20. The Last of Us Part II Remastered (PS5)

Arguably the greatest PS4 game, upgraded and repacked for PS5, with cut content and an all-new roguelike inspired mode, which takes full advantage of Naughty Dog’s underappreciated third-person shooter gameplay. The Last of Us Part II Remastered will hold few surprises for those who’ve already played the original, groundbreaking outing – but that doesn’t make it any less essential.

19. Cyberpunk 2077 (PS5)

Following a disastrous PS4 launch, Cyberpunk 2077 might as well have been a brand new game on PS5 over a year later. CD Projekt Red stuck to its guns, delivering a much improved version of the open world RPG on Sony's current-gen console, free of the game-breaking bugs and crashing issues that plagued the initial release. The result is memorable and often engrossing dark future title, peppered with great characters, punchy combat, and some excellent freeform mission design. Better late than never!

18. The Last of Us Part I (PS5)

Forever tainted by its high launch price, The Last of Us Part I is a faithful remake of Naughty Dog's 2013 masterpiece that brings the post-apocalyptic adventure up to modern standards. While the gameplay is largely untouched, its visuals shine with stunning character models, gorgeous backdrops, and an abundance of detail to ensure there's something to look at in every corner. Some will forever question why it was needed, but The Last of Us: Part I has never looked better.

17. Death Stranding Director's Cut (PS5)

Death Stranding Director's Cut takes the truly unique "strand game" adventure and dials things up a notch for PS5. Hideo Kojima and his team created a haunting and strange world with the original game, tasking players with traversing a desolate and dangerous landscape to make deliveries. It shouldn't work, but it does — every step you take can be a risk, and this need to watch your footing is an interesting way to create tension, especially when those nasty BTs show up. Director's Cut enhances the experience with improved graphics and performance, DualSense support, 3D audio, and a range of new content.

16. Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)

The Final Fantasy series has never been one to sit still, and with Final Fantasy 16, it's moved away from its turn-based traditions entirely. The first true action RPG in the mainline games, it's quite the departure from the norm, but it's an excellent entry nonetheless. Featuring a gripping story delivered by brilliant performances, incredibly fun combat, and some of the most spectacular scenes imaginable, this is a fantastic game that pulls out all the stops.

15. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (PS5)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon barely feels next-gen as it’s very much rooted by Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s dated engine and game design principles, but it’s bursting with personality and one of the most varied releases on this list. At its core, it’s a traditional, turn-based (a first for the franchise) role-playing game built around an engaging and relatable party of core characters, but it’s so much more: this small but densely populated open world harbours go-karts, an entire business management minigame, and more wacky side-quests than you can shake a massage wand at. This is one of the most unique and time consuming titles on PS5.

14. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (PS5)

With the best turn-based gameplay, the biggest and best cast of characters, and the most gripping story in the series so far, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is comfortably the greatest Yakuza game to date. Ichican and Kiryu hit up the new destination of Hawaii in search of the former's long-lost mother, but their quest really is just the tip of the iceberg. Improved combat makes fights more engaging than ever, upgraded graphics bring new life to classic locations like Kamurocho, and deep and fascinating characters both new and old mean you won't want to stop playing until the credits roll. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth really is RGG Studio at its peak.

13. Hogwarts Legacy (PS5)

Taking place hundreds of years before the events of Harry Potter, Hogwarts Legacy finally lets fans live out their dream of attending the eponymous school. While there's an intriguing story to follow that takes you far beyond the castle itself, this RPG's strengths are all in the smaller things. The school is a joy to explore, as are the surrounding grounds, because of an obsessive attention to detail that really does imbue the open world with magic. Layer on top solid spell-based combat, flying on your broom, and even rearing magical creatures, and the result is a real crowd-pleaser — and definitely the best game in the franchise.

12. Returnal (PS5)

Returnal is a frantic, ultra-tight third person shooter dressed up with some rogue-like elements to add variety and unpredictability to the mix, and the result is wonderful. Trapped in a loop on a hostile alien world, Selene is forced to relive her fateful crash landing each time she dies. Its mysterious story melds brilliantly with the roguelike structure, and between that and the excellent gameplay, Returnal is a difficult game to put down — and that's before mentioning online co-op, daily challenges, and the highly replayable Tower of Sisyphus.

11. Resident Evil Village (PS5)

For a franchise that has no shortage of experimental entries in its back catalogue, Capcom knows how to make a traditional Biohazard campaign when it wants to. Resident Evil Village adopts the first-person perspective of Resident Evil 7, but this time offers a confident and familiar romp through a sinister Romanian village. With an eclectic cast of curious – but occasionally underdeveloped – villains, the true character of this sequel is the setting itself, which harbours countless secrets and some truly memorable moments. And for those rocking a PSVR2, the full game is playable in virtual reality, which really ratchets up the intensity with overhauled controls and impressive visuals.