The PlayStation 4 era saw Sony's console make a bigger impression on the modern gaming scene thanks to its wide selection of titles. Of course, the biggest reason for this is the company's reputation for putting out top-notch first-party exclusives from the likes of God of War, Uncharted, Spider-Man, and more.
The voting community at Ranker put together their list of top 10 games released on the PS4 so far, and unsurprisingly, many of them are the exclusive blockbuster games. However, some cross-platform games also gained notable favor among players.
Resident Evil 2 (Remake)
The Resident Evil 2 remake was the continued comeback story for Japanese publisher/developer Capcom. After a string of mediocre releases across their IPs, the likes of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Monster Hunter: World, and Resident Evil 2 were an empathic return to form. For many longtime franchise fans, 2 was the best game in the series, even though the PS1 classic has long since shown its age.
The remake for Resident Evil 2 was critically acclaimed for its stunning revival of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield's nightmarish crawl through the Raccoon City Police Department, in part thanks to the incredible RE Engine used to build the game. Likewise, the Tyrant dubbed "Mr. X" was expertly used as an ominous and imposing threat that could hunt the player down in many scenarios. On top of being an excellent game, many fans deem 2 one of the best video game remakes ever.
Grand Theft Auto V
Though the game has admittedly felt like Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in how Rockstar is bleeding it dry, Grand Theft Auto V remains an addictive experience still today for many players. GTA IV was a phenomenon in its time as well, so it's impressive to see its sequel maintain that same level of acclaim.
The game has been praised for its handling of multiple protagonists, engaging sandbox-style open world, and replayability. Rockstar Games recently released a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S remaster in March.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
Naughty Dog's Uncharted series became a Sony PlayStation staple back on the PS3, with Nathan Drake serving as one of the brand's iconic characters. Along with the Tomb Raider franchise, the Uncharted games are essentially the gaming equivalent of the Harrison Ford-led Indiana Jones movies.
Nathan as a protagonist and the setpiece-focused action genre capture that similar sense of swashbuckling adventure. All of the games tell stories filled with charming and compelling characters, and The Nathan Drake Collection contains the first three games remastered for PS4.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
With the fantasy genre more ingrained into mainstream pop culture than ever thanks to the likes of The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, it's somewhat expected to see CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt make such a mark on the industry. This finale to Geralt of Rivia's story arc proved to be one of the best modern fantasy RPGs thanks to its engrossing story and character writing, deep worldbuilding, and more.
There's always something fascinating to discover in the world of The Continent due to the game's astounding commitment to immersion. That's also in part thanks to its dense lore, thought-provoking themes of moral ambiguity, and player-driven narrative choices.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Though it's still uncertain where the Uncharted franchise as a whole goes from here, A Thief's End was a fulfilling close to Nathan Drake's grand saga. It was the first game in the series developed and released originally for the PS4, and it was lauded for the dramatic emotional finish to Nate's story, the new characters introduced, and its exhilarating action gameplay.
The game was a visual stunner as well, as Naughty Dog fans would expect. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End was arguably the series at its mechanical best, and Naughty Dog recently released a remastered version of the game alongside The Lost Legacy in the Legacy of Thieves Collection for PS5, with a PC port planned later this year.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Guerilla Games was predominantly known for their first-person shooter series Killzone, but their original 2017 IP proved their incredible versatility. Horizon Zero Dawn is a radical departure from what the studio was used to, as it transitioned into an open-world action RPG.
The game was lauded for its originality, with the story, world, and protagonist all combining to be a fascinating take on sci-fi. It takes place in a not-so-distant future where humanity was reverted to a form of prehistoric lifestyle, only the prehistoric "animals" that were roaming are robotic. The mystery at the core of Horizon Zero Dawn's story engaged many players' curiosity, and it became one of the best modern action RPGs in the process.
Red Dead Redemption II
The original Red Dead Redemption on the PS3 and Xbox 360 was a landmark game in its own right, and the long-awaited sequel also managed the rare feat of topping an acclaimed predecessor. It's undoubtedly one of the greatest story-driven games available on the PS4, with its gripping story and characters providing one of the most investing — and heartbreaking — experiences in the medium.
Its gameplay was also praised, as the loop brilliantly complemented the Wild West setting. Like the first game, RDR2 is a total love letter to the Western film genre
Spider-Man
The world's most popular individual superhero IP has had some solid video games in the past, but developers Insomniac revitalized Spider-Man in a similar way that Rocksteady did for Batman with the Arkham games. Spider-Man has arguably been the peak for the character in this medium, presenting some of the most satisfying gameplay mechanics in the superhero game genre.
It featured one of Peter Parker's most emotionally resonating stories on-screen, as well as the most refined web-swinging mechanics in a Spider-Man game. Given that level of acclaim, Spider-Man has easily become one of the best modern superhero games.
The Last Of Us Remastered
The Last of Us was a juggernaut of a game in 2013, serving as an epic swansong for the PS3 before fully ushering in the PS4. It received a Remastered version a year later, making what was an already graphical showstopper of a game look even better.
But aside from the surface-level praises, The Last of Us was also critically acclaimed for being one of the most gripping and profoundly emotional narratives written into a game, which is an impressive feat for a game using the conventional "post-apocalyptic zombie" setting as its foundation. Likewise, its blending of third-person shooter and survival-horror gameplay mechanics was also well-received.
God Of War
Despite only being a four-year-old game, Sony Santa Monica Studios' God of War soft-reboot already made a case for being one of the best in the modern era of gaming. The original PS2 and PSP games were beloved for being straightforward bombastic action games, but this one took the franchise two steps forward since the last time fans saw a release.
God of War received a rapturous reception for how it managed to string together an incredibly intimate and compelling story exploring Kratos and the ghosts that haunt him from his bloody past. Just as well, the game was praised for its satisfyingly visceral combat and incorporating Atreus as his son to move Kratos' character development forward while making the young man a fully-realized character in his own right.