It’s fair to say the PS5 has a lotttt of games. You could spend hours searching the PlayStation Store for something that’s your cup of tea. And let’s be honest, you don’t want to waste your free time playing anything naff either. Life’s too short!

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up all the essential titles you don’t want to miss. So, here’s our list of the best PS5 games you can play right now.

PS5 exclusives

The PS5 has plenty of top titles that you can only play on Sony’s console. And this lot are definitely worth a spot on your hard drive…

The Last of Us Part II Remastered

As the sequel to The Last of Us Part I – one of the most well reviewed games of all time – The Last of Us Part II continues Ellie and Joel’s journey through post-apocalyptic America.

And this time, revenge is on the cards. You’ll play as Ellie, who’s on the hunt for some survivors that attacked your group. But those bands of hostile raiders and looters are the least of your worries. Most of the population has been turned into flesh-eating zombies by the cordyceps virus (a very real fungus that’s made the jump from targeting insects to humans). And they’re not slow either.

You’ll fight them off with shotguns, baseball bats and homemade weapons like nail bombs and Molotov cocktails. And if you come across a Clicker, don’t move a muscle. They hunt using sound, and if they hear a peep out of you, you’re in big trouble.

Helldivers 2

If you’re a fan of Starship Troopers, you’ll love Helldivers 2. It’s got more bombastic action and tongue in cheek humour than you can shake a pulse rifle at.

Super Earth needs you! Will you answer her cry for help, soldier? With up to three other players in your squad, you’ll be dropped into the most dangerous outposts in the universe. And nobody expects you to survive these suicide missions. You’ll be completely outnumbered, battling hordes of creepy crawlies and bots that make the Terminator look friendly.

Luckily, you can even the odds with flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and massive airstrikes from your command ship. Friendly fire is on at all times though. So double check where you’re calling it in!

Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man is back for a second adventure on PlayStation. Or maybe we should say Spider-Men…This time round, Peter Parker’s joined by Miles Morales – his Protégé who’s been learning the ropes the last few years.

By swapping from one to the other, you’ll clean up the crime that’s been infesting the streets of New York. Venom, Kraven the Hunter, Lizard, and a load of other famous baddies stand in your way though. So, it’s not going to be an easy week at the office for our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Men.

Each hero comes with their own set of unique powers and abilities too. Pete can unleash devastating venom moves, splatting henchman left right and centre with gooey tentacles. While Miles charges up electrical combos to take out the crooks. They’re shockingly good…

Returnal

Returnal is a sci-fi mystery through and through. After crash landing on an alien planet, you quickly find yourself stuck in a time loop. You’ll have to piece together what’s going on, while fending off deadly creatures that want to make you their next meal. Oh, and your sanity is on its last legs too – so try not to lose your mind while you’re at it.

As you’ll have guessed, this planet isn’t a very friendly place, so get ready to die. An awful lot. You’ll return to the very start each time you kick the bucket. But be warned – when you respawn, the route you took last time will have completely changed. Oh, and all those weapons you found before will be gone too, leaving you with just your trusty pistol. Good luck out there…

Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima is set in the late 13th century, where Japan is under threat from the all-conquering Mongol empire. And now the only thing that stands between the country and a full-on invasion is the small island of Tsushima.

Playing as Jin Sakai (one of the few samurai stationed on the island), you’ll become the Ghost, fighting back against the attackers with your katana and bow. To win, you’ll have to pair those old-school samurai tactics with stealthy ninja moves. They might be dishonourable, but boy are they effective.

There’s beauty among all the blood, mud, and guts though. Explore the stunning open countryside and find new armour and gear in hidden temples, mountaintop shrines and ancient forests. But you might have to crack out your grappling hook to get to it, so we hope you’re not afraid of heights.

God of War Ragnarök

Ragnarök is coming. And only you can stop it. You’ll jump into the shoes of Kratos – the former Greek god of war – who’s on a mission to save the world. Wielding an arsenal of magic weapons, you’ll smash your way past Norse gods, towering giants, and undead Viking champions.

The Leviathan Axe is a personal favourite of ours. Launch it at an enemy, then call it straight back to you with the tap of a button. It’s kind of like an extra deadly (and extra sharp) boomerang. But with a whole heap of added frost damage. And of course, the classic Blades of Chaos make a return too. It wouldn’t be a proper God of War game without them!

Gran Turismo 7

Gran Turismo 7 is one for the petrol heads among you. Get behind the wheel of some of motorsport’s fastest (and swankiest) cars in high octane races, and nail that top spot on the podium. In all, you’ll be able to collect and add over 420 vehicles to your digital garage. And that covers everything from those all-time classics your dad won’t stop talking about, to futuristic supercars.

If you want to start your very own Hamilton x Verstappen rivalry, you can do that too. Tear up the track in split screen multiplayer with a mate. Or cause some carnage online and compete with other drivers from around the world. Just keep an eye on the weather. Because rain, fog and other extreme conditions will throw a spanner in the works. So, don’t let it cloud your judgement and keep an eye on your speed!

Horizon Forbidden West

Robots and dinosaurs are both pretty awesome, right? How about combining them? That’s Horizon Forbidden West in a nutshell.

As the huntress, Aloy, you’ll track and take down robo dinos great and small using your bow and sling. But every mechanical beast has different strengths and weaknesses, so you’ll have to mix up your tactics to gain the upper hand in a scrap.

By levelling up and unlocking new skills, you’ll get stronger and be able to access cool new abilities and gear. It won’t just help you take down the biggest bads in the game though. It’ll also give you fun ways to get across the huge open world map. Whether that’s by hopping on the back of a flying machine and taking to the skies or exploring the ocean floor with an oxygen mask.

Third-party titles

There’s also plenty of PlayStation 5 games that aren’t exclusive to the console, but are still must-plays:

• EA Sports FC 24 – Take your favourite club to Champions League glory in career mode or put together your dream squad in Ultimate Team. Mbappe, Haaland and Zidane in the same side? There’s no stopping that.

• Cyberpunk 2077 – Night City is a dangerous place. But one that’s also full of opportunities. As a tooled up robo mercenary, you’ll join the criminal underworld – completing jobs for some of the shadiest factions in the metropolis. Watch your back…

• Elden Ring – 2022’s game of the year isn’t one for the faint hearted. Journeying across a dark fantasy land, you’ll go toe-to-toe with some of the toughest bosses in gaming. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

• Hogwarts Legacy – Enrol at the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry and join one of the famous houses from the movies. Will the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor, or see your darker side and send you off to Slytherin? Either way, you’ll be brewing plenty of potions and learning epic spells – just don’t be late for class!

• Call of Duty Modern Warfare III – Task Force 141 are back to save the world. That’s just a standard Monday for these guys after all. Join the special forces squad and battle it out in fierce cinematic firefights. Or hop online and top the leaderboard going head-to-head against other operatives around the world.

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Take the fight to the Empire with powerful force abilities and your iconic lightsaber. As one of the last Jedi, Sith forces, bounty hunters and more are on your tail, and will stop at nothing to defeat you. Luckily, you’re not flying solo (sorry), and are joined by a crew of rebels who are also hell bent on saving the galaxy.

So now you know all about the best games on PS5. Wondering what other new PS5 games are coming soon though? Then check out our upcoming games page. We’ve got the full lowdown on the biggest future titles. And we might even have a few discount codes for you too…