Humanity 

Take control of a luminescent Shiba Inu (in case you don’t know—that’s a dog!) in this visually stunning and thought-provoking action-puzzle game from Enhance and tha ltd. You direct a massive, marching crowd of humans to the light, rebuilding humanity and unlocking new mechanics in the process. Command the people to turn, jump, climb, swim, shoot, follow and more to get them to the goal across 90 carefully crafted stages. Devious puzzles await you, mixing in more action-focused elements, platformer-like levels, and even epic boss battles. Should you lose a few humans along the way, fear not—death is not permanent in the world of Humanity. Any people that fall off a stage turn back into light and walk through the door again.

Today, we’re happy to reveal a deeper look at how that all comes together. Check out our all-new gameplay trailer:

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Outside of Story Mode, you can browse an ever-growing library of stages created by other players. Play, rate, favorite, and discover new types of puzzles in this limitless cross-platform vault, with curated playlists updated regularly so there’s always something new to play. Or try your hand at bringing your ideas to life using our intuitive Stage Creator. From platforming challenges and straightforward puzzles to artful sculptures, it’s super easy to make a stage and share it with friends and the community.

As a VR-optional title, you can also get an up-close view of your human horde and explore the environments in ways not possible in flat 2D via PS VR2 (on PS5) or PS VR (on PS4).

Whether you want to experience the Story Mode or are ready to jump into and play or make community content, this game’s got something for everyone. 

– Mark MacDonald, Executive Producer, Enhance

Humanity launches May 16, 2023 and is available on PlayStation Plus Game Catalog from Day 1. 

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Meet Your Maker 

Meet Your Maker, is our new first-person building-and-raiding game that’s out now and is available as part of the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for April. Players step into a post-apocalyptic world where they’re tasked with both creating and infiltrating devious maze-like Outposts filled with traps and guards to protect and steal a vital resource.

Every level in the game is deviously designed by players, and whether you opt to focus on building or raiding Outposts, both roles are fun, accessible, and even offer a co-op option to team up with a friend. Here’s some gameplay tips to help you get started: 

When Building: 

1. Start with a 3-step approach: Build the basic structure, add traps and guards, then personalize with cosmetics. You don’t lose progress or resources by being raided, so share your Outpost, and return to improve on it at any time. 
2. You can modify traps to trigger only after the Genmat has been stolen. Suprise Raiders by making it just as hard (or harder!) to get out as it was to get in.
3. Think like a Raider as you set traps. Ask what they might instinctively do when faced with a particular setup, and then use those reactions against them.
4. Try to overcome your own defenses through the “Test my Outpost” feature. It’s the best way to know what’s working and what’s not.  

When Raiding:

1. The Grapple Hook is your new best friend. Master it. It gives you incredible mobility for both attacking and escaping.
2. Stock up on useful consumables like speed boosts, deployable shields, and more, before starting your raid. You never know when you’ll need them.
3. When a trap is tripped, you’ll get both a visual and audio cue before it deploys. Reacting quickly can save your life.
4. Drop a Phoenix Pod after you grab the Genmat for a one-time respawn from the same point. You never know what’s waiting for you on the way out. 

– Justin Fragapane, Lead Content Strategist, Behaviour Interactive

Meet Your Maker is available now as part of the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for April. 

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Tchia

All the team at Awaceb is incredibly proud to have created a game that is not only fun and immersive in its own right, but also a heartfelt love letter to our homeland. So many people have now discovered New Caledonia through the eyes of Tchia, and we still get a lot of messages from players who appreciate the beauty of the archipelago, the richness of its cultures, and are now interested in knowing more (and sometimes even consider a trip there!). Being able to move people from a tangible, human standpoint is our greatest pride as video game makers.

– Phil Crifo, Tchia Game Director & co-founder of Awaceb

Tchia is available now on the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. 

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Kena: Bridge of Spirits 

Kena: Bridge of Spirits marks our gaming debut! At Ember Lab, we’ve always had a passion for great storytelling, and in September, 2021 our small animation studio officially turned to game development with the release of Kena. Since then, we’ve been honored to receive both fan support and critical acclaim. Our story-driven action-adventure blends a narrative focus with exploration, puzzle-solving, and fast-paced combat. Both press and public alike have described Kena’s adventure as “magical,” “compelling,” and “breathtaking.”

