The best PS5 exclusive games have helped define this PlayStation console generation with a variety of incredible experiences. For me, the standouts aren’t just great games; they’re experiences that fully leverage the PS5 hardware, whether that means the DualSense controller, lightning-fast load times, 3D audio, or gorgeous visuals that still make me stop and snap a few screenshots.
What counts as a PS5 exclusive?
The word “exclusive” has become a little more complicated in 2026. True exclusives are games you can currently only play on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro hardware. Console exclusives may also be available on PC while remaining unavailable on competing consoles. Then there are timed or former exclusives, which launched first on PlayStation before eventually reaching other platforms.
For example, games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 have since made the jump to PC, while others that originally launched as PlayStation console exclusives have expanded to Xbox or Nintendo platforms.
The best PS5 exclusive games ranked
For this list, I used several criteria: overall quality, how well each game has aged, its use of PS5 features, and the value it adds to owning a PlayStation console. Some are still true exclusives, while others have since expanded to PC or additional platforms. With that in mind, these are the PS5 games I feel best showcase what the console has to offer, and the experiences every PlayStation owner should have on their radar.
1. Astro Bot
Genre: 3D platformer | Best for: Everyone
Astro Bot is still my favourite pure showcase for what makes PS5 fun. Each world introduces something playful, while abilities like the Bulldog Booster and Giant Sponge constantly change how you interact with each stage.
The DualSense controller is just as important. Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers make different surfaces, objects, gadgets, and environmental effects feel distinct. It’s inventive, incredibly polished, and the creative gameplay, fun characters and 3D platforming are sure to bring a smile to your face.
2. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Genre: Action-adventure | Best for: Superhero fans
One of the most exciting superhero experiences remains a PS5 console exclusive and one of my favourite games on the platform. I love the expanded version of New York and improved traversal. Switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales keeps the combat fresh and fun. The new Web Wings make getting around the city faster and more exciting, while the symbiote storyline gives Peter’s side of the adventure considerably more bite. It’s one of Insomniac’s slickest games and a fantastic PS5 showcase.
3. God of War Ragnarök
Genre: Action-adventure | Best for: Story-driven players
Kratos and Atreus’ Norse saga delivers huge battles, quieter emotional moments, and some of the strongest performances in the series. I especially like how the Leviathan Axe and other weapons you unlock feel distinct in combat. Switching between them adds variety to encounters, especially against larger groups of enemies. The relationship between Kratos and Atreus remains the emotional centre of the experience, with rollercoaster-style action and hard-hitting emotional peaks.
4. Demon’s Souls
Genre: Action RPG | Best for: Hardcore players
Bluepoint’s remake of Demon’s Souls remains one of the most visually impressive games on PS5. The game’s setting, Boletaria, is bleak, atmospheric, beautiful, and unforgiving. Some of its systems still feel intentionally old-school and mysterious, but that is also part of what makes the experience so memorable.
5. Saros
Genre: Third-person action / Roguelite | Best for: Sci-fi action fans
From the creators of Returnal, Saros delivers a spectacular sci-fi adventure that combines blazing-fast combat, challenging encounters, and an intriguing mystery. Set on the hostile alien planet Carcosa, the game follows Arjun Devraj as he battles terrifying creatures beneath an ominous eclipse. Overall, it’s a more approachable experience than Returnal, with permanent upgrades without sacrificing the challenge. With breathtaking visuals, excellent DualSense integration, and elaborate boss battles, Saros is easily one of the PS5’s most impressive action experiences.
6. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Genre: Action-platformer | Best for: Families and action fans
Even years after its initial launch, jumping back into the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart experience is still impressive. Adaptive triggers give weapons multiple firing options depending on how far you press the trigger, and the DualSense helps give each weapon its own personality.
It’s one of my favourite examples of the PS5 SSD and controller working together to enhance gameplay rather than simply reduce loading times.
7. Returnal
Genre: Roguelike shooter | Best for: Players who want a challenge
Returnal is fast, punishing, strange, and incredibly hard to put down once the combat starts to click. Developer Housemarque makes excellent use of the DualSense controller, including using different trigger positions for primary and alternate weapon fire. The 3D audio is just as impressive. Using headphones can help you identify where enemies are attacking from during chaotic encounters.
8. The Last of Us Part I
Genre: Action-adventure/survival | Best for: Story-focused players
The Last of Us Part I delivers an unforgettable journey through a post-apocalyptic world, following Joel and Ellie as they fight to survive. Blending emotional storytelling, tense stealth, brutal combat, and exploration, every encounter feels meaningful. Rebuilt for PS5 with stunning visuals, improved enemy AI, and expanded accessibility features, it’s one of gaming’s most powerful adventures.
