The top 10 games to buy for PlayStation 5

God of War Ragnarök scored a hugely impressive 5-stars from us at Trusted Reviews. It’s a spectacular sequel that keeps the same ultra-satisfying combat as its predecessor, God of War. We loved the story and how it delves deeper into Norse mythology, allowing players to visit all nine of the Norse realms.

Thor and Odin debut as fantastic villains; each with their own distinctive personality, these antagonists feel more nuanced and developed than the villain from the last game, Baldur, and we loved how complex and emotional story beats in this game develop. Characters from the original game also make an appearance, giving the game a larger-than-life feeling.

The PS5 also brings this title to new levels, with our review noting how much detail is present throughout the game, with individual hairs in Kratos’ beard being visible. You can play it in 4K at 30 or 60fps and it allows for a 120Hz refresh rate, provided your monitor/TV supports such speeds.

If you liked the first God of War game, then you’re definitely going to love this. Despite the combat feeling mostly the same, the storyline and ability to play as Atreus breathe new life into this title.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: God of War Ragnarök

If you’re looking for a brutally difficult challenge, the Dark Souls trilogy has long been known as the best option. Elden Ring is the latest entry from FromSoftware, but has ditched the weaving, linear levels in favour of an open-world map to make it feel more like Breath of the Wild and Skyrim.

Now you can venture through optional dungeons to discover useful loot, or encounter massive beasts to slay that will reward you with a bounty of experience points. Elden Ring supports multiple playstyles too, whether you want to sneak through bushes for a high-damage backstab, or blast foes from afar with all of your magical spells or hand-crafted bolts from a crossbow.

Elden Ring is just one of the best PS5 games available, but it’s also set to become one of the greatest games of the generation. As long as you’re happy to contend with the high difficulty, this RPG is a must-play.

Reviewer: Alastair Stevenson
Full review: Elden Ring review

Horizon Call of the Mountain is the odd one out on this best PS5 games list, as it requires a PlayStation VR 2 headset in order to function. But since you also need a PS5 console to play this stellar VR game, we still thought it merited an inclusion.

Call of the Mountain may be set in the same apocalyptic world as Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, but the gameplay mechanics differ greatly. Since this is a VR game, you must physically pull back on your virtual bow to ping arrows at the monster machines, and raise your arms into the air to clamber up the mountain.

We found this to be an incredibly fun immersive experience, with a full-length adventure which is relatively rare in the VR space. We thought it looked drop dead gorgeous too, with 4K visuals and vibrant colours. Seeing objects in a virtual 3D space hits differently too, compared to 2D imagery from a TV.

We wouldn’t necessarily say that Horizon Call of the Mountain is good enough to justify a PSVR 2 headset purchase alone, but if you’re planning on buying the VR headset anyway, then this game is a must-buy purchase.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Horizon Call of the Mountain Review

Even though its presence marks the second time that Naughty Dog’s iconic title has been repackaged and served up to players, The Last of Us Part 1 still manages to be a must-have title for any PS5 owner by doing justice to the game’s original vision.

We were massively impressed by the massive graphical overhaul from the original. The visual boost allows Part 1 to not only tell a more believable story through its upgraded cutscenes and character models, but to also inject an absurd amount of detail into the world itself. We found ourselves more frequently distracted by the amount of care afforded to the game’s level design.

While we were disappointed by the fact that the gameplay is largely unchanged from its source material, Part 1 will no doubt find a new audience thanks to its ingenious accessibility features. With a huge amount of control over how the game’s core elements are portrayed from an audio/visual perspective, there’s never been a better time to see what all the fuss is about.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: The Last of Us Part 1 Review

You know that the winner of the Trusted Reviews 20201’s Best PlayStation Game had to get a shoutout; Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is one of the best entries in the series to date. The 4K visuals and ray tracing support mean that the game is packed with detail, so you can find something new in every frame. 

This game is family-friendly and can be played by pretty much anyone. The fantastic pacing and variety of puzzles keep the game feeling fresh, with an abundance of pocket-universe areas to explore for all the competitions out there. 

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a title that everyone should have in their PS5 library; it perfectly takes advantage of the next-generation console and offers up a brand new adventure that anyone can enjoy.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart review

Gran Turismo 7 is one of the more accessible entries into the racing simulator series, with a massive breadth of features and an excellent driving experience that anyone can get into. Handling is excellent with the DualSense controller, with fantastic handling and weight to each car you can drive.

