The PlayStation 5 has been out for a while now, and it has shown players what it’s technically capable of. The PS5 has been an impressive machine that immerses players into their games like never before on a console, to nobody’s surprise. However, one field the PS5 lacks and likely will continue to lack in for a few months is the library of games it offers.
It’s the norm with any console generation that next-gen games won’t be available left and right as developers experiment with new technology on offer. However, Sony has an opportunity to capitalize on its already impressive library of exclusive games. Meaning, Sony can offer true next-gen gaming by upgrading their games in the same fashion as Marvel’s Spider-Man, which gave the game a beautiful fidelity mode with ray tracing, as well as a performance mode that allowed the game to run at a smooth 60fps.
Surprisingly, some of the best games from the PS4 exclusive lineup have found themselves in the dark, with no next-gen upgrade offered yet. For some of these games, Sony may be working on a full remaster, or simply aren’t ready to release an update. However, here is a list of five PS4 games that Sony should prioritize for next-gen upgrade:
InFamous: Second Son on PS5
The first game on this list was the fourth exclusive title that was released on the PS4. When released, InFamous: Second Son received decent critical acclaim, holding a user-score of 8.0/10 on Metacritic. InFamous: Second Son is the third installment in a series of well-received games and is an open world action-adventure developed by Sucker Punch, whose most recently released Ghost of Tsushima was a hit success.
Playing this game in a fidelity mode that offers ray tracing, especially with all the neon lighting present in the game, would be a sight to behold. Yes, technically, InFamous: Second Son has been optimized to run at 60fps on the PS5. However, a fidelity mode would revitalize the experience altogether, especially because it could also take advantage of the PS5’s speedy SSD to reduce loading times.
Uncharted 4 on PS5
It’s kind of a surprise that Sony hasn’t prioritized one of its most successful PS4 exclusives with a next-gen upgrade yet. Uncharted 4 needs no introduction and is one of the highest-rated PS4 exclusives. Uncharted 4 would benefit largely from 60fps due to its fast-paced action and allow for a much smoother experience.
This game’s fidelity mode would also go leaps and bounds in showing what the PS5 can do, especially since Uncharted 4 is already a photorealistic game. Ray tracing would significantly improve lighting, allowing the game to look even better than it already was. Not to mention that Uncharted 4 could also utilize the distinctive feature of the haptic feedback system from DualSense, especially in intense high-action sequences.
Concrete Genie on PS5
Concrete Genie was developed by Pixelopus, a developer that is part of SIE’s Worldwide Studios. When released, the game saw very little attention, mostly due to Sony’s marketing, or lack thereof in this case. Concrete Genie is a incredibly visual game that was both heartwarming and beautiful. The game offered vibrant, striking colors in the form of wall paintings. Players were essentially tasked with painting a town back to its roots, filling it with life once more.
While it didn’t receive much attention at first, a fidelity mode that offers both 60fps and ray tracing would a long way in bringing life back to this game. Seeing as Concrete Genie offers a rather simplistic yet effective art style, it wouldn’t be hard for the PS5 to offer better performance and visuals. A next-gen upgrade could also give a lot of attention to this game, which would benefit the PS5’s family-friendly genre of games they’ve been building with their new console release.
P.T. (Silent Hill) On PS5
Now, the likelihood of this happening is almost laughable. However, in the hopes that Konami grows a bit of sense and listens to the fans, they’ll re-release the Playable Teaser which isn’t even available on the PS4 anymore. P.T. was had fans hyped for a new entry in the Silent Hill series, but the project was canceled due to conflict between Konami and Kojima.
However, a new console launch might be all the difference that Konami needs to spotlight Silent Hill once again. P.T. can be finalized with the new console in a far better form than what it would’ve been. Getting scared out of one’s pants at smooth 60fps will surely enhance the experience like never before, and ray tracing and a fidelity mode would go a long way at emphasizing P.T.’s already terrifying amount of detail.
The Last Of Us Part II on PS5
While The Last of Us: Part 2 served as one of the biggest controversies in the gaming industry last year, it also can’t be denied that it was a magnificently crafted game that offered stellar gameplay and eye-popping graphics. However, the game saw massive drops in frames on the base PlayStation 4, and as a result, the game has never been experienced the way it should be by many players, at least at launch.
Increasing performance to 60fps would be a substantial difference, and one that would enhance the experience. Interestingly enough, due to the constant raining and grey skies, ray tracing really wouldn’t offer much other than higher detailed reflections through windows and perhaps better lighting in some environments, but it would still be nice to see these enhancements in The Last of Us: Part 2 on PS5 regardless.