Taking inspiration from nostalgic games and films, Kena blends Eastern and Western themes as players untangle the past of a forgotten village. Kena, a young Spirit Guide, searches for the mysterious Sacred Mountain Shrine. As the titular Spirit Guide, players help spirits trapped by their personal tragedies with the help of cute (yet powerful) spirit companions, the Rot.

Following its release, our game won “Best Indie Game” at the 2021 Game Awards. Praised for its Animation, Art Direction, Music, and more, Kena went on to receive awards and nominations at the Game Developers Choice Awards, DICE, BAFTA, Taipei Game Show, Annie Awards, Webby Awards, and SXSW.

We released the free “Anniversary Update” a year after launch as a thank you for the incredible support. The update allowed us to include many features we couldn’t fit into the initial release including New Game+, Spirit Guide Trials, cosmetics, and more. You can read all about the Anniversary Update in our PlayStation Blogs: Details Revealed and Crafting New Outfits.

Since launch, PlayStation players have found over 40 million Rot and over 8 million unique hats! (out of 100 possible Rot in the game). We’re so excited for new players to join in! With Kena: Bridge of Spirits, we aimed to strike a balance between inviting, impactful, and a lot of fun. We hope you enjoy our debut game.

– Thomas Varga, Game Writer, Ember Lab 

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is available now on the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog 

Game library varies over time and tier. PlayStation Plus is subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms

Each loadout comes stocked with two weapons, two items, running the gauntlet of full assault to support weaponry and all paired with a choice of two items that walk the line between explosive and defensive. These presets will be fully customizable. With multiple clips spent (and weapons reloaded with a button press) we were promptly deployed into a series of three round matches. 

As with the original Firewall Zero Hour, teamwork is still key, with sides switching defender and attacker roles as matches progress. The core experience is retooled with player feedback from Firewall Zero Hour (dedicated servers, new skills, contractors, maps, weapons and more) and gameplay and visuals are rebuilt thanks to PS VR2 features and a switch from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5. 

The eyes have it 

4v4 competitive matches are still the heart of Firewall. But First Contact has confirmed a PvE mode is also in the works that will be included come launch. More to come on that soon. 

PvP matches now play out as best of three rounds, with the PS5 SSD shifting players from safehouse to match map and back again in a near-blink of an eye. Eye-tracking makes weapon selection from an on-screen wheel swift and grants greater precision to your aim when closing one eye or looking down sights, subtly repositioning your gun to mirror exactly where you’re looking. 

Flashbangs will blind you if you look at them, but so will flashlights when shone directly in your eyes: in both instances your screen will go all-white for several seconds. Even with your sight restored you’ll briefly have double-vision if your blindness was caused by a flashbang. This, coupled with better hand tracking due to the Sense controller, teases a potentially brilliant strategy: a gun-mounted light’s beam can be hidden by putting your other hand in front of it. Hug a corner and hide your beam until an enemy approaches, then uncover to blind them. Closed eyes or averted gazes are the only deterrent – an inherent risk when bullets can come from any direction. 

And even if you’re benched in death before your teammates, you’re not out of the game. Perspective switches to a small number of security cameras stationed around the map which you can freely rotate around. Spot an opposing team member and keep your gaze locked on them: you’ll mark them with a red outline until they move out of sight. It’s an outline that can be seen by your team regardless of how many walls or stairwells are between them.

Loadouts for every occasion 

Every weapon has tailored haptic feedback so each feels distinct. A cool little detail (that you may want to check when in the safehouse rather than battle) is in the weapon triggers: the resistance to your virtual finger replicate the real-world analog to the gun you’re holding. 

Sharp eyes and quick wits are necessary skills to win matches in Firewall Ultra, but they’re not the only ones. Teams take turns to either defend or hack intel, and with maps ranging from claustrophobic offices with banks of computer desks and labyrinth like oil rigs, knowing the right balance of loadouts and team deployment are key. Known commodities like grenades, flashbangs are a must in an intense firefight, but carefully placed proximity mines and signal modifiers can turn any area into a trap or blind the opposing side’s tracking devices to keep them guessing. 

Keep an ear out 

Contractors will be a mix of returning faces and new characters, each boasting a unique skill. Couple that with an unlockable secondary skill that be equipped as part of your loadout and you’ve extra customization to your firefight approach. 

