The last-generation of games for Sony's PlayStation 4 console are getting a new lease on life with the arrival of the PS5. Not only does the PlayStation 5 have far more powerful hardware compared to the PS4, but the next-gen console also has full backwards compatibility.
This means that PS5 owners don't have to worry about the console's thin library. They can still enjoy the PS4 games that they loved and missed out on. The best part? Most PS4 games have been updated to take better advantage of the PS5 console.
If you're lucky enough to have grabbed a new PlayStation 5 and it's your first console in years, you can use this list to catch up.
Most of these games are part of the PlayStation Plus Collection on the PS5 too, so you don't necessarily have to buy them for your PS5 for a chance to play them.
Note: We specifically avoided games that have separate PS5-enhanced versions. So, you won't find the likes of Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut and Final Fantasy VII Remake: Intergrade here.
Days Gone
Bend Studio's Days Gone doesn't get the credit that it deserves. Sony doesn't even think that it warrants a sequel, which is a shame. A proper sequel on the PS5 would've done the open-world zombie title more justice, especially since it looks like a completely different game on the PS5. hitting 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.
It might not be as good as Days Gone with mods, but it's a close second.
God of War
2018's God of War was a complete refresh of the hack-and-slash action series. True, Kratos remains very angry and the game is still incredibly violent. However, the way that the soft reboot of God of War handles the brutality is much smoother, with a more tempered space befitting the relatively mellowed Kratos.
As an open-world title, God of War lets you unearth all its mysteries as you progress, learning more about Kratos as well as where he has been since taking the fight to the entire Greek pantheon following the conclusion of God of War 3.
While the PS4 Pro version of God of War was amazing, playing it on the PS5 is even better. The free PS5 upgrade for God of War lets players enjoy one of Sony's most beloved characters in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, giving fans yet another reason to revisit Kratos' tale and transformation from angry bad-ass to Atreus' tough loving father.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
It's About Time was originally released for the PS4 in September 2020. A couple of months later, Toys for Bob released a PS5 upgrade for It's About Time, which brought a suite of improvements over the PS4 version. This includes native 4K resolution with enhanced 3D audio and a 60 FPS performance lock.
The most noticeable improvement is the resolution bump. Thanks to the sharper presentation, the visuals of It's About Time pop out more. The color, lighting, and reflection look so much better. The faster loading times are also a welcome bonus. Instead of waiting for half a minute for loading screens to finish, playing It's About Time on the PS5 results in a seamless transition between levels as it only takes a second or two for everything else to load.
Blood & Truth
With PSVR 2 still ways away, there's a severe lack of new titles for the current PSVR. Even so, some VR games that were originally released for the PS4 are worth revisiting on the PS5. The chief among these games is Blood & Truth.
On the PS5, Blood & Truth runs at 90 frames per second with a 90hz output on top of higher quality textures as well as faster loading times.
Just remember that you'll need to get a camera adaptor to hook a PSVR headset up to the PS5. Don't worry. It's free. You can even order it from Sony.
Hitman 3
Hitman 3 sees the conclusion of the World of Assassination trilogy, which was a fitting end indeed. Although Hitman 3 doesn't exactly deviate too much from what the first two Hitman reboot titles already built, it does bring new locations like Argentina, China, and Dubai, while allowing for more experimentation.
Hitman 3 doesn't necessarily have the best Hitman missions, however, the lack of bad missions in the game makes it arguably the best Hitman title to release yet, especially on the PS5 as it runs on 4K resolution at a steady 60 frames per second.
Fortnite
For all the hate that Epic Games' popular battle royale shooter seems to get, it arguably remains the most fun that you can have on the PS5 for free. You don't even need to have a PlayStation Plus subscription to play Fortnite online, which only ups its value.
On the PS5, Fortnite can run at up to 4K resolution and up to 120 frames per second. Add the regular updates that bring a ton of new modes and weapons and you've got a free game that just keeps on giving.
No Man’s Sky
No Man's Sky story is one for the ages. It's one of the few games in history to overcome a disappointing launch. Now, Hello Games' survival game is a bonafide success and there's no better way to experience the huge strides that the title has taken forward than by playing No Man's Sky on the PlayStation 5.
It doesn't matter if it's your first time playing No Man's Sky or if you're revisiting after its disastrous launch, playing No Man's Sky on the PS5 now gives you a literal universe to explore with hyper-colorful and grand 4K visuals at 60 frames per second.
Final Fantasy XV
Whether you like it or not, Final Fantasy XV changed Final Fantasy games forever. Its combat system laid the groundwork for future Final Fantasy games, including Final Fantasy VII: Remake and Final Fantasy XVI.
Both of those games have had or will have dedicated PS5 versions. Final Fantasy XV doesn't. Even though Final Fantasy XV hasn't had a dedicated PS5 update (maybe the devs are too busy working on Forspoken), it still runs and looks a lot better on the PS5. The relative lack of loading screens is a godsend and running the game in Lite Mode lets you enjoy it at a native 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.
One can only imagine just how much better Final Fantasy XV would play if the studio behind it bothered to release a PS5 update.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 sticks the landing as it remakes two classic skateboarding games to play even better on the PS5.
For PS5 owners, playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 on the PS5 lets you enjoy 120 frames per second gameplay (at 1080p resolution) or a native 4K resolution (with 60 frames per second lock). Not to mention, the game makes use of the DualSense haptic feedback and spatialized 3D audio, which makes what was already a gnarly soundtrack sound even more rad.
