PS5 Exclusives That Will Blow You Away

The PlayStation 5 is nearly here. It's slated for a Holiday 2020 release, dev kits are in the wild, and games have entered development. Since the majority of titles appear on multiple platforms and cross-play is becoming more common, console exclusives will dictate which system you purchase. The Sony exclusives library has always been incredible: The Last of Us, Gran Turismo, God of War. These games aren't just great independently; they represent important milestones in gaming history.

Sony has confirmed several PS5 exclusive titles, and you can make some educated guesses about others based on past PlayStation only franchises. For the purposes of this list, exclusives are defined as any game poised to appear solely on the PlayStation 5 but not the Xbox Series X or Nintendo Switch. Some of these titles may also launch for PC.

Here are the PlaySation 5 exclusives (both likely and confirmed) that are going to thrill gamers the world over and help sell Sony's next-gen console.

While there was some confusion over whether it would be an expansion or a full game, fans were thrilled when Sony announced Miles Morales as the next Marvel's Spider-Man game. The all-new story will take advantage of the PlayStation 5's super-powered SSD and wireless controller haptic feedback to deliver a streamlined, immersive experience as Miles dawns the Spider-Man mantle.

Fandom members will likely recognize Miles from the Ultimate Marvel comics and the award-winning animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In Spider-Man: Miles Morales, you'll master an all new set of powers unique to Miles, including his iconic venom blasts and what appears to be a spin on his camouflage ability. There will also be plenty of web-swings and web shots to go around as you traverse Marvel's New York City.

It remains unclear who (or what) Miles will fight against, but the Announcement Trailer may hold some clues. Based on the technology that appears in several scenes, the Prowler, who has used an electrical jacket, electrical suit, and electrical gauntlets in the past, seems like a safe bet. The opening sequence may also hint at the particle accelerator created by Kingpin, which features heavily in the plot of Into the Spider-Verse.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales releases Holiday 2020, likely making it a PS5 launch title.

You've heard of looter-shooters, but what about looter-slashers? Counterplay Games and Gearbox Software (makers of the Borderlands series) have teamed up to create Godfall, a loot-oriented, third-person melee combat game. The gameplay seems to center around fighting monsters, hunting for loot, building up your armor set, and defeating bosses. Co-op play supports up to three players.

Given some of the interesting advancements in melee combat seen in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and For Honor, it'll be neat to find out how Counterplay and Gearbox expand on that formula. The awesome suits of armor are reminiscent of Anthem; hopefully, Godfall has a better run than BioWare's ill-fated loot shooter.

The trailers reveal some gorgeous art direction, and it's promised as a PS5 launch title with a Holiday 2020 release date. It'll also appear on the Epic Game Store, but there's no word on whether it will have cross-play.

Goodbye Volcano High, an upcoming narrative adventure from Montreal-based KO_OP, stuck out from the other titles that debuted during the June 11 PS5 event. Community manager Marcela Huerta describes the studio's approach as "making games with the kind of art you'd hang on your walls, and the kind of music you'd listen to on Spotify." Based on the Reveal Trailer, that's definitely what you'll get in Goodbye Volcano High.

Billed as an "an end-of-era love story," Goodbye Volcano High focuses on a group of dinosaur teens as they navigate their final year of school. Your choices will inform the kind of adults the characters become and what mark they leave on their surroundings. As the teens' school years draw to a close, they'll discover just how precious their time really is — it turns out the world may soon meet its end.

You'll get to experience Goodbye Volcano High's hand-painted backgrounds and bespoke animations in 4K. The DualSense controller's haptic feedback will really drive the pressure and tension home as you navigate the branching narrative. In-house audio and music design will further enhance the experience, complimented by the talents of non-binary actor Lachlan Watson (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), who voices the main character.

Goodbye Volcano High releases in 2021 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Sony revealed one of its most highly anticipated sequels during its June 11 PS5 event: Horizon: Forbidden West. The follow-up to 2017's PS4 exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn, Forbidden West continues Aloy's story as she travels to a far-future America. The Announcement Trailer offers a look at some of the new environments, threats, and machines you'll have to contend with in the second installment.

Horizon: Zero Dawn, which unfolds in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting complete with robot dinosaurs, shined a light on one of the series' central mysteries. Based on the impressive weather effects demonstrated in the Announcement Trailer, it seems the world is swiftly headed towards a second apocalypse. Aloy has taken up the daunting task of preventing this destruction, a quest that will require her to piece together the secrets of the past.

From traversing deserts to delving into elaborate underwater ruins, Aloy certainly has her work cut out for her. Beyond enduring the perils of long-lost technology and nature, it seems she'll have some new human foes to contend with. Guerrilla Games has not provided any details about this new group of antagonists, but the accompanying company of robo-elephants makes it clear they won't go down without a fight.