First Contact is flexing the strength of 3D Audio in Firewall Ultra. More immersive? Of course. But also potentially strategic. Honing in to footfalls helps you place exactly where an enemy is sweeping in from. That goes both ways, however. It grants an eclectic rhythm to rounds, attackers and defenders sneaking along low cover then charging across open ground or piling in as weapons go hot. You’ll need your ear to pick up exactly where a signal jammer is. The small black boxes emitting a tell-tale ping is easy to identify, not so easy to place. With maps dense with detail they can be placed in tight confines. Scouring can be rewarding in itself: Crypto make a return, these rare collectables grabbable on a first come, first serve basis. You can also earn this in-game currency through completing missions, doing well, as well as winning, matches. Collect and cash these in to unlock cosmetics, new guns, attachments for upgrades and new contractors. 

Along with those cosmetics and weapon attachments unlocked by players as they progress, First Contact promises a level of post-launch support similar to what the studio rolled out for Firewall Zero Hour. The shape of those things will come into focus in the next few months. But for now, PS VR2 owners can look forward to another round (or three) of tactical action. Bring a friend. Bring three. And make sure they’re all packing quick wits and fast trigger fingers.

Originally released in 2020 and created by Sumo Digital, the UK-based developer tapped into its previous experiences across platformer and multiplayer genres (LittleBigPlanet 3, Team Sonic Racing) to craft a captivating yarn. Levels are imaginative and reward exploration, and occasionally stray into musically-led stages backed by pop hits. Collectibles are many and worth discovering – offering secret pathways and increasingly dazzling costumes to deck out your character. Co-op (up to four players local or online) is joyful in its continuous tandem of cooperative and competitive.

To mark its launch on PlayStation Plus, we talked about the game’s origins with XDEV Producer Mark O’Connor. O’Connor shares some early concept sketches and gives his insights into how the core gameplay pillars came to be.

A highly interactive 3D world

“The concept for Sackboy: A Big Adventure started way back in 2017. The original pitch was simple (to say the least): Sackboy: A Big Adventure at its heart was to be a brand-new platforming experience set in Sackboy’s familiar home of Craftworld; complete levels, battle bosses and save the world!

“We wanted to reimagine the LittleBigPlanet franchise within a vibrant, (and for the very first time) fully 3D environment, that had that familiar feel of physicality woven into the game’s DNA. Everything is physical, from the gameplay, to the world, through to the UI and beyond.  Advanced real-time physical behaviors create a highly interactive 3D world: cloth stretches and tears, sponges squash and absorb, balloons inflate and burst, fluids ebb and flow.

Caption: These early concept sketches show how real world materials influenced the look and feel of the levels and their inhabitants. At the top, a Himalaya-like area built with carved foam and metallic paper, below, an enemy with a cardboard cylinder halo.

“We wanted to make certain that each level had a unique twist ensuring there’s something new and fresh around every corner. All whilst making sure it was responsive, had accessible controls and took advantage of what the PlayStation 5 had to offer.”

Levels tailored for both solo and multiplayer…

“The LittleBigPlanet titles were always designed as games that could be played solo or co-op and this is something that we didn’t want to change for Sackboy: A Big Adventure. It was always important to us that Sackboy’s very first 3D platforming adventure could still be played solo or with family and friends, with every player still being able to create and control their very own Sackperson.

“So, Sackboy: A Big Adventure was built from the ground up as a four-player co-op adventure with fun, physical character interactions that give players loads of ways to cooperate (and target each other). We wanted to encourage players to join forces to push, pull, slap and roll into objects (and each other).

“One great example of this is being able to stack Sackboys and Sackgirls to create a precarious “Sack Totem” and get to hard-to-reach places. These different ways to play make the game truly co-op. Players now have more meaningful interactions and are no longer just running through the same level side-by-side.

“Players of all abilities can join in the fun! Simple catch-up mechanics make sure that no one gets left behind. If one player can navigate an obstacle, then everyone can!”

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…and enjoyably competitive co-op

“Players of all skill levels can enjoy the adventure together, as we wanted the co-op and competitive mechanics to create a rich social experience.

