
We're now halfway through 2026 — scary, I know — and so in traditional Push Square fashion, we've taken a look back at the first six months of the year to determine its best PS5 games so far.
Earlier in the week, I published a poll asking readers to select their favourite 2026 titles up until now.
Over 5,400 votes later, and we have a top ten. To be clear, there were 50 releases to choose from, so the ones that have floated to the top really are popular.
Indeed, it'll be interesting to see where some of these games end up in our actual Game of the Year vote at the end of 2026. Given just how packed the schedule is, I'd be surprised if today's winners find it so easy next time around...
Subscribe to Push Square on YouTube171k
So without further ado, here are the top ten PS5 games of 2026 so far... according to you!
10. Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined - 110 votes (2%)
9. Mina the Hollower - 122 votes (2%)
8. Nioh 3 - 134 votes (2%)
7. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight - 176 votes (3%)
6. Hades 2 - 231 votes (4%)
5. Saros - 432 votes (8%)
4. Crimson Desert - 534 votes (10%)
3. Pragmata - 705 votes (13%)

Because of its years-long marketing push, I did always think Pragmata would be a hit if the game itself was fun to play — but I honestly didn't see it being this popular.
A brand new IP from Capcom, this unique third-person shooter has managed to strike a chord with a huge audience. It's a title with heart and often top-notch gameplay.
I think it's cool that Capcom's finding success not just with its established properties, but with new stuff, too. Taking third place on this list is no easy feat, but Pragmata's made it look fairly simple, and that's impressive.
2. 007 First Light - 791 votes (15%)

James Bond is back, and he's back with an undeniable bang. Developer IO Interactive knocked this action-stealth adventure out of the park, combining solid, confident storytelling with punchy gameplay.
This version of Bond seems to have really resonated with players. He's a volatile newbie who's rough around the edges, but that makes his growth across the campaign all the more endearing.
I don't think First Light does anything particularly new — and it's happy to wear its inspirations on its sleeve — but it pulls everything together with a kind of swagger that perfectly suits the property.
1. Resident Evil Requiem - 967 votes (18%)

Two Capcom games in the top three? But of course. The Japanese developer can simply do no wrong, it seems, and Resident Evil Requiem's place on this list speaks volumes as to how well the company's handled its classic horror IP over the last decade or so.
Requiem feels like a greatest hits compilation, as it jumps between often terrifying survival gameplay and all-out, Leon's-got-an-axe action. And somehow, it nails both aspects, while also providing a predictably cheesy but engaging Resi story.
Congratulations to Resident Evil Requiem, then — you're our Game of the Year! Well, for now, at least. We'll have to wait and see whether it can stand up to the heavy hitters that are yet to come.
What do you think of this top ten? Do you broadly agree with the people's vote, or were there any games that got robbed? Argue as much as you like in the comments section below.





Comments 47
RE9 is game of the year, games don't need to be 100+ hours long to prove that, just well made and enjoyable to play, yes it has flaws , but the experience I had playing RE9 will stick with me for a very long time... Oh and Grace is one of the best characters they have ever made and Angela has the VA award in the bag!
Got Pragmata and RE9 as a birthday gift from my wife. Still busy with FF16 but can't wait to start Pragmata.
Wow! No 9/10 Marathon on this list? Games just too good to wanna play I guess…
@For-Kier niche title
I forgot what I voted but it makes me sad seeing Nioh 3 that low. Its easy one of the greatest Action RPG ever.
007 is such a great game. A mix of Hitman and Uncharted with a little bit of Max Payne 3 added to it. Had 20 hrs of fun with this game and still playing some of the Tech Sim missions.
Batman and Crimson Desert are on my list as well but not need to rush.
I think both mine and this top 5 will look quite a bit different by the year’s end but regardless, what a great year for games.
Burned out on Nioh 3, but still enjoyed my 50+ hours with it. Saros was such a letdown. Pragmata is tops for me.
Have yet to play RER, Bond.
Looks like a sound list for the first half of the year. I've only played a couple, though I anticipate that I'll add Crimson Desert after the price has had a chance to calm down. Maybe they'll put out some DLC and release a complete edition down the line.
