At the start of the Nintendo Switch’s life, we were treated to what is widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, game ever created: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. After years of waiting, as we approach the end of the Switch’s life, we’re getting a follow-up: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It’s set in the same Hyrule, kind of. It stars the same main characters… probably. There’s still a lot we don’t know!
Basically, all we know for sure is you can fuse items together to build things. Is your spear not long enough? Fuse it to a stick. Boom. Stickspear. I’m sold. Well, to be fair, I actually preordered it years ago without knowing much more than “it exists, it’s a Breath of the Wild follow-up, therefore I need it.”
If you’re interested in preordering Tears of the Kingdom, there’s no shortage of places to do so. Some retailers are tossing in cute little extras to entice you to plop down your money with them. For example, Best Buy will toss in a free art print (a $9.99 value!) while GameStop is offering a wooden plaque. I guess they’re hoping freebies will take a little away from the sting of a $70 Nintendo Switch game, the first-ever at that price point.
Preorder The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
If you can’t wait until May to get a little bit of Tears of the Kingdom in your life, you can get yourself a Nintendo Switch OLED Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Special Edition console. The Joy-con and dock are adorned with designs evocative of the game’s aesthetic, and honestly it’s one of the best special-edition Switch consoles of all time, at least in my opinion.
It’s very easy to get your hands on one of these consoles, as all major retailers have them in stock and available for preorder ahead of their April 28 release. If you’re still using your day-1 Nintendo Switch, it might be worth an upgrade. The OLED screen makes a huge difference in hand-held mode, with bright, vibrant colors that just pop so hard. If you’re a collector, I don’t know why you’re reading this, because you already preordered one.
There’s also the Tear of the Kingdom special edition Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which is impossible to get. It sold out very quickly, and hasn’t come back into stock yet. Will it? Maybe. It’s kind of hard to say. Nintendo is nothing if not unpredictable when it comes to how they handle their special edition hardware. You can still get a special edition Animal Crossing Switch, for example, but good luck finding a much-less attractive Let’s Go Pokemon Switch.
Nintendo is nothing if not unpredictable when it comes to how they handle their special edition hardware.
You also probably won’t be finding the Tears of the Kingdom Collector’s Edition in stock any time soon, or at all. But again, Nintendo! They might have tens of thousands of them ready to deploy, or they might not. It’s like gambling, basically. If you do manage to score one, you get the game, a steelbook cover, a set of pins, an art book and a Tears of the Kingdom poster. It’s pretty sweet. Not sure if it’s $129.99 sweet, but I managed to secure one anyway. For research purposes, obviously.
Also, you can now preorder the Tears of the Kingdom Link amiibo for your collection. Hopefully the new game will have improved amiibo integration over its predecessor. The original was great, don’t get me wrong, but I crave more. The downside for me is any improvements could end up making me regret selling my Wolf Link amiibo.
Preorder the Tears of the Kingdom OLED Switch
If you’re looking to show off your Legend of Zelda fandom, we have a ton of Zelda apparel and collectibles at the IGN Store, and it covers the entire series, from the OG on the NES all the way up to Breath of the Wild. So whether or not you’re a Toon Link or crave a more ultra-realistic version, there’s something for you to enjoy.
For bucking up on your Zelda knowledge, Dark Horse has an excellent series of books: Hyrule Historia, Art & Artifacts, and The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia. Hyrule Historia introduces a timeline for the series, and while I personally think it’s kind of silly, a lot of people get really mad at me when I question its validity. The three-book set is definitely worth getting, but any one of them is a great standalone Zelda experience. I’m particularly fond of Art & Artifacts, because I just like looking at super-detailed illustrations of the Master Sword. But I’m also not normal.
Viz Media handles publishing of the many Legend of Zelda manga adaptations, and you can buy them one at a time or in various boxed sets. They’re quite lovely. You should check them out.
There’s also a spectacular Link to the Past manga collection, also by Viz Media, written and illustrated by Shotaro Ishinomori. It collects the comics that originally ran in the early 1990s in Nintendo Power, and as someone who was both alive and a loyal Nintendo Power reader, I read and reread those particular issues until they were tattered. Having them all in one book is both convenient and delightful. Highly recommended.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom arrives May 12, which isn’t very far away, but also seems like an insurmountable amount of time to wait for what will probably be the best game ever created. I’m very optimistic, if it weren’t obvious already. Hopefully you can snag some of the cooler items in the meantime, and if not, you can find something to fill the Legend of Zelda-shaped hole in your heart.
Last time, you decided that time loops are better than resuming interrupted reloads. We thankfully won’t need to re-run that result, but we cannot fully leave the past behind us. One eagle-eyed reader observed that time loops and staged reloads “aren’t really comparable”, and I cannot overstate my embarrassment at having made such an obvious mistake. My deepest apologies to everyone who has trusted me to conduct this research with great rigour. I must do better. So reader dearest, I now ask you to pick between two things we can all agree are two of a kind. What’s better: dark darkness, or bioluminescence?
Phil Harrison, vice president of Google and former head of Stadia, has confirmed he has left the company.
According to a report from Business Insider, two employees familiar with the matter said Harrison quietly left Google around the time the company shut down the short-lived game streaming service after it failed to gain traction in a competitive gaming market. His LinkedIn profile has been updated to say he ended his time with the search engine giant this month.
A veteran of the gaming industry, Harrison joined Google in 2018 after working at Sony for over a decade and three years at Microsoft. From Stadia’s announcement at GDC 2019, he championed the platform as the “future of gaming” as it gave players access to their favorite games, including Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Cyberpunk 2077, through Google’s cloud service without the need to purchase expensive consoles. He even hosted two Connect streams, where he would announce the games being added to the service in a format similar to Nintendo Direct.
