The PlayStation 4 has accumulated a wonderful library of incredible games, and every person who plays on this system will have their own favourites. From gems like The Last of Us, to games that it seems like everyone hates, there are fans for them all, and that is why I thought I should make a list of my top ten PlayStation 4 games, and I should note that this is strictly my opinion and truthfully many will disagree with this list which I am fine with. There is also only one rule which I followed, which was one game per franchise and I was allowed to include remasters and older games. So with that let’s get started:
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Where many feel that the Assassin’s Creed series has run its course I could not disagree more, despite its flaws I felt Unity was a great game that was hidden behind a rough coat of paint. But to follow that, we got Syndicate and this game was just something else. If I ever did a list on my top five Assassin’s Creed games (which I could not write because I have not played more than five) Assassin’s Creed Syndicate would undoubtedly top that list. From my standpoint Syndicate was a true return to form providing me with a playground based around one of the most fascinating points in history, and the gameplay benefited from the advancements that Unity got right.
Assassination missions were open and forced you to find and exploit opportunities like a proper assassin, and there was nothing more thrilling then pulling off one of these missions according to plan. Furthermore, Syndicate gave us two interesting characters that showed plenty of evolution and made you feel sorry for them in the end, the conflicts were fascinating and the way things played out were exciting. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is one of my favourite games and really presented what I consider to be one of the best Assassin experiences ever.
- Journey
How could I not include Journey, it is hard to convey in words just how incredible this game is. Journey presented a magical world that urged you forward and a story that was emotionally connecting and subtly explored some truly deep subject matter. To put it simply Journey was exactly what the name suggested and for that I could not complain, this journey is one I will not soon forget and one that I want to experience again. If you have never played this game, there is no excuses. This is one of the greatest experiences you can ever have, and it may surprise people with just how connecting it truly is.
- Fallout 4
Yes I know, Fallout 4 has nothing on its predecessors but still I could not help but love and become captivated by this wonderful experience. I felt that Fallout 4 was a game that benefited from being an entry point to the series, Bethesda did away with many of the series staple elements and for the most part this worked. Never before was I so intrigued by an open world game, I wanted to see everything, I wanted to do almost everything. I wanted to see the stories set out before me and every location had something that drew me to it, for me Fallout 4 was more about this element and seeing how life went on after the fall of the world, and seeing the stories of those who died play out constantly as voices in the night.
Certainly, Fallout 4 is not the series shining moment but for what it’s worth, this was a great game. There were so many stories being told and so much worth exploring. I don’t care what anyone else says, if not just for the wonderful open world. Fallout 4 managed to tick all the boxes for me, this is that rare game that came along and truly meant something to me, and for that Fallout 4 is special.
- Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season Two
There is nothing like the magic of a Telltale game, there are so many amazing journey’s we have taken thanks to this company but the pinnacle of their efforts is The Walking Dead, after an incredible first season, Telltale hit the ground running with the second season. Despite the lack of Lee, the second season was a major enhancement upon the first, where the end of season one was emotionally draining, I found more moments in season two that really affected me. To note just seeing Kenny again was enough to make this series brilliant, but from start to finish each episode was strong, and even with the pointless nature of choices I was still captivated by the illusion.
The Walking Dead Season Two expanded upon the first season by putting us in the shoes of the still young Clementine, I can’t tell you how this makes you feel when playing this. I was fully aware that my character was weaker and less skilled, and it was troublesome when all choices were put on the shoulders of our young protagonist. Yet this added power to every choice (no matter how pointless they truly were) and I love every moment and still grow teary eyed at my final choice (poor Kenny, I hope you are still fighting the good fight against the infected, may we meet again).
- Life is Strange
I must say going into Life is Strange provided me with mixed feelings, I wanted to be excited and see the evolution of episodic adventures beyond a game we saw earlier on this list. On the other side I have never really understood teenagers (even when I was one only a few years ago), and Life is Strange seemed like a teenage drama, and yet upon playing this game I could not help but love what I was shown. As the game begins we were left with the potential threat of a hurricane and this only builds excitement, then after some teenage drama as well as death suddenly our character Max discovers she can rewind time, and this was used to great effect.
Before making a decision we can see how both potential options play out by rewinding time, but what made this interesting was that we had no clue of the long term effects to us in the story and so every choice still mattered. Life is Strange was unpredictable and would often keep me guessing or lead down the wrong path in the wonderful mystery and story that was presented. Sure I hated our second main character, and I am still kicking myself for a failure I made in regards to a single character on my first playthrough, but Life is Strange is something special. The story, the mystery, most of the characters who constantly develop based on your actions, I have to say Life is Strange is one of the greatest episodic adventures I have played to date.
