Best PS4 Games 2018: All the essential PlayStation 4 games

This is why you should trust our list of the best PS4 games:

We play a lot of video games here at Trusted Reviews. From the lesser-known indie offerings to the big-budget triple-A blockbusters, we’re checking them out and seeing if they’re worth your hard-earned money. We play literally hundreds of games every year, but only the cream of the crop has made our best PS4 games list.

We may make money if you click one of the links to buy one of the titles in our list. That means we want you to be happy with your purchase, so you can come back to us again the next time you need something safe in the knowledge you’re getting sound advice.

We’ve whittled down our selection to 15 of the very best PS4 games you can buy right now, encompassing as many genres as we can to suit all tastes. We’ll be updating our roundup should new amazing games arrive over the coming weeks and months, but for now, this is the best you can buy.

How we test the best PS4 Games – 

We review each video game on its own merit. If the game receives a high enough score, we then decide if it should be added to the list.

If it’s a sequel to a game already in our list, then we will swap it out as the latest and greatest game in the series. For example, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life recently replaced Yakuza Kiwami. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the former is better than the latter in instances when they receive the same review score, but we’d rather not flood the roundup with several entries from the same franchise, so that you get a good variety of games to choose from.

Also, any platform-exclusive titles that we rate very highly will remain on the list. Cross-platform games available on the Xbox One, PC or Nintendo Switch will more likely be moved in favour of a PS4-exclusive game, as we feel that PS4-owners will want to know about the best games which can only be played on your console.

Finally, if a game in our list takes advantage of the additional horsepower of the PS4 Pro, we’ll let you know about it in its entry, so if you’ve decided to grab Sony’s super-powerful machine, you’ll know which games make the most of it.

With E3 2018 right around the corner, there’s plenty of brilliant PS4 exclusives to look forward to including the likes of Days Gone, The Last of Us Part 2, Death Stranding and Yakuza Kiwami 2.

Now let’s get on with the good stuff, here are the best PS4 games on the market today…

God of War

Pros

• Incredibly gorgeous
• Huge amount of gameplay
• Most satisfying combat system
• Depth to the combat via character upgrades
• Excellent father/son tale
• Zero load screens
• Kratos

Cons

• Boss encounters massively underwhelm
• Change of pace certainly won’t be for all
• Ending falls flat

God of War is yet another first-party phenomenon for Sony. On PS4 Pro, in particular, the game is absolutely stunning throughout its incredible 50+ hours of superlative gameplay. While a substantial departure from other entries in the franchise, it is by far the best game in the series to date.

With an incredibly satisfying combat system, an utterly gripping father/son story and some of the most imaginative world design you’ll ever see, this is an essential purchase for all PS4 owners.

Buy now: God of War for £46 / $59.36 from Amazon

Far Cry 5

Pros:

• Spectacular action in stunning scenery
• Four great villains, each with their own style
• More immersive and organic than previous Far Cries
• Brilliant specialists and animal allies

Cons:

• Sometimes sticks too closely to old Far Cry templates
•  Loses pace whn the Seeds aren’t around

The latest entry in Ubisoft’s Far Cry series doesn’t disappoint. Set in fictional Hope County, Montana, Far Cry 5 has you playing as a Deputy who find themselves up against Eden’s Gate. This mysterious cult has enslaved the local populous into mindless puppets willing to carry out their every whim.

At the front of this phenomenon is the Seed Family, a quartet of crazy, compelling villains who you’ll have to defeat on your adventure. They all have stand-out narrative moments with excellent performances, even if their motivations remain a bit muddled.

Far Cry 5 features all of the same crazy, over-the-top open world mechanics of its predecessors including outposts, hunting and the return of the companion system not touched since Far Cry 2.

Buy now: Far Cry 5 for £48 / $48.96 from Amazon

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Pros:

• The same great Uncharted gameplay
• Chloe and Nadine make great protagonists
• Astonishing visuals
• Huge set-pieces and ingenious world design
• Leaves you wanting more

Cons:

• More of the same (if mostly in a good way)

This standalone Uncharted adventure stars Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross as they travel across the world in search on an ancient treasure. Despite taking place outside the main series, The Lost Legacy is equally as beautiful and hectic as its siblings. Following on from the stellar Uncharted 4, this is an experience you can’t miss.

Stuart Andrews adored it, awarding Lost Legacy 10/10 in his review: “To my mind, this isn’t merely one of the best games of the summer, but one of the season’s best blockbusters in any media. If Naughty Dog wants to leave the series here, it’s hard to grumble, but let’s hope it doesn’t. Right now, more Uncharted seems like anything but a bad idea.”

Naturally, as a first-party game, this game takes full advantage of the PS4 Pro, with 4K visuals and HDR.

Buy now: Uncharted: The Lost Legacy for £20 / $32.99 from Amazon

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Pros:

• Huge, coherent and immersive game world
• Game systems and storyline both engage
• Beautifully rendered characters and scenery
•  Crammed with interesting quests, side-quests and activities
•  Geralt a more mature and sympathetic lead

Cons:

• Long loading times
• Occasional framerate drop

The Witcher 3 has become the ultimate RPG – the one by which all others should be judged. For one, this is the largest, and most convincing open world we’ve ever seen. But also, you’re looking at a game with a storyline, quests and game systems that makes that world an incredibly compelling place to exist in.

This is the GTA 5 of sword and sorcery, so be prepared to sink a lot of hours into this game.

Buy now: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for £25 / $35.78 from Amazon

The Last of Us Remastered

Pros:

• Superb storytelling and immersive gameplay
• Enhanced graphics and consistently smooth frame rates
• Includes the brilliant Left Behind expansion
• Factions multiplayer mode works better

Cons:

• Visual enhancements not as huge as you might expect
• No compelling reason to buy it again

The Last of Us was arguably the best game on PS3, and its remaster still stands tall as one of the best PS4 games you can buy. The re-release brings updated graphics, including HDR support and 4K upscaling for PS4 Pro. There are also graphical improvements, increased draw distance, a better combat mechanic and better framerate. Plus there’s the simply sublime photo mode, which we believe makes any game better.

This edition also includes the captivating Left Behind expansion, which follows Ellie in her very own tale.

With The Last of Us Part 2 on the way, there’s no better time to jump in and familiarise yourself with the game that started it all.

Buy now: The Last of Us Remastered for £20 / $31.49 from Amazon

Horizon Zero Dawn

Pros:

• The most gorgeous console game ever made
• So much stuff to do
• An engaging story

Cons:

• Waypointing can be a little iffy

Horizon Zero Dawn is quite simply the most gorgeous console game ever made. Whether you’re gaming on PS4 or PS4 Pro, it’s a beautiful title that needs to be seen to be believed. It is also one of the finest example of HDR use in gaming.

But Guerrilla Games has also delivered so much more: Horizon is a compelling story told with an incredibly satisfying gameplay loop. As Aloy, you will take to this glorious open world, bow and arrows in hand, and hunt everything in site. It’s an immensely enjoyable game and a must-buy for PS4 players.

Buy now: Horizon Zero Dawn for £17.98 / $29.53 from Amazon

Street Fighter 5

Pros:

• Large roster of varied characters
• A brilliant fighting system that is now far more versatile
• Actually has single-player content

Cons:

• Although well presented, not much to Arcade Mode
• Survival mode still abysmal

It’s fair to say Street Fighter 5 had a difficult launch when it first arrived back in 2016, but it rose from the ashes to deliver an incredible package that (eventually) became full of content for both online and single-player gamers. With an incredibly deep fighting system plus the tools to help players of all skill levels get to grips with its complexities, it’s a very rewarding brawler.

Capcom is continuing to support it with new seasons which bring with them more characters, too, which you can either purchase with real money or grind away to unlock using an in-game currency.While microtransactions have become a bit of a taboo in gaming, with the Arcade Edition of SFV now including the first two seasons for less than the cost of a full-priced game, it makes the proposition a much better pill to swallow.

Buy now: Street Fighter 5 for £13 / $21.95 from Amazon

Bloodborne

Pros:

• Smart level design
• Consistent, satisfying mechanics
• Thick, moody atmosphere

Cons:

• Frequently frustrating
• Obscure style may annoy

Another PS4-exclusive and another absolutely incredible game. Bloodborne marks the spiritual successor the the Souls series by FromSoftware. It’s a challenging, consistently rewarding and unsurpassed since it launched way back in 2014.

If you like your games to present incredible difficulty followed by unrivalled triumph, you need to buy Bloodborne. The best part is the game is currently FREE on PlayStation Plus, so what are you waiting for!?

FromSoftware has recently announced the spiritual successor to Bloodborne: Shadows Die Twice, so once again this is the perfect time to jump onboard.

Buy now: Bloodborne for £25 / $29.99 from Amazon

Persona 5

Pros:

• Great premise that doesn’t get old
• Menial tasks are somehow fun
• Looks great
• Battle system is smartly thought out
• Proper weird

Cons:

• Asks for a lot of your time
• Not instantly accessible
• Does get very rough at times

Persona 5 is arguably the finest JRPG on Sony’s console. Successfully living up to years of hype and anticipation, Atlus’ latest masterpiece combines addictive gameplay, beloved characters and an unrivalled sense of style to deliver an experience that simply can’t be missed. Playing as a young boy starting a new life in Tokyo, you quickly find yourself embroiled in a series of sticky situations as the leader of The Phantom Thieves.