“Playful interactions and scoring mechanics introduce loads of opportunities for friendly competition. Trigger a flash event and be the first to grab the shower of prize bubbles. Slap their hard-earned Collectabells currency out of your friend’s pockets. Score the highest on a level to earn bragging rights and the winner’s trophy at the end of the level.

“We decided early on that we wanted to showcase the character customisation options that allow the player to express themselves and make their Sackperson their own… So what better way than adding a photo finish at the end of the level? This way you can bask in the glory and focus on what pose you want to display.

“Besides, have you really played a Sackboy game… if you have never slapped or thrown your friends off of some high platform? We know that you all do it!”

High-level play with rewards for exploration

“We wanted a level of difficulty which is welcoming to new players and scales as you progress and gain experience.

Having desirable unlockables and rewards encourages you to keep on playing. Some are on the general gameplay path, but others you must seek out, which means there are always new areas to explore and new experiences to enjoy with Sackboy and your friends.

“These are all brought together within a rich narrative that provides a sense of purpose and gives context to the gameplay.”

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Music-themed levels

“The franchise has a history of using music in creative ways and we wanted to make sure that a range of music from upcoming, leftfield and world music artists soundtracked the many worlds in Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

“However, massive internationally-known pop hits had never really featured before – the challenge was what could we do with these well-known songs that would bring surprise and delight to the players. The answer was to design the levels around the songs – something the team at Sumo did brilliantly.

“There were some design considerations – the songs had to ideally run at a set tempo and have contained sections (verse, chorus, bridge etc). We would also look at where each level was set, to see if there might be some appropriate lyrical or thematic content – ‘Jungle Boogie’ in the jungle just made a whole lot of sense!

“Ultimately, the designers went to town synchronising the track to events in these levels. Every stage in Sackboy has a different approach to music design, with each track developing over the course of the level. For us, every level is a music level but these stand out as a wonderfully harmonious example.

“Check out the soundtrack and licensed playlist to put a swing in your step once you’ve played the game!”

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is available for PlayStation Plus members now. Find out more here.

PlayStation Blog: What were your first impressions when first learning about the power and capabilities of the PS5, from a developer perspective?

Mathijs de Jonge: Horizon Forbidden West is a very visual game, so the promise of more CPU power and memory meant we were going to be able to add even more quality to the image; and gameplay-wise I was most looking forward to being able to play at 60fps. This was high on my wishlist as it works so well with our combat gameplay as you’re fighting the machines.

When I first heard about the superfast SSD, it was hard to believe that it was so capable – but it seems like loading times truly are a thing of the past. This works brilliantly for a game like Horizon Forbidden West, where long loading screens can be a real immersion breaker. From a development point of view, fast loading also helped me with reviewing the game because I could jump straight into any section without having to wait.

How have you taken advantage of PS5’s power to create Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores?

One of our key priorities with Horizon games is to add a ton of detail and richness to our environments. On Horizon Forbidden West, everything we added or increased was something we’d need to have a plan around how to optimize for PS4 as well. On Burning Shores, since we can just focus on PS5, we’ve been able to charge forward and we’re really excited about what we’ve been able to pull off in creating this stunning post-post-apocalyptic version of Los Angeles.

The cityscape ruins of LA and its surroundings are highly detailed and require a lot of processing power as well as fast streaming technology to run properly; especially when the player is flying over the lands and can see a lot at once. One of the settlements is situated in and around those detailed ruins, and we were able to squeeze a lot of activity in there.

Another notable one is a particular battle scene that requires a LOT of memory and processing power! To achieve this grand vision both technically and creatively, we definitely were thankful for the many advantages that the PS5 hardware brings.

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Horizon Forbidden West delivers fantastic visual effects, animations and immersive audio during combat encounters, especially when battling some of the larger machines. How have you taken advantage of PS5 to deliver these rich visual performances and what can we expect from Burning Shores?

Using the PS5’s processing power we can run certain simulations at higher speed creating more lifelike results and a better gameplay experience. On PS5, the Horizon Forbidden West base game runs at a higher resolution and at a higher framerate than on PS4, and assets are more detailed which makes the overall quality much better. There is also a special lighting setup for Aloy that we normally only display during cinematics, but is active on the PS5 at all times. On PS5 we can draw at higher detail much further into the distance, displaying the stunning vistas our players encounters all across the map. We also support 40Hz Mode and Variable Refresh Rate on capable TVs for even more fluid gameplay.

