The PS4 is almost four years old, which is kind of hard to believe. It also means there should be only fantastic games out for PS4, right? Well, not exactly. The past four years have been filled with some truly atrocious games for the console. We are talking about games that should be avoided at all costs. If you hear someone talking about how much they love any of these games, run! All physical copies of these terrible games should be burned on site and downloads should be purged.
These games are broken, busted, dated, and just plain weird. I know what you are thinking, the games on this list are all on the PSN Store. You would be wrong. There are AAA games, highly anticipated games that fell flat, and gold standard franchises that failed miserably. Sure, the PSN Store is chock full of oddities and games that should not have seen the light of day and we will get to those ones too.
But, it isn’t all bad for Sony. There are several games that, if you have not gotten a chance to play yet, you should stop what you are doing and grab a copy. I don’t care if you are at work, in line at the grocery store, or taking your grandma to lunch, these five games are worth your cash, time, and soul. Theses five games are not just must plays, they are required for every PS4 owner and would-be owner. In fact, these games should seal the deal if you haven’t bought the console already.
15 Burn: The Order: 1886
The Order fandom will argue why their beloved game should not be on this list, but they are wrong because they blindly love The Order: 1886. This game is a rail shooter with an interesting story. The story, about an alternative steam-punk Victorian era, is well thought out. If it weren’t for the clunky, linear gameplay interrupting every so often, it might have been a good PS4 game.
This should have been a major blockbuster film and the game reminds you of that ambition at every turn. The gamer catches on quickly that The Order plays you and not the other way around. The game just dares you to put up with its version of events. As if it is saying, “If you want to tell your own story then pick up Uncharted or Bloodborne. Otherwise pipe down and listen!”
The game isn’t broken, it is just tired and restrictive. That is almost worse because it plays as intended.
14 Burn: Toro
A bullfighting sim should have no problem standing out since there isn’t any competition in that genre since EA has not franchised it yet like the rest of the sporting world. But Toro stands out for all the wrong reasons, leaving gamers frustrated, gored, and wishing they never donned a bull fighter’s cape and hat.
The graphics are a monumental let down. The game looks like it was made for the 64-bit era and not for a modern console. The HUD and menu options look like they were designed in MS Paint. The PS4 is a powerful machine that isn’t used to the developer’s advantage in the slightest here.
However, it gets worse from here. The controls are infuriating to the point that actual bullfighting is probably much easier. The bull is not the only thing that is seeing red. The skill that it would take to be good at this game requires too much gameplay time for even the most masochistic gamer.
13 Must Play: Bloodborne
Bloodborne, from the makers of Dark Souls, is a third-person action RPG that tests your wits, patience, and ability to deal with failure. You will die a lot unless you ‘git gud’.
Unlike Dark Souls, the game wants you to be aggressive and go all in when an enemy over-commits and misses your character. The style and story is unique compared to the Dark Souls series, as it feels more like a Gothic horror movie than a fantasy game. This game will make you obsessed and will not let you go. The only question left if you haven’t played Bloodborne yet is: "what are you doing?!"
12 Burn: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5
When the day one patch is physically a bigger file than the actual shipped game, it does not instill confidence in gamers. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 was a dismal release for the PS4 and might kill off the franchise as a whole.
The game did get level size right. It was a return to the large open freestyle areas that made the franchise a household name, but it was not a return to glory. Glitches destroyed any shred of hope, as Skaters clipped through the ground for no reason at all. How are you supposed to pull of even a kickflip if you are worried about going into the ground?
The arcade elements the developers crammed into the game were more annoyances than evolution. Gamers spent more time focusing on power ups and collecting than actual skating. With all that, it didn’t feel like a Tony Hawk game or even a fun game. If you see it at the skate park, burn it.
11 Burn: Dogchild
Not be confused with the rejected spinoff of CatDog, Dogchild somehow earned a 71 on Metacritic. The game is meant for young kids, but that does not mean the game should be as bad as it is. Dogchild is about a boy and his dog fighting crime, but that’s where the fun ends.
