The best PS4 games to play in 2022

Time Stamp: April 5, 2022 12:36 PM

The best PS4 games will have you laughing, crying, fearing the old blood, and possibly in need of a big cuddle. While it’s hard to ignore the constant stream of upcoming games for new-gen systems, the PS4 exclusive line-up is one that’s very hard to beat.

In fact, you could probably argue that the PS4 has one of the best game libraries of all time, and not a lot of people would argue with you. Well, lots of people would argue with you, but you can’t blame us for how the internet reacts to things; we’re definitely not in charge of all of that. What we are in charge of though, is making sure you’re not missing out on any essential games that you may not have played yet. Granted, the names on this list are all pretty big, but sometimes you just need one more push to actually play them.

The best PS4 games

Unsurprisingly, a lot of the best PS4 games are actually exclusives (not Days Gone, no thank you), so this list is very much full of them. Whether you’ve just picked up a PS4 for cheap or you’ve had one for ages and somehow missed these games, here are the best PS4 games that you absolutely have to play. Here’s our list, in no particular order:

  • God of War
  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man
  • Bloodborne
  • The Last of Us Part II
  • The Last Guardian
  • Ratchet & Clank
  • Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
  • Ghost of Tsushima

God of War

The original God of War games were brutal, raged-filled action romps through Ancient Greece. However, 2018’s reboot tells a surprisingly touching story about a dad trying to work through his issues for his son and their journey through Norse mythology. The combat is deeply satisfying, the graphics are amazing, and the constant yelling of “BOY!” somehow doesn’t grate on your nerves. With God of War Ragnarok on the way, now’s the perfect time to get caught up.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn has you hunting robotic dinosaurs with a bow and arrow and we’re not really sure what else you need to know about it. However, in case that’s not sold you on it, you’ll be roaming around an open world, unravelling the mysteries of a cataclysm almost wiped out all known life on Earth. It’s an enrapturing story, helmed by one of PlayStation’s new leading mascots, Aloy. Using her hunting skills and armoury of weapons, Zero Dawn will have you felling huge mechanical beasts in climactic battles. If you loved the first game, Horizon Forbidden Horizon is out now on PS4 as well as PS5.

Marvel’s Spider-Man

Do you like swinging between building while dressed in lycra, but you also don’t live near any skyscrapers, so the whole thing is kind of a bust? Well, what you need is Marvel’s Spider-Man, which is presumably distinguishing itself from knockoffs by not being called something else. Spider-Man lets you play as Spider-Man, and as long as you don’t mind the hyphen and the Arkham Asylum-inspired combat, you’re going to have a huge amount of fun web-zipping around this version of New York. Once you’re done, swing by and play Miles Morales before waiting with the rest of us for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Bloodborne

FromSoftware is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious developers out there and while the spotlight is trained on Elden Ring, there are plenty who proclaim Bloodborne to be the studio’s best game. Bloodborne is fiendishly difficult, absolutely horrifying, and incredibly moreish – it might be a little too hard for some people, but if you can commit to mastering the systems at work, you’ll come out a completely different person/slug.

The Last of Us Part II

With The Last of Us often held up as a masterpiece, Naughty Dog was always going to have a hard time raising the bar even higher. Part II is unrelenting in so many ways – not just its technical prowess, but its penchant for brutality and divisiveness. Dynamic refinements to the combat gameplay and enemy AI turn each skirmish into a truly nail-biting encounter. Without giving too much away, the story steers in a different direction to what fans were no doubt expecting. It’s a power, prestige exclusive for PlayStation and one that will hopefully expand with the eventual arrival of online multiplayer.

The Last Guardian

Imagine if, due to some comical mix-up, you mistakenly booted up The Last Guardian thinking it was The Last of Us. These are two completely different games in just about every sense. Woefully overlooked, the closing chapter in Team Ico’s trilogy experienced a long, long time in development yet there’s something magical about it. The Last Guardian challenges you with controlling a huge chimera-like creature – however, you don’t actually play as the beast. Instead, as his child companion, you bark orders. He won’t always listen and, for many, this was turn-off despite this being intentional. As with Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, this isn’t what we’d call a crowd pleaser.

Ratchet & Clank

Having taking us on numerous space-faring adventures, in 2016 Insomniac decided to remake the original Ratchet & Clank. We’ve seen plenty of creators go back and attempt to revamp classic games though few of these remakes come close to topping this essential exclusive. Why is it one of the best PS4 games? A mix of great humour, massive guns, and all-out destruction that looked stunning on Sony’s platform, as if you were playing through a Pixar movie.

Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Review

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Another example of Naughty Dog refusing to play it safe. In many ways, Uncharted 4 bucks a number of the series’ trends, veering away from the supernatural in favour of a human-centred story where greed is the main antagonist. The sequel’s gameplay was also rebuilt, with meaty melee, punchier guns, and more dynamic movement, meshing together for some stunning set piece moments. The multiplayer was also killer. You can play Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy on PS5 as part of the Legacy of Thieves Collection.

Ghost of Tsushima

The latest entry in our, though one that quickly amassed a frenzied fanbase. As fallen warrior, Jin Sakai, you stand alone as Mongol hordes ravage your homeland, prompting an inner battle between his Jin’s code of honour and his need for revenge. In Ghost of Tsushima, you’ll weave together flashy katana combos while filling your enemies with arrows and dabbling in the art of espionage. Revered as the definitive samurai simulation, it was followed by an expansion as well as a surprisingly good multiplayer component.

And there you have it, the best PS4 games you should play in 2022. 

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