The PlayStation 4 is likely to go down as one of the greatest video game consoles ever created, and not without a good reason. The PS4 sports some of the best home console visuals (not counting PC) of anything that has ever released. In the first couple of years of the console’s lifespan it wildly outperformed against its main competitor, the Xbox One, in such a way that Microsoft is arguably still struggling to catch back up.
The next generation of consoles releases in November of 2020, and with it an entirely new selection of exclusive games. However, that doesn’t mean the PlayStation 4 will be completely forgotten, neither by players or by game developers, at least, not any time soon.
During its seven year lifespan the PlayStation 4 was home to dozens of amazing video games that let players explore fantastical worlds and vanquish terrible foes. The biggest reason to own a PlayStation 4 was because of the vast array of impressive titles that were entirely exclusive to the platform. With the release of the PlayStation 5 quickly approaching, it’s the perfect time to dive back through Sony’s catalog and show players which games they should play before upgrading to the next generation of consoles.
#10 – Yakuza 6
It wouldn’t be a proper PlayStation console without a mainline Yakuza entry, and Yakuza 6 is one of the best in the franchise. Those who have never played a Yakuza game shouldn’t let the number six in the title scare them away though, as this entry does a very good job of explaining the story so far to newcomers. This action-RPG lets players explore real-world locations in Japan that are almost perfectly recreated. On top of this, it tells a wonderful, if a bit silly, story that players would have a difficult time finding in any other game.
#9 – inFamous: Second Son
inFamous: Second Son isn’t as widely beloved as previous entries in the series, but it is still a colorful and action packed super-hero title. It is rare to see a super-hero style game that isn’t tied into Marvel or DC comics, and Second Son somehow manages to pull that off. Despite the fact that it released early in the PlayStation 4’s run, inFamous: Second Son is still a great looking game. The storyline may not be that impressive, but the gameplay is top-notch and truly captures what it would feel like to be a normal person turned into a superhero.
#8 – Uncharted: Lost Legacy
Who needs Nathan Drake? Lost Legacy lets players step into the shoes of Drake’s former companion Chloe Frazer as she joins up with a former Uncharted adversary Nadine Ross to find the Tusk of Ganesh in India. The gameplay and mechanics are identical to those in Uncharted 4, but it is a breath of fresh air to experience the series from the perspective of two women of color. Not only that, but the two characters manage to retain the same humor that the Uncharted series is known for.
#7 – The Last Guardian
Players were forced to wait for this game to release for a very long time, but it was more than worth it once it arrived on the PlayStation 4. As a spiritual successor to Shadow of The Colossus and Ico, The Last Guardian was a very strange game, but one that told a heartwarming tale about a young boy and his new giant monster friend. The gameplay mechanics were also incredibly unique and combined a lot of the same ideas from previous Team Ico games to create something new. Keep in mind that even though the three Team Ico games aren’t technically connected, The Last Guardian is probably best experienced if the other two games are played first.
#6 – Dreams
Dreams may be one of the best content creation tools ever released on a video game console. Whereas games like Minecraft and LittleBigPlanet gave players the means to create wonderfully amazing things within the confines of their games, nothing else has ever quite reached the same level as Dreams. Players have managed to craft whole video games inside of Dreams that are just as impressive as games crafted by teams of developers using actual coding. Even those players who aren’t very creative will have a blast playing through all of the community created levels that are offered.
#5 – Until Dawn
Until Dawn is similar in nature to games like Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human, but its storyline is much better crafted and the gameplay elements are stronger. Until Dawn manages to tell a fantastic video game horror story, one which is magnified by the fact that players are able to take control of several different characters throughout the story in order to gain different perspectives. All choices made in Until Dawn affect the way that the story twists and turns, so every playthrough can give the player a different experience.
#4 – Shadow of The Colossus
This may be cheating a little bit, since Shadow of The Colossus originally appeared on the PlayStation 2 and received a remaster for the PlayStation 3, but the remake for the PlayStation 4 is by far the best way to play Shadow of The Colossus. This is a classic story of a mute hero trying to save the love of his life by destroying different monstrous Colossi throughout the world, and the moving ending is bound to make any hardened gamer experience a lot of emotions. The version for the PS4 is one of the better looking games on the system still, despite its lack of realistic graphics. Shadow of The Colossus is widely regarded as one of the best video games ever made, and therefore should be played no matter what console it is on.
#3 – Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PS4 is not only one of the best Spider-Man games ever made, but up there with some of the best superhero titles in general. There is something incredibly exhilarating about leaping off of tall buildings before shooting out a web at the last second to go soaring through the air. The story manages to build off of classic plot lines, while still crafting something brand-new. This is especially true for the way it handles Otto Octavius/Dr. Octopus. The combat is solid and allows players to truly feel like a superhero. Marvel’s Spider-Man is also releasing on PS5.
#2 – Bloodborne
Many fans of Bloodborne regard the game as FromSoftware’s masterpiece, and for very good reason. It takes the tried and true Dark Souls formula and smashes it together with Lovecraftian Horror in order to create something completely different. Bloodborne is faster, stranger, and more intense than any of its predecessors. Just like all games from FromSoftware, Bloodborne is punishingly difficult and will most likely leave less patient players frustrated. However, those that take their time and master the game will be rewarded with one of the best gameplay experiences available on the console.
#1 – God of War
Without a doubt God of War is one of the best game available on the PlayStation 4. It continues the story of Kratos, but this time the former God of War is less furious and bloodthirsty. He instead travels with his son, who he struggles to connect with but fights ferociously to protect, and Kratos’ journey tasks him with keeping the boy away from danger as they try to honor Kratos’ late wife. It is rare for a game to completely redefine a genre of video games, but God of War may be the only series to change the landscape of third person action games twice. Everything that the other games on this list do, God of War manages to do bigger and better.
There are other PS4 titles as well, such as Final Fantasy VII and Death Stranding, that are also worth looking into before upgrading to the next generation. If there are any players curious about any of the titles listed above, and they haven’t yet checked them out, it would be a good idea to do so first before spending money on a brand-new console.
The PlayStation 5 will release on November 12th, 2020.
