The PlayStation 4 may go down as one of the most content-rich consoles in the history of video games. Not only that, it could be remembered as a system littered with potentially generation-defining titles — and there are more to come in the twilight of the console's life. Games like Sucker Punch Production's Ghosts Of Tsushima and Naughty Dogs' The Last Of Us 2 are still on the horizon and look like the perfect send-off to a fantastic generation.
Yet, before those titles release, there's a lot to sift through when it comes to the PlayStation 4's library. Yet, it's not all sunshine and roses. Such is the duality of a popular console. So, with that in mind, we don't want to see you get burned on a poor game choice, so we listed the best and the worst titles around. Here are The Top 5 Must-Own Exclusives (& 5 You Should Skip) On The PlayStation 4.
10 Must Own:Â Horizon Zero Dawn
One of the many unique, fresh first-party titles on the PlayStation 4, Horizon Zero Dawn blends a bit of hunting with a big open world with deep lore and an interesting premise. Players take control of Alloy, a hunter proficient with a bow, and stealth. Despite her more primitive look, she lives in a world overrun by machines. They took over so long ago, that the before-times were a distant memory, legends passed down from generation to generation.
The concept is completely unique, and combat is satisfying and fresh. It's a return to form for Guerrilla Games.
9 Skip: The Order 1886
The Order 1886 caught a lot of PlayStation gamers' attention when Sony dropped a trailer for it at E3 2014. Taking place in an alternative history in London, the art direction borrows a lot from Victorian-era England. Sony hyped the game up, telling players they'd go to battle against werewolves and vampires, and it really felt like the next big thing.
Unfortunately, the game itself plays like a worse version fo Gears of War — rehashing the cover-shooter method from the last generation that, buy this point, needed more to stay interesting. Yet, with no real progression It was bare-bones, and to make matters worse, the campaign was only around four hours long.
8 Must Own: Bloodbourne
FromSoftware loves to make hard games, and bless their hearts, they did just that with the Lovecraftian-horror action-RPG Bloodbourne. While the game does share similarities with its predecessor, Darksouls, the experience feels completely different. In fact, combat has completely revamped and players are encouraged to stay moving with a more dodge-then-fight mentality rather than block, parry, attack from other From games.
The art direction, sound design, and feeling of helplessness really creates a different atmosphere for players that's darker and more unnerving. Just take a look at some of the character models and you'll think you're about to hop into something more akin to Silent Hill than Darksouls.
7 Skip: Killzone Shadow Fall
Killzone Shadowfall had the unfortunate issue of being one of the first big-time first-party games on the PlayStation 4, and unfortunately, it fell flat on its face. Sure, the game was a good introduction for players to see what the console can do, but outside of that, there wasn't much. Actually, scratch that, there was a bunch of gimmicks based around the touchpad on the DualShock 4, and it felt forced in the worst kind of way.
The unfortunate part of this title, however, is that it's just boring. That's a real shame too, because Killzone was one of Sony's big guns, and we haven't seen an entry in the series since this game.
6 Must Own: Uncharted 4
If Michael Bay ever made a video game, we have a feeling it would be something like Uncharted. While we could bore you with the plot of this game, which is actually a pretty personal journey for the now-retired treasure hunter Nathan Drake who discovers his brother, who he thought was dead, we won't get into the nitty-gritty of it because there are some pretty massive logic holes. That's OK though because the plot comes secondary to everything else here. In fact, we'd argue the action segments are what matter most here. Whether it's escaping a collapsing clocktower or running from a tank that's destroying everything in its way, Naughty Dog made sure players would be out of breath by the thrilling conclusion of this unforgettable title.
From a technical standpoint, this is easily the best game in the series, and until recently, it would stand alone as the best game of the generation, not just the PlayStation 4.
5 Skip: Knack
We feel bad for putting Knack on this list because it's fine. Sure, it's not the 3D action platformer we were desperately waiting for from Sony to come and replace long-forgotten series like Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, and Jak and Daxter, but maybe it was never supposed to. Regardless, the PlayStation brand has a bit of a reputation for bringing those types of experiences to players and Knack fails on that front.
There's nothing really bad about it. The game runs fine, the controls are polished, and the concept is unique, but it's rather forgettable. We got a sequel a few years later, but even then, it didn't really improve on much. This game just kind of exists.
4 Must Own: Spider-Man
There's a good chance that gamers will talk about Spider-Man the same way they do with Ocarina of Time — it's that good. For what feels like the first time ever, players get to feel like the web-head in a New York that feels alive. Mix that with one of the best plots in recent gaming memory, and you have an experience that's nothing short of legendary.
It's clear a lot of love went into this game, and it's noticeable in the small details. Whether it's the insane number of outfits straight out of the comics that fans can choose from (each customizable, and come with their own stats), or the side missions involving lesser-known villains, there's something about this game that's special.
3 Skip: The Last Guardian
When going through the history of the PlayStation brand, no game is as disappointing as The Last Guardian. As the follow up to Team Ico's legendary Shadow Of The Colossus, The Last Guardian was meant to launch on the PlayStation 3 in 2011. Unfortunately, the game was stuck in development for an extra six years, with rumors that it was scrapped completely at points — and it shows.
Nothing really works the way it's intended to, Trico, your canine companion is near impossible to navigate, and big cinematic set-pieces weren't designed properly, causing the game to glitch out. The frustrating part of this game, however, is that there is are remnants of what could be a good game underneath it all, but there's just a lack of polish that smudges every aspect of the experience. It's a blemish on Team Ico's once perfect resume.
2 Must Own: God Of War
The only real criticism we can make of God Of War is that there's nothing unique to say about it at this point. It's that good, and for the better part of a year, everyone and their mother has picked apart every possible reason why.
Dropping the once-acclaimed hack-and-slash mentality of older games in the series, this new adventure focuses more on Kratos who is much older and now has a son, who he is training to become a warrior like him. The story is touching and really unexpected from the franchise that felt like it wasn't ever made for character development. Underneath the plot, however, is a really well-made game. Combat is intuitive, smart, and satisfying, with just enough leftover from the old games to make long-time-fans feel at home. Just go play this already.
1 Skip: Basement Crawl
Basement Crawl was clearly developed to fill a need for more Bomberman on the PlayStation 4, but despite its noble quest, there were some major missteps. To start, the game doesn't add to the formula of Konami's iconic series. Instead, it shamelessly takes the exact concept, but somehow makes it less exciting.
The game doesn't really have a soundtrack while players drop their bombs. This makes for a weird atmosphere that doesn't feel frantic, just a little weird. Not only that, but the art direction makes it really difficult to pinpoint your character on the map. That's a shame too because some of the designs are pretty interesting.