While you’re attempting to figure out how to get out of this time loop, Julianna, another islander who can recall everything that happens in each cycle, will try to hunt you down. She’ll also prevent you from leaving a location and generally interfere with your plans to leave the time loop. (The online multiplayer is also compelling; play it backwards. You star as Julianna, who tries to stop Colt from murdering others.)
Slabs that enhance your supernatural abilities, as well as more powerful weapons and trinkets to embed into both guns and yourself, are earned each time you revisit the regions (and again). It’s through this mechanism that you may personalize your approach to play or outfit yourself in the finest way to succeed at Julianna’s assassination. Each epoch and location encourages re-exploration by rewarding secret weapons, off-mission conversations with characters, and lots of world-building lore for you to discover on your own.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Ultimate Edition
Finally, you no longer have to play Spider-Man 2 on the GameCube to get your web-slinging fix. For almost 15 years, that game has been recognized as the gold standard for a Spider-Man game, but I’ll let you in on a secret: it wasn’t very good. Marvel’s Spider-Man is a tour de force, featuring the finest representation of what it’s like to swing through New York City ever seen in a video game. Insomniac’s PlayStation exclusive also incorporates heavily from the Batman: Arkham series’ combat and provides an involving narrative that culminates in a breathtaking conclusion.
Insomniac launched a Miles Morales spin-off game following the eponymous character as he tries to defend New York City in Peter Parker’s absence with the debut of the PS5. It’s all here: In the Ultimate Edition package, you get both parts (naturally), with improved framerates, resolution, and ray tracing (although not necessarily all at once!) With the complete graphical package enabled, you’ll be playing at 30 frames per second in 4K; alternatively, you can select between a pair of performance modes: 4K/60 without ray tracing or 1080p/60 with ray tracing. Whatever mode you pick, loading times will be significantly reduced.
Buy Marvel’s Spider-Man Ultimate Edition at Amazon – $60
Resident Evil Village
The Resident Evil Village is a lot of fun. It’s a gothic fairy tale that masquerades as a survival-horror game, and while this is a new tone for the franchise, it isn’t unwelcome. Capcom has added an enticing twist on the concept of vampires, werewolves, sea creatures, giants, and creepy dolls to the characters and enemies in Village (even though they’re definitely Undead).
The game, which retains its horror, puzzle, and action elements, has the fingerprints of Umbrella Corporation all over it. On PS5, the game is beautiful and plays well with the DualSense controller, providing tactile feedback to weapons and adding an intense atmosphere. It simply feels like developers had a good time with this one, so will you.
Buy Resident Evil Village at Amazon – $60
Returnal
Returnal is a hard, perhaps not in that order, third-person action game with roguelite elements, bullet-hell shooting, and dark sci-fi themes. The basic premise is that you’ve gotten stuck in a death loop but are aware of it, and the goal is to learn the patterns and weaknesses of your foes while also mastering your own abilities in order to advance. According to Devindra Hardwar, it draws heavily on Alien, Edge of Tomorrow, and Event Horizon but creates something new and distinct as a result.
It’s made by the same team that designed Resogun, Nex Machina, and Super Stardust HD, and it shows. The movement, gunplay, and enemy attack patterns are extremely well tuned as you’d expect from a team that has spent decades developing shooters. On the other hand, because Returnal is a bigger project for them (and therefore less polished), some people may find it too complex and ambitious. If you can get past this , there’s a fantastic game waiting for you here.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice isn’t simply another Dark Souls game. FromSoftware’s samurai adventure bucks the well-known formula, substituting sluggish, weighty combat and gothic despair for stealth, grappling hooks, and quick swordplay. Oh, and while it’s still a tough game, it’s a lot easier to grasp than previous FromSoftware games — you can even stop it! As a result of all of these modifications, the game is now its own thing while yet maintaining its unmistakable FromSoftware roots. While there has yet to be an official PS5 upgrade for the game, Sony’s next-gen system offers extra horsepower that allows the title to finally run at 60 frames per second – something the PS4 Pro couldn’t manage.