Santa Monica Studios' God of War: Ragnarök, released in November 2022, continues the titular god Kratos' epic dad adventure through lands inspired by Norse mythology -- and clashing with the Nordic gods themselves -- while raising his son Atreus. The sequel to the 2018 God of War, which served as a soft reboot of the classic series, has been lauded for its voice acting, lush graphics and tight combat, but it's the narrative that sets the game apart from other AAA action games.
Ragnarök picks up where God of War left off as Kratos' killing of the Aesir god Baldur triggers the leadup to the mythical realms-wide, age-ending titular battle. With more weapons, enemies, bosses and gameplay featuring slices playing as Atreus, Ragnarök improves on everything from the first game. There's even a free DLC, Valhalla, serving as a narrative epilogue to the Norse chapter in the war god's story. For a cinematic adventure of epic scale, God of War: Ragnarök is hard to top.
Read our God of War: Ragnarök review.
Release date: Nov. 9, 2022
Genre: Narrative-driven hack and slash adventure
Developer: Santa Monica Studio
Another great sequel of a fan-favorite game, Horizon Forbidden West is Guerrilla Games' sequel to the 2017 smash hit Horizon Zero Dawn. Forbidden West, which came out in February 2022, follows Aloy's quest to find a cure for a plague in a post-post-apocalyptic world, where sentient beast-like machines roam the land while tribes of surviving humans unravel the mysteries of fallen civilizations.
As an open-world game, Forbidden West builds on its predecessor with more areas to explore, underwater sections to investigate, weapons to find and skills to master. Guerrilla Games expanded production of the sequel with more emphasis on story cinematics, with a star-studded cast led by Ashly Burch and the dearly missed Lance Reddick, as well as the talents of Angela Bassett and Carrie-Anne Moss in new roles. The sprawling game is further expanded in the DLC, Burning Shores, that explores even more of what happened in the past -- and the course of the world's future.
For a big adventure promising dozens of hours of gameplay in an open world, Horizon Forbidden West is a great choice.
Read our Horizon Forbidden West review.
Release date: Feb. 18, 2022
Genre: Post-post-apocalyptic open world action-adventure
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Games make the most of a revenge narrative, which is why it's so enthralling to step into Jin Sakai's shoes as he becomes "the Ghost" of Tsushima, enacting his vengeance with sword in shadow.
The game, which was rereleased in a Director's Cut version for PS5 in August 2021, tells a story about a hero -- and a legend -- that emerged during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. You're forced to walk in two worlds as you alternate between stealthy takedowns and intense sword fights, including epic samurai duels.
All that violence occurs in a beautiful game: There are peaceful, reflective moments too, ones where you'll recite haikus in the hot springs or ride your horse through fields surrounded by beautiful white plum blossom trees. It's no surprise the game has a built-in photo mode and the option to turn off the HUD altogether.
No matter how you slice it, the conflict between the enemy-stalking Ghost and honorable Jin Sakai is an example of Sony's commitment to premium storytelling, and Ghost of Tsushima is one of the most cinematic games under the PlayStation banner.
Read our Ghost of Tsushima review.
Release date: July 17, 2020
Genre: Stealthy open world action-adventure
Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
If your idea of a good time is riding motorcycles and toting around a big old boomstick while a horde of zombies bears down on you, then Days Gone Remastered is for you.
Bend Studio's take on the post-apocalypse isn't exactly revolutionary, but fighting the game's "freakers" in the sparsely populated Oregonian backwoods can make you feel like a regular Daryl Dixon. That's partially by design -- main character Deacon St. John is an outlaw with a heart of gold, drifting from place to place.
When Deacon finds out his wife may have actually survived the initial fall of civilization, he starts uncovering a conspiracy that brings him into conflict with the living as well as the dead. With scavenged bike and weapon parts and righteous determination, Deacon begins cleaning up the freakers and the government agents standing between him and the truth -- and making the world safer for nearby communities.
Days Gone Remastered adds several new features, including photo capture tools, a speedrunning mode and a permadeath difficulty option. It also adds Horde Assault, transforming the most memorable feature from the core game -- massive packs of roaming freakers -- into a tsunami of the undead that players will have to survive.
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Genre: Open world zombie survival in backwoods Oregon
Developer: Bend Studio
Insomniac's first go at Marvel's iconic webhead in 2018 was a solid outing, with an enthralling story pulled together by Peter Parker's personal ties to villains Mr. Negative and Otto Octavius, who challenge both the hero and the human. Spider-Man 2, which came out in October 2023, featured iconic foe Kraven the Hunter who raised the stakes and proved truly dangerous as he hunted down other characters from the Spider-Man mythos, but the story takes a backseat to the gameplay this time around.
Most of the new fun comes from the combat. Everyone knows Spider-Man pulls his punches; with great power comes great responsibility, after all. That's why it's a real treat to unlock more heavy-hitting moves as the Venom symbiote corrupts Peter over the course of the game. Combining familiar fighting moves with tendril attacks and a "rage mode" was a natural iteration that makes tangling with enemies more engaging. There are even tag team battles where Miles Morales or Peter Parker (depending on which Spider-Man you're currently playing) will randomly swing in to help lock down a fight.
This might be the same New York City as the setting of the first game, but this time around it truly feels alive. There are new collectables to find, new crimes to stamp out and new ways to beat down the bad guys. When I'm swinging around as the most prolific superhero of all time, that's all I can possibly ask for.
Release date: Oct. 20, 2023
Genre: Open world action-adventure
Developer: Insomniac Games
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