40. Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)

The Final Fantasy series has never been one to sit still, and with Final Fantasy 16, it's moved away from its turn-based traditions entirely. The first true action RPG in the mainline games, it's quite the departure from the norm, but it's an excellent entry nonetheless. Featuring a gripping story delivered by brilliant performances, incredibly fun combat, and some of the most spectacular scenes imaginable, this is a fantastic game that pulls out all the stops.

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39. Synth Riders (PS5)

Synth Riders is one of our favourite PSVR games, so it's great to see it come to PSVR2 in this remastered package. Following the colour-coded notes with your hands, this is a fantastic rhythm game supported by a brilliant soundtrack of nearly 60 tunes. The PSVR2 version features sharper graphics, improved controller tracking, and neat use of haptics to help you keep the beat. If you're a fan of rhythm games, flailing your arms around, or both, this is practically a must-play.

38. Tetris Effect (PS5)

Tetris Effect was great on PS4, but its PS5 version just takes things up a notch. Merging that classic falling block game with mesmerising visuals and entrancing music, it's an amazing experience that truly sings in 4K and HDR. We'd highly recommend playing it on your TV, but it's also brilliant in PSVR2. There's little sacrifice to picture quality, and the extra immersion you feel with the special effects swirling all around you is awesome. With so many modes to enjoy, this is the ultimate Tetris experience on PlayStation.

37. Alan Wake 2 (PS5)

Remedy Entertainment has followed up on the beloved Alan Wake with a more-than-worthy sequel. Alan Wake 2 goes all-in on survival horror, but it also goes all-in on Remedy's particular brand of weird, blending live action with gameplay, taking unexpected turns, and making lots of creative risks. The result is an atmospheric, unpredictable, and fascinating game of two halves. Whether you're playing as Saga Anderson in the real world or Alan in the dark place, it remains captivating throughout — and looks incredible to boot.

36. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (PS5)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon barely feels next-gen as it’s very much rooted by Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s dated engine and game design principles, but it’s bursting with personality and one of the most varied releases on this list. At its core, it’s a traditional, turn-based (a first for the franchise) role-playing game built around an engaging and relatable party of core characters, but it’s so much more: this small but densely populated open world harbours go-karts, an entire business management minigame, and more wacky side-quests than you can shake a massage wand at. This is one of the most unique and time consuming titles on PS5.

35. Tekken 8 (PS5)

Arguably the most explosive Tekken game yet, Tekken 8 is a truly bombastic fighter. Fundamentally, it builds on the already fantastic foundations of Tekken 7, but the new Heat system brings so much aggression to the series' trademark 3D gameplay. Featuring a healthy list of modes — both online and offline — a rock solid character roster, and the promise of many memorable battles, Tekken 8 is probably the franchise at its peak.

34. Silent Hill 2 (PS5)

33. Moss: Book II (PS5)

An early star of virtual reality was Moss, and this follow-up builds on those solid foundations. Moss: Book II continues the adventures of Quill, who now has access to multiple weapons to fend off enemies. They also play into the game's puzzles, which are larger in scope and more complex than the first game. It all looks wonderful too — the environments and character animations are gorgeous, and your unique perspective lets you get a really good look at these cutesy levels. It's not a massive departure from what came before, but this five-hour adventure is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

32. Unicorn Overlord (PS5)

"Vanillaware doesn't miss" — a statement that grows more and more meaningful with every game that the talented Japanese studio releases. Unicorn Overlord takes the developer in yet another new direction, channelling the spirit of strategy RPGs like Fire Emblem to create one of the finest examples of the genre that you'll find in modern gaming. Growing a huge army of characters and finding unique ways to squad them up is the crux of the experience, and it only gets increasingly addictive as the adventure continues. Couple that with Vanillaware's amazing, trademark art direction, and you've got a surefire recipe for role-playing success.

31. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS5)

With the best turn-based gameplay, the biggest and best cast of characters, and the most gripping story in the series so far, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is comfortably the greatest Yakuza game to date. Ichican and Kiryu hit up the new destination of Hawaii in search of the former's long-lost mother, but their quest really is just the tip of the iceberg. Improved combat makes fights more engaging than ever, upgraded graphics bring new life to classic locations like Kamurocho, and deep and fascinating characters both new and old mean you won't want to stop playing until the credits roll. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth really is RGG Studio at its peak.

30. It Takes Two (PS5)

When you think of co-op games, one should spring to mind immediately: It Takes Two. This action adventure is from the makers of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, and sees you and a partner take on the role of an estranged couple. Turned into dolls by their daughter's tears, you and a friend must go on a wildly imaginative, endlessly varied, adventure to return to normal. Constantly presenting you with new puzzles and ideas, each as good as the last, you'll never grow weary of this brilliant game, playable locally or online.

29. Hogwarts Legacy (PS5)

Taking place hundreds of years before the events of Harry Potter, Hogwarts Legacy finally lets fans live out their dream of attending the eponymous school. While there's an intriguing story to follow that takes you far beyond the castle itself, this RPG's strengths are all in the smaller things. The school is a joy to explore, as are the surrounding grounds, because of an obsessive attention to detail that really does imbue the open world with magic. Layer on top solid spell-based combat, flying on your broom, and even rearing magical creatures, and the result is a real crowd-pleaser — and definitely the best game in the franchise.

28. Metaphor: ReFantazio (PS5)

The team behind the Persona series presents its take on a fantasy RPG with Metaphor: ReFantazio. Structured very similarly to its stablemates, this game has you exploring a realm filled with monsters, monarchy, and magic, and is just as stylish too, with gorgeous presentation throughout. Presenting players with one of the best RPG stories in recent memory, engaging combat, and rewarding gameplay systems, this is yet another banger from Atlus.

27. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (PS5)

There's no denying that Final Fantasy VII Remake is one of the best Final Fantasy games in years, and Intergrade is the icing on the cake. Yes, it's only one part of the story, and yes, a few of the, er, changes are going to annoy some fans forevermore, but there's a healthy helping of Final Fantasy VII magic at the heart of Remake. Whether it's in the way that the characters have been re-realised or the outstanding boss fights (and excellent combat system), charging through Remake is a rewarding experience — especially if you're big on nostalgia.

26. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales may be shorter than its immediate predecessor, a spin-off if you like, but it’s lacking none of the character of its older, bigger brother. While Marvel’s Spider-Man did away with origin story clichés, Miles Morales is much more of a coming of age tale, as it sees the eponymous star coming to terms with his new-found powers. This is a deeply personal plot that adds depth to Insomniac Games’ wider Spider-Man universe, and it comes with some smart new gameplay wrinkles that make it a blast to play. Instant loading and sumptuous visuals are merely the frosting on the top of this wintery open world treat, which will leave you lusting after Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

25. Returnal (PS5)

Not that it needed to, but with Returnal, Housemarque has proven itself an incredibly capable studio. This PS5 exclusive is a frantic, ultra-tight third person shooter dressed up with some rogue-like elements to add variety and unpredictability to the mix, and the result is wonderful.

Trapped in a loop on a hostile alien world, Selene is forced to relive her fateful crash landing each time she dies. There's an amazing sense of accomplishment as you slowly progress through challenging boss encounters and explore six diverse environments full of randomised weapons, perks, and power-ups. It feels amazing to play, especially with amazing support for the DualSense's features, and the addictive gameplay is complemented by an enigmatic story that will leave you guessing.

The best part is that's just the start. A slew of additional modes flesh out Returnal, giving you a few extra ways to play when you're done with the single player campaign. The daily challenge mode provides all players with a fixed loadout and room layouts, with the goal of amassing the highest score possible by exploring and playing skilfully. Beyond that is the Tower of Sisyphus, an endless arcade mode that similarly tasks you with getting the highest score you can, only there's more of a sense of urgency. You're rewarded not just for skilled play but for fast play — your multiplier will start to tick down if you loiter for too long. The Tower also contains additional story, adding more layers to the mysterious narrative the main game offers.