According to game director Mathijs de Jonge, Horizon: Forbidden West will release in 2021.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the sequel to the 2016 series reboot from Insomniac Games, will also take advantage of the PlayStation 5's advanced technology. Sony promises the ultra-high speed SSD will allow players to "seamlessly travel through different dimensions in mid-gameplay." Meanwhile, the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and adaptive triggers will add deeper levels of immersion to Ratchet & Clank's combat system.

2016's Ratchet & Clank, which served as a re-imagining of the original game in the series, received a great deal of praise for its gameplay, visuals, and world design. Based on the Announcement Trailer, Rift Apart plans to up the ante by adding a whole multiverse to explore, complete with fresh weapons, tools, and characters. Insomniac also unveiled a new female Lombax, who has already sparked the imaginations of fan artists everywhere.

Much like the console it will debut on, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart does not have a set release date. It's unclear whether the sequel will be a launch title for the PS5 or arrive at a later date.

Following months of rumors sparked by a January 2020 tweet from Bluepoint Games, Sony announced Demon's Souls, a remake of the PlayStation classic of the same name. Bluepoint has built a strong reputation on remasters of Sony-owned properties like Shadow of the Colossus. The remake will be a collaboration with Sony's Japan Studio, which worked with FromSoftware to create the original Demon's Souls.

The Announcement Trailer set the tone with its ominous soundtrack and montage of highly-detailed environments. The remake will incorporate ray tracing and shadow effects. According to the PlayStation Blog, players will have to choose between two modes: one focuses on fidelity, while the other emphasizes frame rates. Though the trailer looks incredible, it does not appear to include any gameplay. That hasn't stopped fans of the series from comparing the remake with the first Demon's Souls.

Sony declined to share a release date or release window for the remaster.

Sony unveiled Project Athia, the debut game from Square Enix's Luminous Productions, during the June 11 PlayStation 5 event. According to studio head Takeshi Aramaki, Project Athia is the culmination of Luminous' focus on creating "new and fresh gaming experiences that fuse together the latest technologies with art." This emphasis shines through in the Teaser Trailer and accompanying screenshots, which provide a look at an other-worldly setting filled with beauty and decay.

Project Athia is one of several upcoming titles that will feature a female protagonist, a welcome change in an industry still dominated by men. The development footage promises sweeping environments and an epic adventure filled with mythical creatures. Luminous has not shared much about the story, so it's unclear what goals the main character will be trying to accomplish. Project Athia also serves as a working title, which likely means the game will release with a different name.

The developers have designed Project Athia to leverage the capabilities of the PS5. It will launch as a console exclusive, as well as on PC. The game currently does not have a release date.

Housemarque's Returnal takes the concept of Groundhog Day and turns it into a roguelike, third-person shooter, sci-fi extravaganza. The developers have shed their arcade shooter origins to transport players to a hostile planet where you'll repeat the same cycle: a crash landing followed by an attack that inevitably leads to your death. With each reanimation the planet changes, taking a little more of the protagonist's sanity with it.

Speaking of protagonists — Returnal is yet another PlayStation 5 exclusive that will feature a female lead. The project eschews tradition even further, focusing on the journey of a middle-aged woman with short hair and a practical getup suited to the task at hand. Her heterochromia (different-colored eyes) offer an extra dose of visual intrigue, but, overall, the design of Returnal's protagonist is refreshingly down to earth.

Like the other titles that debuted during the June 11 reveal event, Returnal will leverage the power of the PS5 in interesting ways. You can switch between firing modes using a single adaptive trigger, and the immersive 3D audio feature will play an important role in the game's positional combat system. Based on the Announcement Trailer, you can also expect some impressive visuals and a lineup of terrifying alien creatures to contend with.

Neither Sony or Housemarque have shared when you'll get to experience Returnal for yourself.

The greatest console sim racing game will make an appearance on the PlayStation 5. While PlayStation 4's Gran Turismo Sport was a little bare-bones on release, it's had a steady flow of free cars and tracks, making it one of the best values in the genre. On top of that, it has excellent racing wheel support, unlike its direct competitor, the Forza series. 

According to GamesRadar+, Gran Turismo head honcho Kazunori Yamauchi has promised PSVR 2.0 support. The PlayStation 4 wasn't really powerful enough to support Gran Turismo Sport's PSVR experience, but the PlayStation 5 won't have any such issues. It's hard to sufficiently emphasize how incredible VR sim racing is. It's immersive, engaging, and stunningly real. If the PS5's performance is comparable to a high end gaming PC, Gran Turismo 7 could become the VR sim racer's game of choice. There are even rumors of 8K performance on the PlayStation 5, something even the most hardcore PC sim racing titles can't boast.

Sony has yet to share a release date for Gran Turismo 7; however, it's been in the works for awhile now and could end up as a launch title.

