This was an interesting year for Sony. Even though they knew they had a new console coming out, they didn’t stop the exclusive train from rolling in with plenty of hard hitters for the PS4. The genres run the gambit too and were decently spaced out. 

RELATED: Every PlayStation Console Ranked By Their Launch Lineups

Some of these exclusives do have a bit of an asterisk next to them. Some may have come out for PC, but remain console exclusive. Others may have also come out on PS5, but as that is on brand for PlayStation, that too counts. Either way one slices it, these were essential games to play on the PS4 this year. 

10 MLB The Show 20 (83)

MLB The Show 20 gameplay screenshot

MLB The Show is a series that is always quietly doing well for Sony. It’s a first party exclusive and is usually in the high numbers in terms of reviews. For sports fans, there is nothing better and the same goes for this year’s version. In the future Sony has said that they will be bringing it to other platforms too which is always good for the industry and for gamers. 

9 Ghost of Tsushima (83)

Ghost of Tsushima gameplay screenshot

It’s been awhile since samurai and ninja games were at the height of what they once were. Both genres are slowly creeping back what this and Nioh 2 as PS4 exclusives this year.

RELATED: 10 Canceled PlayStation Games You Never Knew Existed

Reviewers seemed to enjoy the beauty of the open world along with exploring something new for games, the Japanese countryside. Plus its multiplayer expansion was a nice surprise. 

8 Spider-Man: Miles Morales (85)

Miles Morales gameplay screenshot

This also came to PS5 so it’s not exactly a straight PS4 exclusive but it still counts. Except for some longer load times and the lack of the ray tracing effects, Spider-Man: Miles Morales is just as good on PS4. This was a smart move on Sony and Insomniac’s part as finding a PS5 this holiday season might be tricky. Getting a copy of this game on the other hand shouldn’t be. 

7 Nioh 2 (85)

Nioh 2 gameplay screenshot

As it was previously mentioned, Nioh 2 also brought the samurai action to PS4 this year. It somehow managed to be even more challenging than its predecessor and could  even give the toughest of Dark Souls games a run for their money. It’s tough but thankfully it also has multiplayer. Up to three friends can join up for some demon slaying action. 

6 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (86)

13 Sentinels gameplay screenshot

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, like most of Vanillaware’s games, might have slipped past a lot of gamers. It’s kind of hard to explain exactly what it is, but it is mostly a visual novel about piloting robots and saving the past from aliens. It’s also sort of a tactical RPG but these sections play out more like mini games. The point is the artistic graphics and the story is where this game gets its high praises. 

5 Spelunky 2 (87)

Spelunky 2 gameplay screenshot

Spelunky 2 is also on PC, but as this is a console exclusive for now, it still counts. Anyway, the game is a refined experience over the first. It’s not more accessible for new players though and in fact may be tougher. Still, death is sort of one of those things fans have embraced about the game so maybe that’s not a bad thing after all. 

4 Final Fantasy VII Remake (87)

FF7 Remake gameplay screenshot

Final Fantasy VII Remake was a longtime coming with it first rearing its head on PS3. That was a technical demo to show the system’s power but fans still thought it was real and or at least wanted it to be real. While this game is not a full remake, it was still received well and is a game all its own. Going into more details as to why would be a spoiler but regardless of why, this exclusive RPG hit a home run on PS4

3 Dreams (89)

Dreams gameplay screenshot

Most might have already forgotten Dreams came out this year. It had a good month or two of coverage due to people creating shareable content and then things sort of died down.

RELATED: 10 Unique PlayStation Video Games No One Has Copied Yet (But Should)

That’s easy to understand as creating a game within Dreams is not easy. This will not be for everyone but those that do enjoy creation tools, this is one of the best iterations on that sort of idea so far. 

2 The Last of Us Part II (93)

Last of Us 2 gameplay screenshot

The Last of Us Part II, despite the high aggregate, is one of the most divisive games of the year. The game part of it has been universally praised from the graphics to third-person shooting. The story is where some people have got hung up on the game. No matter what side one falls on it’s hard not to at least praise The Last of Us Part II for creating this type of experience.  

1 Persona 5 Royal (95)

Persona 5 Royal gameplay screenshot

Putting Persona 5 Royal on here may be a bit of a cheat. It did come out in 2017 and seemingly already had its place in the sun to shine. However, the changes to this re-release were significant enough to make it count. The new story is integrated so well into the old content that it’s hard to imagine the original story existing without out. Plus the RPG elements are better than ever. 

NEXT: PlayStation: 5 Things Jak & Daxter Does Better Than Ratchet & Clank (& 5 That Ratchet & Clank Is Best At)