I’ve seen a number of comics fans (and pros) wonder if it’s worth buying a PS4 just to play Insomniac’s Spider-Man. I’d probably advise against buying any console for just one game, but the good news is that the PS4 has a strong library of exclusive games that are worth buying the console for.

Here’s a quick guide to help you decide if you want to pull the trigger on Sony’s current gen game box.

But Before We Get Started

A few helpful tips:

– If you’re budget conscious and want to save a little money, I might suggest waiting things out a few months for Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday. Not only will there be deals on PS4s, there might even be deals on the Spider-Man game. Feel free to send me a message in November if you need help finding the best deal, I bargain hunt every year.

– If you want to play any games online, you’ll need to also buy a subscription to PS Plus in order to unlock online functionality. While that’s kind of a bummer, the real appeal of PS Plus is the “Instant Game Collection” feature, which gives you a handful of new games to download every month. And you get to keep all the PS Plus games you download until your subscription expires! I open up the PS Store at the beginning of each month just to add the new games to my account to make sure I have them all.

Sometimes there are high quality games, sometimes there’s fluff, but a one year subscription will get you a decent collection of games. The “Instant Game Collection” has even included a few of the games that follow…

PS4 Exclusives

The Last Of Us (Remastered)

Zombie games can feel a little overplayed, but this one is different. Critically acclaimed for it’s Lone Wolf & Cub-esque story inspired by The Road, zombies aren’t the focus as much as drama and distrust between the living. It was originally released on the PS3, but if you didn’t own that console you have a perfect excuse to play it now for the first time.

 
 

God Of War

Not to be confused with God Of War (2005) for PS2, God Of War (2018) is a brand new installment, not a remake. It’s another Lone Wolf & Cub/The Road-esque father/child adventure (video games have been big on those the last five years), a major departure from the previous games that focused more on stylish action than on an emotional story.

 
 

Journey

Like The Last Of Us, this was ported from the PS3, but is well worth playing. It’s a short, relaxing downloadable game that’s about the length of a movie, but rewards exploration through additional replays, and contains some of the best art direction in any video game.

 
 

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

It’s the fourth installment, but you shouldn’t feel too lost. All you need to know is that Nathan Drake is an adventurer in the vein of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft who looks vaguely like Nathan Fillion. But if you want to play the rest of the story first, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection ports the first three games to PS4. There’s also a spin-off called Uncharted: The Lost Legacy which focuses on the women in the series.

 

Yakuza 0

A prequel to the long-running series, which makes its a perfect jumping on point. This recreation of 1988 Tokyo is an open-world playground, including several fully playable Sega arcades. If you enjoy the game, the early installments are being remade on PS4 as the Yakuza Kiwami series.

 
 
 

Horizon Zero Dawn

An interesting mix of past and feature, this open world is set in the 31st century, where the world has decayed and been overrun with robot monsters for you to hunt. It was followed by an expansion called The Frozen Wilds, which can now be bought together with the game in the Complete Edition.

 

 

Persona 5

A group of high schoolers who use a magical smartphone app to enter the hearts of corrupt adults and make them better people. This one is a traditional RPG, which means the combat is turn-based, and the length of the story is endless. If you’re looking to maximize bang for buck, a good RPG will give you your money’s worth.

 

 

Bloodborne

Bloodborne is from the creators of the Dark Souls games, which is famous for its world design, lore, and high level of difficulty. If you’re a fan of Souls series you’ll definitely want to get this one. or if you’re looking for a challenge and enjoy this one, the other Souls games are on PS4 as well.

 

 
 

The Last Guardian

Flawed but beautiful, The Last Guardian is the third game in a thematic trilogy by Fumito Ueda, following Ico and Shadow Of The Colossus. The latter has been remastered for PS4, but strangely the first game is still only available on PS3.

 

 
 

Gravity Rush 2

If all you’re really looking for is another superhero game, Gravity Rush 2 might be up your alley. Instead of traversing the city with webbing, Kat has gravity powers that sort of allow her to fly (or fall) across the city. The original Gravity Rush was a handheld game that was later remastered for PS4, in case you want to start at the beginning.

 

 

Coming Soon

More exciting exclusives are on there way. Most immediately, open-world western Red Dead Redemption 2 likely won’t be available for PC when it arrives next month, meaning it’ll be exclusive of PS4 and Xbox One. The much anticipated sequel The Last Of Us Part II is expected to arrive next year. And Death Stranding, from the creator of Metal Gear Solid, will be a PlayStation exclusive (though it’s up in the air whether it might end up on the PS5…).