The beginning of this console generation hasn't quite arrived with the fanfare of others before it, and that's mostly thanks to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic that's been plaguing the world for the last year. But that's not to say it's been a let-down: Sony has provided perhaps one of the best launch line-ups we've seen in years with the PS5, and anyone just getting their teeth into the console's exclusives is surely in for a treat.
Granted, the selection is still relatively thin on the ground for the time being, but at least the quality of the games available to you is remarkably high: the console hasn't even been out for three months and already there are some stellar titles available for you to download and buy.
We've rounded up the best PS5 games that you can play – titles that we deem essential on the new system – so you know exactly what to get to make the most of your fancy new hardware. Take a look below.
Astro's Playroom
Astro’s Playroom is the best pack-in you can hope for, showing off everything your new console can do and offering an enjoyable, charming tutorial to everything the PS5 (and DualSense) is capable of. Without a doubt the best pack-in game since Wii Sports, this fun little experience is rendered with crisp 4K visuals, realised with stunning 3D audio, and offers some smart little platforming segments to boot.
Sure, it's quite a short title, but don't let that put you off: Astro's Playroom is certainly worth a play. And since it comes bundled with every PlayStation 5 out there, too, you'd be hard-pressed to find a reason to avoid it.
Demon's Souls
Touted by many as the absolute apex of PS5 exclusives, this is a true next-gen experience that anyone really wanting to be wowed by their consoles needs to pick up. Originally created the artisanal developers at From Software, and dressed up and made relevant for modern tech by the engineering wizards at Bluepoint, Demon's Souls is a masterclass in hardcore game design. Come for the eye-watering textures and lighting, stay for the ludicrously difficult boss fights.
After you've booted the game up, you'd find it hard to believe that it originally released all the way back in 2009. Similarly to Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro that came before it, Demon’s Souls is designed to test your skill in action-RPGs with some best-in-class combat and levelling systems. It's a very rewarding experience once you get the hang of it... but it's certainly not for the faint-hearted.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Don't go into this game thinking of it as a full sequel to the original Marvel's Spider-Man game that arrived on PS4. Instead, you should think of it as a B-side, or an accompaniment. Long-time Sony fans will know this sort of game; it's similar in scope to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. But that's no bad thing! Actually, in an age of expansive open-world titles and games that last about 90 hours per playthrough, it's refreshing to have an adventure you can finish up in less than 30 hours.
Better yet, the title delivers that sort of experience that Sony and its studios have become so adept at providing: a cinematic, blockbuster experience that keeps you hooked from start-up screen until the credits roll. Whether you want ray-tracing, realistic reflections and lighting, and 4K graphics, or a smooth 60fps performance mode, the game has you sorted. If you dream of being a heroic webslinger zooming around Manhatten on your way to save the day, this game is for you.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Similarly to the LittleBigPlanet games that came before it, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a happy little platformer brimming with charm and stuffed with surprises. Taking a note out of your typical platformer's book, the eponymous Sackboy hops from planet to planet as he quests to defeat the evil Vex (voice, amazingly, by Richard E Grant).
Whether you're swinging from vine to vine in the jungle or trawling along the ocean floor, A Big Adventure constantly keeps you on your little hessian toes. Fans of old-school mascot platformers like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon certainly have something to enjoy in A Big Adventure. Completionists will enjoy sniffing out every little secret and hoarding every bell, whilst younger players will simply delight in the joy of finishing a level.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
If you've picked up an Assassin's Creed game over the past few years, you know what to expect from the series by now: conspiratorial historical tales, gorgeous recreations of historical cities, off-the-wall side missions and bonus quests... no matter the setting, these are the tenets that underline a modern Assassin's Creed game. However, Valhalla takes all that and dresses it up in the bearskins and brass of the Vikings – and it really makes the game sing.
Seeing Norway and the UK brought to life in 4K and at 60fps on PS5 makes you fall in love with the ancient world even more: whether you're exploring an old Roman ruin or battling off skirmishing Danes, the game never lets up on the excitement. Whether you find yourself engaging in drinking competitions with London's drunks or chatting to the Old Norse Gods about the threat of Ragnarok, this game will keep you guessing... and keep you entertained.