Top PlayStation 4 Games 2023

It’s easy to see why someone would want to visit Rook Island – it’s a stunning tropical location with plenty of fun activities, scenic views, and history worth discovering. Far Cry 3 disrupts that paradise to challenge your feelings about enjoying violence. Because of lunatics like Hoyt and Vaas, you’ll see beautiful things you never would have. You’ll do terrible things that make you uncomfortable and meet fascinating, disgusting people. You’ll sympathize with Jason Brody’s difficult choices as he turns from vapid young man into a monster. Far Cry 3 is important for the same reason as Far Cry 2. It’s a shooter that considers shooters thoughtfully, both in the way they’re designed and the way we play them, and then asks us to do the same. Should massacring hundreds be a great way to entertain ourselves? Maybe not. But it is.

Heavy Rain is a hell of an experience. Its controversial control scheme actually works really well in allowing the fantastic story to dictate how events play out, and many of the game's scenes will keep you on the edge of your seat. It starts slow and the presentation isn't perfect, but the character development, dialog and story twists will hook you like few games can. Heavy Rain is not to be missed.

Nier: Automata is a crazy, beautiful, and highly entertaining journey full of nutty ideas and awesome gameplay. It may not include the most sensical story or compelling characters, but its frenzied combat -- coupled with beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack – make it too much fun to pass up.

Insurgency: Sandstorm isn’t the prettiest shooter of 2018, but the places where it excels are the places that matter to me most as a player. Its gunplay is superb, its arsenal is exemplary, and (with the exception of the excellent Firefight) the maps and modes are serviceable enough to facilitate its memorably frantic and immersive FPS combat. I can’t wait to see where it goes in the future, but even as it stands now Insurgency: Sandstorm is a pleasant surprise that’s worthy of your time.

Final Fantasy XII’s relatable roleplaying adventure has aged remarkably well, and The Zodiac Age remaster improves it further in meaningful ways. The storytelling, visual design, and gameplay feel just as fresh and interesting as they did over a decade ago, and the various new enhancements and adjustments will give new players a chance to experience the magic for the first time and fans of the original something enticing to return for.

Mortal Kombat X is the series' best installment yet, offering deep fighting gameplay, a cinematic story mode and some truly over-the-top finishing moves.

Shadow of the Colossus is easily one of my favorite games on the PlayStation 2 and ranks highly among my favorites on any system. It is a true masterpiece in terms of art direction and, dare I say, cinematography. From the fights with the colossi to exploring the world to basically just standing back and letting it all soak in, Shadow of the Colossus is an amazing experience and an absolute must-have title.

Whether or not it's the best, this is certainly the most audacious Monster Hunter game. World takes a dramatic leap into a look, feel, and size that feels truly new, simultaneously staying true to the series’ ideals by maintaining the addictive loop of combat, intimidating monsters and meaningful upgrades that fans love. The sheer depth and commitment required is still intense, but it clearly isn’t Capcom’s aim to court a casual crowd. This is as all-consuming and incredible a ride as ever.

Tekken 7 truly is a hallmark, a fighting game crafted with obvious affection. It strikes a fine balance between accessibility to series newcomers and retaining much of its technical traditions. The soundtrack is an electronic treat, and while the story can at times seem a bit cliche, the fact that it never takes itself too seriously lets it bring in a tremendous amount of flexible character customization. Its dedication to the details helps push it into the position of my favorite fighting game of 2017 so far.

Alan Wake Remastered doesn’t overhaul the original foundations, but it does add welcome improvements to a game that has mostly stood the test of time.