Highlights

• PlayStation 5 games have impressed critics across the board, offering top-notch storytelling, engaging gameplay, and stunning visuals.
• Mature titles like Deathloop and Demon's Souls offer intense, challenging experiences perfect for a dynamic and evolved audience.
• With games like God of War: Ragnarok and Elden Ring, the PS5 showcases a diverse range of genres and gameplay styles for all players to enjoy.

The PlayStation 5 entered store shelves on November 12, 2020. While acquiring one has not been the easiest of tasks, those lucky enough to get their hands on one have been enjoying countless hours of gaming. Since then, the latest PlayStation system has seen a number of critically acclaimed games worth pouring hours into. Among these many acclaimed games have been countless M-rated games, full of somber themes, excellent gameplay, and, at times, a lot of violence.

Ultimately, the worth of a title will vary for every individual, but these PlayStation 5 releases have enjoyed much critical praise and are sure to grip a mature audience. Sony is known for pushing games with adult themes and strong motifs, propelling this notion from the very moment they entered the gaming landscape to combat with the likes of Nintendo during a time when games weren't really associated with anything too mature.

Updated on March 21, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: The PlayStation 5 is reportedly in the second half of its run, and players who aren't too picky about only playing exclusives will find a ton of things to enjoy on the PS5. The console features a wealth of mature games that are a blast to play through, with the vast majority of these games boasting a ton of quality and proving once and for all why the current generation of gaming is rife with so much quality.

Only games with native PS5 versions will be considered.

22 Sifu

Metascore: 81

Sifu is a game that forces players to adapt to its combat system by making them eat dirt over and over again. Players who don't realize when to dodge and parry will find themselves having a pretty hard time with this game indeed. Mastery in Sifu is obtained through repetition and skill unlocks that can prove to be quite helpful indeed.

It's not the easiest game around, but beating down a boss after the tough time they can give makes for one of the more rewarding gaming experiences to come out in recent times. Of course, there's always an easy mode for players who just want to experience the engaging setting, story, and characters of this martial arts action game without being frustrated by its difficulty.

21 Grand Theft Auto 5

Metascore: 81

A lot of people weren't exactly thrilled to see Grand Theft Auto 5 on the current generation of consoles, with many fans exasperated with Rockstar's insistence on focusing solely on the Online component instead of letting players enjoy a single-player experience. Thankfully, it seems that Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming sooner rather than later, which has satiated the demands of most players in this department.

Context aside, there's no denying that Grand Theft Auto 5 is a game that has aged like a fine wine and still looks impressive, despite the original game launching all the way back on the PS3 in 2013. The massive open world, unique cast of characters, and action-packed story are all reasons why this title became such a rage and continues to hold a lot of players' attention to this day.

20 Helldivers 2

Metascore: 82

Live-service games have a stigma that makes it hard to market these experiences, so players are glad to see developers trying to make long-lasting titles full of passion in a subgenre of gaming that has been rather controversial as of late. Helldivers 2 is a great example of a live-service game done right.

The mission structure of this game coupled with its satirical and intentional over-the-top patriotism makes it one of the best third-person shooters that fans can get their hands on right now. Battles are cinematic and teamwork is downright necessary for some of the game's toughest missions. With the player base of this title expanding every day, it's easy to see why Helldivers 2 has such a bright future, with its successful launch serving as a wake-up call for Sony's previous insistence on exclusivity at all costs.

19 A Plague Tale: Requiem

Metascore: 82

A Plague Tale: Innocence was a surprisingly engaging adventure game with its fair share of stealth and action elements. The title takes the backdrop of a rat plague and weaves a brilliant story around it, with its sequel improving upon the formula in every way.

The narrative-driven experience of A Plague Tale: Requiem is perfect for PlayStation fans who expect their games to have riveting stories to accompany a fun gameplay loop. The scope of this title has been increased massively, making it a perfect sequel in almost every department.

18 Metro Exodus

Metascore: 83

The biggest and most visually stunning installment in the Metro saga, Metro Exodus released to great critical acclaim. Players get to play as Artyom and traverse this foreboding post-apocalyptic world, in a desperate search for survivors. It's a story-driven first-person shooter that sees the protagonist journey through multiple fantastically realized locations and fight a variety of hideous creatures.

The brutal and dark world of Metro Exodus is full of blood, exploration, and top-tier first-person gameplay. Its impact may have been diluted by familiarity by the time of its PlayStation 5 release, but it is still one of the finest experiences the console has to offer and quite possibly the best single-player FPS narrative in recent years.

17 Resident Evil: Village

Metascore: 84

The second installment in the Ethan Winters saga of Resident Evil games improved upon almost everything set up by Resident Evil 7, an already great title. Resident Evil: Village brought with it next-gen visuals, improved gameplay, and a truly haunting, unique setting (similar to that of Resident Evil 4).

