40. BioShock: The Collection PS4

BioShock: The Collection is just what it says on the tin: all three of the fan favourite games in one place, and remastered for play on PS4. The first is a true modern classic, introducing us to the unsettling undersea city of Rapture, while the sequels build on what it achieves in some very interesting ways. Each game places you in a fascinating setting that's in the midst of falling apart, and a mix of guns and powers make them a unique set of shooters. These are bold, unusual games that stand out thanks to their incredible worlds and subversive narratives.

39. Shadow of the Colossus PS4

What can be said about Shadow of the Colossus that hasn't been said already? It's truly among PlayStation's best games, and this PS4 remake presents it in the best possible light. Set in a barren open world, devoid of almost all life, you must venture out and slay numerous colossi that are peacefully roaming the land. Each of these boss-style encounters is a puzzle in itself, and they each feel like epic confrontations thanks to incredible animation and music. Remade on PS4, it looks and runs better than ever, too. A bona fide classic.

38. Rayman Legends PS4

Originally planned as a Wii U exclusive, the death knell to Nintendo’s ill-fated home console proved positive news for PlayStation fans when it went multiplatform. Building upon the stunning UbiArt Engine of its predecessor, Rayman Legends is a sublime side-scroller from start-to-finish. While not all of the touchscreen gimmicks translate optimally to the DualShock 4, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better platformer than this on PS4.

37. The Last of Us Part II PS4

How do you follow up one of the best games in the last decade? The Last of Us: Part II had a lot to live up to, with many fans of Joel and Ellie's odyssey protesting the very notion of a sequel. However, Naughty Dog is Naughty Dog, and the studio delivered big time. Following the footsteps of Ellie and Abby in their parallel quests for vengeance, Part II not only advances the storyline of fan favourite characters, but it fills out the original story with wider context, muddying the waters of morality even further in this post-apocalyptic world. Add to that some of the best third-person gunplay in the business, best-in-class visuals, and peerless accessibility features, and you have yourself something pretty special.

36. Inside PS4

Inside is 2D platforming perfection, but it’s the ending that we all remember it for. After two or so hours of impressive puzzle-solving and hints that something isn’t quite right, the game goes off the rails with a 20-minute sequence that is perhaps one of the most memorable of the PS4 generation. An incredible game that has cemented Playdead’s position among the gaming greats.

35. Elden Ring PS4

Elden Ring may not be at its best on PS4, but that doesn't take away from what is an utterly essential trek through The Lands Between. Far and away FromSoftware's best game to date, the developer has expanded on the Souls formula with an open world setting that almost feels like three of its past titles all jam-packed into one gigantic offering. With hundreds of locations to explore, numerous bosses to beat, and build lists off the charts, Elden Ring is the Dark Souls swansong as FromSoftware raises its game all over again. You absolutely must play this.

34. Resident Evil 4 Remaster PS4

What more can be said about Resident Evil 4? Now available on PS4, this is an absolute classic third-person action game, combining the series' horror themes with blood-pumping combat sequences. While it shows its age today, there's no questioning this game's importance and influence, and it remains a fun, intense experience whether you've played it a thousand times or never before.

33. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix PS4

Stuffed with extra content, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix (try saying that three times fast) features not only two of the most beloved action RPGs in history, but also Re:Chain of Memories from the Game Boy Advance, and Birth By Sleep from the PSP. The game hasn’t aged as gracefully as others on this list, but there is undeniable magic here and, of course, a huge sequel to dive into.

32. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales PS4

Insomniac knocked it out of the park with its first Spidey game, but the follow-up is arguably even better. As the name implies, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales focuses on the younger, less experienced hero as he gets to grips with his new abilities, some of which are wildly different from Peter's. While the open world is largely the same, playing as Miles refreshes the game in a few small ways. His electrical powers amp up combat, a penchant for aerobatics makes swinging even more fun, and the story explores his home life and family to great effect. It's a smaller game than Spider-Man 1, but it packs just as much punch — if not more.

31. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV PS4

Bringing a bombastic end to the Cold Steel saga, Trails of Cold Steel IV attempts to tie four games' worth of stories up across an adventure that can last well over 100 hours. A daunting prospect, but developer Falcom somehow makes it work — and that's perhaps Cold Steel IV's most impressive achievement. This is as dense as Trails games get, both in terms of storytelling and gameplay. The series' turn-based combat has been adjusted for better balance, there's a greater sense of freedom to exploration, and a huge roster of playable party members allows for some serious tactical tinkering. A deeply engrossing, often brilliant finale.