In 2021, as Stadia struggled to attract gamers, Harrison wrote a blog post on The Keyword announcing the closure of Stadia Games and Entertainment (SG&E) and disappeared from the public eye. On September 29, 2022, he announced that Stadia would be shutting down for good this January, and Google began issuing refunds to those who purchased the Stadia controller and games through the Google Play Store.
Where Harrison will head next is currently unknown. Google recently admitted that it didn’t do well creating a cloud gaming service on its own via Stadia, but it is now doing better partnering with game companies to support their live-service games on Google Cloud.
Photo credit: Bloomberg / Getty Images
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally out today and we have some thoughts. There are thoughts about things that we liked, thoughts about things that we didn’t like, and thoughts about all things in between. We managed to get a lot of these down into our review, but a movie of this size was always going to benefit from the ol’ conversation treatment too, so that’s exactly what we’ve done.
In the above video, Alex and Jim team up to discuss their thoughts on the movie, covering the story, animation, score and that all-important voice cast. While the chat steers clear of any major spoilers, the pair do discuss several plot points, so if you want to go in completely blind, we would say that this is best watched after you have seen the movie — that way, you can join in and see if you agree or disagree with our comments.
The Fox-summoning “Do” wielder of the Jwado School and newest addition to the roster, Maegu, is available now for Black Deserton Xbox! Maegu has similar, yet distinct characteristics and combat style from her twin sister, Woosa, who was released last December. We are very excited to introduce this new class as she has quite the (Fox) Charm; let’s take a look at her weapons and key skills.
Maegu’s Weapons: Fox Charm/Binyeo Knife
Signing a deal with a revered fox spirit, Maegu lures her enemies with the Fox Charm, then lands a fatal blow with the Binyeo Knife.
Maegu channels various spells through the Fox Spirit Charm. She can tackle enemies from long distances, and spread a dazzling display of Fox Spirit Charms.
Much like a fox, Maegu is cunning on the battlefield. Her swift movement enables her to instantly avoid enemies and dodge incoming attacks.
Maegu can also collaborate with the revered Fox Spirit on coordinated attacks that can confuse and devastate approaching enemies.
Maegu’s Key Skills
Maegu flows in with an array of combat moves and abilities that would make any enemy turn and run. Skills such as the Tethered Souls ability enable her to throw her Fox Charm and disrupt opponent movements, gaining the opportunity to then thrust her handy Binyeo Knife in their chest as shown below.
Maegu can also take a more stealthy and cunning approach by using the Foxspirit: Deceiver ability. With it, Maegu creates a doppelganger to freely switch between in the midst of battle in order to confuse enemies. Whatever skill you choose to utilize in combat, Maegu has you covered for every strategy in your arsenal.
New Class And a New Season
Along with the new class release, Black Desert is also launching a new season. If you are just starting out, this is a perfect time to create a new seasonal character and start your journey. The season servers are designed to focus on character growth, making it easier for Adventurers to get accustomed to the world of Black Desert.
Season servers are only accessible during certain periods, and only season characters can access these special servers. As you progress through the season server and gain valuable experience, season characters can graduate and enjoy the rest of the content available in Black Desert. Season servers not only have special equipment, but also a variety of benefits.
This season, new fishing benefits have been added so players can exchange Season server-exclusive fish for seasonal growth items. Fishing on the season servers will not only get you great items, but also Combat XP!
You can enjoy Black Desert on Xbox Game Pass today. Jump into the game this weekend during Black Desert’s Xbox Free Play Weekend — No Game Pass subscription necessary!
Black Desert supports backward-compatibility on Xbox Series X|S.
Black Desert is a living-world MMORPG. Experience fast-paced, action-packed combat, hunt monsters and huge bosses, fight with friends in a guild to siege nodes and region castles, train your life skills such as fishing, trading, crafting, cooking, and much more!
Players will enjoy jaw-dropping graphics,
intuitive skill-based combat, and an immersive story encased in our expansive
world that’s just waiting to be explored. Accompanied by a Black Spirit, a
companion whose destiny is intertwined with their own, players will discover
the secret of the Black Stones and the history of their corrupting effects.
In a medieval fantasy setting, the game
chronicles a conflict between two rival nations, the Republic of Calpheon and
the Kingdom of Valencia. With a battle based on achievements and personal
qualifications, Black Desert gives full control to players that can directly
aim, escape and make numerous different skill combinations.
[Accolades]
– Join over 10 Million Registered Users in Black Desert
– The 10 Best MMOs of 2017 – MMORPG.com
– 2016 Best new MMORPG – MMORPG.com
– 2016 MMORPG OF THE YEAR – MASSIVLY OP
The God of War Ragnarök New Game Plus (NG+) update is available now. To make sure you’re ready to jump back into the Nine Realms, we’ve put together everything you need to know below.
Change the way you play
New equipment, an increased level cap, new Enchantments – all this and more is introduced with God of War Ragnarök’s NG+ mode. As soon as you’ve beaten the game, you’ll be able to dive right into a NG+ save to experience the story again with many more gameplay options available from the start.
Your equipment, weapons (including the Draupnir Spear), and skills will carry over from your previous save, so you’ll be able to use your entire arsenal from the beginning of your journey.
Please note that you will not start the game with access to Sonic and Hex arrows. All areas requiring either those arrows or the Draupnir Spear to access will not unlock until you have reached the point in the main questline in which they become available via the story.