- Beyond: Two Souls
I don’t hold much love for Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain, but Beyond: Two Souls was simply a masterpiece of its kind, I was strangely immersed in Beyond’s brand of storytelling that may have lacked linearity but it worked. I cared about Jodie and found her bond with characters such as Nathan and Aiden compelling, particularly in the way that choices made reflected back at me in the way they interacted. Furthermore, the lack of a linear plotline actually helped to build the story placing key moments where they were needed to further explore Jodie in a way that made certain scenes unforgettable.
To put it simply Beyond: Two Souls is something truly incredible, I know it does not win fans for whatever reason but I can’t help but adore it and think this is one of the best games available on the system. There is so much to consider from an analysis perspective and I am still thinking about some of the story elements months after playing this. Sure the gameplay is average, and calling Beyond: Two Souls a game is a bit of a stretch, but it is undeniable just how great I feel this game is.
- Gone Home
Gone Home is probably one of the most interesting games I have ever played, and I fear that in speaking too much I am likely to give to many details away so I will try to keep this brief. Gone Home sees us returning home after traveling for a long time, and upon returning we find the house is dark and our family is nowhere to be found and so we must explore the house which is unfamiliar to both us and our character and discover what has happened. This premise is very exciting and the payoff to this game was certainly worth it, despite a slow pace I was constantly intrigued by each and every discovery that came my way and I was unexpectedly moved by this short-lived experience. The 90’s setting was also a stroke of genius and made for a great exploration of days gone by, and the references and overall story fit the setting and era well. There was an even implied sense of horror presented by certain findings and the house itself which kept things interesting throughout the experience.
- Until Dawn
You know those bad horror movies that you watch, well Until Dawn is basically that and it could not be any more charming. This game follows all the clichés in the book and builds a messed up horror experience that can have a single mistake mean death for a character, from the early section that follows the rules of slasher movies, to the later section which transforms into a monster movie. There is so much choice and consequence to this game, make a choice that impacts a certain character you may lose trust later on, mess up on a quick time event and you could potentially risk another deadly scenario. Missing a single moment or making a bad choice affected your eight characters and I could feel the emotional sting of a bad choice made.
It feels good to see a game that can be unpredictable and so I want to keep trying to spare the lives of my characters who admittedly died a lot. Furthermore the acting of this game was spectacular and actors such as Hayden Panettiere and Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D’s Brett Dalton brought such life to their characters. Until Dawn is undoubtedly a console highlight, and an unforgettable and tough experience, and this game was great even if you are not a horror fan like myself.
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Deciding on an Uncharted game for this list proved to be quite difficult, I only wanted to pick one and so I had to go back and forth on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves verses Nathan Drake’s latest and final adventure. In the end it was close but I decided that since this is a list about the Playstation 4 it seemed only fitting to include Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and to put it simply Uncharted 4 is just spectacular. Despite wishing the game would give me an option to hit Sam (he deserved it), this final installment played so much homage to the series as a whole and provided a great and memorable send off.
The stakes were high, the levels were breathtaking, the jokes were terrible (but in a good way), and there were so many standout and high impact moments. Nathan Drake’s final adventure was definitely a highlight to his illustrious career and the story had a great pay off which highlighted this, especially when we consider the drama between Nathan and Elena which I really enjoyed. Uncharted 4 was definitely Naughty Dog at its finest and a game to beat all games especially on the Playstation 4, but at least in my opinion there is still one game that stands above the rest.
Honorable Mentions
Before we get to my obvious number one game I feel some honorable mentions are in order and they are the following:
Beyond Eyes
Among the Sleep
Infamous Second Son
Octodad: Dadliest Catch
Borderlands 2
Now to my number one game, and again it should be pretty obvious so with that the number one spot goes to:
- The Last of Us
If Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is Naughty Dog on a good day, The Last of Us was Naughty Dog on a great day. To date this gem of a game stands as the pinnacle of Naughty Dog’s work, it developed a truly deep and memorable bond between our protagonists and I couldn’t help but be captivated and moved by the story as a whole. It had not been since I played the original Bioshock that a game enveloped me so far, I cared for both Joel and Ellie and wanted to see the best for both, and I got tearful on numerous occasions as things went bad or I saw how something affected either character or the additional ones.
No game has ever managed to both shock and sadden me in the first twenty minutes of game time and I will always remember the way Naughty Dog approached this story. The shock of a loved one’s death leading to twenty years down the line where our character is now shut off from the world at large until he eventually grows a bond with a young girl he is put in charge of. Every moment of The Last of Us is captivating and there is so many stories that I got wrapped up in, and it says a lot when I have played this game so many times and am still affected by the story and the sadness of the world itself. Then there was the score, never before have I heard a musical score so beautiful and one that captures the emotional prowess or sheer sadness of a scene so well, this game was just something else and it told an endearing tale of love, friendship and hope in such a bleak world. There is no game in this world that means more to me then The Last of Us, and I say thank you Naughty Dog for creating such a stunning and magical game.
These are just my picks for the best Playstation 4 games (so far at least), and I know that you are unlikely to agree with my selection, so I would like to hear your personal top ten games in the comments below.
