The 10 best PlayStation 5 games of 2025

The PlayStation 5 is entering the latter phase of its lifespan, a period when developers are able to fully utilise its strengths and push its technology in ways that were impossible during the console’s early years.

While expectations across the industry were shaped by delays and shifting calendars, the PS5 still delivered a remarkably strong slate. Genres expanded, beloved franchises returned with major reinventions and new voices arrived with fresh ideas.

Here, we highlight best rated PS5 titles of 2025.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

French game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the best rated game of the year. Photo: Sandfall Interactive

Metacritic score: 92

Key review: “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a marvel of a video game. A game-changing, genre-bending masterpiece” – PSX Extreme

The year’s most acclaimed release brings a level of artistic confidence rarely seen in a major title. Clair Obscur blends surreal French fantasy with turn-based combat and a story about resistance in a world trapped in cycles of destruction. Its gorgeous aesthetic and elegant mechanics have made it a defining work of the past year. The animation, music and voice acting align to create a tone that feels haunting. Players have praised its approach to storytelling and its ability to deliver emotional weight without sacrificing gameplay depth.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a challenging, but fun side-scrolling game. Photo: Team Cherry

Metacritic score: 92

Key review: “Challenging, frustrating, invigorating and oh-so fulfilling, Silksong is simply a masterpiece in almost every way” – GamingBolt

After years of anticipation by the most ardent gaming fans, Silksong arrived this year. Team Cherry elevates the Hollow Knight formula by focusing on the agile Hornet, creating faster traversal, more expressive combat and a world that is denser, more vertical and filled with new biomes. Its handcrafted environments and demanding encounters have made it an essential action platformer. What distinguishes Silksong is its sense of fluidity. Hornet’s movement style encourages aggressive play and inventive routes through each region, giving speedrunning and exploration new depth.

Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 is one of the biggest Xbox titles that came to the PS5 this year after years of exclusivity. Photo: Playground Games

Metacritic score: 92

Key review: “Forza Horizon 5 is a visual spectacle and a masterpiece, providing plenty to do and tons of fun to be had around every corner” – God is a Geek

Forza Horizon 5 is not a new game. It launched in 2021, but its arrival on PS5 this year is significant because it marks a rare platform shift that once seemed unthinkable. After years as a flagship Xbox exclusive, the Forza Horizon series crossing over to PlayStation is a major moment in a changing industry that is more open and less defined by traditional console boundaries. The Mexican open world remains one of gaming’s most joyous and vibrant sandboxes. PS5 players experience the full breadth of its high-speed festivals, diverse biomes and open-ended challenges with the added benefit of DualSense feedback.

Split Fiction

Split Fiction is a multiplayer game that navigates words of scifi and fantasy. Photo: Hazelight

Metacritic score: 91

Key review: “Split Fiction is a heartfelt co-operative adventure that celebrates friendship and teamwork with consistently engaging mechanics that never overstay their welcome” – Gfinity

This experimental narrative adventure is one of the year's most inventive titles. Split Fiction asks players to navigate parallel storylines in sci-fi and fantasy worlds that intersect in unexpected ways. It is a reminder of how games can explore structure in ways film cannot. The game challenges players to consider how decisions in one timeline might ripple subtly into another. It rewards attention to detail and invites replaying sections to uncover different branches.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach se