The best PS5 exclusives (2024)

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Over the years, the battle between Xbox and PlayStation has raged on. Microsoft has pushed games straight to its Game Pass service, offering impeccable value for money, while Sony opts to create some of the best PS5 exclusives gaming has seen in years.

No matter which side of the fence you sit, team Xbox or team PlayStation, it’s undeniable that PlayStation make the best exclusives. I’m actually an Xbox fanboy, yet even I can see that PS5 exclusives are dominating the market.

With so many PS5 exclusives to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming to pick which one to play. This is especially true for a new PlayStation gamer who has yet to experience the wonder of PlayStation exclusive story telling.

It’s also worth noting that many of Sony’s PS5 exclusives are also being released to Steam now. While that technically doesn’t make them an exclusive, it does still make them an exclusive to Sony on the Steam and PlayStation stores.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers is one of the latest PS5 exclusives to take the gaming community by storm. As is the case with many new PS5 exclusives, Helldivers has also been released to Steam, expanding their reach beyond the PS5.

Helldivers 2 is a live service game that manages to take live games to a whole new level. The war against Terminids and Automatons is ever evolving, no matter if you play Helldivers offline or online. The game even continues evolving while you’re not playing, with the war efforts continuously pushing forward.

Much like the 90’s movie Starship Troopers, Helldivers 2 manages to swap between hilarious to intense moments at the drop of a hat.

While many other live service games can become repetitive and boring quickly, Helldivers 2 manages to keep every mission fresh, with no two missions ever feeling the same. It’s an ever-evolving game designed to constantly keep you on your toes.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is a prime example of just how good PS5 exclusives can be. The director’s improved on the PS4 version of Ghost of Tsushima by adding enhanced PS5 visuals, as well as the new Iki Island expansion.

Exploring the island’s of Tsushima and Iki is absolutely stunning, with some of the most breath-taking visuals I have seen in a game to-date.

The game’s combat is another area that really makes Ghost of Tsushima stand out. With multiple stances to learn, all of which are designed to overpower certain types of enemies, it keeps you on your feet, constantly swapping out stances to make sure you’re an effective killing machine.

Players can choose to face off against enemies in the traditional Samurai way, going against one or more enemies in a standoff. Or, they can choose to the dishonourable way, sneaking in the shadows and taking down Mongols by stabbing them in the back.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered

The Last of Us Part II caused a fair amount of controversy when it was first released, but it had nothing to do with the game. Actually, it was a loud-mouthed bunch of lunatics that couldn’t get past a characters’ sexuality.

For now, all the hate seems to have died down, although I can see it coming back when The Last of Us show returns to HBO.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered brings some of the best game storytelling to the PS5, with improved graphics and a new roguelike game mode too.

If you love games with emotional stories, incredible visuals and voice acting, and a crap-ton of violence, The Last of Us Part II Remastered should be the next PS5 exclusive you try.

Spider-Man 2

The Spider-Man games have quickly become one of the most popular PS5 exclusive over recent years, with Spider-Man 2 selling around 2.5 million copies in the first 24 hours. In fact the only recent PS5 release to outpace Spider-Man 2 is Helldivers 2.

Spider-Man 2 manages to capture several storylines beautifully, with both Peter Parker and Miles Morales featuring as playable characters in the game.

It also includes Kraven the Hunter, which I can honestly say is one of the coolest bad guys in a Spider-Man game to-date, as well as Venom, which surprisingly I found less impressive than Kraven.

If you’re playing through the main storyline, Spider-Man 2 isn’t the longest game out there, but if you plan to play for platinum, there’s plenty of extra content, including New Game + to keep you going.

Gran Turismo 7

When looking at lists showcasing the best PS5 exclusives, you often find racing games such as Gran Turismo 7 are left out, often in favour of action-packed, story driven titles.

But, if you’re a fan of driving sims, Gran Turismo is one of the best racing sims to have ever graced the PlayStation, and Gran Turismo 7 takes it back to its roots.