New Equipment
Armor of the Black Bear
Rest assured, we’ve been taking note of the requests to add Kratos’ cloak from the opening scene since the launch of God of War Ragnarök.
The Armor of the Black Bear will keep Kratos bundled up against the Fimbulwinter frost even after the sled chase. Its stats focus on Strength and Defense with a perk that rewards your last-second evades with a volley of Bifröst shards.
Your NG+ run will begin with the Armor of the Black Bear already equipped.
Spartan Armor
If you want a serious test of your skills and to take on the toughest challenge you can get in God of War Ragnarök, the Spartan Armor is for you. With no Perk, no Stats, and locked at Power Level 1 – the Spartan Armor lets you take a more… well, spartan approach towards protection.
This set is perfect for those of you who want to strip down your power to the minimum and leave no room for error. If you’re brave enough to face the coming of Ragnarök pecs-first, then give the set a try!
If you’re more into the Spartan General look and less into the challenging gameplay, you can always transmog this armor onto another set to achieve the look without sacrificing protection.
The Spartan Armor can be acquired for Hacksilver at Huldra Brothers’ Shop.
Ares Armor
Returning favorites from God of War 2018’s New Game Plus are the Ares and Zeus armors with new visuals and Perks.
The Ares Armor rewards the lucky with a chance to drop a Health Stone on hit. When you stomp the Health Stone, you also get a rage gain alongside a bigger explosion.
The Ares Armor can be purchased for Hacksilver at Huldra Brothers’ Shop.
Zeus Armor
The Zeus Armor will enable the ultimate risk-reward playstyle. This set greatly increases your Melee and Runic damage, while also increasing incoming damage.
A single hit could be enough to take even Kratos down with the Zeus Armor equipped, so you’ll need to be mindful of where your enemies are while you prepare to deal out punishment with the raw power this armor provides.
The Zeus Armor can be acquired by defeating Gná the Valkyrie Queen and completing certain Remnants of Asgard on a NG+ save.
Spartan Aspis – New Shield
The Spartan Aspis returns in God of War Ragnarök and displays Kratos’ heritage boldly.
The Spartan Aspis is similar to the trusted Guardian Shield, but it has a significantly tighter Parry window. While more challenging to time, successful Parries yield a more damaging reward.
The Spartan Aspis can be purchased at Huldra Brothers’ Shop with Hacksilver.
Armor Appearances
For those of you looking to keep things fresh, we’ve also remixed 13 of our existing armors with new color combinations and styles that were previously unavailable.
These appearances can be bought at Huldra Brothers’ Shop and applied to any of your existing Level 9+ armor in the transmog menu. The new Berserker Armor appearance can be acquired after defeating the Berserker King on NG+.
New Level Cap
In NG+, both Kratos and your enemies will become more powerful with an increased level cap. You will be able to convert all your Level 9 equipment (armor, weapons, weapon components, and shields) into new ‘Plus’ versions that will provide additional levels of progression.
Converting your equipment will also yield a Gilded Coin that can be used to purchase one of the new Enchantments from the shop.
We’ve also added a quality-of-life adjustment to the shop, so you’ll be able to purchase and sell resources incrementally. Buy and selling materials to get your equipment in tiptop shape for your NG+ run is now smoother than Kratos’ scalp.
New Enchantments
Gilded Coins – Engraving and Badge Enchantments
If you ever agonized over an armor choice because you couldn’t choose a favorite Perk, the new Enchantments available in the shop are for you! These take a selection of powerful and versatile perks from Armor (Engravings) and Shield Rönds (Badges), allowing you to equip them in your Amulet as Enchantments.
For example, you can purchase the Dragon Engraving, which has the Dragon Scaled Breastplate Perk, Dragon’s Fury (Blocks and Parries grant a Strength/Defense stacking buff). You can equip that in your Amulet while wearing a different chest piece like the new Cuirass of Ares, allowing you to combine two different chest armor perks at once.
The most powerful enchantments from the Gilded Coins will require certain Stat thresholds to be met to encourage and reward you for getting clever with your builds. With so many new options available, we can’t wait to see which combinations you make.
Berserker Soul Drops – Stat Boost Enchantments
Defeating the Berserker Souls on NG+ will also reward you with new Enchantments to equip. While not as flashy as some of the Perk Enchantments, these will give you big boosts to select stats so you can lean into whatever build you like best even more.
Burdens
Burdens are a new set of Enchantments that will allow you to equip negative Perks for a tailor-made challenge.
For example, the Burden of Evasion will automatically give Kratos the Frost status effect when he rolls.
For those of you seeking to ramp up the difficulty with an exceptionally brutal experience, you can combine Burdens with the Spartan Armor.
We’ve also added a new UI option called Show Difficulty (Difficulty HUD Visualization), which will display the current difficulty setting on the HUD, as well as how many Burdens you have equipped. Feel free to flex a little bit for your friends.
Burdens can be purchased at the Huldra Brothers’ Shop with Hacksilver.
New Progression Paths
New Skill Mod Plus
Upgrade your existing Skill Mod tokens using XP to further enhance the effects of your favorite Mods.
Platinum Tier Labors
Carry over any progress from your Kill Labors or Ratatasks and continue to unlock a new Platinum Tier of rewards.
Additional Stat Gains
Nornir Chests will now provide Yggdrasil Dew to allow players to push Stats far beyond their previous limits.
Expanded Niflheim Arena
The Sparring Arena in Niflheim in NG+ will give you a ton of new options to play with! Alongside a selection of new enemies for you to face off against, you will now be able to play as either Kratos or Atreus and choose any of the following companion characters to fight beside you: Atreus (with Kratos), Freya, Brok, Sindri, Angrboda, Ingrid, Thor, and Thrúd.
