As we approach the next generation of gaming consoles, I tend to have a mixture of excitement and sadness. I've had my PlayStation 4 since late 2013, meaning that it has been my source of gaming joy for nearly 7 years and during my early adult life. Each new console feels like a new chapter in life and the recently (read: finally!) dated and priced PS5 will be no different.
This gaming generation was also the first that I participated in the Xbox and Nintendo brands. I don't have my Switch any longer (I simply wasn't playing it enough to justify it) but my Xbox has gotten a good workout with multiplayer games, probably beating out my PS4 logged multiplayer hours 30 to 1 (if I had to guess). I have a multitude of cherished memories from it; one particularly incredible comeback in Battlefield 1 comes to mind.
However, PlayStation is known for its exclusive games and it absolutely dominated this generation - almost right under my nose. Sure, my Xbox has some good/great Halo and Gears games, along with classic Forza Horizons, and the Switch had the Mario's and Zelda's, but PlayStation was the gift that kept on giving in terms of games that will reside fondly in my favorite gaming moments for many years to come.
This became abundantly apparent to me as I dove into Ghost of Tsushima, the "last" PS4 exclusive and a perfect example of how incredible this generation has been in terms of both establishing new IP and serving up exciting sequels. Given that it's 2020 and I don't exactly have a lot of new movies to review, this sounded ripe for an exciting Rath Write-Up, ranking the exclusives* I played from the PlayStation brand this generation. *Exclusives include games that have since found their way to PC.
First, a note (or two). Some games will be missing on this list. As much as I tried, I couldn't get into Bloodborne, nor is Persona 5 my cup of tea, but if they'd be on your list, let me know where! Secondly, some games will appear on here that I haven't actually reviewed because I was too late, but I enjoyed them enough to include. Lastly, leave the flaming console wars at home. Both systems have their gifts to give, it just so happens that PlayStation's exclusives are one of theirs.
Let's get started!
15 | The Order: 1886
Review: 7.5/10New or Series: New Likelihood of Sequel: Non-Existent
The Order was a game unfortunately destined to fail. It should have been a launch title as it basically acted as a tech demo more than anything and, while the visuals were impressive, it left gamers burned with a $60 price tag and a campaign that could be finished in the afternoon. My initial review was forgiving, though this is a fun diversion if you find it for < $15.
14 | Death Stranding
Review: N/A
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: Moderate
I played Death Stranding far after it came out and on deep discount. I find Hideo Kojima to be a brilliant, yet frustrating game director and Death Stranding reviews were all over the place, leading me away from a quick purchase. Once I started playing however, I found a compelling sci-fi story mixed with some intriguing, unique gameplay. My interest in the game fell off a cliff around the 25 hour mark, but I enjoyed my time with it nonetheless and it gets points for trying to be very different.
13 | The Last Guardian
Review: N/A
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: Non-Existent
Another game that I played long after its release, the "Ico" genre is one that I enjoy, but (aside from PS3's Shadow of the Colossus) I find is consistently just out of reach of greatness. The brand is synonymous with PlayStation, but The Last Guardian spent too long in development hell that once it finally hit us, it was underwhelming. Giving it some time to breathe was the right move as I let the hype die down and enjoyed the game's relationship with a playful creature and gorgeous locales.
12 | Dreams
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: Moderate
Dreams represents a game that I only connected with half of. I don't have much interest (or time) to build my own levels, so while the potential for this game is quite literally endless - and the developers took a mature step forward in the "creation" genre from LittleBigPlanet - I can respect that it's going to be much higher up on others' lists.
11 | inFAMOUS: Second Son
New or Series: Series, spin-off
Likelihood of Sequel: Low
I'm a big fan of the inFAMOUS series, but for some reason or another, Second Son seemed to be the ending point for the series (perhaps just for now?). Featuring a likable character with 4(!) superpowers in a unique (at the time) Seattle, this was one of my favorite early PlayStation games. And to be fair, the neon-running effect is still one of the prettiest things I've ever seen and it still has the best/most inventive use of the DualShock 4's capabilities with the graffiti minigame.
10 | Days Gone
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: High
Days Gone got a lot of early grief because of bugs (completely fair), but by the time I was done with this incredibly long game, they were far less. It's a little rougher around the edges than we're used to with Sony AAA exclusives, but it had a lot to offer in terms of content and gameplay and running/defeating hordes are still some of the most memorable moments I'll have on my PS4.
9 | Killzone: Shadow Fall
New or Series: Series
Likelihood of Sequel: Low
I've got a soft spot in my heart for PlayStation's best (read: pretty much only) exclusive shooter. It's what got me super excited for the PS3 (Killzone 2) and the PS2 original is a game I spent a lot of time playing. Shadow Fall was a worthy successor of the series and showed that it still had a lot of promise on new hardware. It was - and still is - a gorgeous game with solid mechanics, but alas...I'm not sure we'll get to battle the Helghast ever again.
