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Stuff’s 2021 list of the 25 best PlayStation games of all time is best read as a guide to games worth playing or revisiting—not an objective verdict. The publication describes these as its favorite PlayStation exclusives from across the years, including games that debuted on a Sony console and later appeared elsewhere. Its ranking reflects editorial taste, not a published scoring system, and it does not establish what is exclusive or available today. Stuff’s feature was published on 8 June 2021 and updated on 16 November 2021.
Stuff’s ranking, from No. 25 to No. 1
The descriptions below summarize why Stuff selected each game; they are not independent reviews or a claim that every title is the best entry point for every player.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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PRAGMATA - PlayStation 5 | $59.88 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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EA SPORTS College Football 27 - Standard Edition PS5 |Disc I VideoGame | $49.94 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Star Wars Outlaws - Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive), PlayStation 5 | $35.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
NBA 2K27 - PlayStation 5 | $66.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
MLB® The Show™ 26 – PS5™ | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
- Silent Hill (PS1, 1999) — Survival horror built around searching for a daughter in a fog-shrouded town. Its vulnerability and sustained unease make atmosphere the main draw.
- SSX (PS2, 2000) — Arcade snowboarding focused on speed, tricks, long courses, responsive controls, and hidden tracks. Stuff argues its appeal reached beyond established snowboarding fans.
- God of War (PS2, 2005) — Mythological boss fights and combo-driven combat, which Stuff says pushed the aging hardware.
- Bloodborne (PS4, 2015) — Demanding, hands-off action among gothic settings, formidable bosses, and a strong atmosphere. Stuff acknowledges that its difficulty and approach will not suit everyone.
- Journey (PS3, 2012) — A compact, meditative desert journey with optional anonymous online cooperation and shared puzzle-solving.
- MotorStorm (PS3, 2006) — High-speed off-road arcade racing across different vehicles and rough terrain, with crashes and spectacle central to the experience.
- Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4, 2017) — Aloy hunts robotic machines in a large world, combining ranged and melee combat. Stuff highlights its world and story.
- LittleBigPlanet (PS3, 2008) — Platform action paired with tools for building and sharing player-made levels.
- Crash Bandicoot (PS1, 1996) — Colorful, collectible-driven platforming with difficult, retry-heavy play. Stuff notes that the genre itself was not wholly new.
- Final Fantasy VII (PS1, 1997) — A cinematic CD-ROM-era role-playing game remembered for its characters and emotional impact. Stuff suggests the later Final Fantasy VII Remake may be a better starting point for some newcomers, while stressing that it expands only part of the original story.
- Guitar Hero (PS2, 2005) — A music game built around a plastic guitar controller with colored buttons. The controller is part of the appeal, but the ranking does not establish present-day hardware compatibility or availability.
- God of War (PS4, 2018) — A reworked, over-the-shoulder action adventure following an older Kratos and his son in a Norse setting, with a battle axe at its center.
- Metal Gear Solid (PS1, 1998) — Stealth shaped by cinematic presentation, voice acting, cutscenes, and the memorable Psycho Mantis encounter.
- ICO (PS2, 2001) — An atmospheric, emotional game that Stuff praises for conveying its story without dialogue or violence.
- Grand Theft Auto V — Stuff praises its city, three-protagonist story, and continuing appeal. The available feature text does not state a platform or year for this entry, so neither is added here.
- Wipeout 2097 (PS1, 1996) — Anti-gravity racing with a stronger identity, visual design, and soundtrack than its predecessor, in Stuff’s view.
- Tekken 3 (PS1, 1998) — A fighter that moved from arcade cabinets to PlayStation, using sidestepping into the background as a three-dimensional element.
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4, 2016) — A concluding-feeling Nathan Drake adventure praised for its missions, visual presentation, strategic changes, and character interaction.
- Pro Evolution Soccer 3 (PS2, 2003) — A football game Stuff remembers for balancing exciting scoring with tactical play, alongside its Master League.
- Gran Turismo 2 (PS1, 1999) — A racing game Stuff praises for combining realism and presentation with a large package. The feature reports 27 tracks and 650 cars; those are figures as stated by Stuff in 2021, not independently re-verified specifications.
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (PS1, 1999) — An endlessly replayable skating game that Stuff credits with defining the modern skateboarding-game experience and helping the sport return to mainstream attention.
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3, 2009) — Cinematic set pieces, large environments, voice acting, motion capture, and multiplayer. Stuff credits it with establishing Naughty Dog as a leading Sony studio.
- Resident Evil (PS1, 1996) — Survival horror remembered for shock, atmosphere, and influence; Stuff also observes that its visuals and voice acting have aged.
- Grand Theft Auto III (PS2, 2001) — Stuff’s explanation of its impact centers on the series’ move from a top-down view to a 3D Liberty City.
- The Last of Us (PS3/PS4, 2013/2014) — Stuff’s top pick combines stealth, exploration, puzzles, crafting, and combat with a maturely written, well-acted story and a strongly realized world.