9. Gran Turismo 7
Genre: Racing | Best for: Car enthusiasts
Gran Turismo 7 delivers an incredibly realistic racing experience with hundreds of detailed cars, iconic tracks, and impressive driving physics. The DualSense controller enhances immersion with haptic feedback that simulates tire grip and adaptive triggers that add resistance when braking. With dynamic weather, extensive customization, online racing, and PlayStation VR2 support, GT7 ranks as one of my favourite PS5 racing experiences.
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10. Horizon Forbidden West
Genre: Open-world action RPG | Best for: Explorers
Horizon Forbidden West takes you on a breathtaking adventure through a post-apocalyptic future with a massive open world filled with dangerous machines, stunning landscapes, and ancient mysteries. Taking down massive enemies like the Tremortusk is incredibly satisfying. With gorgeous visuals, rewarding exploration, and thrilling battles, Horizon Forbidden West is a must-play on PS5.
11. Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
Genre: Open-world action-adventure | Best for: Samurai fans
This samurai epic follows Jin Sakai as he fights to liberate his homeland from the Mongol invasion of Japan. I still love how the game uses the environment to guide exploration, letting you follow the wind instead of relying on waypoint markers. Sword fights are equally satisfying, with different combat stances adding strategy to every encounter. With breathtaking landscapes, a compelling story, and the Iki Island expansion offering more insight into Jin’s past, Ghost of Tsushima remains one of my favourite open-world adventures on PS5.
12. Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition
Genre: Open-world action-adventure | Best for: Samurai action fans
Ghost of Yōtei delivers a breathtaking open-world adventure set in 1600s Japan, following Atsu on a quest for revenge. The Complete Edition takes things further with the Echoes of Sekigahara story expansion and the action-packed Most Wanted survival mode. If you loved Ghost of Tsushima, this is an adventure you won’t want to miss.
13. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
Genre: Fighting | Best for: Marvel fans and fighting game enthusiasts
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls brings Marvel’s iconic superheroes into a 4v4 fighting game showdown. Its gorgeous anime-inspired visuals, explosive special attacks, and fast-paced combat make every battle feel like a comic book brought to life. It’s easily one of the PS5’s best fighting games.
14. Marvel’s Wolverine
Genre: Action | Best for: Action-focused players
Marvel’s Wolverine delivers one of the most intense and cinematic superhero experiences on PS5. Insomniac Games captures Logan’s brutal fighting style with visceral, fast-paced combat that makes every swipe of his Adamantium claws feel incredibly satisfying. The action is relentless, but the quieter character moments give the story emotional weight. With stunning visuals, memorable encounters, and a darker, more mature tone, it’s an unforgettable adventure that shows what the PS5 is capable of.
15. Helldivers 2
Genre: Co-op shooter | Best for: Multiplayer fans
Few multiplayer games create unforgettable moments as naturally as Helldivers 2. This action-packed, third-person shooter drops you and up to three friends onto hostile planets to defend Super Earth against overwhelming alien threats. Teamwork is essential as you complete objectives, battle enemy hordes, and call in powerful Stratagems like orbital strikes and automated turrets. It’s unpredictable and endlessly entertaining.
Which PS5 exclusive should you play first?
If you’ve just picked up a PS5, here are my recommendations:
- Start with Astro Bot, a charming, polished adventure that brilliantly showcases the DualSense controller’s capabilities.
- If you are looking for a multiplayer experience, Helldivers 2 offers chaotic, action-packed cooperative gameplay which I absolutely love. If you want a serious challenge, try Demon’s Souls; it has punishing combat and a breathtaking fantasy world to explore.
- Finally, Returnal and Saros offer a thrilling sci-fi experience that combines fast-paced shooting with intense roguelike gameplay.
Why PS5 exclusives stand out
The best PS5 games don’t simply look better. They make the hardware part of the experience. Astro Bot turns DualSense feedback into gameplay. Returnal and Saros use 3D audio and haptic feedback in creative ways to help you survive. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart uses the SSD to move between dramatically different environments almost instantly, while Gran Turismo 7 lets you feel what your tires and brakes are doing through the controller. Those are the kinds of moments that make playing on PS5 feel different.
Ready to power up your PlayStation experience? Find the PS5 that fits the way you play with our PS5 buying guide.
Best PS5 games FAQs
My overall pick is Astro Bot. It’s approachable enough for almost anyone but inventive enough that experienced players will constantly find something new to appreciate.
Many PlayStation games are now available on PC, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Returnal, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and God of War Ragnarök. Others remain exclusive to PS5.
There isn’t one fixed number because it depends on whether you count PS5-only games, console exclusives, cross-generation titles, and timed exclusives. Availability also keeps changing as more PlayStation games arrive on other platforms.
If games like Astro Bot, Demon’s Souls, Gran Turismo 7, and PlayStation Studios’ major single-player adventures appeal to you, the exclusive and console-exclusive library remains one of the PS5’s biggest strengths.
Demon’s Souls still gets my vote for pure visual presentation, although Horizon Forbidden West and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are right there with it.