The Last of Us 2 is, perhaps, the most anticipated PlayStation 5 title of 2020. It's scheduled for release for the PS4, but you're sure to see it on the PS5 as well. Like its predecessor, The Last of Us 2 will release in the twilight phase of its console era as a testament to everything that can be accomplished on the PlayStation 4.

The follow-up is certain to look even better on the PlayStation 5. The biggest fans will buy it twice (especially if the PS5 version comes with all the relevant DLC) and new players will be able to enjoy it on their brand new console.

In case you haven't experienced The Last Of Us, its exploration, looting, crafting, and combat form one of the most refined gameplay loops in the industry, with a story that is compelling, dark, and moving. The Last of Us 2's excellent trailers promise everything the first one gave fans and more. No one has announced The Last Of Us 3, but even if The Last of Us 2 completely bombs (unlikely), you can bet you'll see a sequel on the PlayStation 5.

The first God of War in almost a decade revitalized a tired franchise with brutal third-person combat and all the dad feels. Like many PlayStation 4 exclusives, it's one of the best games of this generation. The sequel hasn't been announced, but fans know Kratos and Atreus' story isn't done yet. GamesRadar+ speculates everyone's favorite father-son deity duo will face down Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world for the Norse pantheon. 

Given Kratos already triggered one apocalypse in God of War 3, it'll be interesting to see how he handles getting wrapped up in one not (entirely) of his own making. Game director Cory Barlog suggested he may eventually explore the relationship between Kratos and his wife Faye. Hopefully, the devs will go all in on the teenage angst aspect as well. It's easy to picture Atreus slamming the door in Kratos' face and turning My Chemical Romance way, way up after being called "Boy" for the millionth time. "I'M JOINING THE BLACK PARADE, DAD!"

The Yakuza series has been part of the PlayStation exclusives family for a long time, though it only recently received an English translation and release. It shifts wildly in tone from dark crime drama to street brawler to karaoke rhythm game. Think Grand Theft Auto in Japan, and you start to get the idea. 

According to GamesRadar+, series director Toshihiro Nagoshi spoke about the upcoming sequel during a Sega-Nama broadcast. He's deeply impressed by the power of the PlayStation 5, both its graphical capability and its potential for "artificial intelligence and machine learning." 

Given deep hand-to-hand combat has always been part of the appeal of the series, it would be interesting to see how enemies could learn from your techniques and patterns. This may be the only franchise that lets you sing karaoke, kick people in the face, play pachinko, and engage in organized crime, making it an awesome addition to the array of possible PlayStation 5 exclusives.

While the Persona series has just arrived on the Switch, it has lived in the PlayStation ecosystem since the '90s. Given Persona 5's smashing success, a sequel is surely in the works. Atlus, Persona's developer, recently circulated a fan survey asking which platform folks wanted to see Persona 6 on. Twinfinite reports that Switch, Stadia, mobile, and PC were mentioned, but you can bet that it will hit the PlayStation 5. 

This relationship simulator role playing game explores Jungian psychology via compelling characters, a deep plot, and intense turn-based dungeon crawling. The latest entry was a massive 100+ hour adventure, and the Royal version of the game promises even more gameplay. Persona 5 dealt with heavy issues of abuse and students surrounded by untrustworthy and immoral adults. The game's protagonists team up to reveal their crimes and punish the guilty. Also, you can date your teacher. It's Persona; things get pretty weird. 

Bloodborne was FromSoftware's take on Lovecraftian horror. At the time of its release, the Souls series had already become shorthand for a particular style of punishing, timing-oriented gameplay, and Bloodborne amped things up by increasing the speed. Rather than blocking, dodging, and waiting for openings, the game encourages you to attack right after you're hit to recover lost health. 

A number of signs point towards Bloodborne 2, including a collection of Easter eggs hidden in other FromSoftware games. The question is whether Sony will shove enough money into From Software's pocket to keep Bloodborne a PlayStation exclusive. This smash hit was an early title for the PlayStation 4, but since then, FromSoftware has released Dark Souls 3 and the award-winning Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, both of which appeared on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Elden Ring, the announced collaboration between George R. R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki, will also appear on all three platforms.

Sucker Punch announced Ghost of Tsushima way back in 2017 and released exciting trailers in 2018 and 2019. Set during the 1274 Mongol invasion of Japan, you play as Jin Sakai, one of the last survivors of a noble samurai clan. Gameplay focuses on open-world third person sword fighting and stealth action. It looks gorgeous, stylish, and cinematic. If Akira Kurosawa made a video game, it would look like Ghost of Tsushima.

Ghost of Tsushima came to PlayStation 4 on July 17, 2020, and will likely get ported to the PlayStation 5 at a later date. It looks stunning and pushes the PS4 to its absolute limit; a PS5 version might increase the frame rate and offer an overall performance boost. The PlayStation 5 will also be equipped to support ray tracing, which would be a welcome addition to Ghost of Tsushima's already stellar visuals.