Best PS4 Games (May 2020): 13 titles you definitely need in your collection

The PS4 has amassed such an unbelievable amount of stellar exclusives, hidden gems and gargantuan blockbusters, it’s hard to believe the machine has only been a part of our gaming lives since 2013. With so many options to discover, from survival horror to open world games, Trusted Reviews has compiled the best of the best for the Sony console – at least until the PS5 rolls around.

• Best survival horror: Resident Evil 2
• Best combat: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
• Best narrative: The Last of Us Remastered
• Best mechanics: Death Stranding
• Best adventure: God of War
• Best RPG: Final Fantasy 7 Remake 
• Best open world: Horizon Zero Dawn
• Best blockbuster: Uncharted: Lost Legacy
• Best music: NieR: Automata
• Best characters: Yakuza 6
• Best style: Bloodborne
• Best action: Devil May Cry 5
• Best superhero title: Marvel’s Spider-Man

1. Resident Evil 2

Pros

• An unpredictable challenge across both campaigns
• Tense and terrifying
• Heavy and responsive gunplay
• Plenty of great unlockables

Cons

• Could have been a little longer
• We would have loved to see more of Raccoon City

Translating the 1998 survival horror classic onto modern hardware and offering one of the genre’s finest experiences in years, Capcom’s Resident Evil 2 has set a new benchmark for the gaming remake. The debut from Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield is utterly terrifying, taking us through Raccoon City as it is overrun with hordes of the undead.

Adopting the over-the-shoulder perspective of Resident Evil 4 and the slow-burning horror of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, our seventh entry, this remake feels like the perfect culmination of everything we love about the modern formula. Every corner reveals a new, awful threat that we are powerless to avoid and must deal with as best we can. This is an essential must-play for anyone looking to spook themselves silly.

Read our full Resident Evil 2 review

2. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Pros

• The world is gorgeous and brimming with deep, dark secrets
• Doesn’t hold your hand and is all the better for it
• Every combat encounter is brutally satisfying
• A wonderful setting filled with fascinating tales and characters

Cons

• Camera can prove frustrating at times

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has proven that FromSoftware can seldom put a foot wrong when it comes to creating deep, meaningful and wonderfully challenging action experiences. Sekiro is a masterful effort, expanding upon the likes of Dark Souls and Bloodborne with rhythmic combat that forces the player to consider every single move like their last. One wrong step can lead to death, making victory all the more satisfying.

It has some of the finest environments the developer has ever made, boasting rigid verticality as you are free to grapple onto the rooftops and into trees, waiting patiently before getting the drop on enemies. Combine this with a fluid combat system, silky smooth movement and tremendous encounter design and you’ve got one of the best games on any platform right now.

Read our full Sekiro review

3. God of War

Pros

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

Cons

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

God of War is proof that you can almost certainly teach an old dog new tricks, transforming a once tired franchise into something truly breathtaking. Sony Santa Monica took the character of Kratos and made him into a sympathetic legend, following him and his son Atreus as they seek to spread his mother’s ashes atop the world’s highest mountain.

It’s a touching premise, leading to an epic adventure filled with massive battles, touching moments and other genuinely breathtaking set-pieces. Now you could argue that God of War has simply been thrown into a blender with The Last of Us, and it certainly shares some qualities, but Kratos’ latest adventure is so much more than that. If you own a PS4, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Read our full God of War review

4. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Pros

• Spidey-quips
• Punching, but with webs
• Travelling the city feels incredible
• Fan service

Cons

• No real rewards for all those collectibles
• Forced stealth sections

Arguably the best we’ve ever seen from the wise-cracking webhead, Marvel’s Spider-Man is a wonderful superhero experience. It has been developed by Insomniac Games, the minds behind Sunset Overdrive and Ratchet Clank, who have crafted a sprawling vision of Manhattan that is simply joyous to swing about in.

Combat is fast, kinetic and satisfying, and there are ample upgrades and unlockable suits to experiment with as you progress. There are some deep cuts here, whether you’re a fan of Scarlet Spider or the highly-advanced suit from Avengers: Infinity War.

All this and we haven’t even mentioned the story yet, which manages to weave a yearning narrative that shocks and surprises in equal measure. It’s excellent and is superbly complemented by stellar performances and an ending that leaves the doors open for a sequel.

Read our full Marvel’s Spider-Man review

5. Death Stranding

Pros

• One of the most original games of this generation
• A scary, melancholic and inviting world to explore
• The characters are strange, layered and interesting
• Mechanics all compliment each other brilliantly
• Social interaction system is genuinely innovative

Cons

• Boss battles can be somewhat frustrating
• A few plot threads remain unanswered

The debut project from Kojima Productions is a weird and wonderful masterpiece and unlike anything we’ve ever played before. You play as Sam Bridges, a courier tasked with reforming the ‘United Cities of America’ in a battered, post-apocalyptic world. Your job is to deliver packages, which sounds quite dull, but the mechanics are so compelling and nuanced that every quest is an engrossing joy.

