There are no games that let players do absolutely anything in a virtual space. There are games with plenty of options, though, especially on the PS5. If anyone wants to do a side activity beyond combat, these are the games to check out.
6 Best Games You Can ONLY Play On PS5
As of right now, these PS5 games are entirely exclusive to the console, and they represent the best offerings in Sony's current-gen library.
There are vast areas to explore, fish waiting to be caught, coffins to surf on, flying mounts that can soar through tall mountains, town-building mechanics, and so much more. These examples will certainly give players the most bang for their buck. One day, there will be a game that encompasses every genre and allows players to do literally anything, but for now, these are the best and most freeing games on the PS5.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Two Heroes, One Path To Honor
Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Released
- March 20, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
Assassin's Creed Shadow s is the latest entry in the long-running series and one that offers players a lot to do in feudal Japan. They can take down their prey as the cunning ninja, Naoe, or plow through enemy strongholds as the ox-like samurai Yasuke. Two heroes, one goal, which is to free Japan from corrupt rulers.
Besides exploring lush ruins, climbing tall peaks, and slaying hundreds of baddies, there are some fun downplayed mechanics included as well, like building up a ninja home. It's a bit basic, but it offers a rewarding town-building sim all the same.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Not Tropical, But There Is Plenty Of Sand
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Released
- June 26, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach gives players a lot more ways to deliver their packages than the previous entry. They can drive a bike, cruise in a truck, surf on a coffin, ride a monorail, or even use an airship. On foot, they can use ladders to cross rivers, canons to shoot packages across canyons or up mountains, ropes to climb peaks, and so on.
The blueprints players unlock as rewards will build up Sam’s arsenal and gear load, making each delivery more manageable and memorable than the last. There are even some sim elements involved, like reconstructing highways, building railways, and creating homes away from home in small bunkers.
Fallout 4
A Better Apocalypse
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Fallout 4 got a shiny new PS5 release in 2024, and it gave fans a good reason to jump back in after almost a decade. Strangely, Fallout 76 still has no proper current-gen console versions, even though that game is a more open-ended post-apocalyptic game. That said, Fallout 4 is packed with activities too, even beyond blasting mutants and raiders.
8 Games With The Most Satisfying Movement
These games understand what it takes to craft traversal methods that make the simple act of getting around feel addictive and thrilling.
Players can build structures virtually anywhere in the wasteland and customize their weapons, too. The weirder the weapon, the more fun combat will be, like launching tin cans at a Ghoul, followed by a mini-nuke to create a blinding explosion that can be seen for miles.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
If You Have Money, Honolulu Will Provide
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Released
- January 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the eighth main Yakuza/Like a Dragon game in the series, and this one takes place in Hawaii. Players can explore the beaches and city of Honolulu to find plenty of side missions and mini-games. They can take photos of creeps, deliver burgers on a bike, dive for treasure, and there’s even an island where players can build and maintain a compound.
The turn-based combat is nicely varied, too, thanks to the wacky class system that introduces everything from surfers to gun-toting desperados to hula dancers to use in battle.
Palworld
Monsters With A Catch
Palworld
- Released
- January 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
Palworld is Pokemon meets Minecraft meets Rust. It is still in Early Access, but it already feels fully formed. As a survival game, players can explore the various islands on the map for materials, while blueprints can create full structures or furnishings like houses or ovens.
There’s also the Pal element, where monsters can be captured and then used as battle companions, weapons, or NPCs to maintain the compound. With lots of Pals to battle and catch, there are many ways to get around, from surfing to flying, and it all feels great in the open-world environments.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
An Easy-To-Understand RPG
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
- Released
- May 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is one of the most diverse and chill action RPGs around, which is great for any first timers out there. It’s like Animal Crossing spliced with Final Fantasy, as Level-5 inserted a class system with varying sim elements and cute aesthetics into the formula.
Games With The Most Addictive & Satisfying Gameplay Loops
Remember to care of your body while getting hooked on these addictive games.
Players can slay dragons and other monsters with combat classes, or they can become a crafter or gatherer-type class. Players can gather wood to make furniture for their home, or fish to get ingredients to cook later, and all activities, however trivial, are equally satisfying.
Grand Theft Auto 5
Living The Lost Santos Life
Grand Theft Auto 5
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 92%
- Released
- September 17, 2013
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar North
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Most players who bought Grand Theft Auto 5 did so to create chaos in the city of Los Santos. There are plenty of activities to do as any of the three protagonists besides blowing up cars and robbing banks, but this is not where the base game excels. Instead, players who want to experience true freedom within this universe can head online, where they can create a character and life entirely seperate from the main campaign.
They can play the online version just as chaotically as the base game, or they can pretend it's a sim-like experience with other players and try to form a notorious gang of their own. This openness is exactly why Grand Theft Auto 5 has stayed relevant for over a decade.
Split Fiction
A New Genre In Every Level
Split Fiction
- Released
- March 6, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Hazelight Studios
Split Fiction is a linear experience, but it’s still one of the most free-flowing games on the PS5. As two characters playing together in co-op, players will switch between fantasy and sci-fi settings, along with game modes. Players can breed dragons, race futuristic bikes, hunt monsters, or even become food in an outdoor BBQ.
It’s a relatively short experience, so it’s best to keep the game unspoiled instead of reading up on it beforehand. Just find a friend or loved one who is down to game and let Split Fiction take over a weekend.
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