Finally, there's two-player online co-op. This allows you to join or invite another player and go through the main campaign with a companion, potentially alleviating some of the challenge. While it isn't the primary focus of Returnal, the co-op works splendidly; resources are shared between you, forcing you to make decisions on who gets what, and a revival mechanic lets you bring each other back into the fight. It's just as much fun taking on the world of Atropos with a friend as it is alone, if not more so.

Whether you're in it for the world class gameplay, the atmospheric sci-fi setting, the intentionally mysterious story, or the variety of extra modes, Returnal is among the most robust, rewarding, and addictive games on PS5.

24. Resident Evil Village (PS5)

For a franchise that has no shortage of experimental entries in its back catalogue, Capcom knows how to make a traditional Biohazard campaign when it wants to. Resident Evil Village adopts the first-person perspective of Resident Evil 7, but this time offers a confident and familiar romp through a sinister Romanian village. With an eclectic cast of curious – but occasionally underdeveloped – villains, the true character of this sequel is the setting itself, which harbours countless secrets and some truly memorable moments. And for those rocking a PSVR2, the full game is playable in virtual reality, which really ratchets up the intensity with overhauled controls and impressive visuals.

23. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (PS5)

Insomniac Games delivers an ultra-fun sequel in Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Refining pretty much everything that came before while delivering another rollicking superhero story, this is about as solid a follow-up as you could hope for. While it'll be fairly familiar if you've played the other games, new features tip it over the edge. The Web Wings are a huge boon for traversal, combat has been smartly refined, and the side content is more meaningful. It's a real crowd-pleaser, and is another shiny jewel in Sony's PS5 crown.

22. Elden Ring (PS5)

Elden Ring’s crowning achievement is taking a relatively niche gameplay loop – refined over the years with Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, et al – and presenting it to the masses. FromSoftware’s open world magnum opus is a staggering achievement: a sandbox bursting at the seams with vulgar secrets, all presented with enough ambiguity to make combing every square inch of its dramatic Lands Between backdrop feel like true discovery. With a complex combat system enabling an eclectic array of gameplay styles, and some of the most devilish encounters in gaming history, this is an unmissable experience – and then some.

Segmented into a selection of sprawling sinister landscapes, celebrated director Hidetaka Miyazaki’s ambitious open world harbours more secrets than you may imagine. Cliff edges hide untouched catacombs, littered with loot and guarded by grotesque enemies, while the friendly characters you encounter gradually make way to sprawling quest lines that will send you all over the open world.

While you will need assistance to discover much of the game’s more obscure content – and we recommend reading through our Elden Ring guide before you embark – a big part of this fantasy favourite’s appeal is simply getting lost in its world. With the bottlenecks of past entries mostly eradicated due to the sheer scale of its sandbox, no two adventures will ever be the same.

In fact, the title’s versatility is one of its defining features. With a dizzying selection of armaments to choose from, ranging spellbinding incantations through to deadly seven-foot swords, the game gives you the freedom to inject your own personality into it. And whether you’re playing in single player alone or in co-op with a companion, you’ll find what feels like a never-ending array of artillery to experiment with and areas to explore.

FromSoftware has never been blessed with technical chops, and while the painterly art direction borders on the sublime, some minor frame hitching and graphical glitches can be a concern. But these are minor blights in a tour-de-force: a culmination of everything the Japanese developer has spent the past decade and a bit working to achieve.

21. What Remains of Edith Finch (PS5)

What Remains of Edith Finch is a difficult game to talk about without spoiling what makes it special. It's a narrative-driven experience that only lasts a few hours, but it packs in so much inventive design and imaginative sequences that it will stick with you for longer than anything else. Playing as the titular Edith Finch, you return to her rickety, unusual family house and unearth what happened to everyone. It's emotional, surprising, characterful, and unique. Now also on PS5, there's no excuse to skip this excellent adventure.