The world of Resident Evil: Village is atmospheric and terrifying. With gory, intense gameplay and chilling set pieces that can scare even the bravest players, Resident Evil: Village has it all. Though its gunplay has its detractors, the narrative, atmosphere, and visuals make Resident Evil: Village an amazing experience. Only those who can stomach the horror genre should apply, though.

16 Control: Ultimate Edition

Metascore: 85

As if the 2019 original was not enough, Remedy's brilliant title Control got a next-gen upgrade in 2021. The upgrade brought with it a 60 FPS performance mode and a 30 FPS quality mode, featuring arguably some of the best ray tracing yet seen on next-gen consoles.

Alongside its beautiful visuals, Control has unique and engaging gameplay and a very deep and complicated story. Control also features a wonderful world design, with fluid and vicious combat to boot. While Control's story may not be as solid as some of the system's other mature titles, it does its absolute best to complement the dark and bleak setting.

15 Death Stranding

Metascore: 85 (Director's Cut)

Death Stranding is a unique game that only someone like Kojima could've thought of. The very act of walking is turned into a compelling gameplay dynamic where players need to balance their packages and ensure that they don't lose too many goods by being ambitious with their dropoffs.

The game has a great story that will take some time for players to wrap their heads around, what with all the confusing jargon that comes out at times. It looks absolutely gorgeous on the PS5 and is a worthwhile title that fans can check out.

14 Cyberpunk 2077

Metascore: 86

After a rocky launch, a steady stream of updates and patches has turned Cyberpunk 2077 into a solid experience. With significant improvements like smoother frame rates, ray tracing, better and more responsive crowds, new weapons, and the ability to buy more apartments, pouring hours into Night City has never been easier or more irresistible.

Cyberpunk 2077 does not hold back, going all out with profanity and tackling the darkest and most disturbing of themes. Despite the minor bugs that still plague Cyberpunk 2077, it is still an excellent experience on the PlayStation 5. The Edgerunners update added even more content, paving the way for the 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion. The latter two served as the completion of the game's rehabilitation.

The Witcher 3 has made the jump to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and it is obviously one of the best M-rated games on both consoles. However, it will be omitted from this discussion since it is fairly old by this point, so it feels like a stretch to describe it as a PS5 game.

13 Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Metascore: 86

The latest entry in the mainline Yakuza series maintained the series' high praise. Receiving almost universal acclaim, Yakuza: Like A Dragon is one of the finest M-rated games around. Despite its controversial turn-based style of action gameplay, Yakuza: Like a Dragon maintained the energy of previous installments in the series and brought with it an engaging story and a very energetic Yokohama.

While the combat system and mechanics of Yakuza: Like a Dragon certainly aren't for everyone, fans of the series and turn-based battles alike will find it an experience that offers exceptional storytelling. Its plot boasts an excellent mixture of dark and satirical themes. From distinctly adult gratuitous violence to dancing minigames, Yakuza: Like a Dragon has it all, earning its mature rating.

12 Final Fantasy 16

Metascore: 87

Final Fantasy is a legendary series that needs no introduction, with the sheer number of titles in this franchise truly boggling the mind. As the gaming landscape has evolved over time, so has the need for Final Fantasy games to remain at the very top of their game and adopt the latest industry trends in a manner that is befitting of this franchise's esteemed legacy.

Final Fantasy 16 marks a massive shift in the series, switching over to a real-time combat system without any party members whatsoever, which is a pretty huge risk indeed. Thankfully, for the most part, this gamble paid off in the eyes of many. Final Fantasy 16 is a very mature game that has seemingly grown along with the audience that loved it so many years back, even if some people feel that the game lacks a palpable sense of challenge.

11 Ghost Of Tsushima Director's Cut

Metascore: 87

The PlayStation 5 upgrade of the brutal 2020 original brought with it many improvements. Ghost of Tsushima was already an exceptional game that garnered very high praise due to delivering an excellent open-world adventure bustling with life and a great story.

The PS5 upgrade, called the Director's Cut, added in quality-of-life improvements like in-game cutscenes, Japanese lip-sync, and improved graphics. On top of all this, it brought with it DLC known as the Iki Island expansion. The combat of Ghost of Tsushima is seamless and heavy on bloody realism. The plot tackles ideas like revenge, loyalty, family, and living by a code, executing them to thought-provoking perfection. Despite being a re-release of a recent PS4 title, Ghost of Tsushima is one of the best games on the PlayStation 5.

10 Deathloop

Metascore: 88

Arkane Studios' latest title, Deathloop, has proven to be something of a sensation. It's a first-person roguelike with a very intriguing plot. Deathloop has become known for its unique gameplay, with engaging level design and multiple ways to tackle every scenario. The recent Golden Loop Update has added to this game's allure, featuring everything from new abilities to an extended ending sequence as well!