30. The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III PS4

A leap forward from the first two Cold Steel titles thanks to a new engine, Trails of Cold Steel III sees a slightly older Rean Schwarzer return to his beloved Thors Military Academy as an instructor. Guiding an all-new Class VII in their special ops missions, it isn't long until old friends (and old enemies) start popping up in what is often an engrossing character-driven story. What's more, Cold Steel III makes some fantastic additions to the series' already great turn-based combat system, while larger environments offer so many opportunities for exploration. One of Falcom's finest.

29. Dark Souls III PS4

From Software's punishing format may have been old hat by the time Dark Souls III deployed, but even three entries in, the studio's stranglehold on great level design remains as strong as ever. The final part of the trilogy, this uber-polished action RPG possesses the same stunning art and deliberate combat as its predecessors, but it's the abundance of fanservice that will most please those who've prayed at the altar of the sun since the series' very start.

28. Final Fantasy VII Remake PS4

Square Enix actually did it. It actually remade Final Fantasy VII, and the result isn't a complete disaster. In fact, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a fantastic action RPG. It may not cover the whole story of the original, but it greatly expands on characters, themes, and plot points included in the Midgar arc. Its crowing achievement is its outstanding combat, which blends real time movement and action with time-pausing command menus. It feels like the evolution of Final Fantasy's classic Active Time Battle system, and it's amazing. What a time to be alive.

27. NieR: Automata PS4

NieR: Automata's complete and utter disregard for your time pays off in so many ways. Yoko Taro's android-based adaptation of Hamlet may seem like anime schlock for the first 20 hours or so, but stick with it and you'll be rewarded with one of the richest narratives in games today. This character action title revels in subverting your expectations, and it crescendos with a mind-blowing climax that will leave your jaw on the floor.

26. Final Fantasy IX PS4

Many a Final Fantasy fan would tell you that Square's series peaked with Final Fantasy IX. An indisputable PlayStation classic, it first released as an utterly outstanding swansong for Sony's first console. A masterfully crafted world is inhabited by excellent characters, and it's all placed alongside more traditional RPG mechanics, refined to near perfection. With superb story pacing that whisks you from one gripping scenario to the next, it's still incredibly hard to fault Final Fantasy IX.

25. Horizon Zero Dawn PS4

A role-playing game with action more fulfilling than most corridor shooters, Guerrilla Games’ heritage with first-person shooters means that Horizon Zero Dawn’s sizeable quest list is one you’ll actually enjoy clearing. The real surprise here, though, is the richness of the post-apocalyptic world that protagonist Aloy inhabits; this is a science-fiction story set against a tribal backdrop, and it marries these incongruent themes masterfully. An incredible effort from the Dutch developer.

24. Final Fantasy X HD Remaster PS4

Final Fantasy has always had love stories, but few of them have resonated stronger than the one featured in Final Fantasy X. While the writing hasn't aged especially well — along with some of the voice acting — Final Fantasy X helped define the PS2 generation for a lot of people. It was something of a revolution for Square's series — a new combat system! Voice acting! Realistic looking characters! — and it remains a highly regarded fan favourite. Just don't get bogged down in trying to dodge 200 lightning bolts on your first try, okay?

23. Horizon Forbidden West PS4

With Horizon Forbidden West, Guerrilla Games had to deliver something pretty special to top the beloved first game. Fortunately, by improving on its weakest areas and tightening the design, the sequel more than lives up to Aloy's debut adventure. A huge, varied open world is home to not only brilliant new machines to fight, but also some of the series' most interesting and fleshed out human tribes. Between beautiful settlements, old world ruins, and natural environments, the world is a pleasure to explore with Aloy's new traversal methods. The main story manages to pack in some big surprises while the supporting characters and missions are vastly improved, and there's more than ever to do outside of some of the best combat in any open world title. It's, somehow, a better game than Zero Dawn in almost every way.

22. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice PS4

Sekiro is a slight departure from the rest of FromSoftware's output this generation, but it's no less impressive. Dropping some RPG elements from the Souls series and focusing on intense swordfights, the game has a much more action oriented flow, and it's excellent. Every fight is a knife-edge battle of wits as you aim to parry every strike, and it makes for an adventure that's thrilling from start to finish. With some insanely good boss encounters, a beautiful world to explore, and a uniquely challenging combat system, Sekiro is among the best action games on PS4.

21. Grand Theft Auto V PS4

A game so popular that it’s existed through three console generations, GTA 5’s unstoppable commercial success makes Los Santos the most iconic open world game ever made. Its ambitious multi-pronged campaign – starring downbeat middle-aged gangster Michael, witty wannabe Franklin, and bonafide psychopath Trevor – is littered with memorable moments, including a bank heist and a jewellery store robbery. But it’s online where the title has earned its longevity, offering a multiplayer suite unlike anything else available.