While Sony’s next-gen console took a while to get going – especially with limited stocks on store shelves and a lack of big hitters from the onset – the PlayStation 5 is finally coming on its own.
BEST GAMES ON
The Biggest Game Releases of 2024 for the PC, PS5, Xbox and Switch
With God of War: Ragnarok, Returnal and Ratchet and Clank showcasing the power of PlayStation’s first-party titles, there is already a growing list of must-play games on the console, and this year looks to be no different.
Below is our ongoing list of the best games to play on the PlayStation 5 in 2024, and we will continue updating it every month, so have this page bookmarked for regular check-ins!
The list is sorted by the date, with the latest game on the top.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
JRPG | PS5 | Feb 29
Continuing from 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake, Rebirth is the second chapter in the three-part reimaging of the iconic PlayStation role-player classic.
The adventures of Cloud and his friends continues as they escape the city of Midgar and set out on a journey across the planet. Unlike the first game, Rebirth will adopt a classic open-world format with a vast and beautiful world to free-roam, complete various side quests and mini-games, and uncover the many mysteries and the fate of Cloud along the way.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Action, Adventure | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S | Feb 13
Life is Strange developer Don’t Nod’s latest action-adventure follows the story of Red and Antea, two experienced spirit hunters who must investigate the source of evil plaguing the town of New Eden, unravel the sinister mystery at play and dispel the malevolent curse through powerful rituals.
The game will feature classic action-adventure elements like upgradeable gear and abilities, as well as retain Don’t Nod’s penchant for complex storytelling and difficult choices that will shape your journey as you come across unforgettable characters and situations.
Helldivers 2
Co-op Shooter | PS5, PC | Feb 8
Sequel to the 2005’s Helldivers, developers Arrowhead Game Studios are looking to refine the formula of its co-op shooter as it takes players across a hostile galaxy in a quest to defeat pesky aliens and gain back freedom.
Helldivers 2 is a mission-based third-person shooter where players will get a wide array of explosive firepower, armour, and battle-changing stratagems to conquer enemies. They can either rain down carnage from the skies, sneak into enemy territory, or charge in head-first.
Tekken 8
Fighting | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S | Jan 26
Tekken 8 features an all-new narrative, completely redesigned visuals thanks to the Unreal Engine 5, and a new battle system called Heat that promises to “dial up the aggressive nature of battles”, the latest entry into the legendary franchise sounds like a good time for fans of the genre. And taking a leaf out Street Fighter 6, the game will also feature an Arcade Quest mode which will allow players to create their own unique avatar and battle their way through a variety of rivals across multiple arcades, providing the opportunity to experience a new storyline as well as master the basics of the new fighting system.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Action Platformer | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | Jan 18
Prince of Persia is returning to its roots with a brand new 2.5D side-scrolling action platformer that has garnered positive previews since its announcement a few months back. As Sargon, the player must sharpen their sword-wielding skills as well as make use of the franchise’s staple time-warping powers to perform deadly combos, defeat time-corrupted enemies, solve tricky puzzles, and save the actual Prince of Persia while he is at it.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Action, Adventure | PS5 | Jan 19
PlayStation and Naughty Dog are remastering PS4’s The Last of Us Part II for the PS5, but the new edition promises to be much more than simply a facelift. Besides higher visual fidelity and support for the DualSense controller, the Remaster also offers No Return, a new roguelike mode; Lost Levels, which lets players explore early-development versions of three levels not featured in the original game; Guitar Free Play, which includes new instruments to play; a new Speedrun Mode; and a revamped Photo Mode with additions like dynamic lighting, Frame Forward, and Gaze Direction.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
FPS | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | Dec 7
Based on James Cameron’s smash hit movie series, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is Ubisoft’s latest attempt at adapting the popular sci-fi world to video games. Players will take on the role of a Na’vi, who is tasked to protect Pandora from the RDA. The game aims to present a beautiful and lush world to explore, craft new gear, upgrade skills, and use Na’vi’s incredible strength and agility to your advantage. And yes, players will be able to soar the skies by bonding with a banshee and also use it for aerial combat against the RDA.
Persona 5 Tactica
Tactical | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | Nov 17
Atlas’ new Persona 5 Tactics mixes the ‘chibi’ art style of Persona Q and the turn-based tactical combat of the Fire Emblem series. Players will control a party of three on a grid-based map, with turn-based combat, grid movement, weapon and elemental affinities and more.
Alan Wake 2
Genre: Horror I Release Date: Oct 27 I Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Another hotly anticipated title this year is Remedy’s long-awaited sequel, Alan Wake 2.