What is your favorite PS5 game released so far? And from a developer perspective how do you feel it best takes advantage of the hardware?

I sank many hours into Elden Ring on my PS5 and was really impressed by everything it had to offer, but I think God of War Ragnarök wins it for me in terms of character designs and overall visual splendor.

Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 and is part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog.The Burning Shores expansion will be available April 19.

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State of Play: All the trailers 

Destiny 2: Lightfall

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Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

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Tchia

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Humanity

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Resident Evil 4

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Street Fighter 6

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Baldur’s Gate 3

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Wayfinder

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Goodbye Volcano High

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The Foglands

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Green Hell VR

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Synapse

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Journey to Foundation

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Before Your Eyes

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Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connnections

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State of Play: All Announcements

• Atmospheric sci-fi western roguelike The Foglands launches on PS VR2 this year 
• Dive into the jungle with Green Hell VR on PlayStation VR2, out 2023
• Synapse brings dual-wielding VR action exclusively to PS VR2 this year
• Destiny 2: Lightfall launch trailer and new quality-of-life features revealed, out Feb 28
• Humanity: intriguing puzzler gets new gameplay details and demo release today as part of State of Play 
• Journey to Foundation brings Asimov’s epic sci-fi series to life on PS VR2
• Tchia sets sail on PS4 and PS5 on March 21 as part of PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium
• A closer look at PS VR2 narrative adventure Before Your Eyes ahead of its March 10 launch 
• Street Fighter 6 rounds out its launch roster with Cammy, Lily and Zangief 
• Goodbye Volcano High launches this June on PS5 and PS4
• Baldur’s Gate 3 launches on PS5 August 31
• Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections launches 2023 on PS4 and PS5
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League debuts 4-player co-op gameplay and more at State of Play 
• Wayfinder: PS4 and PS5 players get exclusive Early Access to the character-based online RPG in May 
• Resident Evil 4 trailer debuts new action gameplay, announces Mercenaries mode, demo

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Check the full lists below.

PS5 Games

*Naming of products may differ between regions
*Upgrades not included

PS4 Games      

*Naming of products may differ between regions

PS VR Games

Free-to-Play (PS5 + PS4)

Check out the full listings below. Next week, we’ll reveal the top downloads for the entire year of 2022. 

PS5 Games

*Naming of products may differ between regions
*Upgrades not included

PS4 Games 

*Naming of products may differ between regions

PS VR Games

Free to Play (PS5 + PS4)

Now, on to the winners! 

Best New Character

Thor | God of War Ragnarök

2022 wasn’t short of memorable performances and iconic figures. For every fan sketch of Elden Ring’s fearsome Malenia, there was a cat owner seeing characteristics of their own finely-furred companion in Stray’s feline lead. And despite both offering riveting performances, a masterclass in manipulation could not outclass the heft – and directness – of a hammer. Father lost out to son, as Thor places Mjölnir down to hold aloft the Platinum Trophy for this year’s Best New Character award. 

Cat | Stray

Odin | God of War Ragnarök

Malenia | Elden Ring

Best Story

God of War Ragnarök

The next chapter in the story of Kratos and Boy Atreus clearly resonated with many. We won’t go into specifics here so not to spoil anything for those still exploring the Nine Realms, but with fates in the balance, character arcs deepening our understanding of favorite characters and beats that caused us to catch our breath, Santa Monica Studio took on the unenviable challenge of following up a highly celebrated story with another that matched it both for spectacle and moments that resonated. 

The Last of Us Part I

Elden Ring

Horizon Forbidden West

PlayStation Graphical Showcase

God of War Ragnarök

All the top contenders for this category leveraged stellar performances across PS4 and PS5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was lauded for its near-photorealistic rendering of Amsterdam. FromSoftware’s Limgrave was an open world as beautiful as it was dangerous. Guerrilla’s sprawling landscapes were dense with lush foliage, epic machine battles and Photo mode-worthy sunsets. Category winner God of War Ragnarok packed Nine Realms-worth visual splendor for a powerhouse performance on both consoles. Congratulations to Santa Monica Studio and the other winners for making our collective jaws drop, time and time again. 

