Cliff Notes – What is the best PS5 exclusive in 2025
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The debate over the best PS5 exclusive continues, with contenders including God of War Ragnarök, Spider-Man 2, Astro Bot, and Horizon Forbidden West, though opinions vary on their merits.
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Spider-Man 2 is gaining traction as a top contender due to its engaging gameplay and high production value, while God of War Ragnarök is noted as a cross-gen title, potentially affecting its standing.
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Anticipation for future releases, such as Wolverine and Naughty Dog’s upcoming projects, suggests that the competition for the best PS5 exclusive may intensify in the near future.
What is the best PS5 exclusive in 2025?
Does Astro Bot beat God Of War? (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
The Wednesday letters page prepares for disappointment in the next State of Play, as one reader doubts Sonic Racing CrossWorlds will beat Mario Kart World.
Top five
I know that GC’s favourite PlayStation 5 exclusive is Returnal and I’m not going to take issue with that. It’s not my type of thing but I can appreciate the quality and imagination. But what are the other contenders? After all, they should be easy to narrow down, since everyone complains that Sony don’t make enough of them anymore.
For me, the top five contenders, ignoring Returnal, are God Of War Ragnarök, Spider-Man 2, Astro Bot, Horizon Forbidden West, and Gran Turismo 7. I can quickly remove those last two from the running, and personally I don’t feel Astro Bot is quite that good. So I think it’s got to be Spider-Man 2 for me, especially as Ragnarök is a cross-gen game.
People have been talking about it again, because of the chances of seeing Wolverine soon, but while I accept the game isn’t exactly deep, in gameplay or story, it is a ton of fun, and you can really see where all the money went. It is something that could easily be beaten for the top spot, with the right game though. So perhaps Returnal really is the best one, but I hope we see a new contender soon as I can’t imagine it being Ghost Of Yōtei.
Futterman
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The big one
So is everyone ready to be disappointed by another State of Play? After all it’s always ‘the next one’ that’s going to be the ‘big one’, right? Well, it wasn’t for Nintendo and I doubt it will be for PlayStation, but at least the chances of showing an exclusive are pretty high this time. I guess probably Wolverine, although I’d be much more interested in Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (announcing a name change would be the first good step, because that subtitle stinks).
Most of all though I just want to see some enthusiasm from Sony. Not in some rehearsed talking heads segment but by going above and beyond and giving us stuff we never imagined. I feel that’s something that all publishers have stopped doing and I’m tired of these showcases being so predictable.
Focus
Old rivals
I admit I got a laugh out of that new Sega ad for the Sonic Racing game but I’m not sure that antagonising Nintendo is really the best move possible. Not only do you upset the company but you also upset the fans, and they kind of both on their side to make CrossWorlds a hit.
I’m not sure if bragging about changing dimensions is really much of a draw either. I still don’t really understand it, but it screams unwanted gimmick to me, that everyone’s going to go: ‘It’s pretty good but it’d be better without the dimensions thing.’
Maybe I’m wrong and this is really going to be the best Mario Kart game never mind but given Sega’s track record (no pun intended) I’m not putting money on it.
Crista
Street Fighter 2×20
I’ve lost count how many versions of Street Fighter 2 I’ve bought over the years for various formats.
I do have most versions of Resident Evil 4 though and played it so many times that my friend made a meme of it (I did end up getting it on Switch too).
Carl Harrison
How many times have you done it? (Carl Harrison)
Raising the dead
So apparently there’s a Splinter Cell show starting on Netflix next month. It has the same lame animation style as all these things, but I’ve got to wonder again why is it always dead franchises? Is it just because the licence is cheaper because of that? Would it really have bene that much more expensive to make a show based on something that’s had a new game in the last decade?
Castlevania, Tomb Raider, Devil May Cry… it can’t be a coincidence. Maybe its publishers giving the licence for next to nothing as a way of raising the game’s profile and then seeing if people are interested in a new sequel? I guess that makes sense on some level, but it seems a very long-winded way to find out. As cheap as these shows look I’m sure they still take a year or so to make.
Anyway, I won’t be tuning in, but I will get a Splinter Cell remake the minute they release it. If they ever do.
Castor
Beyond the physical
I’ll be honest, I can’t remember the last time I bought a physical game. It must’ve been on the PlayStation 4 because I definitely haven’t bought any on the PlayStation 5. I’m not even sure if maybe it wasn’t on the Xbox 360, the last time I did it.
I won’t pretend that it’s not worse value for money, since you can’t sell the game on, but it’s just so much more convenient. Even going to the shops to go and exchange the game was a pain, but now you don’t have to change discs or have shelves full of discs. It’s just overall a lot more slick and useful.
It’s true there aren’t usually price cuts at launch, like you used to get in shops, but there are very good sales on a regular basis. There’s basically always one on the PlayStation Store, even if the name of it changes. I’d actually say that games were overall cheaper now, as while there’s no drop at first you do get some massive bargains after around a year or so, or even just six months.
I won’t pretend I don’t buy some games day one at full price, which always feels a little dirty, but overall I’m happy with the current system and I wouldn’t want it back to the way it used to be. Strangely, the one thing I do miss is midnight openings for big new games. That was always really hype, chatting with everyone in the queue and everything.
If that’s all I’m missing out on though I can cope. Things don’t always get better in every way, but I think the set-up that we have at the moment is for the best.
Harricane
Jump and shoot
I’d never really thought of it before, but I guess Fortnite is kind of the current gen equivalent of a 16-bit licensed game. They were always 2D platformers and since Fortnite is always the same thing that means everything has to get smashed down to be just a character in a third person shooter.
Doesn’t matter if it’s Naruto or Darth Vader, it’s all just a guy holding a gun at the end of the day. Just like whatever the movie was, back in the day, where they always ended up jumping around on platforms. The more things change the more they stay the same.
Olliephant
Adding up
It’s been obvious from the start that Nintendo is increasing prices for the Switch 2, but you don’t realise how bad it is until you see it all laid out. I thought they were going for a £75 total for everything, once the DLC was added in, but it’s actually worse than that in some cases. I just don’t know who has that sort of money to be spending money on video games on the regular.
There’s no question that the S-tier Nintendo games are worth it, like Zelda and a 3D Mario, but Fire Emblem or Kirby? No thanks. Even Donkey Kong is a question mark, although the terrible DLC for that makes it an easy decision to cut costs. You could say you don’t have to get the DLC if you don’t want to, but you’d be missing out with Pokémon I’m sure, and probably a bunch of others.
Most people agree that Mario Kart World is a bit light on content but if that’s added in via paid-for DLC how much is it going to add up to? Mario Kart 8 was renowned for its good value DLC but what is World going to end up costing by the end? £150? More? Maybe it’ll even be worth it in the end but then how am I going to have any money left for anything?
Whether or not Nintendo were right to go with a new Fire Emblem so early isn’t really the issue. The issue is that while I took a chance on Three House (I mostly liked it) I’m not going to with the new one. I just don’t have the spare cash anymore, and that’s purely Nintendo’s fault.
Diamond Geezer
Inbox also-rans
Unless I’ve missed it, can you still use the mega evolution pokémon in Pokémon Legends Z-A offline once the Nintendo Switch Online subscription has expired?
LeighDappa
GC: We assume so, but you do need the subscription to get them in the first place.
Sega does what Nintendon’t will always be the best tagline, no matter. It only really counts when you’re talking about blood in Mortal Kombat though, not Mario Kart clones.
Trez
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