The PlayStation 5 is the champion of the console wars in the current generation, having sold over 60 million units since launch, almost double the number of units as the Xbox Series X|S combined. It has also been an incredible year for games, with multiple 9 or even 10 out of 10 games coming out in just the first half of the year alone. Here’s our no-particular-order roundup of the best PS5 games of 2024…so far.
Helldivers 2
Band together to spread managed democracy across the galaxy in this cooperative third-person shooter from Arrowhead. Helldivers is a live service game with ongoing plot points that affect the gameplay and change the kind of missions and enemies available to take on.
There have been eight “Warbonds” released so far, adding new weapons and other gear under a particular theme. Players can unlock these through microtransactions or by earning in-game currency by playing.
Helldivers 2 has been subject to multiple rounds of “review bombing”, especially on Steam, wherein groups of players bond together to express their displeasure at certain decisions made by the developers. Arrowhead recently laid out a full emergency roadmap to tackle the issues players were expressing.
Key info
Game: Helldivers 2
Developers: Arrowhead Game Studios
Publishers: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Price: $39.99
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a third-person action RPG. Players take control of a character known as The Arisen and hunt down legendary foes while trying to avoid the scourge of the Dragonsplague disease. Dragon’s Dogma 2 eschews a lot of the trappings one might expect to see in a massive RPG title, with no fast travel and no quest markers. NPCs can be permanently killed and there’s only one save slot available so players have to face the consequences of their actions.
The multiple ‘Vocations’ available in the game are one of its stand-out features. There are ten Vocations to choose from and they all play extremely differently from one another. Pawns, the player’s NPC helpers, can only be the six most basic Vocations – advanced options like the Trickster are for players only.
Key info
Game: Dragon’s Dogma 2
Developers: Capcom
Publishers: Capcom
Price: currently $55.99 until 8/29/2024 (usual price is $69.99)
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Is it cheating to include an expansion? Shadow of the Erdtree might be the expansion to 2022’s Game of the Year Elden Ring, but it’s an absolute beast and can take as long as 40 hours to beat on its own, so we feel it’s only right to include it as one of the best PS5 games of 2024. Of course, size alone doesn’t make for a good game, but Shadow of the Erdtree backs up its massive scope with incredible Souls-like combat, breathtaking environments with rewarding exploration, and the hardest final boss of any game ever.
Critics and fans alike have rated Shadow of the Erdtree as the best DLC to have ever been made, and it is easy to see why. Elden Ring alone was an exceptional game, well worth its many awards and accolades, but Shadow of the Erdtree feels like FromSoftware took everything they learned making Elden Ring and improved in every area.
Key info
Game: Shadow of the Erdtree (DLC for Elden Ring)
Developers: FromSoftware
Publishers: Bandai Namco
Price: $39.99 but requires Elden Ring to play (which is $59.99)
Animal Well
Alongside the triple-A titles are some incredible indie games, made with a lot of passion and love. Animal Well is a Metroidvania platforming game and was almost entirely developed by one guy, Billy Basso, who created an all-new engine for the game to ensure the platforming was exactly as precise as he needed it to be. Nonlinear exploration based on unlocking new abilities makes for engaging puzzle-solving for players to uncover the map, which is extremely dense with secrets.
It truly is the sort of game that is best experienced by going in with as little foreknowledge as possible and experiencing the joy and delight of discovering all the game’s secrets for yourself.
Key info
Game: Animal Well
Developer: Billy Basso
Publisher: Bigmode
Price: $24.99 (or included with PlayStation Plus Extra)
Pacific Drive
Pacific Drive is a rouge-lite survival game where players must escape the Exclusion Zone in a supernatural station wagon. Go out on expeditions to gather vital crafting components and unearth long-forgotten information that might help you get out.
Upgrade your car with all kinds of gadgets and gizmos that will help you succeed in your excursions. Unravel the mystery of the Olympic Exclusion Zone, and survive to tell the tale.
Controlling the car in Pacific Drive is wonderfully tactile and gratifyingly shonky. Turn the key in the ignition and take it out of park before you try and drive away or the game itself will mock you gently.
Key Info
Game: Pacific Drive
Developer: Ironwood Studios
Publisher: Kepler Interactive
Price: $29.99
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
The second part of the epic remake of Final Fantasy 7, this action-adventure RPG is a sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake and will be followed by a third installment to round out the entire remade experience. Pick up with Cloud, Barret, Aerith, and more as they escape the megalopolis of Midgar and see where the epic and sprawling adventure takes them next.
The Remake remains faithful to the story of the original game, while completely modernizing the graphics and gameplay. While it’s a must-play for Final Fantasy fans, Remake and Rebirth are both excellent games on their own merits and don’t lean too heavily on nostalgia that newcomers won’t also enjoy them.
Key Info
Game: Final Fantasy Rebirth
Developers: Square Enix
Publishers: Square Enix
Price: $69.99
Featured image credit: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco
The post 6 of the best PS5 games of 2024…so far appeared first on ReadWrite.