The titular writer, still trapped in a nightmarish alternate reality, tries to retain his sanity as he once again attempts to escape his mental prison. Meanwhile, FBI agent Saga Anderson is dealing with a string of ritualistic murders that threaten the small town of Bright Falls.
With two separate realities seemingly interconnected and affecting the worlds around them, Alan Wake 2 offers a horrifying new tale that promises to be as dark and psychedelic as the original.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Genre: Act-Adventure I Release Date: Oct 20 I Platforms: PS5
Easily one of the most anticipated games of the year, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be released exclusively for the PS5 and promises to offer another comic book adventure with our friendly neighbourhood webheads.
Peter Parker and Miles Morales are now well-settled in their roles as Spider-Man, and just as things are going well, they have a new problem to contend with. Kraven The Hunter has set eyes on New York City and seemingly wants to capture all previous villains to harness their power and use it for nefarious purposes. And if Kraven wasn’t enough, the two Spider-Men will also have to deal with Venom.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will feature new gameplay mechanics, new abilities and powers, and the option for switching between the two Spider-Men.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Genre: Act-Adventure I Release Date: Oct 5 I Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Scaled back, smaller in size, and more focused, Ubisoft claims that Assassin’s Creed Mirage is designed to return to the roots of the classic Assassin’s Creed games that made it a beloved franchise.
Set in 9th-century Baghdad, players take on the role of Basim, a street thief plagued by nightmarish visions, who eventually stumbles upon an ancient organization called “The Hidden Ones”. With them, he learns their mysterious rituals and strong principles, hones their unique abilities and adopts a new creed – a creed that will change his fate in ways he could have never imagined.
Lies of P
Genre: Action RPG | Release Date: Sep 19 I Platform: PC, PS, Xbox
This is the year when our beloved cartoon characters are getting reimagined in horrifically innovative ways. First, there was Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey, which turned the goofy bear into a bloodthirsty killer, and now there is Lies of P, a dark and grim take on Pinocchio.
Lies of P takes place in Krat – a once lively city poisoned by madness and bloodlust. As Geppetto’s puppet, Pinocchio must adapt and take up arms to face the horrors that have befallen the city.
NeoWiz’s Soulslike releases on September 19 for the PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Genre: Action | Release Date: August 25 I Plats: PC, PS, Xbox
FromSoftware is back after riding the high waves of Elden Ring, and surprise, surprise, it is not another Souls-like. Instead, they have unearthed one of their old franchises and are putting a new spin on it.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon combines fast-paced mech combat with FromSoftware’s signature action gameplay (read: it will be hard as heck). Players will pilot mechs in omnidirectional battles played out on massive levels and will be able to customize each part to cater to a variety of playstyles.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Genre: RPG | Release Date: August 3 (Dec 8 for Xbox) I Plats: PC, PS5, Xbox
With 12 classes and 11 races to choose from, both offering 46 subclasses and 31 subraces, respectively, and around 600 spells, an engaging D&D 5e ruleset-based turn-based combat, engaging story, and 4-player co-op, Larlan Studios’ Baldur Gate 3 seems to be the RPG to watch out for this year.
The game has been available as Early Access for a long time, with the full game finally available this month on PC. The PS5 version will launch a little later, on September 6, 2023, while the Xbox version is scheduled for release sometime next year.
Remnant 2
Genre: Action I Release Date: July 25 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
Gunfire Games’ Remnant: From the Ashes was a sleeper hit by all accounts, providing fans of the Souls genre a loot-and-shoot experience, and that too in co-op. Remnant 2 looks to build on the ideas introduced in the first game while expanding the gameplay and offering highly requested quality-of-life features.
Final Fantasy 16
Genre: RPG I Release Date: June 22 I Platforms: PS5
One of the Playstation’s biggest exclusives this year, Square Enix Final Fantasy 16 promises a more mature and adult theme (like Game of Thrones) and will see considerable changes to the series formula.
The game takes place in Valisthea, a world divided into six countries, where two of them have been warring against each other to control the magic crystals that could potentially offer world domination. You play as Clive Rosefield, who goes on a vengeful quest when he watches his kingdom destroyed by a plague called Blight.
However, for those in Saudi Arabia (and possibly in the entire Middle East), Final Fantasy 16 will not be available to purchase both in-store and digitally. The game did not pass the censorship after Square Enix refused to adjust the game according to the suggestions posted by the Saudi censor board.
Street Fighter 6
Genre: Fighting I Release Date: June 2 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
Unlike Street Fighter 5, which was criticized for its lack of content on launch, Street Fighter 6 features everything you could ask from a fighting game and then some. A massive 20-hour RPG-like single-player campaign with World Tour allows players to create their custom character and upgrade their gear while fighting with almost anyone they want.