Horizon Forbidden West

Elden Ring

Call of Duty Modern Warfare II

Best Art Direction

God of War Ragnarök

The artists behind 2022’s top titles were firing on all creative cylinders. We marveled at myriad sights, from the blood-red skies and rotting dragons of Elden Ring’s Caelid to the mysterious runes of Horizon Forbidden West’s sandswept Las Vegas. However, it was Santa Monica Studio’s fusion of photorealism and mythical fantasy that captured PlayStation players’ imaginations. The dev team delivered nine visually distinct realms each experiencing the effects of Fimbulwinter with unique visual flair. That’s not even to mention the colorful blasts punctuating each of Angrboda’s supporting attacks, turning the battlefield into a piece of art by itself. Hats off to these talented teams establishing unforgettable artistic visions for 2022’s best games.

Elden Ring

Horizon Forbidden West

Stray

Best Audio Design

God of War Ragnarök

The solid thud of caught axe meeting palm. The distant yet distinct howl of an inbound great evil. Chatter from a nearby settlement intermixing with the uneven thrum of a mechanized, grazing herd. Experiences that resonate without the need to witness the source, audio that conjures up an image the instance it’s heard. All these games were as superlative on the ear as they were the eye, whether you’d paused on your journey to soak in the sounds around you, had the thrill of combat reinforced by the crack of great sound design, or tracked danger through ear and audio cues alone. 

Elden Ring

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Horizon Forbidden West

Soundtrack of the Year

God of War Ragnarök

As Kratos and Atreus forged a stronger relationship throughout God of War Ragnarök, Bear McCreary’s epic score added bombast and subtlety at every turn. From heart-pounding action sequences to intimate moments of reflection, the score doubles as the game’s beating heart. Fans also lended an ear and their heartfelt support to the sounds of Elden Ring, The Last of Us Part I, and Horizon Forbidden West.

Elden Ring

The Last of Us Part I

Horizon Forbidden West

Best Accessibility Features

God of War Ragnarök

Santa Monica Studio has produced not only a masterpiece with God of War Ragnarök, but also a masterclass in accessibility and inclusive design thanks to the customisation offered by the 70+ accessibility features. The team’s commitment to accessibility has ensured that the nine realms are open to everyone!

The Last of Us Part I

Horizon Forbidden West

FIFA 23

Best Use of DualSense

God of War Ragnarök

The PS5 DualSense controller continues to add additional immersion into our favorite games from this year. Its adaptive triggers have translated the tautness of a bow in Horizon Forbidden West and offered sensory differentials to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’s arsenal. Our ears have been tickled with meows and the tactile sensation of paw scratches in Stray with the controller’s speaker and haptic feedback respectively. As equally grand, and topping out this category is God of War Ragnarok’s excellent use across every aspect of its story. The feedback of every heave of axe or swing of fist brings with it a deeper connection to combat, while the granular shake while sledding over rough terrain or oar stroke in the water reinforces your connection to the world as you explore. 

Horizon Forbidden West

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Stray

Best Multiplayer Experience

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

2022 provided robust opportunities to compete or team up with friends and strangers online, whether you love to kick a ball, overtake speeding cars, or dial in headshots. Infinity Ward wowed FPS fans once again with Modern Warfare II, the follow up to Modern Warfare (2019)’s top-shelf action. Modern Warfare II provides more options in the fray, including aquatic combat and hanging from ledges. The result is a refinement of the best Call of Duty has to offer, with an entrancing loop of weapon upgrade unlocks and inventive new maps like the colorful Crown Raceway. When it comes to multiplayer design, Infinity Ward has taken its own advice and stayed extra frosty.

Overwatch 2

FIFA 23

Gran Turismo 7

Best Ongoing Game

Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0

The lion’s share of ongoing game favorites competed for top prize, as Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 emerges from the circle as leader of the pack thanks to the nonstop action exploding across the new island Al-Mazrah. The new battle royale destination packs a lot of variety, whether you like looting and shooting across the Quarry, Port, Cemetery, or any of the other unique points of interest. Warzone 2.0 also innovates on the successful formula with new third-person mode playlists, giving its armor-clad soldiers a new perspective on the mayhem. Congrats to Activision and the talented Call of Duty dev teams for ensuring war… war always changes.

