The best PS5 exclusives are those games that are or were, made exclusively for Sony's latest console. Exclusive games can set the tone and scene for a machine's offering compared to others. This is often the case for PlayStation consoles, with each generation offering some awesome, groundbreaking exclusives.
And the best PS5 exclusives continue that trend in this generation. We've picked out the best ones you can play right now on this list, and have considered all possible genres, game types, play styles, and more when putting together our list. Much like our best PS5 games guide, you can trust our picks as we've put hours into all these games and are experts in the field.
We know that in 2024, the term exclusive is getting a bit muddier on the whole, though. We're now seeing more PlayStation games arrive on PC, and any Xbox exclusive also makes it onto PC pretty quickly - not to mention all the cross-gen versions of games that come out. As a result, we're slightly extending our meaning of PS5 exclusives to cover those that were (or are) PS5 console exclusives, or those that at least began life that way. At some point, these games were purposely made to play on the PS5, let's put it that way, and that console probably remains the best place to play them. Let's get into it.
Best PS5 exclusives 2024
"Rise of the Ronin is a robust and enjoyable open-world adventure across 19th-century Japan. It features superb combat, an intriguing Bakumatsu-inspired setting, and a world with so much to do." - Rob Dwiar, TechRadar Gaming reviewer.
Rise of the Ronin may not be the most modern of open world games, but it is extremely moreish. By focusing on fun over realism, Rise of the Ronin offers up a compelling power fantasy that uses its action-packed combat to keep players interested. You'll slowly build out your character, learning new ways to fight enemies, and traverse the huge open world.
All in, Rise of the Ronin scratches the open-world itch. There’s a vast amount to do in each of the PS5 game’s regions, an interesting narrative is woven throughout, and it’s a Samurai-tastic adventure for those looking for something similar to Ghost of Tsushima or (maybe) the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
"Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth proves that the remake trilogy isn’t a remake in the strictest sense. However, if you’re looking to go on another thrilling adventure with Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, Yuffie, and Red XIII, then you’ve come to the right place - just don’t expect it to be the adventure you’re used to." - Cat Bussell, TechRadar reviewer.
For the first Final Fantasy on our list, we have Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Following on from 2020's FF7 Remake, this one aims to remake aspects from the second half of the original game, while putting in new story elements. These diversions from the source material are perhaps the main draw of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, as the game carves out its own path that's both tricky to predict and exciting to watch unfold.
Though there's plenty of new content to be found in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there's also plenty of familiar faces. This installment really sees Sephiroth steal the show, as Cloud and crew explore a vast open world filled with new threats. Brilliant visuals combine with best-in-class performances from the game's cast to produce what is easily one of the best looking games ever made. It absolutely sings on PS5, demonstrating exactly what the console was made to do.
Horizon Forbidden West takes the breakout formula of robot-dinosaur hunting and combines it with an expansive and richly detailed open world. Everything has been improved from the first game, including enemy variety and the quality of side quests.
If you're on the hunt for an open-world, narrative-driven adventure in your search for the best PS5 game for you, then look no further than Horizon Forbidden West. Developing and expanding on all that was great about Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4, Aloy's next adventure is staggeringly beautiful, gripping, and filled with exciting robot-dinosaur action.
Some will say that it doesn't change a whole lot from Zero Dawn, or break ground that much, but Forbidden West absolutely is one of the best experiences you can get on PS5 right now. And absolutely do not skip the side quests, with some of the best we've played on PS5 (or any platform, for that matter) in recent years. Its DLC, Burning Shores, is well worth checking out too, as it offers a much more focused adventure, set in sunken and overgrown L.A.
"Final Fantasy 16 is a shining example of narrative-focused games at their best, boasting immersive storytelling and cinematic action that invites you into its richly detailed world. The expansive, deeply immersive setting and cast of lovable, fully realized characters sets a gold standard for Final Fantasy titles, offering something that is more than the sum of its parts." - Cat Bussell, TechRadar reviewer.
