What makes a great game? It’s always a hotly debated topic, and everyone has their own opinion. Some gamers focus more on a game’s story, others on how it plays or even the impact it has on them as they’re playing through, or long after the credits roll. It all comes down to personal preference but, if you’re looking for a little inspiration, I’ve picked out what I think are the top 10 PS5 games ever made.
There are a mix of first- and third-party titles here, with the requirement being they must play natively on PS5. For those that have played through some or all of these games, you’ll more than likely disagree with the order and even the inclusions or omissions of certain titles, as I’ve taken into account critic and fan reviews as well as my own experience. But that’s okay, as we’ve all got different tastes and opinions. Overall, Elden Ring (£25.95, Amazon.co.uk) takes the top spot for me, but there are plenty of other great titles that I’ve enjoyed playing, too.
Some of these titles appear in a different order to the top 100 best games of all time list I co-wrote for indy100. That’s partly because that list was collaborative, and partly because I’ve revisited a few of these games since. With all that said, here’s my list of the best PS5 games you need to play in 2025.
How I tested
I’ve spent thousands of hours playing through a significant number of PS5 games. I got my OG PS5 in December 2021 and have always kept up to date with the latest releases, checking out not just the biggest and best ones but also a number of smaller, indie titles. If releases have passed me by, for example with the PS5 first releasing a year before I managed to get one, I’ve always revisited anything that looked good but might have initially missed. When playing through games, analytically there are three main things I always focus on:
The best PS5 games of all time are:
'Elden Ring'
Best: PS5 game overall
Release date: 25 February 2022
Age rating: 16
Why we love it
- Best Soulslike game ever
- Detailed open world
- Incredible build variety
Topping my list of the best PS5 games is the greatest Souls title ever made (sorry, Bloodborne fans). I’m not even a diehard Souls player, but Elden Ring completely won me over.
Elden Ring is a third-person action RPG set in a vast, dark fantasy world with difficult mechanics. You’ll have to learn how to defeat certain enemies and overcome situations by trying, and dying (fairly often). Players have to brandish the power of the Elden Ring and become an Elden Lord in the Lands Between by discovering souls and fighting your way through the world.
Elden Ring is notorious for being challenging, but the game has the perfect balance of being difficult yet rewarding when you overcome certain obstacles, all without ever falling into feeling frustrating, impossible or (pardon the pun) soul-destroying. Bosses encountered are some of the best I’ve ever seen, forcing you to learn and adapt as you play.
There are so many different ways to play around with character builds, too. The variety here is nothing short of remarkable, and it’s addictive trying out different builds and even starting new playthroughs using different approaches. The world is vast yet dense, and exploration is always a thrill. You have to stay on your toes at all times, as you're never too far away from enemies, but that only adds to the game’s immersive feel. You're in control of how you play, the game’s pace, what you want to explore, and how you develop your character. The game looks great, too.
Buy now £25.95, Amazon.co.uk
'Baldur's Gate 3'
Best: PS5 game for freedom of play
Release date: 3 August 2023
Age rating: 18
Why we love it
- One of the best role-playing games ever
- So much player freedom
- Tactical combat
Set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, this is a turn-based role-playing game set in the Forgotten Realms. In the game, mysterious abilities begin to awaken inside you due to a parasite that’s been planted in your brain. Players can either resist it and turn against it, or embrace it and become evil.
Anyone who’s played Baldur’s Gate 3 is sure to have been swept away by just how much freedom players have. While some games offer choices in approach and dialogue, they can sometimes feel meaningless. However, in Baldur’s Gate 3, how you play genuinely affects the game’s narrative, as it adapts to what you do and gives the story real depth. The characters are all compelling and unique, too.
Gameplay is very tactical through turn-based combat, where strategy is key. The story is great overall, but it’s the freedom you get in how you play that really makes Baldur’s Gate 3 stand out.
Buy now £57.99, Playstation.com
'God of War Ragnarok'
Best: First-party PS5 game
Release date: 9 November 2022
Age rating: 18
Why we love it
- Fantastic crunchy combat
- Brilliant story
- Excellent visuals
With an incredible story – the underlying theme being the bond between father and son, Kratos and Atreus – God of War Ragnarök follows on superbly from the 2018 original, now featuring a more expansive world, improved combat options, and unforgettable boss encounters.