Fortnite

Final Fantasy XIV

Fall Guys

Best Sports Game

Contenders from track and field battled it out for supremacy in this year’s Best Sports Game category, with four wheels bookending the top placements as the polls passed the finishing line. Gran Turismo 7’s claimed Platinum while F1 22 secured Bronze, while dazzling footwork on the pitch just pipped fancy moves on court as FIFA 23 pulled ahead of NBA2K23. Regardless of the final standings, sports fans were well represented in 2022.  

Gran Turismo 7

FIFA 23

NBA 2K23

F1 22

Best Independent Game of the Year

Stray

2022 was an excellent year for independent games. Aging into martial art mastery, commanding a legion of cute and hilarious worshippers, flipping a card game on its head with sinister intent were just some of the unique experiences to be had this past year. Yet it was a four-pawed exploration of a dense and decaying metropolis that spoke to most of you. Stray’s combination of perfectly captured feline adventure (and mischief), puzzlework, intriguing sci-fi story and world earned it top spot in this category.   

Sifu

Cult of the Lamb

Inscryption

Best Re-Release

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

As double-bills go, it’s hard to argue with the allure of a Nathan Drake-led adventure spectacular followed by a thrilling escapade featuring Chloe Frazer. It may have been your first time with the duo or an excuse to revisit their globe-trotting, danger-filled quests: either way Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection took the top spot in a category filled with titles that had us itching to return to. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection

Life is Strange Remastered Collection

Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

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PS4 Game of the Year

God of War Ragnarök

High adventure was clearly at the heart of many a player’s favorite PS4 experience this past year. Sequels to acclaimed games or new fan favorites, the top voted titles by players offered captivating locales brimming with danger, exploration, enticing characters and rich stories. The Nine Realms, Limgrave, the Forbidden West, Walled City 99… all locales impossible to resist and all too easy to lose ourselves in for hours at a time. 

Elden Ring

Horizon Forbidden West

Stray

PS5 Game of the Year

God of War Ragnarök

Third-person action RPGs with compelling worlds with charismatic casts and mechanically-rich gameplay clearly hit the sweet spot for PS5 players in 2022. The category’s top three slots are all claimed by third-person adventures with deeply immersive storylines and locales filled with secrets. And while a more compact package, once Stray’s evocative sci-fi fable got its claws into you, it proved impossible to put down.  

Elden Ring

Horizon Forbidden West

Stray

PlayStation Game of 2023 and Beyond

Hogwarts Legacy

If you struggled on deciding which way to cast your vote, you’re not alone. The closest fought poll of the entire list saw the top three contenders continually trade places throughout the voting window. Ultimately though wands won out over chainsaws and claws, as Hogwarts Legacy just pipped Resident Evil 4 to the top spot, with Marvel’s Wolverine trailing by a few thousand votes. 2023 looks to be a strong year for gaming already: where will Hogwarts Legacy and Resident Evil 4 land in next year’s Game of the Year polls? 

Resident Evil 4

Marvel’s Wolverine

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

Check out the full chart listings below! 

PS5 Games

PS4 Games

PS VR Games

Free-to-Play (PS5 + PS4)

As ever, there are a few rules for categories and their nominees: 

• Every category includes a write-in option in case there’s a title absent that you think should be considered. 

• Due to the polls closure date, some titles aren’t eligible for inclusion. 

• As with the majority of the other categories, Best Multiplayer Experience focuses on titles released in 2022 while Best Ongoing Game focuses on games that have seen significant new content or game-changing updates over this past year. 

• If a title won a Platinum in a category any previous year, it won’t be eligible for inclusion in the same category this year. As such Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 – which won last year’s Most Anticipated Game – isn’t included in the running for that category this year. 

• Polls are live now and close on Wednesday December 14 at 23:59pm PT, so scroll below and get clicking. We’ll collect the results and announce the winners later this month. 

Good luck to all the nominees! 

2022 PlayStation Blog Best New Character

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Story

2022 PlayStation Blog PlayStation Best Graphical Showcase

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Art Direction

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Audio Design

2022 PlayStation Blog Soundtrack of the Year

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Accessibility Features

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Use of DualSense

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Multiplayer Experience

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Ongoing Game

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Sports Game

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Independent Game of the Year

2022 PlayStation Blog Best Re-Release

2022 PlayStation Blog PS4 Game of the Year

2022 PlayStation Blog PS5 Game of the Year

Most Anticipated PlayStation Game of 2023 and Beyond