A pretty damn solid top 10 list with everyone deserving being on it.
@For-Kier yawn..
I‘m actually surprised. Fantastic PS Studios titles Saros and Marathon not in the top 3, here on PushSquare? In other years, beead-and-butter games like Spider-Man 2, Ratchet 2, Horizon 2, GoW 2, Ghost of Tsushima 2 and PS5 exclusives like Death Stranding 2 wiped the floor.
But who could blame the audience when an already stone-cold classic like RE9 is number one? My number one game for sure.
@CheesyOatcake It's wild because from those 10 games I have already played 5 of them and with plenty more to come from the second half of the year 😅
Pragmata’s my pick, I think, but I’m totally cool if Requiem is GotY. 2026’s line-up basically beat 2025’s entire line up by March, honestly.
@Max_the_German Saros and Marathon are both great games (hell I even still play Marathon every once in awhile) but neither have the broad appeal or audience reach of a Resident Evil or James Bond game…but yes historically PS Studios games do tend to top the lists around here
Nice list. But it'll be interesting to see a complete list once Wolverine, Phantom Blade 0, Onimusha, Control Resonant, Castlevania: Belmont Curse, Ace Combat 8, SH Townfall, MGS Master Collection 2, and GTA 6 comes out.
Although, i have doubt Marvel Tokon will be popular in this site since most of you guys don't like fighting games + live service. And Beast of Reincarnation, Stupid Never Dies, and Chronoscript probably will be under the radar for most people in here.
@PuppetMaster Honestly I can't see Townfall, MGS VOL 2, Ace Combat, Castlevania and BoC moving the needle too much, don't get me wrong I have most of those games on preorder but none of them will be up for GOTY
I would put nioh 3 in my top 3.but pragmata is a good game.007 first light and resident evil requiem both good games.word up son
RE Requiem and 007 First Light are my top 2 picks.
I have played other games this year, but none came close enough to those 2 to vote for.
Crimson desert Resident evil requiem first light my top 3. Myself personally if I'm going to spend 70 dollars on a game I want my money's worth. Crimson desert because of the amount of content and gameplay . Resident evil story and atmosphere. First light its James bond at its best story gameplay bother superb.
@Rich33 Surprised you have't got around to Pragmata yet, it has my seal of approval if that means anything...
@Oram77
I haven't yet (and it does).
I tend to play games until I have played through once (if a massive game), or twice or more (if not), and always intend to 100% a game (not trophies though).
I nearly never 'pause' this routine - except where the game I am pausing to play instead is a game I have REALLY been looking forwards to (then I go back to the paused game after).
RE Requiem ticked that box, and I paused a playthrough to play RE (a few times).
By the time I was ready for my next new game, 007 was only a day or 2 away, and after reading/watching reviews, I just wanted it more, and I am still playing it.
I'm sure I will play Pragmata at some point, hopefully before the autumn bloodbath!
Monster Hunter Stories 3 missing from the top 10 is criminal, I also voted for Marathon but I expected that not to show up.
First Light and Pragmata are definitely up there for me. I'm yet to play RE9 but I imagine it'll be a corker.
Far, far ahead of any other game this year though, is Crimson Desert. It's been a long time since anything has ever blown me away to that degree.
I'm fine with either Requiem or Pragmata being #1. Both are head and shoulders above anything else that has came out this year.
My personal top 3 is currently First Light, Mixtape and Marathon - in no particular order. I'll never play RE9 but everything I've heard is impressive so it's an unsurprising number one. There'll be some revision later in the year looking at how stacked the releases are from September onwards, I'm sure.
My personal top ten so far is the following.
1: Romeo Is a Dead Man
2: 007: First Light
3: Nioh 3
4: Resident Evil Requiem
5: Code Vein II
6: LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
7: Dark Auction
8: Saros
9: Crisol: A Theater of Idols
10: Greedfall: The Dying World
A lot of great games on this list. I got the platinum for 007 First Light and NiOh 3. Pragmata is my personal GoTY so far, followed by RE9.