Final Fantasy 16's story of Clive Rosfield on a quest to solve a conspiracy that threatens the world may not sound like a unique storyline, but it's a fantastic dark fantasy tale that's also bursting with feeling and heart. Throw in some drama between key folks, and a healthy dose of political intrigue and tension and you have one of developer Square Enix's finest works of storytelling.
When it comes to the game's combat, Final Fantasy 16 veers away from the series' turn-based traditions and focuses on something much more action-oriented, similar to that of something akin to Devil May Cry 5. What results are gripping and rewarding combat encounters, that have a distinct cinematic quality. The setpieces take this a step further becoming highlights of the game, always keeping us on the edge of our seats with their pulsating action. It is coming to PC at some point, we know that, but until then this is absolutely one of the best PS5 exclusives you can play right now.
"Astro Bot combines engrossing platforming mechanics across masterfully designed levels that are filled with fun obstacles and collectibles. It stands up to gaming’s biggest giants like Mario and Sonic as a result and is a joyous Game of the Year contender." - George Yang, TechRadar reviewer.
Astro Bot is an absolute revelation on the PS5, proving what makes the console so special by making use of every ounce of its power. Haptic feedback translates the surfaces that Astro Bot tiptoes across, while motion controls allow you to steer rocket ships and projectiles in real-time.
And while the action and in-game play is tremendous fun in and of itself, it's all draped in a celebration of PlayStation history. This is tastefully done, keeps in spirit with the game's theme of playful fun, and features a multitude of throwbacks to PlayStation hardware of years gone by as well as iconic characters and games.
Some of the hardware is included in the form of collectibles that you can then inspect at your leisure in a vault later on, and you'll see plenty of NPC bots recreating famous scenes from famous games, or paying homage to them with particular setups as you go through the levels and zones of Astro Bot.
"Helldivers 2 delivers on the promise of chaotic fun through superior firepower. Whether you’re slaying enemies with your friends or slaying your friends while enemies are also present, if you’ve got the crew, this is a guaranteed good time." - Jake Tucker, TechRadar reviewer.
Helldivers 2 is the best PS5 console exclusive for co-op right now in early 2024. This sci-fi third-person action shooter is full of dumb fun, chaos, friendly-fire hilarity, and more that makes it a must-play for anyone on PS5 (or PC). It's spectacularly good in multiplayer generally, but an incredible amount of bombastic fun when you play with friends in particular.
The Starship Troopers vibes are ever-present and really well done in Helldiver 2, and the setting, tone, sense of humor, and action all combine to make spreading 'managed democracy' across the galaxy an absolute blast.
The chaos is intoxicating with encounters that can test your skills as well as your patience - sometimes with your teammates with lethal friendly fire always on by default - but the battle against terminids and automatons across the galaxy to save Super Earth is never not enjoyable.
Built around a solid variety of mission types, while also offering robust progression systems, what we called "riotous violence" in our review, and all the sci-fi slapstick humor we've mentioned, blend all the elements together and what you get is one of the best co-op experiences you can have right now.
We're huge fans of everything that Ghost of Tsushima already does brilliantly, from environment design, to combat, and place-making - but the Iki Island expansion in the Director's Cut means we get to explore a brand new environment as Jin Sakai and hone our skills even further. Plus it all looks even better on PS5, so there's that.
Ghost of Tsushima was a superb final first-party game to grace the PS4, and the Director's Cut version that was released for PS5 released in 2021 is now one of the best PS5 exclusives available. Offering an enhanced and visually upgraded experience, as well as one that will load quicker, has proper lip-syncing for Japanese, features haptic feedback, a higher potential frame rate, and some new cosmetics for Jin, it really is a superb re-packaging that offers much more than just a light do-over.
