It's hard to believe, though PlayStation 5 is already five years old. Sony's latest console has proven to be a huge commercial success, with the PS5 home to some of the absolute best games released in the last five years. But one key difference between the PS5 and previous Sony consoles is that exclusive releases haven't had nearly as much focus.
In the early years of the PS5's life, many of its more notable games were cross-generational releases with the PS4. Sony has also made a concerted effort to bring many of its once-exclusive games to PC, and the end result is that five years after launch, the PS5 has just eight exclusive games to its name that don't require additional hardware like the PlayStation VR2 headset.
PS5 games that practically give you an easy platinum trophy
Ready for a platinum trophy hunt? Well, if you're looking for an easy switch, these PS5 games will get you there pretty quickly.
I've played all eight exclusive PS5 games released so far and decided to rank them. If you're someone who recently got a PS5 for the holidays or are wondering which exclusive games are worth playing, I highly recommend checking out the titles that top this list.
I decided not to include exclusive PlayStation 5 games that require PSVR2, like Horizon: Call of the Mountain and Synapsebecause I wanted to focus on games that people can play with just their console. That said, if you have a PlayStation VR2, both of these games have received relatively high reviews and should be safe plays. Remasters and enhanced ports were also left off this list.
8
Quantum error
By far the worst PS5 exclusive released to date is the disastrous one Quantum error. A bizarre cosmic horror game where you shoot at enemies that stick out in the open and wait to be shot and then immediately collapse with barely any animation, Quantum error also lets you put out fires. The checkpoints are hideous, the gameplay is ugly, and it's a borderline unplayable mess. It's supposed to be coming to PC and Xbox at some point down the road, and if it ever does, the PS5 exclusive will look a lot better. I got this on sale for $7.99 and still feel ripped off.
- Released
-
November 3, 2023
- ESRB
-
m
7
Destruction AllStars
When Destruction AllStars first released, it made it as one day a PS Plus game. At the time of launch, there was some fun to be had with its over-the-top vehicular combat, but fast-forward to 2025 and online is completely dead. There are still offline modes to check out, but online was a big selling point for Destruction AllStars. Getting it for free via PS Plus was one thing, but I can't imagine paying the current asking price of $39.99 for it.
- Released
-
February 2, 2021
- ESRB
-
T for teens due to fantasy, violence
6
Silent Hill: The Short Message
Silent Hill: The Short Message is free to download and play in its entirety, which makes it a little easier to recommend, but that doesn't mean it's a particularly good game. Silent Hill: The Short Message lasts a couple of hours and handles heavy themes rather clumsily, but at least it has some genuine scares and looks good doing it. The short message is a visually impressive game, and it also takes advantage of DualSense's unique features, especially the microphone, but it's also pretty boring most of the time.
- Released
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31 January 2024
- ESRB
-
M For Mature 17+ due to blood, strong language, violence
5
Astro's playroom
Quantum error, Destruction AllStarsand Silent Hill: The Short Message are all what I would consider the “bad” PS5 exclusives. Everything from here on out is leagues better, starting with Astro's playroom. Effectively a tech demo for the PS5 and the DualSense controller in particular, Astro's playroom comes free with every console. It's a fun little platformer that oozes personality and would rank higher on the list if it weren't so short.
- Released
-
November 12, 2020
- ESRB
-
E10+ for all 10+ due to fantasy violence
- Developer
-
Team Asobi
4
Demon's Souls (2020)
Demon's Souls would also rank higher if it wasn't a remake of a PS3 game, but even if it was a PS5 launch title, it's still one of the best looking games released for the system. Developed by Bluepoint Games and based on FromSoftware's groundbreaking 2009 game, the Demon's Souls remake is a graphical masterpiece that successfully brings the originator of the Soulslike genre to modern standards. It can sometimes feel a little barebones compared to the Soulslike games that followed it, but it's still an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.
- Released
-
November 12, 2020
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
3
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
I love most of Hideo Kojima's work, so playing the original broke my heart Death Stranding and hated it. I went in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach expecting a similar experience, but instead I walked away impressed. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a graphical powerhouse with a photorealistic game world and a much more exciting and engaging story than its predecessor. Death Stranding 2 doesn't forget to put the “fun” in the game, and to me it felt like a great delivery for Kojima.
- Released
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June 26, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Violence, blood and gore, partial nudity, strong language
- Publisher
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
2
Ghost of Yotei
Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most popular PS4 exclusive games, and therefore expectations were high Ghost of Yotei. Fortunately, Ghost of Yotei not only met those expectations, but arguably exceeded them. An open world samurai epic, Ghost of Yotei features a gripping revenge story with intense fights and some of the best music PS5 has seen to date. Ghost of Yotei is full of valuable content and will keep PS5 players busy for hours on end – when it comes to exclusives, it's a must.
- Released
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October 2, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Use of Alcohol
- Publisher
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
1
Astro Bot
The best exclusive PS5 is undoubtedly the winner of Game of the Year 2024 Astro Bot. A full-sized sequel to the brilliant pack-in game Astro's playroom, Astro Bot is an incredible 3D platform adventure that is one of the best the genre has ever seen. It's a constant barrage of brilliant ideas, with no bad level in the bunch. Finding all the cameo bots makes it 100% so much more satisfying, plus the game was updated after launch with extra challenging stages and potentially the best Christmas level ever. Astro Bot can't be played anywhere else, and in my opinion, that's the best reason to go out and buy a PS5.
- Released
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September 6, 2024
- ESRB
-
E10+ for all 10+ due to crude humor, fantasy violence
- Developer
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Team Asobi
- Publisher
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