Pragmata should be joint first. The gameplay excels enough to match RE9's overall.
@Oram77 I'm not talking about who's gonna win GotY but more about the games that will change this top 10 list, which definitely will change at the end of the year.
@Max_the_German LOL are you really shocked that Marathon isn’t on that list???? As for Saros, it’s way more of a hardcore game than almost every other 1st party PlayStation game. It’s not some 3rd person action adventure game with a focus on narrative.
Really happy with this list. Nice wide range of games. Especially happy seeing Saros be as high as it is and also that Nioh 3 even made the list. Great year so far.
@PuppetMaster of all the games too even give mention you talk about stupid never dies???
@JAMes-BroWWWn low key just be happy it’s even on the list man. Nioh 3 is a phenomenal game yes but it 1000% lost all attention when the onslaught with Requiem and onward. The fact that it even is on the list is impressive and good.
Hard to believe we're already halfway through the year, but Resident Evil Requiem is still running away with my personal Game of the Year spot. The atmosphere, the return of Leon, and that brilliant balance of old-school horror tension with modern combat just haven't been matched yet. Capcom is lighting it all up right now.
I feel like I'm the only person who thought Requiem was the weakest of the new RE games. Such a massive drop-off propped by clear nostalgia baiting in the second half of that game. The so called Zombies that remember their past was a gimmick that wasn't used nearly as much as it could've been.
Personally Saros is my goty followed by First Light. They're the only GREAT games that have come out so far.
Wow, I truly haven’t played any new games this year. None on this list has been played by me. 007 might be the only one I’ll eventually try.
my top two would be mixed tape and saros, the only other two games from 2026 that i have played were re9 and crimson desert. Requiem was one of the weaker modern resident evils and Crimson Desert was an overstuffed suitcase filled with unfinished ideas.
I've played and beat 4 of these games and they were all brilliant in their own ways.
I agree with the top 3 but in my opinion Pragmata would be ahead of 007 (wouldn't have guessed I'd be saying that to be fair)
Capcom are on a roll. Onimisha is shaping up well too and Code Veronica remake on the horizon. Whatever they are doing other publishers need to take note
I still haven’t played either 007 First Light or RE Requiem, which gives me something to look forward to. That’s if I can fit them in to an already packed year for games!
My backlog is so large. 007 would probably be my first 2026 game
Crimson Desert definitely brings the most bang for your buck. £50, I'm 200+ hours in and only just getting to chapter 10. Can't wait to get RE9 but playing 4 on the side and want to play Village before getting it. First Light and Pragmata I'll get to but will pick up on sale. Back cat is massive and there are some great games coming out in September. Blood of the Dawnwalker and Control could easily be my GOTY.
I knew Crimson Desert would disappoint me when I bought it and I wasn't wrong. I really don't get the love for such a heavily flawed game, when similar titles aren't given a pass.
Requiem as well just misfired for me. I feel that RE 7, 8 and 9 have all been weaker than the remasters of 2, 3 and 4.
7 and 8 less-so, but with 9 I really started to feel tired. I will say the same about Forza Horizon 6 which most of you can't play yet, as that is just leaving me flat, despite on paper doing everything right.
It's actually Pragmata that's proved to be the most interesting even though it's not as refined (it's a first attempt after all) as Requiem and Horizon 6 which over the years have been able to polish their concept to a tee..........whilst somehow losing something...
The only games I’ve played on release were Yakuza 3 (very disappointed in it), Hades 2 (one of the best games I’ve played in years), and 007: First Light (an extremely fun game with a top tier performance by Patrick Gipson). I am excited to play Pragmata & Resident Evil Requiem eventually!
@JAMes-BroWWWn These sort of lists are always affected by recency bias so I think it could have been a bit higher, but the more recent games just stick in people minds more.
Definitely enjoying 007 and glad it made the list. Pragmata and Resident Evil Requiem are those I am not playing. Pragmata looks super fun, but not interested in playing and burnt out on zombie anything these days, but happy for those who played and enjoyed both games.
Also surprised Marathon isn't at least on the list , its head and shoulders my favourite GOTY so far and would take one hell of a game to best it .
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...