The PlayStation console has been experiencing quite a drop-off when it comes to receiving exclusive games throughout its lifespan, with the growing concern of some of the player base, wondering if they will ever experience the same quality of consistent exclusive releases as they did once.
Still, independent of anything else, the PS5 has at least given us some remasters for some of the more popular games, pushing them to run smoother at higher frame rates. Even in this department, things are not perfect, making the scales of the years-long pc vs console conversations more toward the pc system than ever. Still, this article will focus on the positives and the legacy forged by the PlayStation’s greatest games.
Bloodborne
Released in 2015, it is a shame that the game has not seen a proper remaster for newer hardware, which still has it locked at 30fps if not modified. Regardless though, at its core Bloodborne is considered by many to be one of the best games ever made, and arguably the greatest From Software release.
It has quite a competition for this title, as the likes of Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Elden Ring exist, but even in this collection, Bloodborne manages to stand out and leave its unique mark. Whether that is from the perspective of world-building, inspired by the Lovecraftian horrors, as well as 17th century Europe, a time when the entire continent was dealing with deadly plagues, to combat mechanics that stand out by encouraging aggressive gameplay and consistent pressure.
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While most of the Sousborne games, aside from Sekiro have straightforward and rather simple combat mechanics, at least when compared to other popular action games, there is beauty in simplicity, especially when the enemies you fight have challenging patterns that do not allow you to breeze through them, and force you to master and utilize every single tool at your disposal.
For Bloodborne, the absence of a viable shield in combination with the Rally mechanic forces you to be constantly mobile, looking for openings. The parrying system being tied to timely gunshots, combined with the Visceral Attacks that they open up creates a system that rewards players for not only quick reaction time but the knowledge of the enemy patterns.
There is a reason the fans are making their versions of Bloodborne and releasing them on PC. This game is extremely beloved, and the hope remains that we will see it in greater visual formats, that truly do its beautiful world justice.
God of War
From day one God of War was a PS exclusive, with the original game of the series being released on a PS2. From there it continued the trend, all the way until the soft reboot and the Norse Saga, which does provide a solid PC port, so no need for additional pc vs console decision-making. And while PC gamers can now enjoy certain God of War titles, they typically gain access later than console players. God of War Ragnarök, which launched in November 2022, remains exclusive to PlayStation 4 and 5, with no official word on a PC release.
Such delayed availability for PC users reflects Sony’s strategy of timed exclusivity. By keeping games console-exclusive initially and considering PC releases later, Sony aims to maintain its strong console presence while gradually expanding into the PC market.
Regardless, the God of War series will always be tied to the PlayStation systems, as their developer, Santa Monica, is a first-party developer of Sony. After giving us some incredible experiences through ridiculous action set pieces, and brutal, fast-paced, and extremely satisfying combat systems of the Greek Saga, Santa Monica managed to not only keep the franchise alive while taking it in a new direction but also keep the interest at its all-time high.
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The 2018 release had a monumental task on its shoulders. It had to not alienate long-time fans of the series, while completely changing the core mechanics they fell in love with in the first place, all the while placing a greater emphasis on the storytelling aspect, and having Kratos, one of gaming’s greatest protagonists, take the initial steps towards a beautiful redemption arc.
For the majority of the fan base, they achieved this with flying colors. While the game is far from perfect, what it managed to achieve as the experiment, and the first of its kind when it comes to Santa Monica releases, is worth praise. Usually, when people discuss God of War 2018, the main point of praise is the storytelling and the extremely strong character work, and while that is certainly understandable and deserved, the game is often quite underrated mechanically.
The ceiling for mastery is surprisingly high, and not what you would expect it to be on initial playthroughs. Eventually, the highest difficulties push the best out of you and let you see the potential that the game’s combat system has.
The Last of Us PlayStation
Regardless of the game’s sequel, due to Last of Us’ popularity and mainstream acclaim, it always has to be mentioned when discussing the best PS games. What is there to say that has not already been said about this game? Many believe that The Last of Us single-handedly inspired the so-called cinematic games that came after it due to its success. Whether one thinks that is a good thing or a bad thing, it does speak of the influence and the effect that TLoU had on the market as a whole.
For most players though, everything is about the execution. If a game manages to deliver the same quality of storytelling, and strong character work while tackling complex themes about humanity, one’s capabilities when pushed to desperation and darkness, and the ever-living hope, and connections that can push out of said desperation, then be my guest, you are allowed to focus on the story.
While mechanically speaking, the Last of Us is far from something like Resident Evil 4, having its fair share of flaws, it is not bad by any means and offers a satisfying, gory, and brutal experience once you get the hang of things.
Conclusion
While Xbox is also known for its fair share of iconic exclusives, whether that is the Halo franchise, or anything else, it has recently announced that it plans on releasing most of these exclusives on alternative platforms.
This article focused on a very short collection of PS exclusives that had a combination of popularity, as well as high acclaim from fans and critics alike. Of course, other potential releases deserved an entry, whether that is Ratchet and Clank, Spider-Man, or any other from the vast collection.
Hello, I’m Andria Brown, the founder of Full Personality. With a background in SEO and three years of experience, I’ve always been fascinated by the ever-changing world of blogging. Full Personality is my platform to delve into the future of blogging. When not exploring tech trends, I focus on SEO and SERPs. I believe in building a community that shares ideas and stays ahead in innovation. Join me on this exciting journey!