Death Stranding combines open-ended exploration, survival horror, combat, stealth and countless other genres to create one of the best games you can play on PS4 right now. The creators of Metal Gear Solid have truly outdone themselves, setting this strange adventure apart from the competition. The story and mythology behind it is undeniably silly, yet sells itself with excellent performances from the likes of Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen.

Read our full Death Stranding review

6. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Pros:

• Chloe and Nadine make great protagonists
• The same great Uncharted gameplay
• 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 of an ancient treasure. Despite taking place outside the main series, The Lost Legacy is just 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.”

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

Read our full Uncharted: Lost Legacy review

7. Final Fantasy 7 Remake

I hazard to say if Final Fantasy 7 Remake is superior to its predecessor since that argument feels reductive given what’s been accomplished here. They both exist and excel in their own ways, and Square Enix’s modern vision is clearly a fundamentally different one to what came before. It’s brave, unexpected and masterful in its delivery of a beloved tale that has aged magnificently.

This is one of the finest JRPGs in recent memory, setting a new benchmark for visuals and real-time combat in the series while managing to begin retelling one of gaming’s greatest tales in grandiose fashion. It’s just a crying shame we have to twiddle our thumbs and wait for the next chapter.

Pros:

• A wonderful reimagining of the original’s first chapter
• Characters, dialogue and locations are all fantastic
• Battle system is fast, challenging and rewarding
• Makes brave and unexpected choices with its narrative
• Accessible for newcomers and veterans alike

Cons:

• Much of the side content feels superfluous
• We have to wait ages for the next chapter
• Inconsistent visuals

Read our full Final Fantasy 7 Remake review 

8. The Last of Us Remastered

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

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 and better combat mechanics and framerate – plus 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.

Read our full The Last of Us Remastered review

9. Horizon Zero Dawn

Pros:

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

Cons:

• Waypointing can be a little iffy

With a sequel rumoured to be in the works for PS5, Horizon Zero Dawn is a triumphant open-world experience from Guerilla Games. Previously known for its work on the Killzone franchise, this is a completely different outing which reshapes what we’ve come to expect from the studio. You play as Aloy, a young hunter who finds herself alone and desperate to survive in a world filled with mechanical beasts and hostile tribes.

Exploring the beautiful world is a joy in itself, but the story is deep, engrossing and filled with intrigue that you’ll come to uncover across the lengthy campaign. You’ll hunt giant creatures each with their own distinct characteristics, forcing Aloy to consider a variety of mechanics to survive and gather resources. Whether you enjoy running in with semi-automatic boltcaster or a deadly silent bow, Horizon Zero Dawn accounts for all sorts of playstyles.

Read our full Horizon Zero Dawn review

10. Bloodborne

Pros:

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

Cons:

• Obscure style may annoy some people
• Frequently frustrating

From the creators of Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls comes Bloodborne, a spiritual successor that arguably surpasses its classic predecessors. The world it gives you to explore is challenging, rewarding and utterly wondrous.

If you’re a fan of experiences that aren’t afraid of leaving you isolated to fend for yourself, Bloodborne will be right up your alley. Its combat is dense, unforgiving and absurdly satisfying to master, and there are plenty of weapons to choose from.

FromSoftware’s next project, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, follows a similar pace to Bloodborne with its ferocious combat and open-ended exploration. If it’s anywhere near as good, we’re in for another masterpiece.

Read our full Bloodborne review

11. Devil May Cry 5

Pros:

• A surprising amount of depth to combo and upgrades
• Three distinct, charming characters to play as
• Combat can be fast, frantic and challenging throughout
• Distinctly striking visual design amidst environments and enemies

Cons:

• Level design can grow a bit repetitive
• Ends rather abruptly due to odd pacing

Capcom’s streak of modern brilliance continues with Devil May Cry 5, a sequel that encapsulates everything we adore about the hack ‘n’ slash series while also managing to surprise us around every conceivable corner. It really is quite something.

You play as Nero, Dante and V, as the trio seek to take down a mysterious demon known as Urizen. The enemy has taken over Red Grave City and it’s up to our heroes to set things right, even if it means getting their hands dirty with stylish demon blood.

If you’re looking for an action title in the modern generation, you won’t find one much better than this. DMC 5 offers oodles of replay value and three distinctive characters to master across its surprisingly long campaign.

Read our full Devil May Cry 5 review

12. NieR: Automata

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

NieR: Automata has surpassed all expectations for Square Enix, cementing itself as a modern classic in the eyes of critics and fans alike. Acting as a sequel to an underrated cult hit, Automata follows androids 2B and 9S, entrusted by humanity to eliminate a robotic threat thousands of years after the apocalypse.

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. Yoko Taro has, from the looks of it, struck gold once again with this mythical masterpiece.

Read our full NieR: Automata review

13. Yakuza 6: Song of Life

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

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

The best part about Yakuza 6 is that it’s perfectly suited for newcomers and combat tweaks mean it offers the most fluid game yet. Of course, players who have enjoyed Kazuma Kiryu’s adventures over the past decade will find the experience far more rewarding, but there’s still a great game here for everyone.

Read our full Yakuza 6 review

Did we miss one of your favourites? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews

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