It’s a third-person action-adventure game where Kratos and Atreus struggle to both hold on and let go, as they must choose between saving their family or the world. Together, they travel across each of the Nine Realms to prepare for a battle against fierce mythical gods and monsters.
The game is stunning to boot. The action set pieces are spectacular, and the world is both beautiful and varied – a feast for the eyes on all fronts. The audio is equally impressive, with a superb soundtrack and satisfyingly crunchy combat. Although it’s a title centred on action and huge battles, it’s the quieter, more resonant moments that truly make this game epic.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
'Cyberpunk 2077'
Best: First-person PS5 game
Release date: 10 December 2020
Age rating: 18
Why we love it
- One of the best modern open-world games
- Brilliant gameplay
- So much to do
Cyberpunk 2077 had a very rough launch in 2020, as it was plagued with bugs and issues. However, the studio continued to work on it, turning it into the experience it should have been from the start and delivering one of the best open-world titles available.
Set in the world of Night City, players take on the role of a cyberpunk mercenary caught up in a fight for survival. The game focuses on the reputation you want to build for yourself, and the choices you make shape the story and world around you.
There’s so much to do that it never gets tiresome – you can easily sink hundreds of hours into it and still not see everything the game has to offer. The full game and its expansion, Phantom Liberty, are both unforgettable in their storylines, gameplay, and the vision of a world brought superbly to life.
Buy now £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
'The Last of Us Part I'
Best: Storyline
Release date: 2 September 2022
Age rating: 18
Why we love it
- One of the greatest stories in gaming
- Remade to current-gen standards
- Superb gameplay
Take note
- No multiplayer mode
The Last of Us, which first released back in 2013, is one of the greatest games ever made, and The Last of Us Part I, a full remake built from the ground up, brings it brilliantly in line with modern expectations on current-generation hardware.
Many questioned whether it needed a remake, as the original had already been remastered for the PS4. But having played the native PS3, PS4 and PS5 versions, I can say that even if you’ve experienced it before, the PS5 version is truly top-notch.
The Last of Us Part I is an action-adventure game with survival horror elements. It tells the story of Joel, a smuggler tasked with transporting Ellie across a post-apocalyptic USA. The world has been ravaged by a fungus called Cordyceps, which turns humans into infected, monstrous creatures driven by a single instinct: to spread the infection. Human groups have fractured into rival factions, and survival is every person’s priority.
The story is one of the best I’ve ever experienced, and the gameplay now feels far more refined than it did in the original release or the remaster. I do wish it still had its multiplayer mode, but if you want to experience one of the finest stories in gaming (or just need an excuse to revisit it) this deserves a place in your library.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
'Death Stranding 2: On the Beach'
Best: PS5 game for graphics
Release date: 26 June 2025
Age rating: 18
Why we love it
- Superb story
- The best-looking game on the PS5
- Unique and innovative gameplay
I’ve already hailed this as my 2025 Game of the Year, and I’m absolutely standing by that. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a masterpiece. It’s an action-adventure game that follows main protagonist Sam Bridges as he aims to reconnect Mexico and Australia after an extinction event known as the Death Stranding. The game blends sci-fi with brilliantly told, deeply human stories about the characters you meet along the way.
With an unforgettable storyline, jaw-dropping visuals, and gameplay that’s both unique and innovative, it more than earns its place on this list. There’s a bit more action compared with 2019’s Death Stranding, yet it still retains the core elements that made the original so special.
It’s a complex game with so many layers that it never feels stale. New mechanics and ideas are continually introduced as the story unfolds. For me, it’s also the best-looking game you can play on the PS5.
Read my full Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
'Marvel's Spider-Man 2'
Best: Superhero PS5 game
Release date: 20 October 2023
Age rating: 16
Why we love it
- Superb action throughout
- You can play as other characters, not just Spider-Man
Take note
- Some side content can get repetitive
There will always be debate over whether Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is the best superhero game of all time, but it’s undoubtedly the best one you can play on the PS5. It builds perfectly on what made 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man so great.