The controls, animations, and overall presentation are no treat. The game looks like it was made for an old PlayStation, not the PS4. It really suffers from painfully slow animations that cause you to fail missions repeatedly. What kid wants that?
All this pales in comparison to the godawful controls. They are finicky, unresponsive, and show their true colors in the game’s pathetic excuse for combat. I will throw Dogchild a bone and say that at least you can switch between the boy and his dog, but that is the only treat the developers will get out of me.
10 Must Play: The Last Of Us Remastered
The Last of Us was one of PS3’s best games and Naughty Dog did an excellent job porting it for the PS4. If you played it for the last generation or if you missed it, all PS4 owners should pick up a copy of this brilliantly written game.
If you don’t know, The Last of Us is a game that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and asks gamers to survive the elements, enemies, and some heavy emotions. I won’t spoil it, but even the most hardened gamers will get a bit teary by the end of this game.
The updates improve the game, but don’t change it. That is important because it looks better, runs better, but doesn’t change what made the game great for the PS3. You need to pick this one up, along with some tissues.
9 Burn: Assassin’s Creed Unity
Assassin’s Creed Unity is the Ubisoft failure that keeps on giving. Let’s, for a moment, put aside the disastrous launch and look at the game if it were not a part of a major money making entity. It falls flat and should not be played by any PS4 owner.
The game should have been a slam dunk. Ubisoft retooled a few things, gave gamers a bigger map to roam around, and threw in the exciting backdrop of the French Revolution. What gamers got instead was bugs; lots of bugs. Unity could have been one of the series best or at least the best without sailing.
Fans will say that the patches have fixed most of the issues with the game, but Unity is not worth your time as a PS4 gamer. Repaired or not, the game does not live up to the fun of other Assassin’s Creed games, nor does it warrant the time it takes to download all of the patches. Games should be playable out of the box, especially for AAA titles.
8 Burn: Godzilla
With the success of the arcade game Rampage, you would think that the Godzilla game would be good. Sadly, Godzilla for the PS4 continues the long tradition of disappointing the big green monster’s fans.
The game itself is a PS3 port from Japan for Western audiences that missed it on the last console cycle. It makes you question Japanese gamers’ taste because this game is that bad. The developers thought it was a good idea to charge full price for this port, which is just cruel.
If you like smashing things, terrific, but you will hate it after the second mission in this game. Godzilla is repetitive and dull. The boss battles between Godzilla’s iconic foes are uninspired and lack a sense of scale and drama. Godzilla fans and PS4 owners should skip this one for sure.
7 Must Play: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
The final entry in the Nathan Drake saga is a fitting and fantastic end that fans wanted. The game is an improvement on the series, both graphically and through gameplay. The characters’ relationships are strong and feel more real, which adds to the drama and excitement.
Everything that you could hope for in an Uncharted game is here. Uncharted 4 dives head first into death defying stunts, delivers snarky moments of comedy, and shows off gorgeous locations. If you have played the other Uncharted games, and I suggest that you do, you probably already have your eye on this game. If you are new to the franchise, the game is also built with beginners in mind.
The game is a blockbuster movie that plays like an excellent game. It does not suffer from the forced perspective of The Order: 1886. Uncharted 4 should be played as soon as you finish reading this article.
6 Burn: Wander
MMOs need to be flawless if they want a shot of lasting to their first expansion. Console MMOs have an even taller order, as they're trying to convert console gamers into true believers. With all that in mind, Wander might be the worst console MMO ever created. It had lofty goals that would work great for a single player ‘walking simulator’, not an MMO.
If Wander did not glitch or crash, then gamers could hate it for its bizarre and boring content. You play as a tree or Ent if the copyright isn’t enforced. There is no shooting or killing, no interacting with other players, and little to no discovery. Again, that is if you can get past clipping through environments, randomly floating away, and suffering the worst ping of your life.