The biggest offering of the Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is the Iki Island expansion. This is a brand new expansion, exclusive to the Director's Cut which adds a whole new area to explore and soak up. Iki Island takes Jin to the place where his father died and offers an excellent and enhanced crystallized Ghost of Tsushima experience.
There's some wonderful storytelling to be enjoyed, but also a map that begs to be explored, new enemies to fight, new camps to infiltrate, and quests to take on, as well as a host of Easter eggs to find. It's a relatively small but excellent and densely packed expansion that when combined with the original full game and its own enhancements makes the Director's Cut a fine PS5 exclusive game.
"Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 delivers a satisfying Spidey-saga that gives fans everything they could want from a Venom arc and also includes several surprises. It's a single-player open-world game that prioritizes fun above all else, with a host of accessibility features to let everyone join in." - Jake Tucker, TechRadar reviewer.
Taking over from Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales on this list, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an absolute belter of a PS5 exclusive. This entry in the 'main' series builds on what came before and beautifully takes advantage of everything the PS5 can offer, from DualSense features to 3D audio.
The game's Venom story arc throws in a few surprises along the way and is a hugely enjoyable adventure that puts fun at the forefront. From scouring the city for the many collectibles and puzzles to beating seven shades of blue out of local ruffians, and from gliding your way through the skyscrapers in wind tunnels, to exploring all the skills and tools available to Peter and Miles, the action is relentless, and the amount of fun is nigh-on endless.
As a Sony first-party title, everything feels like your Spider-Man too from the audio cues on the controller, to solving puzzles with the adaptive triggers, and down to feeling the impact of every hit and blow. There's a host of accessibility features allowing more people than ever to enjoy being a Spider-Man, and the game is one of the best of the generation. A must-play PS5 exclusive.
"Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is brilliant, fast-paced fun that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Rift Apart manages to retain the charm and humor that we loved about the original titles, while balancing this with new characters that offer endearing vulnerability." - Vic Hood, TechRadar reviewer.
If you're looking for a charming and humourous PS5 exclusive from one of PlyStation's finest series, then Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is absolutely one to pick up. It's a breath of fresh air, doesn't take itself too seriously, and offers one of the finest experiences on PS5, taking advantage of almost everything (we wanted a bit more from the 3D audio when we reviewed it) it can with the current-gen console.
One of the best ways to experience what the game is all about is when you get to combine superb traversal with combat. Chaining together attacks with weapons like those that can turn your enemies into shrubs while zooming onto a nearby speed boost is fluid, smooth, and satisfying. You'll learn to use different weapons and armor for different enemies as you go, while there's also plenty of opportunity to upgrade and alter them - some weapons just get better through use which is enormously satisfying.
If you're a fan of the famous PlayStation duo and are up for a rip-roaring interdimensional adventure, then Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is one that'll serve up bombastic traversal, action, and a fun story to boot, all in one wholesome game.
"Returnal puts its own stamp on the roguelike genre, blending ever-changing levels and permadeath with an intense third-person shooter experience. While players are often at the mercy of Returnal’s unpredictability – for better or worse – the immersive storytelling and the utilization of Sony’s latest hardware makes it feel like a true PS5 exclusive." - Vic Hood, TechRadar reviewer.
If you like a challenge and are after one of the most original PS5 exclusive games, then Returnal could be just the ticket. It's a third-person action shooter that is intensely interesting and wondrous to play - from its aesthetic and environments to its weapons, and intense combat, and from its slowly-revealing story to its subtle but effective plays on your senses through 3D audio and the Dualsense's haptic feedback.
Playing as Selene, a space pilot who has crashed her ship on the alien planet of Atropos. The key factor on Atropos that affects Selene as she tries to figure out what has happened, what is happening, and how to get off the planet is that it is stuck in a time loop.
