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When Sony announced the PlayStation 4 in February 2013, their message and promise to consumers was that they were all about the games. Now more than three years and over 40 million systems sold later, it’s clear that Sony was not kidding. While there are a number of great third party and multi-platform games that take advantage of the PS4 hardware, these exclusives are truly defining what Sony had in mind for the system. These are the best games as of July 2016 that you can only play on your PlayStation 4.
8) InFamous: Second Son
InFamous: Second Son is an outstanding showcase for what the PlayStation 4 is capable of in terms of power. Likely developed to be released at the console’s launch, Second Son was ultimately delayed a few months, but still managed to fall into the PS4’s launch “window” when it was released in March 2014. Developer Sucker Punch was able to successfully show off what Sony’s new console could do in terms of graphics, lighting and sound, but Second Son’s gameplay and story are unfortunately not up to its predecessors in the series. Additionally, many fans failed to connect with main character, Delsin, as much as they had with InFamous 1 and 2’s main character, Cole McGrath. And many of its open world activities and side missions became way too repetitive across its large map of Seattle. The bright side? It introduced us to turning the DualShock 4 sideways to use as a can of spray paint and if that’s not next-gen, I don’t know what is.
7) Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake collection brought some of the best titles from the PlayStation 3 era to Sony’s new console. It allowed those of us who have been with Nathan Drake from the beginning to relive his first three adventures again in glorious 1080p, while also welcoming in fans who never owned a PS3 to experience the greatness that developer Naughty Dog had created. While the collection sadly didn’t carry over Uncharted 2 and 3’s multiplayer modes, and also failed to come packaged with anything new (sadly, there is no port of the excellent Uncharted: Golden Abyss on Vita), The Uncharted Collection is a testament to Nathan Drake and was the definitive way to prepare fans for the final game in the series that came a few months later.
6) Resogun
The PS4 launch lineup was surprisingly diverse for a new console release, as it included both Sony exclusives (Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall), as well as the familiar favorites (FIFA 14, Call of Duty: Ghosts). However, for many months following the release of the PS4, many argued that the best game on the console was Housemarque’s Resogun, a downloadable PSN title available for free to PlayStation Plus subscribers. As a side-scrolling shooter, Resogun contains the intense, fast-paced gameplay the studio is known for, but manages to ran impeccably on the console, leaving it to be the game many played for hours and hours after picking up their PS4s.
5) The Last of Us: Remastered
The Last of Us: Remastered is an excellent PS4 title for many of the same reasons as The Nathan Drake Collection; it made a gorgeous PlayStation 3 title look even better, allowed new PlayStation fans to experience one of the greatest games of all time, and gave the rest of us another excuse to experience Naughty Dog’s incredible storytelling. Coming packed in with the outstanding Left Behind story DLC, The Last of Us: Remastered is the best way to experience the full story of Joel and Ellie, on your PS4, in all of its glory.
4) Until Dawn
Until Dawn became one of the greatest surprises of this console generation when it released in August 2015. As a game originally planned to release on the PlayStation 3, developer Supermassive Games successfully created a choice-based horror game that seemed to be designed for the Twitch audience. Until Dawn’s butterfly effect had players distraught over each decision they were forced to make, knowing that every one of the eight characters you play as in the story could very well die by the end of its campaign. Until Dawn comes with immense replay value thanks to its multiple endings and branching storylines, and quickly became the game everyone was talking about.
3) Bloodborne
In March 2015, Bloodborne released at the perfect time: PS4 gamers were still reeling from the mediocrity of The Order: 1886, released the month prior, and were clamoring for a defining PlayStation exclusive. Enter FromSoftware’s terrifying Bloodborne, which many describe as a more approachable version of a Dark Souls game. Even with its slick gameplay and enchanting and dark environments, many players found themselves frustrated by the first few hours of the game. But those who managed to stick it out, and learn how this particular RPG needed to be played, found themselves rewarded and enjoying the very unique, and somewhat stressful, experience.
2) Ratchet & Clank
As a reimagining of the original PlayStation 2 classic, Ratchet & Clank on PS4 successfully balanced feeling fresh enough to be more than a remaster, while still managing to maintain small nuances and details from its predecessors to evoke nostalgia. With developer Insomniac Game’s high production value, Ratchet & Clank is arguably one of the best looking games of all time, making it hard to distinguish between the game’s cutscenes and actual gameplay footage. To make it even better, Sony released the game as a budget title at $40 and single handedly made the world fall in love with 3D platformers all over again.
1) Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
They say good things come to those who wait, and after facing two lengthy delays, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End proved that the apparent final chapter of Nathan Drake’s saga was absolutely worth waiting for. With its jaw-dropping graphics, thrilling storyline, and its larger, more varied level designs, Naughty Dog’s first original title on the PlayStation 4 quickly became the console’s absolute must-play game. While some slight pacing issues may keep it from reaching perfection, the world and emotions that Naughty Dog is able to create with these characters makes for a very special ending to an extremely special franchise, making it an instant classic for the PlayStation 4.