Like with any gaming generation, the current gen has given us a lot of fantastic games, but it has also produced a handful of duds or games that just didn't live up to the hype.
As of this writing, we're a little under six years into the current generation, which means we have a pretty good sample size of games to chose from. On top of that, rumor has it that the next generation of consoles, specifically the PlayStation 5, will be announced at some point this year, and will be released sometime in 2020.
So now it's the perfect time look back at some games that will be remembered as all time classics, and other games that will be looked at as massive disappointments.
10 10. Disappointing - For Honor
To be fair, there were some aspects of For Honor that were incredible. But, upon launch, the game was a total mess, as players were regularly experiencing terrible lag, and regular disconnections from matches, which is unacceptable for an online based game. Over time, Ubisoft has addressed most of these issues, but it was long after the majority of their player base had already decided to give up on the game. Hopefully the company will learn from this mistake, and will make sure that none of these issues are repeated if or when they decide to release a second installment of the game.
9 9. Best - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Some would make the argument that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the best AAA game of the current generation, as it's visually stunning with a huge open world to explore. The story of the game is also fantastic, mostly due to the main character, Geralt of Rivia, being one of the most likable protagonists in gaming. To sum it up, The Witcher 3 is one of the most stunning games of the current generation, as its open world, characters, combat, and crafting are all at an A+ level. When it was released back in May of 2019, it set the standard for all future open world games, and it certainly deserved the vast amount of the perfect review scores it received.
8 8. Disappointing - The Order: 1886
Upon its release back in February of 2015, The Order: 1886 was one of the most highly anticipated PS4 exclusives, but once players and reviewers finally got their hands on it, they soon found out that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. One of the biggest criticisms of the game was its length, which clocked in at anywhere between five and ten hours, depending on the player. On top of that, the combat just wasn't satisfying, as it somehow made fighting werewolves completely boring, which prior to the game's release, seemed just about impossible.
7 7. Best - God Of War
Like plenty of other AAA releases this generation, God of War proved that there's still a place for linear, story driven single player games. There are a ton of layers to this game, and just because it's not an open world game doesn't mean that there's not a vast amount of things to explore and secrets to uncover.
In the trailers leading up the game's launch, we saw a much more well-rounded version of Kratos, and upon release, the game delivered everything it promised it would. The combat was fantastically satisfying, and the narrative was very compelling. There's probably no better game on the PS4 that is a better showcase for what the console is capable of doing.
6 6. Disappointing - Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
There seems to be a pattern with all of the Deus Ex releases, which is that with every great release, developer Eidos Montréal struggles to follow it up with another great game. Sure, Mankind Divided is fine, but it felt extremely rushed. While there is some potential with the game's story, it just never really got to the point where players were fully engaged with what was going on. The biggest flaw with the game is the ending, which was extremely flat. On top of that, it didn't even feel like a true ending, as there were still a ton of unanswered questions when the credits rolled. Some of those get answered in the game's DLC, which isn't the best way to put a bow on the story of its main game, as most players probably didn't even touch the extra content.
5 5. Best - Red Dead Redemption 2
While there are certainly some flaws with the game, Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most visually stunning games ever created. On top of that, the world actually feels alive, which makes exploring it fun.
On top of it being a fantastic, visually stunning and alive open world game, its story and main protagonist, Arthur Morgan, are what makes this game a must-play if you haven't already. It's a game that, much like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, proves that you can tell a great, linear story in an open world game. Also as a side note, it might have the best original soundtrack out there, which is something that sucks you into the game even more.
4 4. Disappointing - Mass Effect: Andromeda
Even though the trailers, as they often do, made this game look as epic as the original trilogy, it fell well short of expectations when players finally were able to get their hands on it. Even after several patches, the game still suffered from frame rate issues, bugs, glitches that would make it impossible to finish certain quests, and most of all, the story just wasn't compelling at all, as it was the same old "you're the chosen one" narrative. Also, the ending isn't satisfying, but it does set up a possibility for a sequel, which should be a lot more polished than Andromeda was.
3 3. Best - Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
For over a decade, the Uncharted series has been one of the most popular PlayStation properties, and the game's fourth installment, A Thief's End, certainly didn't disappoint.
This was advertised as longtime series protagonist Nathan Drake's farewell, as it went with the "one last job" narrative. On the surface, something like that is very cliche, but the story of the game was anything but. If you're a fan of the first three games, then the ending to Drake's story was more than satisfying. On top of that, it left us with the possibility for more Uncharted games with Nate and Elena's daughter, Cassie Drake.
2 2. Disappointing - Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
After the brutal and surprising conclusion of the game's prologue, Ground Zeroes, there was a ton of hype surrounding the fifth installment of one of the most popular video game franchises, Metal Gear Solid. However, when The Phantom Pain was released, it just felt unfinished. Sure, the gameplay was amazing, and the visuals were fantastic as well. But the story just wasn't good, which wasn't the case with all of the game's previous installments. On top of that, the ending broke the fourth wall, and essentially thanked the player for making Snake into the legend that he is today, which just wasn't necessary.
1 1. Best - Horizon Zero Dawn