With any companion combination possible, we can’t wait to see how creative you can get in gameplay and in Photo Mode.
Endgame Bosses
Got comfortable fighting the Berserker Souls and the Valkyrie Queen Gná? We’ve made sure the toughest optional fights have a few switch-ups in NG+ so even if you’ve beaten them before, they’ll still pack a punch when you meet them again.
Other Enemy Adjustments
Available on All Difficulties in NG+
The Hateful and the Ormstunga, two of our optional mini-bosses, have been given a few new tricks. Be sure to pay them a visit when you can in your NG+ run.
Available on Give Me No Mercy and Give Me God of War in NG+
If you choose to play on Give Me No Mercy or Give Me God of War difficulties, all bosses and mini-bosses will have Runic Armor. Strategic Runic usage in these fights can make the difference between victory and defeat.
In NG+, enemies turning elite can now also happen on Give Me No Mercy in addition to Give Me God of War. Elite enemies will gain an increase in Power Level, so make sure you keep a special eye on them when you see one transform in combat.
Black and White Render Mode
Looking to experience the story again with a more cinematic twist? After you beat the game once, you will have access to a new Black and White Render Mode for any subsequent NG+ or standard New Game saves.
You can find the new mode under the Graphics & Camera settings menu.
Nvidia have previewed the upcoming Overdrive Mode for Cyberpunk 2077, showcasing how it replaces the game’s already extensive ray tracing effects with full path tracing. Why Nvidia and not the developers, CD Projekt Red? Well, that might have something to do with Overdrive Mode being such a graphics card shatterer that it will supposedly take a GeForce RTX 40 series GPU – with DLSS 3 in effect – to run.
Fans of a galaxy far, far away are gearing up for one of the most exciting weekends of the year as Star Wars Celebration 2023 is almost upon us.
Taking place in London’s ExCeL from April 7 to 10, Lucasfilm will be making its biggest announcements of the year for all manner of Star Wars films, TV shows, games, books, comics, and more.
Thanks to the galaxy growing constantly, and now more than ever, there are already a ton of Star Wars projects we’re expecting to see over the weekend. Though nothing is confirmed yet, here’s everything we’re expecting to see at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
The 2025 Film
Let’s cut to the chase: it’s surely time for Disney and Lucasfilm to unveil the next Star Wars film. It’s already been more than three years since The Rise of Skywalker, and though the franchise is now spread across just about every media form possible, Star Wars is a film franchise at its core. We already know the next movie is premiering on December 19, 2025, but we don’t know which of the several unnamed projects it will be.
Other changes have been happening behind the scenes too, as Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof and co-writer Justin Britt-Gibson have reportedly left an untitled project directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight will reportedly write the script instead, with sources saying a full reveal will happen at Celebration.
Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, especially since these changes are happening so last minute, but we’re hoping to see Disney and Lucasfilm make one concrete announcement about the 2025 Star Wars film, even if it’s just a title.
Ahsoka Disney+ Series Trailer and Premiere Date
As a star of The Clone Wars, and having since appeared in several other series including Rebels and The Mandalorian, Ahsoka is finally getting a Star Wars show all about her.
It’s already confirmed for 2023, and with a glaring gap in the adult Star Wars TV schedule after The Mandalorian Season 3 wraps later in April, Ahsoka is a perfect candidate to take on the mantle.
Skeleton Crew Tease
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is also scheduled for a 2023 premiere despite only being announced at last year’s Celebration. We know that it stars Jude Law and was created by Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, and revolves around a group of children trying to find their way home during roughly the same time period as The Mandalorian.
We’re definitely expecting Skeleton Crew to make an appearance at Star Wars Celebration, though it might just be an explanation of the show and maybe a teaser trailer rather than a full blown premiere date like Ahsoka.
TV Show Maybes
While the Skeleton Crew seems to have been fast-tracked by Disney, the same can’t be said for some other floating Star Wars shows. Both the Lando Calrissian series and first live action High Republic show The Acolyte have been quiet for a while.
Lando was first announced over two years ago in 2020 but we haven’t heard anything since. Given that Disney has announced some Star Wars cancellations and this wasn’t on the list, however, we have hope that we’ll find out more soon.
Production began in November, so we’re again hoping for an update, or at least a release window for The Acolyte, and Celebration would of course be the perfect time to re-introduce all of these shows to the world.
As 2023 is expected to include Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, a release window of 2024 will perhaps be announced for these ones.
This one may not be as exciting as a drop of completely fresh information, but with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launching in just a few weeks, it’s likely we’ll see a final look at the game during Celebration.
Developer Zynga said it was delayed to “meet the high expectations we are setting for fans globally and ourselves as developers,” but promised it was “working tirelessly to achieve our vision”. It was originally due to launch in 2021 though, and is even available to some players through a soft launch, so an official release date shouldn’t be too far away.
Though fans may not be eyeing this one as much as some other Star Wars projects in development, a release window or date being announced at Celebration, and maybe even a beta, would be sure to get some players excited.
Eclipse or Knights of the Old Republic Remake Updates
Now onto the games that Star Wars fans are super excited for. We don’t want to get our hopes too high (and know that Disney will likely want to save some big gaming announcements for E3 season), but still think at least one major video game update will come out of Celebration.
An update on either of these games would therefore be very welcome to fans. This likely wouldn’t be a release window announcement, perhaps not even a year, but a development update or short teaser would likely go a long way.
