The PS5 finally launches in the UK on November 19th – and thanks to backwards compatibility there are literally thousands of games available to play on it from day one.
Most new console owners will be looking for native next-gen experiences to show off their new hardware, however. And from Sony-developed exclusives to cross-gen multi-platform blockbusters and remasters of PS4 hits, there’s a surprisingly wide variety of titles to choose from which will do just that.
Here’s some of the best to take you through Christmas and beyond. And if you are preparing to start your next-gen journey with Microsoft, then head over to our best Xbox Series X games.
Demon’s Souls: a remaster masterclass
Demon’s Souls ★★★★★
Sony infamously thought so little of FromSoftware’s first Souls game that they declined to release it in the West. Now they’re not just using Bluepoint’s magical and meticulous remaster to show off the power of the PlayStation 5, but also charging £70-a-pop to play it. Demon’s Soul is every bit as enchanting and exacting as you will have heard but do be warned: its bracing challenge won’t be to everyone’s taste.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales battles new villain, Ray Tracing
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered ★★★★
The best superhero game on the PS4 is now the best superhero game on the PS5 too thanks to this next-gen glow-up. The underlying game hasn’t been touched but Sony’s new suite of immersive bells and whistles gives everything a lift, while the increased graphical grunt brings Insomniac’s breathes even more life into their virtual New York City. Shell out for the Ultimate Edition of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and you’ll get both games in the same package.
Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition ★★★★
Capcom’s chaotic and cartoon-y third-person brawler is very much an acquired taste. But if its combo-centric combat and ridiculously over the top demon boss fights do happen to be your thing then this Special Edition offers not just a ray traced glow-up but also super-responsive performance modes, stretching all the way up to 120fps if your TV allows.
Dirt 5: mud and thunder racing
Dirt 5 ★★★★
Ever wondered why console launches always feature racing games? Well, because cars are easier to render than, say, people, they always look incredible in motion. Likewise every new console owner needs a racing game to make their new toy look even better when showing it off to their friends. Arcade racer Dirt 5 has the added bonus of being a ton of fun to play too.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: our friends in the Norse
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ★★★★
This full-throated Norse fantasy sees Ubisoft’s flagship series dial back the RPG elements of more recent outings and return to its stealthier roots without sacrificing any of the scope or scale fans have become accustomed to. From rampaging and pillaging across the beautifully rendered British countryside to building up your own Viking settlement, this is arguably the strongest Assassin’s Creed game for a decade or more.
Read our full Assassin’s Creed Valhalla review here
Observer: System Redux ★★★★
This next-gen remake of a cult classic techno-thriller from 2017 could be just the tonic for PS5 owners kicking their heels waiting for Cyberpunk 2077. You play a detective (voiced by the late Blade Runner star Rutger Hauer) working an increasingly psychological homicide case in a suitably dark dystopian future city. Most aspects of the original game have been improved or polished but the next gen visuals add another level of atmospheric tension.
Astro’s Playroom: a treat for the DualSenses
Astro’s Playroom ★★★★
Pre-loaded onto every PS5, Astro’s Playroom has been designed to introduce the PS5’s stunning new DualSense controller and superfast solid state harddrive. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing it as a mere tech demo, though. Playroom is both artfully crafted 3D platformer in its own right and also a Proustian celebration of 25 years of PlayStation history.
Read our full Astro’s Playroom review here
Sackboy: A Big Adventure ★★★
Little Big Planet star Sackboy’s big breakout game is a charming multiplayer 3D platformer that has bags of charm and ideas to spare but which never quite exceeds the sum of its many moving parts. However, with its cutesy handcrafted feel and extremely gentle difficulty curve, this is one of the few PS5 adventures which can be enjoyed by all of the family.
Bugsnax ★★★
Indie studio Young Horses’ latest adventure is as idiosyncratic and surreal as you’d expect from the creators of Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Set on an island infested by troublesome food-themed critters, Bugsnax wraps its environmental puzzle solving and gentle first-person exploration in a deceptively deep and engaging story about belonging. It’s also currently available to download for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers.
NBA2K21 ★★★
With FIFA’s next gen debut delayed to December 4, PS5 sports games are thin on the ground right now. NBA2K21 has its fair share of flaws (particularly the focus on loot boxes and microtransactions) but there’s no denying it brings its next gen a-game. Thanks to the incredible added realism of ray traced reflections, the only noticeable visual discrepancy between its virtual match-ups and TV broadcasts of the recent NBA bubble series is the presence of spectators at the games.
NBA2K21: taking realism to new levelsNBA2K21: taking realism to new levels
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War ★★★
There might not be anything particularly revolutionary about this year’s Call of Duty entry. But Cold War’s campaign blockbusting ferocity flexes its next-gen muscles as you hunt down a Soviet spy. Add in a pleasingly old-school multiplayer and the co-op silliness of Zombies and there is plenty there for Cold War to give your console a warm-up.
Read our full Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War review here
Watch Dogs Legion ★★★
In Watch Dogs Legion, Ubisoft’s ambitious –if uneven– hacking thriller, London is the star of the show. Uniformed goons stalk the streets, harassing and beating down its citizens, armed drones patrol the skies, while giant holographic signs warning Londoners to stay in line are projected all over famous landmarks. It’s good fun and looks particularly swish on PS5 thanks to next-generation ray tracing, casting impressively wet reflections across rain-soaked London streets.
Read our full Watch Dogs Legion review
Buy the new PS5 from Amazon and Very.co.uk now
Source: The Telegraph Travels