You’ll attend classes, make friends and infiltrate a series of devious dungeons known as Palaces to defeat corrupt individuals from the real world. This generous gameplay loop is made even better by some wonderful visuals and sharp, witty writing the series is renown for. Persona 5 is nothing but essential.

Buy now: Persona 5 for £40 / $46 from Amazon

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Pros:

• Incredible visuals and audio
• Brutal and kinetic melee combat
• Clever perspective-based puzzles
• Immersive storytelling that could only work in games

Cons:

• Action takes time to warm up
• Be prepared to discover things for yourself

Ninja Theory’s latest work might just be its finest yet. The studio behind Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has crafted a harrowingly beautiful journey with amazing visuals,  great performances and ingenious design.

It’s short-lived but perfectly paced with a blend of action and puzzles that grows in richness and complexity as the game goes on. Senua’s story is a tragic, heartfelt one that is just begging to be experienced.

NieR Automata

Pros:

• Satisfying combat
• Inventive and surprising
• Movement feels incredible
• Brilliant soundtrack

Cons:

• Invisible walls
• Camera can be annoying
• Ugly in places

NieR: Automata is the sequel to 2010’s belovedly bizarre cult classic that builds upon the original’s brilliantly varied combat with a suitably deep narrative that will keep you guessing well beyond its initial ending. Playing as 2B, an android carrying out the bidding of humanity’s last remnants against otherworldly invaders in an oddly skimpy dress, you’ll spend your time cutting down countless robots while exploring a dense, post-apocalyptic world.

While it may not rank among Platinum Games’ finest, the imaginative mixture of high-octane combat and the wonderfully compelling story makes NieR: Automata an essential purchase for fans of obscure Japanese games. From the looks of it, Yoko Taro has struck gold once again with this mythical masterpiece.

Buy now: NiER Automata for £19.73 / $36.49 from Amazon

Yakuza 6: Song of Life

Pros:

• A spectacular conclusion to Kiryu’s story
• Brutal and engaging combat
• Two distinct cities to explore
• An overwhelming of stuff to do

Cons:

• No more UFO Catchers
• Camera can be finicky at times
• The last we’ll see of Kazuma Kiryu

Yakuza 6 is the latest entry in the thrilling series and marks the greatest game for the franchise yet. Embracing everything that has made prior entries so captivating and improving it, this is a game that will enthral fans both new and old.

The best part about it is Yakuza 6 is perfectly suited for newcomers, with tweaks to combat offering the most fluid game yet. Of course players who have enjoyed Kazuma Kiryu’s adventures over the past decade will be far more rewarded by this experience, but there’s still a great game here for everyone.

Buy now: Yakuza 6: Song of Life for £40 / $49.49 from Amazon

Stardew Valley

After taking PC by storm earlier this year, Stardew Valley and its charming mixture of farming, exploration and dungeon crawling is finally on PS4, and it’s just as good as we’d hoped.

You’re a new citizen in the town of Stardew Valley, starting a fresh new life as a farmer in charge of your own land, crop and animals. Every day you’ll wake up and carry out whatever tasks you want, whether it be going on dates, digging up trees or hitting the local bar.

Much like Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley is capable of sapping hundreds upon hundreds of hours from you if you get carried away. It’s utterly addictive, dripping with bundles of charm that make it difficult not to love. It’s also really cheap, sitting at £11.99 on the PlayStation Store.

Buy now: Stardew Valley for £15 / $21.98 from Amazon

Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods is a funny, creative and surprisingly touching adventure game, and a definite sleeper hit of 2017. You play as Mae, a talking cat having returned from a failed college degree to her quiet hometown of Possum Springs. Be warned, it’s filled with anthropomorphic creatures with attitude.

By meeting up with old friends and making new ones you’ll view life through a different lens and come to release that things change, friends leave and life doesn’t stop for anybody. Packed with clever minigames and strikingly original dialogue, Night in the Woods is a special little experience well worth picking up on PSN.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Pros:

• Emotionally compelling
• Better stealth
• Great end-game content

Cons:

• Weapons could be more creative
• Animations and character models occasionally feel ropey

A far deeper game than its B-movie stylings would imply at first glance, Wolfenstein II also delights with its fast-paced, creative first-person warfare. Its tongue-in-cheek social commentary is heavy-handed, but there are few other games where mowing down the bad guys feels so cathartic or warranted.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus also pulls off the rare trick of being a sequel that more than lives up to the standard set by its predecessor, making this a real treat for returning players. The story is fantastic, combining a compelling ensemble cast with a genuinely emotional yarn. While tonally-inconsistent at times, you always feel passionate about wiping out the Nazi menace ruling over the globe.

Buy now: Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus for £19.99 / $33 from Amazon

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