Hopefully a Few More Surprises
Despite having so many films, TV shows, books, games, and more already at our fingertips, Star Wars fans will always want more. Celebration is the place to give us that, and some surprise reveals are guaranteed to get the crowd in London going.
IGN will have you covered on every one of these announcements, with tons of breaking news, analysis, commentary, and more throughout the entirety of Star Wars Celebration 2023 weekend.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Spooky fishing game Dredge is overflowing with underwater eldritch horrors, ghoulish critters, and mutant fishies – like, the Blinky-the-fish kind. Based on that description, you’d expect some three-headed sea beast, incomprehensibly twisted and glowing with an otherworldly light, to be the game’s most supreme being. Nope. That title goes to the dog you rescue in one of the game’s side missions, the developers have revealed.
Now in its tenth year on the market, PS4 — the second-best-selling home console of all time — has amassed an all-time great catalog of games. With a PS5 price bump outside of the U.S. and many publishers still releasing games on its last-gen console, it’s still a great time to play on PS4, and so we’ve created this list to highlight the best games the console has to offer.
The games below weren’t chosen lightly; this list was compiled by the entire IGN content team and — after plenty of internal debate — represents what we believe to be the best that the PS4 has to offer. Without further ado, these are our picks for the 25 best PS4 games.
Nier: Automata delivers a ridiculously entertaining journey full of awesome ideas that is equal parts strange and beautiful. There are few games like Automata, which bounces between game genres and styles with aplomb. Taking place in a futuristic dystopia, this “action-RPG” offers a roller coaster of different gameplay opportunities, wrapped up in a fascinating story that has many multiple endings that encourage poking into every corner of this engrossing world. There are few games that attempt what Nier: Automata does, and it’s absolutely worth checking out this Yoko Taro-directed adventure.
Nier: Automata has been adapted into an anime titled Nier: Automata Ver1.1a, which came out in Japan on January 8, 2023. Three episodes of the series have been aired so far, but it went into hiatus with the fourth episode due to COVID-19.
24. Monster Hunter World
The long-running Monster Hunter series broke through with the 2018 hit Monster Hunter World, which not only impressed us with its rewarding gameplay but also with how accessible the game proved to be. For a series that can take some learning to get the hang of, Monster Hunter World produced a fully realized, expansive world.
Amid the rise of the battle royale genre, Apex Legends manages to stand out, even as a later addition to the fray. Set in the universe of Respawn’s Titanfall series, Apex utilizes similar gameplay mechanics which give it a unique edge over other battle royale games. In addition to its faster pace, Apex incorporates the use of specific “Legends” who all have different skills and abilities that create the need for teams to work together and synergize between the different characters. Similar to how Overwatch operates, the roster of different heroes allows players to constantly change their playstyles in order to secure the win. With constant updates and new limited-time game modes being switched in and out, Apex Legends is a high-octane game that constantly leaves you wanting to go for “just one more match.”
The Sun Squad Collection Event, which brings a new battle royale mode called Heatwave, is running in Apex Legends until April 11.
22. Yakuza 0
Yakuza 0 is the high bar for SEGA’s long-running open-world series, packed with an extraordinary amount of things to do and centered around a genuinely compelling crime story.
Since it’s a prequel, it’s also unburdened by the series’ increasingly intricate backstory and thus supremely approachable for newcomers. While its melee combat may lag slightly behind modern genre standards, Yakuza 0 still hits far more than it misses and is a big, bold and bruising tour through the Japanese underworld.
How do you make Tetris, one of the best-selling and arguably perfect games, even better? You add in dazzling light shows, music that reacts to your moves, and one of the most blissfully zen gaming experiences of the generation. Tetris Effect, even without its PSVR component, is a transcendent experience, making a stalwart of the video gaming medium fresh.
Its Journey mode includes a couple dozen stages of memorable music, which melds to the blocks you move and place, with backgrounds that, quite literally, take you on a journey from the ocean depths to jungle and desert terrain to the reaches of space. There’s something almost spiritual to the experience, which doesn’t do anything to majorly twist the Tetris formula, but enhances it in a memorably powerful way.
Tetris Effect: Connected, the multiplayer-enhanced version of Tetris Effect, received four new modes as part of its Winter update, including the single-player version of Classic Score Attack, Zone Marathon, Purify Mode, and Master Mode.
20. Dreams
Dreams is unlike anything else: an ambitious project that has been expertly brought to life by Media Molecule, and an audacious experiment in game design that gives you endless ways to enjoy your time with it. An incredible creative suite made up of tools that allow for and encourage ultimate expression, all inside of your PS4. The vast range of experiences on offer via Dream Surfing means that no two sessions playing it are ever the same, offering fresh ways to have fun every time you start it up and see what community creations have popped up while you’ve been away. Whether you just want to create, purely play, or get involved in a bit of everything, Dreams offers it all to you.
19. Final Fantasy 7 Remake
After a long wait, the 2020 remake of Final Fantasy 7 revitalizes one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time in a (mostly) successful and engaging way. This new version of Midgard probably isn’t just how your brain remembers it looking – it’s much better, with a stunning, detailed, and immersive exploration of the steampunk city.
Since part one of ‘Remake’ (subsequent releases will cover the rest of the original story) takes place entirely within Midgard, Square Enix is able to really spend time with the city’s ensemble cast, giving them more nuance and screentime to round out the adventure. And that’s on top of its stellar combat system, a marriage of real-time and more tactical, turn-based systems to create something that’s wholly unique and a joy to master. Part 2 can’t come soon enough.
FF7R Part 2, officially titled Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, is due out “next winter.” Before that, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy 16 on June 22 as a PS5 exclusive.