The PS5 offers up amazing visuals, with our reviewer noting a high level of detail to the car interior and exterior, especially in the likes of photo mode where ray tracing is activated. There’s a clear love for cars in this game too, as you can chat to characters in the Café about the history of various vehicles. And if you’re not a car fanatic, you may well become one after playing Gran Turismo.

You can also race online with friends, with a new Meeting Place feature that allows racers to join and race in a more casual environment. Sportsmanship ratings also ensure that users will drive with respect and that you’re paired with people who have a similar skillset, giving a sense of parity and fairness. If you’re into hyper-realistic racers, this is one of the best PS5 games you can buy.

Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Gran Turismo 7

Deathloop is one of the most innovative AAA games we’ve seen in a while; Arkane Studios threw away the formula and created an interesting narrative with explosive gameplay. With a Groundhog Day type time loop mechanic, your character is tasked with killing eight targets before the end of the day. 

Seeing as this game puts you in the same position every day, you’ll become very familiar with the island of Blackreef, giving you more time to appreciate the beautiful graphics and cartoony artwork. 

This is a very rewarding game, not only can you take on a different plan of attack each playthrough, but the way the world changes and morphs over time means it always feels new and engaging when you dive back in.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Deathloop review

Resident Evil Village is one of the best entries in the franchise, boasting HDR graphics so you can see the gooey mouldy monsters in high definition. Village takes on a first-person view, which amps up the narrative to a more personal level. 

Speaking of, you will be treated to Bram Stoker type environments, with gothic towers and skulking werewolves. The protagonist, Ethan Winters, likes to shoot and slash his way through the game, with less emphasis on stealth meaning that you have even more opportunities to tackle your enemies head-on, which really adds to the scare factor. 

If you fancy a horror game, this is one the best PS5 games to buy. Not only is there a gripping and spooky story to follow, but blood and gore have never looked this good on this console.

Reviewer: Alastair Stevenson
Full review: Resident Evil Village review

Looking for a more family-friendly game? Then the Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is an excellent option, especially considering you can pair up with a second player on your adventure through all nine main films in the Star Wars series, from The Phantom Menace to The Rise of Skywalker.

While Star Wars fans will be treated to oodles of fan service, this game is also welcoming to newcomers of the franchise with lots and lots of rib-tickling jokes. There are plenty of puzzles to solve and hidden collectibles to discover, while we found that the revamped combat makes smashing up Lego characters twice as fun as previous entries.

We were also impressed by how great the visuals look, especially on the PS5. Classic Star Wars locations have been remade in Lego with wonderful details, with the underwater city of Otoh Gunga looking particularly dazzling.

The Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga can of course be played in single player, but we recommend pairing up with a friend or family member for the best experience, and spend hours laughing at all the various gags.

Reviewer: Thomas Deehan
Full review: Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review

Horizon Forbidden West is a fantastic sequel to the Horizon Zero Dawn, featuring lots of new machines to hunt, as well as a bigger and better upgrade system with a highly satisfying gameplay loop reminiscent of the Monster Hunter series.

The open-world looks incredible on the PS5, with a variety of distinctive biomes to explore from dense rain forests to sweeping deserts. Forbidden West also features an intriguing story, plunging even deeper into the sci-fi rabbit hole.

There are a few weaker elements to the game, as combat with humans is still a bore, while the platforming can feel clunky and frustrating. But those flaws are easy to forgive when it’s so much fun taking down a robot T-Rex with nothing but a quiver of arrows.

Reviewer: Ryan Jones
Full review: Horizon Forbidden West Review

While this game is pretty well known as one of the best PS5 games, that doesn’t make it any less of a gem. Miles Morales is arguably the franchise’s best yet, being somehow relatable as our protagonist while offering up an interesting story that keeps the game feeling worthwhile. 

It goes without saying that anyone who was a fan of the original Spider-Man PS4 game will feel at home here; the original gameplay style is present but with some new powers to keep it feeling fresh. You get a sense of who Miles is here, with the lead character’s passion for music, street fashion and science blending into the overall aesthetic perfectly. 

There are plenty of side activities to dig into once you’ve finished the campaign, with the universe itself being a fun expansion of the Insomniac universe.

Reviewer: Jade King
Full review: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Review