Deathloop also features some of the best implementations of DualSense's haptic feedback and triggers to date. Since the game is centered on violent gun battles with the plot revolving around assassinations, it's an intense M-rated experience. Fans of the roguelike genre will find it to be an experience that offers unique gameplay with a lot of variety, an engaging plot (with plenty to do afterward), and a challenge worthy of the genre.

9 Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate

Metascore: 88

Mortal Kombat 11 was released as a worthy successor to Mortal Kombat 10, an already excellent title. Mortal Kombat 11 is arguably the series at its finest, with the smoothest gameplay and the best visuals the series has ever seen. This latest release boasts cool finishers, great characters, a solid story, and ample customization options.

With some of the most brutal and gory combat in gaming history, Mortal Kombat 11 is not for the faint of heart. While it does not add much to what Mortal Kombat 10 gave fans, gameplay-wise, it refines an already excellent title. With some of the most enjoyable multiplayer on the PS5, both online and local, Mortal Kombat 11 is a great title for fans of fighting games.

Mortal Kombat 1 is also, obviously, M-rated and has fantastic combat that some might argue tops its predecessor. However, MK11 is a more complete package at the moment.

8 Dead Space

Metascore: 89

Most people wondered if Dead Space even required a remake, given how great the original game still looks. However, EA more than justified its existence by upping the visuals to the max and letting players experience Isaac Clarke's first journey in the best manner possible.

The protagonist is voiced now, and some of the USG Ishimura's areas and increased in size & scope. This makes Dead Space a blast to play through, with the gory horror title feeling more incredible and awe-inspiring than ever before.

7 The Last of Us Part 1

Metascore: 89

Most people can argue for hours whether The Last of Us Part 1 deserved a remake or not, which is an important question to ask given how beautiful the title already looks with a remaster. Once again, this context must be discarded if players want to appreciate this game for what it is, which is a brilliant and meticulously crafted single-player survival horror game with a focus on an excellent story, and the same graphics, if not better, than Part 2.

Joel and Ellie will quickly become two of the best characters in gaming for players who check out this masterpiece for themselves. With The Last of Us Part 2's remaster also hitting store shelves in 2024 and the HBO series currently in the middle of producing the second season, there's no better time to be a fan of this amazing franchise.

6 Demon's Souls

Metascore: 92

Released alongside the PlayStation 5, the remake of the classic PlayStation 3 title was a means of showcasing the new system's capabilities. To call Bluepoint's remake visually impressive would be an understatement. It is arguably one of the best-looking PS5 games to this day, all while maintaining the gameplay of the original.

Demon's Souls offers great combat, photorealistic visuals, and a remarkable setting. The world of Demon's Souls is full of death and NPCs that often have haunting pasts and dark, engaging side quests. Demon's Souls was very well received by many, and while its difficulty might deter a few players, putting in hours and getting acquainted with the combat of Demon's Souls is very satisfying.

5 Resident Evil 4

Metascore: 93

The remake of Resident Evil 4 is an endeavor that could've gone really wrong, especially with the original title being considered by many as one of the greatest video games ever made. However, Capcom has proven time and time again that they're the very best in the business when it comes to making competent remakes, and Resident Evil 4 is arguably their best venture by far.

The game's campiness may be gone, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing — the story and gameplay are conveyed with great panache, allowing players to experience a riveting narrative and amazing action that shows why the original game was such a huge milestone for third-person shooting as a whole.

4 Alan Wake 2

Metascore: 88

It took a long time to materialize, but Alan Wake 2 was worth the wait. Remedy's sequel expands on all the original game's ideas, while still being a proper continuation of its predecessor. The story is split into two campaigns that players can follow at their own pace. One half revolves around Saga, an FBI agent investigating a murder that leads her to Bright Falls, an unsettling and surreal town that seems removed from normal reality. The other half revolves around Alan Wake, and the novelist is stuck in the Dark Place.

Intense moments and realistic visuals are just two of Alan Wake 2's calling cards, and the game is considerably scarier than the previous entry in the series. While the combat is not especially unforgiving, it complements the story quite well and only produces a couple of frustrating challenges.

3 God Of War: Ragnarok

Metascore: 94

Pretty much everyone with a PlayStation was hyped for God of War: Ragnarok and the title definitely didn't disappoint in this regard. The high-stakes tale coupled with its fair share of interesting revelations made God of War: Ragnarok a worthy sequel to the original game.

The gameplay has been augmented quite a bit, with the story of Kratos and Atreus being pretty brilliant in its own right. It's almost a given that fans of Sony's exclusives will have a blast playing through God of War: Ragnarok.