Talking Point: Does PS5 Have a Sequel Problem? 1
Image: Push Square

There's a silly notion going around that the PS5 has no games, which is of course nonsense, but when you stand back and look at some of the console's biggest titles, there is an interesting pattern.

Many PlayStation fans have fond memories of the PS4 era, a time in which Sony was doubling down on its first-party efforts.

Long-standing franchises like God of War were revived to universal acclaim, while new series quickly grew to become some of Sony's best-sellers — Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Marvel's Spider-Man being prime examples.

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The PS5 plays host to its share of original, Sony-published games, such as Astro Bot, Returnal, and Stellar Blade, but much of its lineup has been bolstered by sequels, and it's these we want to shine a light on.

Recently released was Ghost of Yotei, a sequel to the aforementioned Tsushima. While it follows a different protagonist in a different time period, the core game is broadly the same, albeit better in almost every regard.

Talking Point: Does PS5 Have a Sequel Problem? 3

It makes smart additions and refinements to the original template, takes advantage of the PS5's additional power, and has a high degree of polish players have come to expect from PS Studios.

What's interesting is that you can basically say exactly this for several other PS5 sequels, namely God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

All of them are great games that improve upon the core gameplay, further their respective stories, and utilise the PS5 to its fullest.

However, a shared criticism among them all is that they're all pretty safe.

They all double down on a formula that resonated the first time around, enhancing things with new or improved features, but not necessarily pushing things forward in a meaningful way.

Talking Point: Does PS5 Have a Sequel Problem? 4

It makes total sense for Sony to produce these sequels; they're more-or-less guaranteed to sell well, and they're unlikely to upset anyone because, by and large, they're playing the same hits that did the job last time.

The problem is that, despite their quality as games, they can feel a bit toothless. All four of the games in question are well worth playing, but unlike the titles that preceded them, there's an argument they aren't really forging ahead.

Saros is due for release in March of 2026, and strictly speaking, it isn't a direct sequel to Returnal, but all we've seen anyone say about it is that it's essentially Returnal 2.

To be clear, that's not a bad thing at all; Returnal remains a favourite here at Push Square. But there's a concern among hardcore fans that we're in for yet another iterative follow-up that's simply sticking to what works.

Talking Point: Does PS5 Have a Sequel Problem? 2

It's tricky; sticking to what works is the smart play, as you're going to get good reviews and good feedback from loyal players who just want more of what they like. There's nothing wrong with that, really.

We reckon what's partly to blame is just how long it takes to make games of this scale these days. There were almost exactly two years between the release of PS2's God of War and God of War II; the time between God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok is more than double that.

Sequels that iterate and improve in this way used to come out much faster, and so there was a greater sense of momentum. Games are taking longer and longer to make, and this might be diminishing their impact.

Moreover, Sony is a games publisher known for testing new waters and establishing interesting new IPs. This hasn't totally gone away, of course — in fact, we might finally be seeing more of this in the years to come.

Talking Point: Does PS5 Have a Sequel Problem? 5

We've already mentioned Saros (technically a new IP), but also on the horizon are Marvel's Wolverine and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, so we're venturing into unknown territory, and that's exciting.

We should also note that these safe sequels aren't just coming from PlayStation; it's something we're seeing from many big publishers.

We're in a very risk-averse time; triple-A games are ludicrously expensive and time-consuming to make, so they need to land with their respective audiences.

The way to do that is to keep selling people on what they already like, and we end up with perfectly good but by-the-numbers sequels like Borderlands 4, The Outer Worlds 2, and Assassin's Creed's recent history.

Anyway, what do you think? Have you been loving Sony's big sequels on PS5? Do they feel fresh or have they been playing it safe? Discuss in the comments section below.

Have you been enjoying Sony's sequels on PS5? (1,834 votes)

  1. Yes, I love them39%
  2. Yeah, they're decent enough33%
  3. Not sure5%
  4. Not really, bit underwhelming19%
  5. No, they're rubbish4%

Which of these PS5 sequels do you like best? (1,578 votes)

  1. Ghost of Yotei21%
  2. God of War Ragnarok40%
  3. Horizon Forbidden West21%
  4. Marvel's Spider-Man 218%

Which of these PS5 sequels do you like better than the first game in their series? (1,788 votes)

  1. Ghost of Yotei22%
  2. God of War Ragnarok33%
  3. Horizon Forbidden West26%
  4. Marvel's Spider-Man 219%