1. Marvel’s Spiderman

Now this is a Spiderman game done right. One of the best things about this game is it gives equal emphasis to the stories of both Spiderman and the guy behind the mask, Peter Parker. Insomniac Games have created a game that feels like the definitive Spidey experience. The feeling of embodying our favourite webslinger and using his abilities is astonishing and the time spent on exploring its major characters help make its story feel heartfelt and well written. There have been open-world Spider-Man games before, but none so riveting and full of personality, none that explore and do justice to this many facets of the universe. If you have a PS4, you have to have this game.

2. God Of War (2018)

In many ways, God of War is what the series has always been. It’s a spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress. This time, however, the story and the storytelling itself shine as well. Kratos is no longer a predictable brute. God of War is no longer an old-fashioned action series. With this reboot, that shifts the game lore from Greek to Norse mythology, it confidently walks a new path that will hopefully lead to more exciting adventures to come.

3. Bloodborne

Bloodborne comes out of the studio that created the notoriously difficult and hugely popular Dark Souls series, FromSoftware. Bloodborne follows the player character, the Hunter, through the decrepit Gothic, Victorian era inspired city of Yharnam, with the player character unraveling the city’s intriguing mysteries while fighting beasts, ultimately attempting to find the source of the plague and stop it. The varied and challenging gameplay is focused on weapons-based combat and exploration. The game is both a bestseller and a critic’s favourite. Here’s to the hunt.

4. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

If ever there was a franchise that makes you feel like you’re actually “playing a movie,” it has to be the Uncharted series. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End just takes it to the nest level. Drake reunites with his estranged older brother Sam and longtime partner Sully to search for Captain Henry Avery’s lost treasure. The game features larger and more open levels than previous Uncharted games; players have more freedom to explore and move in combat, progress through enemy encounters undetected using stealth, and can use vehicles. Reviewers particularly praised the game’s narrative, emotional depth, visual quality, multiplayer mode, improved gameplay, and music. Did I mention it was the best-reviewed game of 2016? It’s a little old, but it’s gaming gold.

5. Horizon: Zero Dawn

Horizon Zero Dawn is an action role-playing video game developed by Guerrilla Games that follows Aloy, a hunter in a world overrun by machines, who sets out to uncover her past. The player uses ranged weapons, a spear and stealth to combat mechanised creatures and loot their remains. A skill tree provides the player with new abilities and bonuses. The player can explore the open world to discover side quests. A good point to raise here, there are so many side quests in this game that it can be a little overwhelming. But if you’re a completionist like me, you won’t let a single one pass you by. Story mode can always wait, right?

6. The Last Of Us (Remastered)

The Last of Us was one of the greatest games to grace the PS3, and the PS4 remaster is one of the many remastered games that are better than the originals. Set in a post-apocalyptic United States, the story follows Joel as he transports a young girl, called Ellie, who is seemingly invulnerable to the human infection killing everyone else. The pair must fight and hide in a bid to survive. It’s gruesome, thrilling, and touching. The remaster makes full use of the more powerful hardware on the PS4 to improve the frame rate, increase the resolution, and make use of the DualShock 4. It also includes the Left Behind DLC, a sweet adventure that explores Ellie’s earlier life, full of quiet moments and punchy thrills.

7. Shadow Of The Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus took the PS2 by storm back in the day. The game has been remade for the PS4. A young man finds himself in a deserted cathedral with an unresponsive woman on his horse’s back, and is promised that he can get help if he kills the giant creatures that roam the land. There’s something tragic and lonely about the entire experience. While the core gameplay remains the same, the control scheme has been improved. The most noticeable difference, though, is the audiovisual overhaul. This is a stunningly impressive game to look at and listen to. A legendary game that must be played.