18. Overwatch
Overwatch is a brilliant multiplayer shooter brimming with Blizzard’s charm and detail, and it’s one that Blizzard has impressively continued to support with new heroes and updates since its launch in 2016. Overwatch earned Game of the Year from IGN in its launch year, sweeping the IGN offices with multiplayer matches after work and at lunches (and sometimes during the workday) that have continued in the months and years since.
Blizzard’s rock-solid gameplay allows players in whatever role they play on a team to matter. And Blizzard’s impressive attention to detail has created a rich world of lore that permeates the experience, allowing those who just want a fun multiplayer experience to enjoy the action but offering those who want something more a wealth of character and location information to delve into.
Overwatch has now been replaced by Overwatch 2. Our review said the sequel “breathes new life into what was once the sharpest shooter around.” Overwatch 2 collaborated with One-Punch Man to bring Legendary skins inspired by Saitama, Genos, Mumen Rider, and Terrible Tornado — available until April 6.
17. Ratchet & Clank
The iconic PlayStation franchise Ratchet and Clank only got better on PS4 with a beautiful, funny update of the duo’s first adventure. More a remix of the original PS2 game than a straight remaster, there is a gorgeous level of detail to the lombax and robot’s adventure, which also makes some noted story improvements.
The titular duo’s initial meeting and budding friendship feels more fully formed and smartly written, while the series’ signature humor is in full force throughout. Veldin, Rilgar, and other worlds are beautiful, Pixar-like environments with plenty to explore, and modernizations made to the gameplay make the adventure as fresh as ever. And of course, Insomniac’s signature knack for wacky weapons is on full display in HD, from Mr. Zurkon to the Groovitron. Insomniac has obviously put its recent focus on VR and Spider-Man, but this latest iteration proves Ratchet and Clank has plenty of life left in it.
16. What Remains of Edith Finch
One of the most heart-wrenching and visually dynamic adventure games of the generation, What Remains of Edith Finch is a must-play. While a game about recounting the death of each of Edith’s family members by exploring their bedrooms (turned memorial shrines) may sound like a bummer, the creative ways each memory gets explored keeps you entertained while the mystery of how this person died creates eerie suspense that will entice you to keep going. Each remembrance transports you to their stories and subsequent deaths, with moments ranging from playing on swingsets to, quite literally, bouncing between comic book panels. Striking, stylish, and hauntingly beautiful, What Remains of Edith Finch is one of the best experiences to be had on PS4.
Giant Sparrow’s next game will “focus on interactions between humans and urban wildlife.” It’s currently in early development.
15. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Uncharted 4 is Uncharted all grown up; an examination of what happens when Nathan Drake’s Indiana-Jones-style antics come face to face with his adult responsibilities. It manages to reckon with this and then some, juggling delicate relationship dynamics with ridiculously fun action sequences and breathtaking vistas ripe for exploring and pillaging. Though it gets a little bogged down by an overly long final act, Uncharted 4 is still one of the best action-adventure games of all time, and one of the best PlayStation 4 games ever.
On February 1, Sony announced it will be removing the PlayStation Plus Collection, a perk for PS5 owners since the console’s launch, from the subscription service on May 9. Uncharted 4 is among the PS4 games that will be removed as a result.
14. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is without question the most ambitious entry in the Metal Gear series. So ambitious, in fact, that it’s something of an unfinished masterpiece. While a lot of hardcore fans of the series were disappointed by the game’s scattered story, it’s hard to deny that the moment-to-moment gameplay is absolutely phenomenal. On top of rock-solid movement and a huge, sometimes literal, sandbox to explore, The Phantom Pain gives players a huge arsenal of weapons, vehicles, gadgets, and AI companions to approach missions creatively. As always, stealthy tactical gameplay is rewarded heavily, but if a mission goes sideways (or if you’re feeling squirrelly) the game doesn’t punish you too hard for getting get loud and messy. Even if you’ve never played another Metal Gear game, this is a hell of an experience. If the plot leaves you with a big question mark over your head, don’t feel left out. That’s part of the fun.
Resident Evil fans were begging for a remake of the much-beloved Resident Evil 2 for over two decades. After the original RE1 received its stellar GameCube REmake all the way back in 2002, fans waited, and waited… and waited. When it eventually came, it was everything they dreamed of and more. The Resident Evil 7‘s RE Engine was reworked into a third-person tour de force, showcasing intensely realistic gore with blood dripping from mangled zombies. Mr. X returned as a force to be reckoned with, its shooting mechanics were pitch-perfect, and terror was palpable throughout.
Sucker Punch’s latest adventure is dense with moving stories and striking visuals that make exploring its expansive take on 13th-century japan a joy. Its cast – across the English and Japanese languages – does an excellent job bringing Ghost’s complex tale of honor and loss to life, both in its 30+ hour main campaign and all the side quests that eloquently mirror thematic aspects of your main journey.
While the stealth may be simple (and enemy AI less than stellar), combat is spectacular – a simple but nuanced exploration of Japanese swordplay that is still fun right up to your very last duel. Add all of this on top of one of the best (and most addictive) photo modes we’ve seen, and Ghost of Tsushima more than makes up for its late addition to the PS4’s library by being one of its best games.
Sucker Punch’s next project is another open-world game with stealth and action elements — perhaps Ghost of Tsushima 2? What has been confirmed is a Ghost of Tsushima movie. Directed by Chad Stahleski (John Wick), the movie will be a retelling of the game’s story.
