A crazy decade is coming to an end.
We’ve had everything from Brexit to President Trump, and Fyre Festival to the Oscars blunder.
For every disaster, there has been a beautiful game for us
to plug into and forget about everything else.
Whether PS4 or Xbox One had the best run in the decade is up to debate – so we have split them up, and here we look at the best PlayStation 4 games of the last 10 years.
10. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Year: 2017
Developer: Ninja Theory
A visual masterclass, Hellblade must go down as one
of the forgotten great games of the decade.
Brilliant camerawork and genius audio help you get inside Senua’s head as she deals with psychosis on her quest to save the soul of her dead lover.
No mini-map and no markers, the game perfectly translates as what the protagonist is feeling – loss. This is underlined by dying too many times, where you will need to start the whole game again (or do you?).
9. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Special Edition)
Year: 2016
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
It was hard to build on the smash that Skyrim was on PS3 and Xbox 360, but its upgrade to next-gen took the game to a completely new level.
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One of the finest games we’ve seen was revived thanks to remarkable graphics, and there are hundreds of mods available to customise the game to your desire.
Of course, the premise of Skyrim remains the same with well over
100 hours of gameplay, but further story additions to next-gen could have taken
it even higher up the list.
8. Last of Us
Year: 2014
Developer: Naughty Dog
Exclusive to PlayStation, it’s tough for Xbox players that
they didn’t get to play Naughty Dog smash hit Last of Us.
As brilliant is the fighting and AI are on the game, it has beautiful balance with its characters. Joel and daughter Ellie’s story is told brilliantly, despite having to fight the undead as well as the living.
Last of Us was initially released on PS3 in 2013 but was taken up a notch when it reached next-gen a year later. With Last of Us 2 in the pipeline for PS5, expect that to make the same shortlist in 10 years’ time.
7. Rocket League
Year: 2015
Developer: Psyonix
You can argue that if it hadn’t been for Rocket League, Fortnite would not have had its success. The Psynoix title first arrived on PS4 and Windows completely free – and transformed the concept of gaming.
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Putting rockets on cars and having them play football just
makes perfect sense – with the game hugely popular (and frustrating) for professional
and casual gamers alike.
Where it goes on next-gen remains to be seen, but the pick-up-and-play
factor of the title should see it emerge once again in the years ahead.
6. God of War
Year: 2018
Developer: Sony Santa Monica
Developed by Sony, this was the big PS4 release we were all waiting
for – it was just a shame the wait took almost five years.
It may have been a reboot of the God of War franchise
we saw on PS2 and PS3, but the switch to the Norse era was perfect.
The near-perfect combat was to be expected, but we didn’t
see the delicate side coming from the protagonist Kratos. His dealing with fatherhood
combine with what it means to be human, cutting through the violence and
incredible imagery of what is a fantastic game.
5. Red Dead Redemption 2
Year: 2018
Developer: Rockstar Studios
Had the original Red Dead Redemption been released on PS4, it would have been a contender for top spot – but the much expanded RDR 2 (including the old map of the original) is still a very fine game.
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The visuals are astonishing with the scenery of the wild west receiving an almost unfathomable sense of detail. Hear gunfire? Go and investigate and be rewarded with a situation that you have the option to sort.
Other characters flinch when a gun is fired near them, and
we haven’t even got into the main plot of the game – which actually takes a back
seat in this incredible open worlder. It acts as a prequel to the original, as outlaws
battle with the law to continue their success.
4. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Year: 2018
Developer: PUBG Corporation
Fortnite’s big bad brother, PUBG is there for players who
what a more hardcore and realistic battle royale.
It took almost a year for it to come to PS4, but with a
four-star rating on the PlayStation store from over 6,000 reviewers, it was worth
the wait.
Of course, it does not have the variation and phenomenon that Fortnite has, but it did pave the way for battle royale titles.
3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Year: 2015
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Witcher 3 has to be one of the finest games ever made.
Players take control of the famous Witcher (or monster hunter), Geralt of Rivia, in his quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri.
Fans of the original Sapkowski novels couldn’t have wished for any more, as CD Projekt truly brought this world to life.
The best thing about the game is just how easy it is to control Geralt and his huge array of fighting skills and magic abilities. If you haven’t played this game yet, it’s an absolute must-buy - and be sure to watch the new Netflix series.
2. Grand Theft Auto V
Year: 2014
Developer: Rockstar North
Despite being released on PS4 and Xbox One five years ago, people are still playing GTA V today, thanks to the updating of online gameplay – making it the most popular game in the franchise.
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It draws comparison to modern-day America, and that is perhaps why it has struck a chord with so many fans.
Open worlds nowadays are in fantasy lands, but few offer the
realistic experience of the GTA franchise, especially with the crumbling
foundations of Los Santos.
1. Fortnite Battle Royale
Year: 2017
Developer: Epic Games
It may be a controversial selection, but you cannot argue
against the seismic impact Fortnite has had on society in the 2010s.
The Epic Games smash got the public on board by making the
game free-to-play, transforming Battle Royale into one of the most-played games
we’ve ever seen.
Whether your building, blasting or dancing, Fortnite has been thrust into the public eye thanks to the likes of Drake, Antoine Griezmann, Marshmello and has created a modern superstar in the form of Ninja.