As was the case since the very first Gran Turismo landed on the PlayStation 1 back in 1997, Gran Turismo 7 has been designed to be a realistic driving sim, so you can’t simply just bomb it down the track smashing every car that gets in your way.

The best part about Gran Turismo 7 is that it’s compatible with both racing wheels, such as the Logitech G29, and the PSVR2. This creates a truly immersive experience.

Demon’s Souls

Are you a big fan of shouting at your TV, getting angry, and dying over and over again? Have you got too many PS5 controllers and need to part with some of them, by throwing them at the wall?

Well, have I got just the game for you. Let me introduce you to, Demon’s Souls.

If you’ve ever heard the term “Souls like” it’s referring to any of the games from FromSoftware, a company that likes making grown men cry.

Essentially Souls like means as difficult as having a logical conversation with most politicians, you might be able to pull it off, but you’re going to go mad getting there.

But, before I put you off with all this talk of repeated deaths, much like Elden Ring, Demon’s Souls is an incredibly addictive game.

It might be brutal, but gives you an actual sense of achievement when you manage to defeat a boss, or clear an area. Something, which in my mind, not many games pull off these days.

Rise of the Ronin

Much like Ghost of Tsushima, Rise of The Ronin is set in a war-torn 19th-century Japan. The game focuses on fast-paced combat, with multiple weapons and styles to choose from.

While I loved playing Rise of the Ronin, I was a little bit put off by the dated graphics, which made me wish I was playing Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, until I eventually installed and played that instead of Rise of the Ronin.

But, once I stopped being a graphics snob, and gave Rise of the Ronin another try, I found it to be an impressive game, with an even more impressive combat system that really makes you think fast, during fast-paced fights against multiple enemies.

Death Stranding

Death Stranding might be one of the most popular PS5 exclusives out there, but for me, it was just too weird. With names like Deadman and Die-Hardman, off the bat I struggled to take the game seriously.

While the game’s premise was intriguing to me, and graphically I found it to be visually stunning, I found little enjoyment in being a post-apocalyptic delivery man.

With Hideo Kojima at the helm and Norman Reedus as the main character, it’s no wonder Death Stranding is so popular, which is why Death Stranding 2 is set to release this year.

I respect the game, and fully understand why it has so many loyal fans, which is why it gets a mention on the list, but sadly, it just wasn’t right for me.

Returnal

Returnal is a brutal roguelike third-person shooter, with some of the best visuals and audio I’ve seen in a PS5 exclusive long time. Especially the audio, when using Sony’s Pulse 3D headset.

Gameplay in Returnal is lightning quick, but a single wrong move can lead to death, changing the planet you are on and putting you back to square one.

Much like the Souls games, Returnal is a brutal and challenging game that can take some time and patience to master, but once you do, it truly is an exhilarating ride, and one that I highly recommend.

Upcoming PS5 exclusives

There are several new PS5 exclusives set to drop this year, starting with Stellar Blade in April, and then, in my opnion possibly the most exciting game this year, the Silent Hill 2 remake.

Here’s the current PS5 exclusives line-up for this year, but of course, we might get more announcements a surprise releases later in the year.

• Rise of the Ronin
• Stellar Blade
• Silent Hill 2 remake
• Death Stranding 2
• Marvel’s Wolverine
• Marathon
• Sword of the Sea
• Concord
• Phantom Blade 0
• Fairgame$

With more and more PS5 exclusives coming out, and many of them also going to Steam, there’s never been a more exciting time to get stuck into PlayStations incredible line-up of games.

If you want even more choice, the PS5 is backwards compatible, opening up the door to more incredible PS4 exclusives, such as:

• Uncharted
• God of War
• Shadow of the Colossus
• Detroit: Become Human
• The Last Guardian 
• Bloodborne
• Horizon Zero Dawn

That’s just a small fraction of the incredible PS4 exclusives out there. I’ve played each one of the PS4 exclusives listed above, and each one has impressed me as much as the others.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.