When it comes to single-player games, Sony has long had the edge over its console rivals. This is because many ofPlayStation Studios' most talented developersfocus primarily on narrative-driven experiences these days, which has resulted in some of the best single-player games of all time being released exclusively on PlayStation consoles.
Granted,many big PlayStation exclusives have been released on PC in recent years, but Sony still reigns supreme in the home console space. The best single-player PS5 games are among the industry’s very finest and provide players with settings and storylines that are capable of keeping them engaged from start to finish.
35Dredge
OpenCritic Rating: 82
For those who prefer single-player titles to their multiplayer counterparts,Dredgemight just be the perfect game. Though it’s not too heavy on the narrative front, it’s able to evoke a feeling of isolation within its players; jumping between serene and peaceful sailing to nightmare-inducing mayhem at the drop of a hat.
It’s this dichotomous contrast and the creativity that went intosome of the game’s many Lovecraftian creaturesthat make this one of the best single-player games on the PlayStation 5 and a must-play for fans of eerie and atmospheric horror games. The experience that’s on offer here isn’t a particularly long one, but just about every second of it is thoroughly enjoyable.
34Octopath Traveler 2
OpenCritic Rating: 85
Mostclassic JRPG franchisesmade the leap from 2D to 3D around the turn of the century, but that’s not to say that there aren’t still a few fantastic 2D role-playing games around today.Octopath Traveler 2is a great example of this, with the 2023 title proving that pixel art can still be every bit as beautiful as bleeding-edge 3D graphics.
The game improves upon its predecessor in just about every measurable way; save, perhaps, for in the narrative department. That’s more down to the fact that the stories explored in the first game are so damn incredible though, with the sequel still offering an engaging and enjoyable plot. Of course, players will probably want tocheck out the firstOctopath Travelergameas well if at all possible.
33Stray
OpenCritic Rating: 84
Though not quite on the same level as games likeUndertaleandSuper Meat Boy,Strayremains one of the most impressive indie games to have come out in recent years. The 2022 title sees players controlling a stray cat as they attempt to find their way out of a gigantic underground living space inspired by Kowloon’s former walled city.
Despite being a little on the short side and its over-simplified platforming, the game is still highly enjoyable and boasts a surprisingly engaging narrative that will likely have players welling up a little at the end. It’s one of the best single-player games on the PlayStation 5 and a poignant reminder of what indie game devs can do when given a platform.
32Star Wars Outlaws
OpenCritic Rating: 76
Star Wars Outlawsmakes no attempts to reinvent the wheel, but that isn’t to say that it’s not worth checking out. It’s the least Ubisoft-likeUbisoft gameto have been released over the past few decades, replacing traditional skill trees and the copy-paste map fillers with which the developer has become synonymous for some semi-original ideas.
There’s perhaps an argument to be made forStar Wars Outlawsbeing an excellent game in spite of its open world rather than because of it, with most of the points of interest onToshara, Tatooine, and Akivabeing fairly forgettable, and the latter being a nightmare to navigate. However, the game’s main cities are all fantastic and the story is pretty decent as well, at least when compared to some of the more recentStar Warsmedia.
31Braid Anniversary Edition
OpenCritic Rating: 89
It’s hard to believe thatBraidis now more than fifteen years old, but harder still to emphasize just how important Jonathan Blow’s hugely influential title was to the indie game movement of the late 2010s. Like many of the othergreat indie games from that era,Braidhas aged extremely well, with its anniversary edition offering players a puzzle platforming experience that isn’t to be missed.
Braid Anniversary Editionis much more than just a rerelease, though, with new puzzles, improved visuals, and creator commentary making this the quintessential version of the game for all intents and purposes. Puzzle game fans who still haven’t played this one will be blown away by its creativity, while returning players will be hit with a warm and fuzzy wave of early two-thousands nostalgia.
30Moss
Polyarc’sMossgames are far from the best-looking PSVR 2 games, but there’s a certain charm to their woodland setting that makes them highly enjoyable to explore. The fact that the player spends more time controlling Quill than they do the reader whose eyes they view the games' events through can take a bit of getting used to, but it ends up being a welcome change from the usual first-person experiences that VR typically has to offer.
That the player is accompanied by Quill for most of the games does an excellent job of distracting from the fact thatMossis a single-player affair. Sure, there are a few other characters here and there, but for the most part, the games focus on the relationship between the young rodent and her reader to great effect. The puzzles are thought-provoking too, and the hidden collectibles provide a compelling reason to dive back intothe games' fairytale worldfrom time to time.
29Tales of Arise
OpenCritic Rating: 87
When asked to think of along-running JRPG franchise, most people’s minds will instantly jump to the likes ofFinal FantasyandDragon Quest. Bandai Namco’sTalesseries hasn’t been around for quite as long as either of these two gaming behemoths has, but its history is arguably every bit as rich. In fact, it has more mainline installments than either, the most recent of which is calledTales of Arise.
Released in late 2021,Tales of Arisetells the story of Alphen: an ashen-haired warrior with no memory of his past. He does remember his hatred for Dahna’s Renan overlords though, and, together with a colorful cast of like-minded characters, sets out to bring their reign of terror to an end. It’s one of the bestTalesgames in recent memory, and a must-play title for JRPG enthusiasts.
28The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
OpenCritic Rating: 90
As graphics have improved and narrative-driven gameplay has taken hold, video games have, for the most part, become a lot more serious over the past decade or so.The Stanley Parablebucks this trend though, with its writing serving as a delicious throwback to some of thehilarious and self-aware point-and-click adventure gamesfrom the late eighties and early nineties.
The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxeushers in more of the same, with plenty of new content for players to enjoy. When all’s said and done, there’s around twice as much for players to see and do this time around, making this great value for money. The way that it parodies the video game industry is masterful, but it’s perhaps the way that it pokes fun at itself, and, to a certain degree, the player, for tolerating its tomfoolery, that makes this game so memorable.
27Dragon’s Dogma 2
Open-world action-adventure games are a dime a dozen these days, yet very few offer enough to set themselves apart from the crowd. Through sheer stubbornness more than anything else,Dragon’s Dogma 2manages to do exactly that, with Hideaki Itsuno and the rest of the development team encouraging players to rethink the way that they interact with modern video games through a series of unconventional, yet mostly effective design choices.
Following the eventual success of the firstDragon’s Dogmagame, expectations were pretty high for its 2024 sequel, and the game duly delivers, for the most part. The monetization is unfortunate, and some may not appreciate being encouraged to play a certain way when so many other games offer a bit more freedom in this department, but the overall experience is one that should satisfy most players, particularly those who enjoyed the first game.
26Black Myth: Wukong
OpenCritic Rating: 81
Inspired by Wu Cheng’en’sJourney to the West,Black Myth: Wukongis an action RPGdeveloped and published by Game Science. Controlling a silent, anthropomorphic ape who becomes known as the Destined One, players are tasked with tracking down six ancient relics so that they can revive Sun Wukong, who has been sealed in stone.
There are over 100bosses inBlack Myth: Wukong, making this an excellent game for fans of challenging combat and well-realized boss fights. The visuals are gorgeous too and the story is well told, despite some critics choosing to take issue with some of the creative decisions made by the developers. It’s far from the perfect game, but it’s a lot better than some people would have you believe.
