With the PS4 generation coming to an end this year, I thought it would be a good time for me to look back at some of my favorite games of this past generation. On this list, I will name 10 games that are extremely special to me. Games that, in my opinion, defined this console generation. This list will contain only exclusive games. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post with your top games.
10. Ratchet and Clank
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/ratchet-and-clank-ps4/
When it was first announced that Ratchet and Clank was getting a movie tie in game, I was a bit skeptical. When I saw that the game would only be $40, my skepticism grew. As booted the game for the first time and began to play it, all of that went away. The beautiful pixar like art style and goofy game play reminded me why I love this series so much. Ratchet and Clank is a game that I think about often and one that I want to go back to play it again. With amazing characters and awesome weaponry Ratchet and Clank deserves a spot on this list.
9. Until Dawn
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/until-dawn-ps4/
Until Dawn caught me by surprise. I am not really someone that cares about scary movies, or games for that matter, and I actually didn’t get into Until Dawn until it was released as a PS plus game years after its release. Until Dawn will always have a special place in my heart. I remember starting that game with my cousin and calling him over so we could finish it together, since we both wanted to know what happened to the characters. The cast of characters in this game is super strong and they all make you feel like you are inside an 80s movie slasher. Until Dawn made me care about a genre of games that I usually don’t care about.
8. Horizon Zero Dawn
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/horizon-zero-dawn-ps4/
If you ask me to tell you what Horizon Zero Dawn was about I really wouldn’t know where to start Horizon has a crazy story that, in my opinion, is hard to follow, but its beautiful characters and environment more than make up for the story flaws. The gameplay on this game is absolutely bonkers, in the best way possible. Horizon was my first platinum trophy ever, and that trophy came as a result of me just wanting to spend more time inside the world that Guerrilla had created. The PS5 will bring a sequel to Aloy’s story and is one of my most anticipated games.
7. Bloodborne
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/bloodborne-ps4/
If I had a dollar for every time I died in this game I would be rich. Bloodborne broke me many times. Bloodborne is a game that made me so frustrated to the point that I traded the game in at GameStop, because I didn’t want to see that game/box in my house. But Bloodborne is a game that I had to buy again and come back to that haunting world and get my teeth kicked in time and time again. There is something so satisfying about overcoming the challenges in Bloodborne. This game haunted me for days. I would stay up late at night trying to beat bosses, grinding new areas for blood vails, just so I could get wrecked. To this day I have not beat Bloodborne, but its a game that I have sitting on my dashboard ready for whenever I decide to come back to that madness.
6. Final Fantasy 7 Remake
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/final-fantasy-vii-remake-ps4/
I always heard legendary stories about Final Fantasy 7. People would always tell me how awesome the story for FF7 was and that I needed to try it. I was not really looking forward to Final Fantasy 7 Remake. I was actually going to skip this game. When COVID hit my town here in Texas I was forced to stay inside my apartment with nowhere to go. Since I had nowhere to go I decided to pick up Final Fantasy 7 to give it a shot, and its one of the best quarantine decisions I have made. I immediately fell in love with the combat system. I started to care for the characters and the stories they were telling. I was so into FF7 that I ended up buying the original on my Nintendo Switch just, so I could see where the story goes from here. It sucks that we have to wait years before part 2 gets released, but Im sure the wait will be more than worth it.
5. Uncharted 4
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/uncharted-4-a-thiefs-end-ps4/
Greatness from small beginnings. The Uncharted series is one that’s near and dear to my heart. Uncharted 2 was my favorite game of the PS3 era. Playing Uncharted 4 was like saying goodbye to friends that had been there for a long time. As I reached the ending of one of the best cinematic experiences I have ever had, my eyes began to tear up because I knew this was it for these characters. Uncharted 4 gives our characters a perfect conclusion to their stories. It gives us a happy ending even when every single person I know was expecting something terrible to happen to one of this characters. I miss Nathan Drake. I miss the bombastic set pieces. There can not be a top 10 Playstation 4 games without this game.
4. Ghost Of Tsushima
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/ghost-of-tsushima-ps4/
After beating the Last of us Part 2 I didn’t really have a game that I was looking forward to, then came Ghost of Tsushima. This game is the best PS4 open world exclusive, period. The world that Sucker Punch built here is one of the most beautiful worlds I have ever played in. I sometimes find myself just riding around enjoying the beautiful vistas. The combat is complex. Being able to switch between stances on the fly to tackle every enemy differently makes every encounter exciting. The narrative is pretty interesting. Everything about Ghost Of Tsushima is great! I have not been able to put this game down. I now find myself chopping away at the platinum trophy. The Playstation 4 saved its best open world till the very end of this generation. Also, that photo mode, wow.
3. God of War
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/god-of-war-ps4/
I remember playing the very first God of War on my Playstation 2 and thinking to myself, I am too young for this. When the series ended with God of War 3 I didn’t think I needed another game. I was done with Krato’s story. So I thought. God of war gave me everything I was looking for in a video game. Story, check. Combat, check. Characters I care about, check and check. There is a particular part in the game, where Kratos goes back to pick up the blades of Chaos and till this day that scene is one of my favorite scenes found in any game, movie, or TV show. I’m so happy we are not done with Kratos story and I am excited for what the future holds.
2. Last of us Part 2
https://www.thelastofus.playstation.com
Last of us Part 2 did something that no other game on this list was able to do, this game made me care for someone I initially hated and made me sympathize with her actions and character. The last of us took everything I cared about, everyone I grew to love and threw all of that out the door. This game took chances with its story telling, making choices that Naughty Dog knew would make a lot of people mad, and I love them for it. I love that they stuck to their vision. I love that this game played with my emotions the way that it did. I love how mad and how upset this game made me. The intense gameplay was accompanied by truly great cut scenes and great acting. I cannot praise this game enough. I beat this game just a week after it was released but I am still thinking about it! I still get teary eyes as I think of Joel, and Ellie. This game is truly fantastic. The Last of Us Part 2 is Playstation’s 4 best single player narrative.
- Spider-Man
https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/marvels-spider-man-ps4/
If there is a character that could dethrone Naughty Dog’s Joel and Ellie, that character had to be Peter Parker. Spider-Man is, in my opinion, the perfect super hero game. When I first saw the reveal of the game I was not expecting to like this game. I thought this game looked average and I was afraid that it would be filled with quick time events. From the opening scene where Spider-Man is swinging through New York City and the music begins to play I was in love. This was the Spider-Man game I have been wanting my entire life. This was the Spider-Man that I wanted to get to know. The voice acting for Peter Parker and MJ are spectacular. I obsessed over every challenge, every collectable and every suit, like I have never done before. There was not a moment in that game where I was not having fun. I would talk to my friends and family about this game as if I were talking about a movie or show to the point where my wife wanted to try this game for herself. Sony has something special here with Marvel’s Spider-Man and I cannot wait to see where they take this franchise. Luckily for us we get to see Miles Morales this Holiday so we don’t have to wait much longer for our next Spidey adventure.