This is where the roguelike element comes in as you'll be doing multiple runs through areas to collect lore, weapons, and upgrades that can be added to your armory in your efforts to break the time loop. While retracing steps repeatedly can be a chore in some games, Returnal keeps things very fresh by mixing up its environments and biomes with every run you do,
"The Last of Us Part 1 is full of memorable moments, in combat and out – but as a verified secret softy, it’s the heart-wrenching ones that have scored their marks in my heart. And boy howdy, does the revamped intro qualify for that and then some." - Shabana Arif, TechRadar reviewer.
The Last of US Part 1 on PS5 is the definitive way to play the still-brilliant, emotive, and powerful game from Naughty Dog. The story and characters that we all know and love so well feel generation-less in this enhanced remake - and now everything looks even better than ever.
Ellie and Joel's hard-punching and hard-hitting post-apocalyptic journey still works and hit home after 10 years since its first release, and has really benefitted from the visual and technical overhaul in Part 1. Every detail of the post-apocalyptics world looks crisper and clear than ever, the atmosphere is as heavy as ever, and the crunch and heaviness of Joel's combat moves is more brutal than ever.
Each encounter and set-piece is just as powerful this time around - nay, perhaps, even more so - due to that extra weight and fluidity of the combat too. The latter is made even more smooth due to Part 1's multiple performance or quality modes on offer on PS5. Throw in the other PS5 benefits such as Haptic feedback - Ellie's bow has never felt so real - a host of accessibility options, enhanced audio, as well as the Left Behind DLC and it's a brilliant PS5 exclusive experience.
The sheer quality of this remake from Bluepoint Games makes this an easy pick for a PS5 exclusive list in and of itself. It's executed with such a level of finish and attention to detail that it feels like a brand-new (but not) game.
Known to spawn some of the best, most interesting, most rewarding - and most challenging - games of all time, Demon's Souls got the meticulous and beautiful remake treatment from Bluepoint Games to be not only a superb PS5 exclusive but a brilliant PS5 launch game. Channeling all that made the original PS3 game a classic of its day, the PS5 exclusive remake enhances everything about it, from atmospheric locations and detailed environments, to updated graphics, near-immediate load times, and brilliant overall presentation.
At its core though, this is still a tough-as-nails, tough-but-fair action-adventure game, where mastering your character's every move, roll, block, and strike is key to your survival - and success. You'll navigate your way through a mysterious world with epic boss fights, souls and loot to be gathered to improve your chances and some of the best medieval fantasy locales in gaming.
The steep learning curve is, well, as steep as ever and won't be for some, but if you persevere and learn diligently how to take on the epic and spectacular boss fights, you'll be rewarded with fine loot, many souls, and euphoric satisfaction. Bluepoint is known for taking games and recrafting them for whole new generations, and the studio has absolutely done that again with this masterful remake of Demon's Souls.
"Troy Baker tried to warn us. The voice-over actor, who portrays Joel in The Last of Us series, told us that we weren’t ready for The Last of Us 2 – and he was right. Whether you’ve caught spoilers, watched trailers or just have your own expectations of what The Last of Us 2 will entail, you won't be prepared for the emotional impact of this stunning sequel – and there’s nothing like experiencing it first-hand." - Vic Hood , TechRadar reviewer.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a brilliant PS5 version of one of the very best PS4 games and represents the definitive way to play the sequel. The bleak story of Ellie and Abby unravels a dark tale of revenge and the cycle of violence is every bit as absorbing and dramatic on the PS5.
The PS5 enhancements over its predecessor help to elevate the experience and action in Part 2 Remastered superbly. Feeling Abby's weapons kick through the DualSense or Ellie's bowstring tighten when pulled, along with feeling the weather effects drastically deepen the immersion into the game. The graphical boosts are most welcome too, with increased texture resolutions, 4K imagery, and a variety of performance modes to choose from.