11. Red Dead Redemption 2
Both a stunning technical achievement and a gold standard for video game storytelling in an open-world setting, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the greatest games Rockstar Games has ever made, and one of the greatest games ever, period. Red Dead Redemption 2’s world is a sprawling and stunning recreation of the wild west, packed so full of detail and activity it’s almost daunting; getting from A to B is virtually impossible without going off the beaten path to some other distraction. Said distractions are incredibly accomplished, too – side quests, mini-games, hunting, and gathering are all deeply considered parts of Red Dead 2 in their own right.
But of course, it’s Red Dead 2’s characters that stick in the memory most: Arthur Morgan, John Marsten, Sadie, Dutch, et. al. are vibrant, multi-faceted characters, their complex dynamics always shifting and changing, even if their trajectories are set in stone. Red Dead Redemption 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece.
While Nathan Drake established himself as a compelling lead over the course of the four core Uncharted games, 2017’s Uncharted: The Lost Legacy proved that the same was true for Drake’s supporting cast.
Lost Legacy moved the spotlight to the unexpected duo of treasure hunter Chloe Frazer and mercenary Nadine Ross, and discovered there is a verve and chemistry in the cast even without Nate. Not only does Lost Legacy open the door for any number of spinoffs that focus on other characters in the Uncharted universe, it features some of the best gameplay sequences the series has to offer.
9. Control
An exceptional third-person shooter with a trippy supernatural twist, Control is not only our Game of the Year for 2019 but stands out as one of the most unique adventures of the generation. The seasoned team at Remedy Entertainment brought their years of experience to bear on one of the coolest ability/weapon sets in recent memory, which made for some of the most satisfying and frenetic telekinetic combat ever put to pixels. On top of its excellent super-powered gunplay, Control features some truly inspired environmental design, its Oldest House a shape-shifting labyrinth-like something from a fever dream shared by Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch. Throughout its monster-filled halls, you’ll undertake memorable side quests, hunt for upgrades to your abilities and gear, and hunt down a litany of collectibles that all help flesh out the eerie bureaucracy that’s at the center of Control’s impossibly unique experience.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is a masterclass in comic book joy, an expertly built world that perfectly encapsulates the child-like wonder of looking up at the looming, inspiring skylines of New York City and the superhero-like triumph of effortlessly scaling the tallest buildings in the Big Apple. It’s a game about Spider-Man made by people who deeply, truly, genuinely adore Spider-Man, from his costumes to his friends, foes, and family.
The simple act of soaring and flipping through the city is so satisfying and addictive that you’ll likely want to explore every corner of it and nab every collectible before even finishing the story. Once you do decide to settle down and move the narrative forward, you’ll find a heartwarming story of love and loss, awkward adolescence, and tons and tons of ass kicking. Along the way, you’ll unlock iconic Spider-Man suits, take down nefarious villains in gigantic, explosive setpieces, and bask in the realization that the modern comic book movie renaissance that we’re all so gleefully enjoying has finally, finally made its way back to video games.
Horizon: Zero Dawn is one of the most beautiful open-world games ever crafted. Grass sways in the wind beneath blooming sunrises while towering cities formed from the ashes of a once prosperous society loom in the distance. And, most importantly, giant, awe-inspiring mechanical dinosaurs outfitted with a terrifying array of pseudo-natural weaponry roam the land, roaring, gnashing, and trampling their prey. When iconic PlayStation developer Guerrilla Games revealed they were pivoting away from the Killzone franchise to make an open world robot dinosaur hunting game starring a warrior redhead outfitted like a space cake dealer at Burning Man, the world was cautiously optimistic.
The end result, thankfully, was a vast, wondrous, and unique open-world action game with just the right amount of RPG elements that come together to create a brilliant first entry into what we hope will become a pillar franchise for PlayStation Studios. Taking down a gigantic boss with an active strategy of well-placed melee strikes and projectiles is one of the most thrilling experiences on PlayStation 4, and looting the shrapnel of a downed robot for much-needed upgrade parts afterwards is equally satisfying. Horizon takes some of the best elements of existing open world games and weaves them together to make something wholly original, wonderfully refreshing and wildly fun.
Sony is reportedly working on a Zero Dawn PS5 remaster, as well as a Horizon multiplayer game. If you liked Zero Dawn, be sure to check out the excellent sequel, Horizon Forbidden West.
6. Grand Theft Auto 5 / GTA Online
Rockstar’s latest and greatest open-world felony simulator made its debut at the tail end of the last console generation, handily breaking records as the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, so it’s no surprise that it got ported to current-gen. What is surprising, perhaps, is just how much of an upgrade it got in the process. Uprezzed textures, totally overhauled lighting effects and a fully-functional first-person option were just some of the litany of updates and tweaks to the series’ biggest and best game yet.
Whether you’re after a sprawling single-player campaign that provides a ruthless skewering of 21st century American life, or a multiplayer component with years of big free updates and an extremely active community, or just a sandbox where you can do crimes either alone or with friends, Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online really does offer something for everyone. Seriously, is there any other game where you can play the stock market, jump in a Mad Max death card and then trip on peyote so hard you turn into a bird?
Rockstar has officially confirmed GTA 6 is in development. It will reportedly feature a return to Vice City and star the series’ first female playable character in a Bonnie & Clyde-inspired adventure — details that were seemingly corroborated by a massive GTA 6 leak.
5. Persona 5 Royal
A massive, gorgeous JRPG, Persona 5 set a high bar for the genre, and 2020’s Persona 5 Royal re-release pushes that bar even higher. An engrossing adventure brimming with style and flair, Persona 5 sees you navigating school life by day and descending into the corrupted minds of Tokyo’s more villainous citizens by night in order to coerce them away from their corrupt endeavors.