How to choose what to play
The list spans different generations and kinds of play. Rather than treating the ranking as a universal order, start with what you want from a game: atmosphere, story, mechanical challenge, spectacle, or replayability.
| What you want | Games to consider | Why they fit Stuff’s descriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Atmosphere and unease | Silent Hill, Bloodborne, Resident Evil | All foreground horror or gothic mood, though their styles range from survival horror to demanding action. |
| Meditative exploration | Journey, ICO | Journey offers optional anonymous cooperation and shared puzzles; ICO tells its story with little reliance on dialogue. |
| Cinematic storytelling | The Last of Us, Uncharted 2, Uncharted 4, Final Fantasy VII | These entries are singled out for narrative, characters, presentation, or some combination of them. |
| Racing with different rhythms | Gran Turismo 2, MotorStorm, Wipeout 2097 | Stuff contrasts simulation-minded racing with off-road arcade spectacle and anti-gravity racing. |
| Replayable action and competition | Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Tekken 3, SSX, Pro Evolution Soccer 3 | These center on repeatable runs, fights, tricks, or matches, with different kinds of skill and mastery. |
| Creation as well as play | LittleBigPlanet | Its level-building and sharing tools extend the experience beyond the included platforming stages. |
These groupings are a practical way to browse Stuff’s choices, not categories or scores published by Stuff. For broader discovery, PlayStation’s games and editorial hub groups guides by genres including single-player, horror, racing, sports, role-playing, retro and indie, and remakes. Its pages also describe Game Catalog and Classics Catalog discovery routes; they do not confirm that any particular game on this list is currently included.
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#1 Best Overall
- Out-of-This-World Adventure – Stranded on a lunar space station, Hugh encounters Diana, a mysterious android resembling a young girl. While searching for a way back to Earth, they fight to survive against Bots directed to “neutralize” intruders.
- Hack & Shoot – Use each character’s distinct abilities to take down enemies. In combat, Diana can hack foes to expose weaknesses so Hugh can blast them with weapons. This unique fusion of gameplay offers an action-packed experience like no other.
- Space Exploration – Teamwork also extends to traversing the station. Utilize the thrusters in Hugh’s futuristic suit to dash and hover around while Diana hacks security systems to solve puzzles. Only together can they overcome all obstacles.
- Collect and Customize – Gather materials while exploring the station to unlock upgrades, build out a diverse arsenal of weapons, obtain new outfits, and more. Once you’re ready, use the new gear in battle and take on even greater challenges!
What the ranking does—and does not—say
Stuff’s list is a cross-generation snapshot published in 2021, not a current ranking that accounts for later releases. Its framing of the games as PlayStation favorites concerns their history and place in the list; it should not be read as a claim that every title remains exclusive to PlayStation. Nor does the feature establish that an original edition runs on a current console or is available through a subscription catalog or retailer.
A separate poll offers a different kind of evidence. On 10 January 2020, PlayStation Blog published results from its Game of the Decade poll. The Last of Us received over 11% of all votes and was the Platinum winner; God of War was Gold, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Silver, and Grand Theft Auto V Bronze. Participants chose three games from the 2010s, so these results are not a vote on Stuff’s all-time list. Brett Elston, identified with Capcom in the post, described the poll this way: “As the 2010s drew to a close, we asked you to scan through an impressive list of games and choose three that stood out as the best of the past 10 years.” PlayStation Blog’s results and poll description.
Rank #2
- Standard Edition for PlayStation 5 (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS College Football 27 game.
- DYNASTY BLUEPRINT – Control your program’s future with recruiting, NIL, staff, facilities, and Athletic Director Expectations..
- ROAD TO GLORY – Build your player, explore new positions, earn NIL deals, chase the Heisman, and raise your Legacy Score.
- MASCOT MASHUP – Play as your favorite mascot, collect 120+ icons, and compete in wild 11-on-11 matchups full of school spirit.
Checking how to play a game now
The list identifies platforms and years for most entries, but it does not verify current access. Before buying or subscribing, check the edition, platform, region, and present-day listing. For older games, a title’s original PlayStation release does not by itself show whether that release is playable on newer hardware. Catalog availability can also change; consult the current regional PlayStation catalog rather than assuming a ranked game is included. For Guitar Hero, check the exact game edition and compatible controller before purchasing hardware.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MLB The Show 26 Full Game on PlayStation 5
- Includes 5 The Show Packs
- NEW Road to Cooperstown & Expanded Amateur Years Career
- Build your ultimate fantasy team with a new Red Diamond rarity tier and World Baseball Classic player cards featuring elite game-changing players
- NEW Revamped Front Office Experience Play the nail-biting key matches and moments of your Franchise GM career with streamlined seasons and Custom Game Entry
Rank #4
- THE CITY: Put The City on your back and lead a new era of MyPLAYERs fueled by basketball. Let your passion power your unique style on and off the court, team up with friends to form a Crew, and dominate the courts at The REC, Park, and beyond.
- MyCAREER: Create a MyPLAYER and experience a legacy-defining story in MyCAREER, where you’ll be tested on your path to becoming the greatest player of all time. Shatter expectations, compete against legends of the sport, and leave your mark on NBA history.
- POWERED BY ProPLAY: Master your skills with lifelike gameplay animations directly translated from real NBA action. Use an array of ProPLAY features to cook defenders with ankle-breaking crossovers, show off your range with enhanced shooting mechanics, and become a matchup nightmare every time you step on the court.
- MyTEAM: Collect your favorite NBA and WNBA stars with ease and build a fantasy squad for the ages. Grow your collection and assemble endless lineup combinations; take control of your MyTEAM and put it to the test in single-player and multiplayer modes.
Rank #3
- Only at Amazon Limited Edition Content - The Rogue Infiltrator Character Pack includes cosmetics for Kay and Nix.
- Discover a galaxy of opportunity. Explore distinct locations with bustling cities and cantinas. Race across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each location brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
- Experience an original scoundrel story. Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. Turn any situation to your advantage with Nix by your side: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
- Embark on high-stakes missions. Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
- Jump into the pilot seat. Pilot your ship, the Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with the Empire and other foes. Find the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
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