As well as the technical features, however, there's a bunch of extra content in Part 2 Remastered which helps set it as one of the best PS5 exclusives. There's a guitar free-play mode for budding musicians, a trio of lost levels that show some parts cut from the game complete with commentary which expands to the full game too - offering deeper insights than ever before. However, the headline is the No Return mode which builds a roguelike experience around the brutal combat of the game with randomized strings of encounters comprised of different modes culminating in epic boss battles.
All in all, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, despite being a remaster of a young-ish game, is one of the best PS5 exclusives you can buy right now, and is well worth adding to your collection whether or not you've played the original.
"Building upon the themes of its predecessor, God of War Ragnarok’s emotive narrative shines in its subtler moments, while clever evolutions to combat introduce welcome changes that advance gameplay without oversaturating it. It’s a sequel that is often as brutal as it is poignant – and a fitting next chapter in Kratos and Atreus’ journey." - Vic Hood, TechRadar reviewer.
Those looking for more of what made God of War (2018) great will find plenty to love in its sequel. Not only does God of War Ragnarok add in new ways to fight, traverse and interact with the world, it builds upon familiar systems, all in the service of the game's deeply emotional narrative.
This time around, Kratos and Atreus find themselves at a fork in the road, with one path governed by prophecy, and the other an unknown and dangerous way forward. Atreus has grown up a lot since the last game, and is now struggling to control his ever-growing powers, much to the dismay of his father. Kratos must learn to trust his son, as he follows him on a collision course with Gods, monsters, and old enemies.
Everyone with a PS5 should absolutely give God of War Ragnarok a go, as it's easily one of the best looking games ever made. It also offers action on a scale that's rarely found in gaming. You'll take down hulking beasts, zip through portals and face off against swarms of enemies, all made possible by the power of the PlayStation 5. Just make sure to play the first game before jumping into this one, as there's some great payoffs in the story, for fans of the series.
How we made our best PS5 exclusives list
We at TechRadar Gaming are huge fans of PlayStation's long history of exclusive games. Many of us have had PlayStations since the very first one so know what makes a good exclusive on one of Sony's consoles. We know that they should be bangers whatever genre and type they fall into, and we've played everything on this list to make sure we pick just those. We've played them for hours and hours too so you can trust this page and our picks.
As we have pointed out in this article, though, we know that the term 'PS5 exclusive' has multiple meanings now. However, we are expert enough to know what most folks mean and what most folks are happy to apply that term to. As a result, you can see some games on this list that did get other releases like The Last of Us Part I (which came to PC), and Returnal (which later came to PC).
Best PS5 exclusives - FAQs
Does the PS5 have good exclusives?
Yes! The likes of Astro's Playroom, Final Fantasy 16, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are excellent, genuine PS5 exclusives that truly shine on the PlayStation 5. However, it's worth remembering that, in the year 2024, the term 'exclusive' is a bit more fluid than how it was used before. In the past couple of generations, if something was a PS3 or PS4 exclusive, it really was just that - a game only on that platform, and definitely at the time of release and some time after.
However, during the last generation, Sony started to deliver their games onto PC, and also continued to put games on PS4 so as not to leave that audience 'behind' - this means some PS5 exclusives eventually get another release or two.
What is the fastest selling PS5 exclusive?
The title of the fastest-selling PS5 exclusive goes to 2023's Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The game sold 2.5 million in the first 24 hours. This is now the record for the fastest-selling PlayStation 5 exclusive game.
What PS5 exclusives are there coming out soon?
Now that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Stellar Blade have been released, we look ahead to several exclusives that have been confirmed for 2025, like Ghost of Yotei.
Beyond this, we know of a handful of games that will be or likely PS5 exclusives, but only have thin information on them. The likes of Death Stranding 2 (likely a PS5 exclusive, at least to begin with) and Marvel's Wolverine (made by Sony's in-house studio Insomniac Games) will almost certainly have some PS5 exclusivity and Phantom Blade Zero is another that could be exclusive to the PS5 (at least initially) given its reveal at a PlayStation showcase last year.
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