The students who make up Persona 5’s ensemble cast leave an indelible mark as they are introduced and further become embroiled in the exploits of the Phantom Thieves. Persona 5 does a great job of balancing the two facets of its gameplay, letting players really dive into the social connections in the real world and allowing those to influence the dungeon exploration and turn-based action of its massive and varied mind palaces. Coupled with a continually engaging combat system, a soundtrack full of earworms, its twisty, wild story, and plenty of additional content on top of the base game, Persona 5 Royal delivers one of the deepest JRPGs of the generation, if not of all time.
On February 9, Sega reported that Persona 5 Royal Remastered (PS5) sold over 1.3 million copies worldwide as of the end of December 2022. Black Wings is developing a new Persona 5 spin-off mobile game, The Phantom X, which will follow a new group of Phantom Thieves. Playtests are already underway in China.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt Red’s sprawling fantasy epic has become one of the most noteworthy games of all time, one that set a new standard for open-world RPGs. With a grim-yet-gorgeous world that stretches across the better part of an entire continent, every corner, cave, swamp or city street of The Witcher 3 has something to discover.
It’s 60+ hour main story is a great adventure, full of mystery and intrigue that draws from the deep lore of author Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, but its Geralt’s expertly-crafted side stories, monster hunts and off-beat adventures that really make The Witcher 3 and its two huge expansions truly exceptional. It’s a game where you can easily get lost for hundreds of hours and still not see everything it has to offer – but every one of those hours will be absolutely worth it.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt recently got the 4.02 patch, improving Performance Mode and adding refraction to ray-traced water reflections, among other quality-of-life changes especially for the PS5 version.
3. Bloodborne
Bloodborne is a brutally difficult, immensely terrifying action horror game that will immediately kick your ass. You’ll spawn, die, and repeat until you throw your controller, swear at your television, and vow to walk away forever. Once outside the dim confines of Bloodborne’s dense, evil, snarling network of contorted beasts, wretched howls, and stark-raving murderous lunatics, you’ll enjoy a quiet, cheerful walk amidst the sunshine in the real world, free from Bloodborne’s punishing ways.
But a voice in your head will begin to ring and linger, calling you back, urging you to return, push forward, and conquer. And when you do, you’ll find yourself improved and fueled, patient and energized, ready to tackle it’s gristled, hairy bosses, rotting cathedrals, and wet, corrupt catacombs. Then you’ll die again, but this time you’ll be stronger, wiser, and older and prepared for the foulest of beasts to leap from the shadows and tear you apart all over again. Bloodborne is a horrible, vile world where every reward brings risks and fear is palpable. And while its challenges feel insurmountable and out of reach, your skill and determination will eventually prevail and you’ll press forward through the night. Death is frequent. Frustration is certain. But ultimately, victory is possible, and when achieved, becomes one of the greatest feelings in the world.
The follow-up to 2013’s The Last of Us is the pinnacle of Naughty Dog’s storytelling ambitions during the life of the PS3 and PS4. Part 2’s ambitious, uncompromising story delivers at nearly every unexpected turn, with character arcs that are poignant, risky, and devastating. Naughty Dog asks you, the player, to do your best to reckon with morally ambiguity in ways that have evoked some of the strongest across the board reactions that we’ve seen from any game, ever.
It’s also perhaps Naughty Dog’s most mechanically complex game to date, and its stealth and action systems delivers moment after moment that feel like they should be scripted but are instead entirely dynamic. It may be one of the more divisive games of the generation, but it’s also one of the best; an absolute haymaker of a game we still can’t stop thinking about.
The Last of Us Part 1, a PS5 remake of the series’ first game, is now available. Our review called it “the best way to play – or replay – Naughty Dog’s esteemed survival classic.” Elsewhere in Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic universe is HBO’s Last of Us TV series Our review of The Last of Us: Season 1 called it “a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie’s journey alike.”
1. God of War
2018’s God of War shows an obvious level of care that went into crafting its world, characters, and gameplay, evolving a longstanding PlayStation franchise into a testament to the power of storytelling in games and making it our choice for the best PlayStation 4 game, period. Every aspect of God of War feels intentional, interconnecting with every other major aspect of the game, making exploring every inch of its world a rewarding opportunity. Everything from the main story to side missions and seemingly innocuous collectibles factor into your understanding of this new Aesir-inspired world and its major players.
It somehow never makes any of that feel like a dry history lesson, though, and God of War is constantly making smart, economical use of storytelling. It’s also just such a fun experience, with the new Leviathan axe being one of the most satisfying game weapons we’ve used since we originally picked up the Blades of Chaos back in 2005. Bundled with smart progression, fascinating environments, and an impactful story that offers an insightful exploration of one of gaming’s most notorious antiheroes, God of War is undoubtedly one of the best experiences of the generation as a whole, and a shining example of what the PlayStation 4 has to offer.
Although it can be difficult to accurately measure popularity, it stands to reason that the most popular PS4 game is going to be a PlayStation exclusive game. The top titles in this category are The Last of Us, God of War, and Horizon Zero Dawn — which have all recently made their way to PC.
What are the Best PS4 Exclusives?
Although many of the best PS4 exclusives are now available on PC, titles like God of War, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Marvel’s Spider-Man rank as some of the top exclusives on the last-gen console.
What are the Best Games on PS Plus?
If you happen to have PlayStation Plus Extra or PlayStation Premium then you have access to some of the best games on the console. A few of the best PS Plus games include Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Bloodborne, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Red Dead Redemption 2.
Those are our picks for the top PlayStation 4 games of all time. Let us know in the comments what’s on your list that didn’t make ours!