8 | Spider-Man
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: Already announced
One of the best surprises of the PS4 era was the announcement of a new Spider-Man game from Insomniac Games. It turned out to be one of the best superhero games ever made, featured a wonderful, exciting story, the best webslinging we've ever had, and the promise for a lot of world building and worthy sequels. With the launch spin-off title for PS5, it looks to be a cornerstone of the PlayStation library for years to come.
7 | Detroit: Become Human
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: Low
Detroit was a game that hit me between the eyes. Past attempts at this quick-time-event movie were often hit (Heavy Rain) or miss (Beyond: Two Souls) for me, but Detroit was the best example of this genre, by a long shot. The branching paths of the game were staggering (seriously you can go look at the network of choices and how intricate it becomes) and the narrative was compelling with complete characters. One of my favorite things about the PlayStation brand are the risks they're willing to take. Detroit was an example of one that worked out really well.
6 | Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
New or Series: Series, spin-off
Likelihood of Sequel: Moderate
I f**king love the Uncharted series, so any excuse for more of it is always welcomed. Lost Legacy was a female spin-off with an interesting story and acted as a "greatest hits" of sorts. It showed that the moniker of "Uncharted" can live on past Nathan Drake and given that we really don't have any clue as to what Naughty Dog is working on currently, one can only hope it includes more Uncharted.
5 | Ghost of Tsushima
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: High
Slated as the "last" PS4 exclusive, Ghost of Tsushima is a triumph in so many different ways and one of those rare games that you keep falling in deeper and deeper love with it as you play. The fact that it's only a few months old and I can confidently place it at #5 on this list should tell you all you need to know. It's consistently jaw-dropping with intricate visuals, the gameplay is evolving and addicting, and the world is vast. While it meant that Sucker Punch traded in inFAMOUS (for the time being), I could not be more excited to eventually visit Tsushima on the PS5.
4 | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
New or Series: Series
Likelihood of Sequel: Low
Did I mention that I f**king love Uncharted? The conclusion to Nathan Drake's story is one of my favorite games ever, capping off an incredible quadrilogy. It's visuals (see above) are painfully incredible, the characters - as always - are endearing and jump off the screen, and the stakes and set pieces have never been higher. It's blockbuster games like this that sell systems and are NOT to be missed.
3 | God of War
New or Series: Series, reimagining
Likelihood of Sequel: Already announced
Suffice it to say that these Top 3 games could be swapped in really any order...but before 2018's reimagining, God of War was a franchise that felt lost. Kratos had destroyed the gods of Greece and the previous spin-off was lackluster. This new entry in God of War not only righted the ship, but pushed the series further than it had ever gone before. More mature, nuanced, open, and graphically beautiful, the exciting and breathtaking "sequel" wowed nearly everyone who played it, including me. It's a perfect example of how to breathe new life into a franchise that needed to evolve.
2 | The Last of Us Part II (& The Last of Us Remastered)
New or Series: Series
Likelihood of Sequel: Moderate
I'm tacking on the Remastered edition of the original game because it snuck in to the PS4 generation fairly close after the original's release. But that shouldn't diminish from Part II being so high on this list. Almost unfathomably, this game has received an insane amount of hate throughout the year from the vocal minority. I stand by my praise for the game and the fact still remains: it's one of the most fully realized and detailed games in recent memory. Naughty Dog are masters at their craft and The Last of Us is their masterpiece series, despite what online trolls may bark about.
1 | Horizon Zero Dawn
New or Series: New
Likelihood of Sequel: Already announced
Surprised? Don't be. I've adored this game for a long time, and it's been the one game world that has stuck with me the most from my PS4 library that I'm dying to return to. The core gameplay is incredible, as is the enemy variety/strategy, landscapes, weaponry, highly captivating and mysterious story, sound effects...almost everything in this game comes together in such a perfect package that it's easy to see why it stuck with me so deliberately. Given that it was a new IP, the feat was even more impressive as it's rare we get this fully realized of a world the first go around. Its sequel on the PS5 will be the game that pushes me to get one sooner rather than later, and if I'm making a list like this many years from now on the PS5, I expect it will make the cut.
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So there you have it! What's perhaps even more incredible about Sony's game library is how stellar of a job they did paving the way for the future. Not only do they have several series they could return to (Uncharted, Killzone, inFAMOUS, The Last of Us), they created a whole bunch of new IP - or reimaginings - that are destined for sequels (Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, Spider-Man). The PlayStation library is bountiful right now and as someone who generally leans toward big, story driven games, I'm excited to see if the PS5 can top the PS4's generation.
Because it was one of the best ever.
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