This latest entry is an open-world superhero game where players take control of Spider-Man, Miles Morales and more, web-slinging through New York on a mission to take down Kraven and other iconic villains.
Although New York City is revisited, Brooklyn is now included as a new location, along with a wealth of fresh side content. The different playable characters are fantastic, including one unforgettable section I won’t spoil here. Let’s just say it’s one of my favourite moments in any superhero game ever.
What really makes Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 shine is its traversal. Swinging through the streets of NYC is addictive, especially when chaining moves, and the game’s performance keeps up beautifully no matter which setting you choose. The action set pieces are off the scale, and the story is excellent. What more could you want?
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33'
Best: Indie PS5 game
Release date: 24 April 2025
Age rating: 18
Why we love it
- One of the best indie games of all time
- Compelling story
- How turn-based combat should be done
Take note
- Small improvements, such as a detailed map, would be good
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based role-playing game that follows an expedition on a quest to destroy the Paintress – an antagonist who decrees a number each year, with everyone over that age dying. The latest number is 33, and this expedition is the one that hopes to take her down for good.
Indie studio Sandfall Interactive absolutely cooked with this, working from a much smaller resource pool than the big hitters yet managing to eclipse many of them. The story lingers long after the credits roll. It’s brilliantly unique in its setting, with quirky characters and imaginative enemies throughout. Sandfall has completely shattered the perception that turn-based gameplay is dead, elevating it to heights rarely seen before.
Buy now £49.99, Amazon.co.uk
'Astro Bot'
Best: Family-friendly PS5 game
Release date: 6 September 2024
Age rating: 7
Why we love it
- Superb platformer that's up there with Mario
- Gameplay feels fresh throughout
- Great varied locations
Take note
- Some challenge levels get frustrating
Astro Bot is a family-friendly 3D platformer where players complete levels across different planets and galaxies to restore a broken mothership. New powers and characters with clever twists are introduced throughout, and players must find and rescue bots along the way so they can all return home together.
Astro Bot has become PlayStation’s new mascot, and rightfully so. This is technically the little robot’s third outing, but it’s the first full game in which he takes centre stag. It’s superb, with innovative level design and mechanics that keep it feeling fresh from start to finish. It’s also visually stunning, and the story even has a genuinely unexpected twist at the end.
Players of all ages will have fun with this one. It’s easily the best family-friendly game on the PS5 right now.
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
'Gran Turismo 7'
Best: Racing game for PS5
Release date: 4 March 2022
Age rating: 3
Why we love it
- Great to play on controller or wheel
- Looks absolutely fantastic
Take note
- Microtransactions can rob the fun of working your way up
Gran Turismo 7 is a sim racing game and the latest entry in the iconic Gran Turismo series. You build a car collection and race in events to earn credits, which can be used to buy more vehicles while completing licenses to qualify for higher-level series. There’s also an online mode where players can race against each other.
I’m a massive racing game fan. In fact, my first ever game was Colin McRae Rally on the PS1, which I played with my dad when I was just three years old. Fast forward to today, and Gran Turismo remains one of my favourite racing series, with Gran Turismo 7 being an exceptional entry.
Crucially, the game feels fantastic whether you’re using a controller or a wheel, making it accessible to players with any setup. It looks stunning too, and the progression system, using café menus to guide you through car collections, creates a unique and satisfying gameplay loop.
Being a huge fan of track racing over street or arcade racers, for me, this is the best racing game on the PS5.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
What are the best PS5 games?
Every game on this list is great and well worth playing if it falls into a genre you enjoy. They all offer something different, but the one that takes the overall crown for me is Elden Ring. It’s a true masterpiece and delivers such a brilliant story, with superb gameplay and freedom that gives it the edge over its competitors. If you’re looking for something a little more family-friendly, Astro Bot is another great option.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
The Independent’s product reviews section, IndyBest, employs knowledgeable reviewers to test products as you would use them in your own home, to bring you an impartial list of the very best.
Jake Brigstock is The Independent’s gaming correspondent, and he has spent countless hours putting a full spectrum of consoles and games through their paces. Jake’s experience, critical eye and set of testing criteria mean he is well-placed to bring you his pick of the top 10 PS5 games.
Looking for more gaming inspiration? Check out my 2025 Game of the Year
