PlayStation 4’s Exclusives Set a Benchmark for Quality

By Logan Corkins
@LoganCorkins

Sony is about the wrap up the life cycle of the PlayStation 4, and as we come to a close on a very successful console I want to look back and rank the top 10 exclusives that this console offered. 

The following list is purely the opinion of Logan Corkins (Cross Roads Podcast) and is not a reflection of Boss Rush Games and its content creators. 

10. Concrete Genie

Pixelopus showcased their strengths of storytelling and pure imagination when they released Concrete Genie in 2019. The story focuses on a boy named Ash who has been bullied by the kids in his neighborhood. Ash brings new life to a forgotten part of his city when he finds a magical paintbrush that brings his art to life. Playing through Concrete Genie I found myself constantly mesmerized by the colors and the animations of the characters I drew with my controller. Concrete Genie tells a beautiful story and tugs on the heart with Ash’s story of overcoming adversity to see the beauty he creates. Sales wise this game isn’t a top 10 seller, however, I think Concrete Genie perfectly showcases the storytelling that makes a great exclusive game. 

9. Infamous Second Son

Sucker Punch hit another home run in the Infamous series with Second Son. Second Son makes Seattle your playground as you go through the adventures and storytelling that only Sucker Punch can bring. Second Son is my personal favorite in the series as I believe the story is consistently well-paced and the action is just incredible. Second Son is worth a second play-through if you have a PS4 Pro as the Pro brings new life to Seattle and makes the world even more breathtaking than the original PS4 version. 

8. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Nathan Drake has been the face of Uncharted for the first four games in the Uncharted Series, and to some extent, the character voiced by Nolan North has become the face of PlayStation. Naughty Dog took a risk and allowed characters Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross to become the faces of The Lost Legacy in 2017. This risk would result in one of my favorite games in the Uncharted series and brought new life to a series that was struggling to find a new Drake story to pursue. The Lost Legacy is a breathtaking journey as Chloe and Nadine solve the puzzles and mysteries of the world of Uncharted. 

7. Ghosts of Tushima 

Sucker Punch has its second game on this list with their latest masterpiece Ghosts of Tushima. I am a sucker for a good open-world game and Ghosts of Tushima has one of the most beautiful settings I have ever explored in an open-world game. As much as the combat provides unique challenges, Ghosts finds its identity in a story that had me not wanting to put my controller down. The world of Samauri and the trials and challenges it offers is on the of the most unique to hit the PS4. Ghosts of Tushima needs to be a must-play for any gamer who enjoys exploring, strong combat, and a gripping story. 

6. Persona 5

Everyone loves a good JRPG right? Persona 5 hits on all notes as we follow the group of high schoolers known as the Phantom Thieves. Storytelling, incredible combat, and a game that is long enough to give you its money worth is everything that Persona 5 offers. I know this game was technically first released on PS3 but it’s fair to say that with the capabilities of the PS4 it became an instant classic! 

5. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Insomniac Games brought a web-slinging classic to the PS4 in 2018 when they brought us Spider-Man! Insomniac created a world where the classic Marvel hero battles the Sinister Six while the island of Manhatten is struggling with the “Devil’s Breath” plague that has infected the city. Spider-Man brings a fresh take to Peter Parker and respects the lineage of his origin story. I am a huge fan of the M.J. and Peter storyline as the two rekindle their relationship. The most important thing that Insomniac created was a fun way to swing around Manhatten, you will fly past iconic buildings as well a few Marvel easter eggs! I cannot recommend Spider-Man enough to any Marvel fan or even just fans of open-world games! 

4. Bloodbourne 

FromSoftware delivered on a spin-off of the Dark Souls series with their hit game Bloodbourne. Bloodbourne is a third-person RPG that mixes horror and mystery almost perfectly! My favorite thing about Bloodbourne is the mix of pistols and guns to their hardcore melee weapons. Bloodbourne is a near-perfect game and of course, I have to recommend it to everyone! 

3. The Last of Us Part 2 

This wouldn’t be a PlayStation exclusive list if I didn’t mention the highly anticipated Last of Us Part 2. Ellie is out for revenge and Abby has joined a cult in the sequel to the Last of Us. I love this game to death, and right now I would say it’s my Game of the Year. The story is perfectly well-paced and is submerges you into a world you want to know more about. My only critique of the Last of Us Part 2 is that the combat is very repetitive, in games like Spider-Man where you face the same enemy repeatedly you can improvise and use gadgets to defeat them differently, however, in LOU2 you are limited in your abilities to defeat waves of enemies. The Last of Us Part 2 is without a doubt a masterpiece.

2. Horizon Zero Dawn

Guerrilla, the company behind the Killzone series created a brand new IP in 2017 with Horizon Zero Dawn. Immersed is easily the most beautiful world of this generation the story follows a young girl named Aloy as she struggles to find her identity and purpose in a post-apocalyptic world. Aloy learns how to tame the machines that have run rampant over the world, while she uncovers the secret of the “old ones” and their mission “Zero Dawn”. Horizon Zero Dawn is my favorite video game of all time because the story is so addicting, the world is absolutely breathtaking, and the combat is extremely smart. In HZD you never defeat different creatures the same way, the combat forces you to think and use different approaches on each creature you encounter. I feel like this was the comeback of the decade for Guerrilla before HZD Guerrilla struggled on the direction with Killzone and you could tell it wasn’t their pasion anymore. HZD brought new life to a studio that in my opinion brought us the game of the year in 2017.

1. God of War

Santa Monica Studio hit the reset button on the God of War franchise when they tasked Creative Director Cory Barlog to redefine Kratos. In 2018 Barlog delivered with an absolutely incredible game in the God of War franchise. GOW sets Kratos in the Norse Mythology realm and Kratos is faced with the challenge of raising a young son named Atreaus after his mother passes away. Kratos and Atreaus journey to the highest mountain in the realm to lay the ashes of Atreus’s late mother, along their way they come across puzzles, ogres, and even the brothers of Thor. I have played through GOW three times now and each time I find something new that I absolutely love. I think GOW is the perfect example of what an exclusive game should be, GOW is a game that made people buy a PS4 because they wanted to play this masterpiece. The story is absolutely mind-blowing, and the combat is some of the most satisfying in video game history. God of War 2 is currently in production at SIE Santa Monica Studios and I can’t wait to see what the next game looks like!

What are your favorite PlayStation 4 exclusives? Let us know and remember to listen to Cross Roads: The PlayStation Podcast right here on Boss Rush Games or wherever you listen to podcasts.