The best upcoming PS5 games: Final Fantasy XVI, God of War: Ragnarok, and more

The long-awaited next-generation PlayStation is here. The PS5 launched with some great titles like the Demon’s Souls remake and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but many of the best games are yet to come. We’ve selected some of the most intriguing PS5 exclusives and non-exclusive titles headed to the platform in the near future. Here are the best upcoming PS5 games for 2021 and beyond.

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New PS5 games:

1. Final Fantasy XVI

Release date: Coming soon

Final Fantasy seems to be returning to its more traditional roots for the sixteenth mainline game of the series. The new installment is set in the medieval-esque realm of Valisthea — a world littered with towering Mothercrystals that grant power and prosperity to the kingdoms surrounding them. However, the fragile peace between the different factions is threatened when a blight begins to engulf the land. Clive Rosfield finds himself amidst this chaos, as he seeks to protect his little brother Joshua. We see him both as a young knight and as an adult bent on revenge, although we are not told what put him on the latter path.

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Unfortunately, the timed-exclusive Final Fantasy XVI doesn’t have an exact release date yet, but we do have good news. The game’s official PlayStation Store page recently switched from TBC (To be confirmed) to Coming Soon. Nevertheless, the game promises to fix many issues from previous installments and includes a real-time combat system that looks promising. Combine that with its compelling story, and we have one of the best upcoming PS5 games.

2. Stray

Release date: October 2021

Who needs Cyberpunk 2077 when you have Cyberpunk with a cat? Set in a post-apocalyptic future in which humans seem to have disappeared, Stray lets you see the world through the eyes of a lonely feline. You wander around a city that seems to be inhabited solely by robots. We don’t know in search of what yet, but that makes the mysterious game and its fluffy protagonist even more intriguing.

However, you can expect the titular stray to behave much like a real cat. The developers from BlueTwelve Studio are cat owners themselves and have said their pets’ playfulness and “lovingly annoying” behavior have inspired them.

Stray is coming out in October 2021, as a timed PS5 exclusive. It’s without a doubt one of the best new PS5 games you should be on the lookout for next fall.

3. Horizon Forbidden West

Release date: Winter 2021

When it came out in 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn quickly became one of the most critically acclaimed PlayStation 4 games. Now, its sequel Forbidden West looks to be following in its footsteps, promising another engrossing open-world adventure. This time, Aloy will explore “The Forbidden West” – the overgrown ruins of what was once San Francisco.

All is not well in this seemingly gorgeous and vibrant area, however. Massive, fearsome machines roam the land, and an unexplained environmental cataclysm threatens to cause another mass extinction. It’s Aloy’s job to discover the cause and restore balance.

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Horizon Forbidden West promises to be even better than its predecessor, making it one of the new PS5 games we’re the most excited to see in action. Unfortunately, there is no concrete release date yet, but we hope to see it land on the console in 2021.

4. God of War: Ragnarok

Release date: 2022

Although it is one of the games we know least about, God of War: Ragnarok is also one of the most highly anticipated. The 2018 God of War reboot breathed new life into the franchise, sending Kratos and his son on a journey through mystical Norse realms. The game was universally praised for its masterful art direction, graphics, music, and more. However, the true standout was the touching relationship between father and son. In short, the sequel — rumored to be called God of War: Ragnarok — has a lot to live up to.

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Unfortunately, the short teaser doesn’t tell us much. Yet, the title itself is quite the big hint. In Norse mythology, Ragnarok is an apocalyptic event that leads to the deaths of many Norse gods. This is heavily teased in the first game alongside the arrival of a certain God of Thunder. It’s expected that Kratos and his “boy” will take on the hammer-wielding diety and other figures of legend in the next God of War installment. It promises to be one of the hottest new PS5 games, and even though it was pushed to 2022, we’re still greatly anticipating it.

5. Deathloop

Release date: September 14, 2021

A Groundhog Day-esque shooter is probably the best way to describe this upcoming PS5 game. Deathloop, as its name implies, has protagonist Colt stuck in a day that endlessly resets. He has to assassinate eight targets on the island before time runs out, but his job is not going to be easy. Colt has to contend with Julianna — a rival assassin whose only mission is to thwart him and to keep the cycle going.

To make things more interesting, Deathloop offers many paths you can take. No two days are the same. Better yet, the game offers multiplayer gameplay akin to Dark Souls’ invader phantoms. You can join other player’s campaigns as Julianna and keep them stuck in the Deathloop forever.

If you are intrigued, you’ll be happy to know that you won’t have to wait too much longer. Deathloop was originally supposed to release in May but was postponed to September due to pandemic-related delays.

6. Gran Turismo 7

Release date: 2022

Gran Turismo is a staple of every PlayStation console, and the PS5 is no exception. The next-gen console brings with it Gran Turismo 7. This installment of the racing sim looks to be pushing realism to the next level with support for 4K visuals. However, it’s also a return to simpler times. The game is reintroducing the fan-favorite GT Simulation Mode and has changed its interface to resemble older installments. If it is as good as the trailer promises, Gran Turismo 7 could return the franchise to its old glory, allowing it to finally challenge Forza for the racing sim crown.

At the moment, there is no exact release date for the game. It was originally meant to drop sometime this year but has since been delayed to 2022 due to pandemic-related hiccups.

The best upcoming PS5 games: honorable mentions

There are plenty of other new PS5 games coming in the future that piqued our interest. We couldn’t fit all of them in the main list, so we’ve included some of them in our honorable mentions!

• Mass Effect 5 — After the less than stellar Andromeda, the Mass Effect series seems to be returning to its old roots. We still don’t know if Mass Effect 5 will be a direct sequel to any previous installment, but we know that Liara is back.
  
• Dragon Age 4 — Bioware’s fantasy franchise will soon be back with its fourth installment in the series. Set in a land ruled by mages, Dragon Age 4 promises that a new hero will emerge — not one foretold by prophecy, but one that will rise to the challenge regardless.
  
• Ghostwire: Tokyo — Tokyo seems to be overrun with paranormal creatures only you can see. As such, it is your task to save the city and fight back with your own supernatural abilities.
  
• Season — A quiet, atmospheric indie, Season follows a young woman on a journey of exploration as she discovers the world around her seemingly for the first time.
  
• Open Roads — Every family has its secrets, and this mother and daughter duo is determined to uncover theirs. They embark on a road trip, with a relative’s diary as their only clue.
  
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits — Although very little is known about it yet, Kena: Bridge of Spirits looks to be one of the most magical upcoming PS5 games. The spirit-inhabited world is gorgeous, and the art style seems like a perfect Ghibli and Pixar blend.
  

These are our picks for the new and upcoming PS5 games to keep an eye out for. We’ll update this list as games are released and new titles are announced.