There is also Battle Hub, which allows you to take your custom character and hang out with other players online, and Fighting Grounds, which lets you play versus and ranked matches with other players. The game has received praise from critics for its polished and refined gameplay and the new Drive Impact system that makes for some exciting fights.
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores
Genre: Adventure I Release Date: April 19 I Platforms: PS5
Burning Shores is the first DLC for the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West. Guerrilla Games calls it an ambitious expansion that will take Aloy to Los Angeles (minus the casinos, we suppose) and is based right after the events of the base game. A massive machine threat awaits Aloy there – but of course – and she must use all her wits and abilities to overcome the mechanical problem.
Burning Shores will release exclusively for the PS5, so if you experienced the original game on the PS4 and have yet to jump to next-gen consoles, you are out of luck!
Dead Island 2
Genre: Action I Release Date: April 21 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
The long-delayed sequel to 2011’s popular zombie fest is finally upon us. Published by Deep Silver and developed by Dambuster Studios, Dead Island 2 promises a stylish, vibrant, gore-drenched Los Angeles to explore and cut through hordes of zombies with unique weapons and abilities.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Genre: Adventure I Release Date: April 28 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
The hotly anticipated sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is finally releasing after a short delay. With the original game garnering high praise and equally good sales, Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has tremendous hype, and expectations, behind it as it promises yet another galaxy-spanning action-adventure starring our good ol buddy Cal, his mini robot companion, BD-1, and the numerous characters that he will meet.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Genre: Action I Release Date: March 3 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is the newest entry into the ever-growing Souls genre and is developed by Team Ninja, who successfully made their name with another Souls game with the Nioh series. The game is a dark fantasy action RPG where players fight off deadly creatures and enemy soldiers using swordplay based on Chinese martial arts.
The game has already been released to great applause from fans and critics alike and currently sits at 81% Metacritic score. The game is available on both old-gen and next-gen platforms.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Genre: Action I Release Date: March 23 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
Hailed as the best the horror genre has to offer, Resident Evil 4 is a genre classic that inspired many horror games after its original release in 2005. Capcom, in its relentless pursuit of remaking its classics, is giving the same treatment to Resident Evil 4.
But unlike its previous attempts that largely updated the visuals and added a few new features here and there, this remake is built from the ground up and will feature new stories and a few surprises. This is undoubtedly this month’s most anticipated release and will be a treat for horror fans.
Octopath Traveller II
Genre: JRPG I Release Date: Feb 24 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox, Switch
Octopath Traveller II is the sequel to 2018’s highly acclaimed RPG and is a must-play for fans of the genre. It borrows many original designs and gameplay elements but tells a brand-new story, so you don’t necessarily have to play the first game to understand what’s happening. The series is known for its retro pixel art and 3D graphics and engaging turn-based combat.
Hogwarts Legacy
Genre: Adventure I Release Date: Feb 10 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox, Switch
Hogwarts Legacy directly answers the question, “What if someone cared to make a great game set in the Harry Potter universe?”. While we have had some Harry Potter games before, nothing matches the scale and quality that Hogwarts Legacy provides.
Developed by Avalanche Studios, the game is set during the 1800s (much before Potter came along), where you – a new 5th-year student in Hogwarts – must learn how to craft potions, discover fantastic beasts, battle dark wizards and uncover ancient secrets that threaten the very existence of the magical world.
What sets the game apart is the love and care that went into recreating the multi-layered and vast hallways and passageways of Hogwarts and surrounding areas, giving Potter fans a true 1:1 representation of the world described in the books and brought to life with the movies.
Dead Space
Genre: Horror I Release Date: Jan 27 I Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox
Dead Space is often cited as one of the finest horror games ever made, so for EA to attempt to remake the game was controversial in and of itself. You don’t dare touch a classic unless you can do it justice – and to EA’s credit, they nailed it.
The Dead Space remake stays true to the core formula of the original, providing spine-chilling thrills and incredibly satisfying gameplay, now with updated visuals that run smoothly. Being a remake built from the ground up, the developers have also made significant changes to modernize the game. Still, it remarkably doesn’t remove anything from what made the original game unique. We hope to get a remake of Dead Space 2 (but please skip the third instalment) and a modern continuation of the classic horror franchise.
Mufaddal Fakhruddin has been writing about games and technology for the past 15 years. He has lost count as to how many reviews he has written over the years, but he is sure headphone reviews make up at least 70% of that.