Without further ado, here are the best PlayStation 4 games of 2019 so far.
Dauntless
Score: 8.5 | Developer: Phoenix Labs
From our review: Dauntless combines insanely fun and accessible monster hunting action with cross-platform multiplayer and non-intrusive free-to-play mechanics. Removing much of the complexity from games like Monster Hunter leaves a core that’s immensely fun to dive into for quick sessions or hours on end. Tightly crafted combat and rewarding progression prove you don’t need to cram every possible feature into a game for it to be great.
Dirt Rally 2.0
Score: 8.5 | Developer: Codemasters
From our review: Dirt Rally 2.0 feels great, looks good, and sounds fabulous. It’s a confident rally racer for serious drivers. Stern, focused, and tough as nails, it’s as tricky to tame as its predecessor but doing so is as satisfying as ever.
Metro Exodus
Score: 8.5 | Developer: 4A Games
From our review: Metro Exodus is the best Metro game yet. It takes the fear-inducing formula of the series and transplants it into expansive, sandbox levels without losing any of the oppressive tension that makes the Metro series memorable and distinctive. Frequently exhilarating and densely atmospheric, this journey across a Russian dystopia brims with detail, and is well worth the trip for its consistently hair-raising action.
Team Sonic Racing
Score: 8.5 | Developer: Sumo Digital
From our review: Team Sonic Racing nails what matters most: speed and finesse on the racetrack. The new team system is a fantastic evolution of the arcade racing formula that gives you a real reason to work together, and the customization options keep you coming back to these excellent tracks to earn more. Team Sonic Racing is an addictive and inventive evolution that proves Sumo Digital is at the top of its game.
The Division 2
Score: 8.5 | Developer: Massive Entertainment
From our review: The Division 2 is a refined and intuitive shared-world shooter. Its wonderful recreation of Washington, D.C. is a pleasure to explore thanks to a generous amount of chests, collectibles, and dynamic open-world activities. Plus, the campaign is full of great gunplay and missions. The Division 2 was one of the strongest launches the shared-world shooter genre has seen yet.
Blood & Truth
Score: 8.7 | Developer: SIE London Studio
From our review: Sony has another great PSVR adventure on its hands. Blood & Truth is a terrific example of what PSVR can accomplish with a fun, engrossing blockbuster story. London Studio’s sheer attention to detail, the sense of joy instilled in me, and the promise of an action movie I could experience firsthand come together for one fantastic experience and, hopefully, a solid foundation for many more to come.
Kingdom Hearts 3
Score: 8.7 | Developer: Square Enix
From our review: In the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts 3, Square did a fantastic job of capturing the spirit of these Disney worlds while giving us a massive toolbox for battles and exploration. It’s so cool seeing so many characters from throughout this series interact in new ways and rekindle old bonds. Kingdom Hearts 3 is full of heart and is a fulfilling evolution and resolution of the franchise.
MLB the Show 19
Score: 8.7 | Developer: SIE San Diego Studio
From our review: MLB The Show 19 continues the series’ slow march of progress, with a bigger step this year than last. It offers fresh ways to experience the outstanding gameplay, complete with refinements on the defensive side of the ball. By integrating RPG mechanics into the player progression, Road to the Show has evolved into one of the deepest sports career modes currently available. Overall, this is the most compelling version since The Show 12.
Trover Saves the Universe
Score: 8.7 | Developer: Squanch Games
From our review: Trover Saves the Universe is a short and sweet VR platformer wrapped in one of the most ridiculous video game stories you’ll ever experience. It’s the ludicrous, freeform humor of Rick and Morty molded around a straightforward but enjoyable 3D brawler. This is one anyone (or at least anyone over 17) with a PSVR headset should try.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Score: 8.8 | Developer: ArtPlay
From our review: There is no shortage of good Metroidvanias these days, but Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night does show that Koji Igarashi’s particular brand of “Igavania” still has teeth. Exploring the castle’s many secrets is a delight, and there is a dizzying array of weapons and powers waiting to be bent to your will. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, one of the greatest games ever made, finally has a worthy successor on PlayStation.
Slay the Spire
Score: 9.0 | Developer: Mega Crit
From our review: Slay the Spire is a challenging and satisfying mix of deckbuilding games, roguelikes, and dungeon crawlers. It encourages experimentation, gives you time to make mistakes, and will challenge you immensely as you navigate your way through floor after floor of entertaining, puzzle-like fights. It’s an idea so good that it inspired a dozen games like it before it even left early access, but is executed so well that none of them even come close to matching it.
Apex Legends
Score: 9.0 | Developer: Respawn
From our review: Apex Legends makes squad-based battle royale work better than thought possible, even when playing with a randomly matched team. Its intuitive communication system makes strategic teamplay achievable without a word, and the eight unique legends each have cool abilities that are rewarding. The fascinating sci-fi map leads to tense encounters filled with all of the pristine gunplay and polish from the Titanfall series, and its free-to-play setup doesn’t pressure you to pay to keep up.
Mortal Kombat 11
Score: 9.0 | Developer: NetherRealm
From our review: Mortal Kombat 11 is as good as it is gory. Everything from its methodical and deep combat to its fantastically absurd story mode and its rock-solid netcode, right down to its extraordinarily comprehensive tutorial is exceptional. This series continues to prove that there’s real fighting depth beyond its notoriously gory Fatalities, and this one in particular stands out as a spine-ripping good time.
Observation
Score: 9.0 | Developer: No Code Studios
From our review: Observation is a smart science fiction story propelled by its novel approach to puzzle design and stunning attention to detail. It drives you through its beautiful labyrinth of hallways while telling a story that grips from start to finish. All of these components combine to craft a chilling high-concept tale that nails the landing and fully accomplishes what it sets out to achieve.
Resident Evil 2
Score: 9.0 | Developer: Capcom
From our review: Capcom did a fantastic job of resurrecting all the best parts of the classic Resident Evil 2 and making them look, sound, and play like a 2019 game. If you’re of the mind that the series had lost its way for a while there, this game is very much a return to form. The zombie combat is satisfying and exploring the dilapidated ruins of Raccoon City is a thrill. This establishes a new standard for remaking classic games.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Score: 9.5 | Developer: From Software
From our review: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice evolves From Software’s formula into a stylish stealth-action adventure that emphasizes precision and skill in its combat. It walks the line between patient stealth and breakneck melee combat against threats both earthly and otherworldly. Its imaginative and flexible tools support a more focused experience that shaves down some of From Software’s overly cryptic sensibilities without losing its air of mystery. Sekiro is an amazing new twist on a familiar set of ideas that can stand on its own alongside its predecessors.
Devil May Cry 5
Score: 9.5 | Developer: Capcom
From our review: The question of which Devil May Cry game is the best has gotten much easier with Devil May Cry 5. The combat is the strongest the series has seen to date, and the story does a great job of balancing all three of its main characters and doling out rewarding bits of its mysterious story at an enticing pace. It’s good to have you back, Dante and Nero.
There you have it, the best PlayStation 4 games of 2019 so far. Anything you would add to the list? Let us know in the comments and for all the great games still to come this year, stay tuned to IGN.