Wander isn’t just a bad game for the PS4, it’s a bad mark on Sony. Why would they let a pile of burning garbage on their state of the art system?
5 Burn: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
There was a good Spider-Man game with the number 2 in the title. It is not this one though. In Amazing Spider-Man 2, gamers are treated to some fun swinging from building to building in New York City. They are also treated to boring Peter Parker missions, required side missions, and boring combat.
It cannot be stressed enough that required side missions might be the worst game mechanic in gaming history. Let the gamer decide how much time they want to spend and don’t force them to take longer. If you don’t complete a required number of side missions, you can say goodbye to high flying action, because robots will put up nets to stop you.
The combat and endless stream of villains point to the developers trying to pull of an Arkham style game. The difference is that Arkham understood how to use villains in conjunction with a fluid combat system. Spider-Man throws everything at you with a lackluster system and hopes for the best. Amazing Spider-Man 2 is not worth any gamers time on PS4.
4 Must Play: The Witness
The Witness is the puzzle game that took the gaming world by storm last year and it is an absolute must play for any PS4 owner. The game that made every player look at the real world differently should absolutely be in your PS4 library.
This game will make your brain hurt. It will also make you feel stupid when you realize how to solve some puzzles. This game is totally worth a few minutes of frustration because it is the spiritual successor to Myst. The game’s beautiful environments and intricate puzzles allow players to lose themselves in the world.
If you are PS4 owner and you do not have The Witness in your library, then you are missing out on a magical phenomenon. Playing The Witness will change how you look at gaming and the world forever.
3 Burn: Skylight Freerange 2: Gachduine
Indie games can be great and even become surprise best sellers. However, Skylight Freerange 2: Gachduine is a game that makes PS4 owners question Sony’s ability to deliver. Before you think this game is a fluke, notice the two in the title. On top of that, this entry has an expansion. Yikes!
The game is crap, to put it bluntly. The graphics are outdated, to the point that it looks unsettling to look at. The game is set in the future in Nova Scotia, but all gamers will notice is the copious amounts of nudity they encounter. Lots and lots of poorly rendered nude characters.
It is like a bad grindhouse film, which is an accomplishment that no one should strive for. The only thing that could explain this game’s existence is that Sony was paid a lot of money to sell it. PS4 owners should not even try to hate play this game.
2 Burn: Life Of Black Tiger
The same week that Nintendo announce the Switch, Sony released the trailer for Life of Black Tiger. It left gamers everywhere asking, “Is this real life?” This game is truly the worst of the worst.
The gamer takes on the role of a Black Tiger, tromping through the jungle, while killing other animals and collecting smells. It plays like a high school project made by the worst kid in the class. When the camera isn’t completely blocked by objects, including your own tiger, gamers are treated to an ugly and claustrophobic jungle.
If you do avoid the glitches and survive the poorly written insert cards, the gameplay offers exciting possibilities like surviving other animals attacking you and attacking them back. The game is a disaster, but what makes all of this worse for PS4 owners is that it is completely free in most mobile app stores. WTF Sony?
1 Must Play: Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn is the best PS4 exclusive to come out this year. The plot keeps you guessing and the wild open world will keep you occupied for hours. Hunting and bringing down the large feral machines feels like a perfect blend of The Witcher and Monster Hunter.
The game is ambitious, which has sunk a lot of exclusive titles in the past. Horizon Zero Dawn avoids the pitfalls that can hinder new IPs and focuses on the gamer’s experience. Each battle with a larger than life machine feels authentic. The scale and approach to each creature is unique and innovative. The creatures roam in packs or are lone hunters foraging the landscape.
Aloy, the protagonist, is the best part of Horizon Zero Dawn. She is a warrior who is not afraid to be smart, powerful, or stand up for what is right. She is at home hunting creatures and feels genuine to the human story that drives the game. PS4 owners need this game in their library pronto.