Free PS4 games: The best titles you can download without paying a thing

The best PS4 games are those that really celebrate Sony's last generation of console gaming. Over the course of the PS4's lifecycle, Sony really solidified the console as the place for some seriously sweet exclusives. 

Plus, if you do make the leap to PS5, these best PS4 games serve as the core backbone of the best PS5 games to be playing too thanks to backwards compatibility. A lot of them are even free as part of the PlayStation Plus Collection games available to PS Plus subscribers on PS5 or offered as free PS5 upgrade games.

30. Dark Souls 3

Dark Souls, the series that spawned a hundred imitators thanks to its emphasis on difficult-but-fair gameplay, came to a close with Dark Souls 3, but what a way to go out. Featuring a variety of awe-inspiring locales (some grotesque, some majestic), the same finely-tuned combat fans had come to expect, and a new emphasis on speed and versatility inspired by FromSoftware's own Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3 is a wonderful encapsulation of the series as a whole; not as scattered as Dark Souls 2, not as rough around the edges as the original. If you've been curious about the Souls games, this is where you should start.

29. Death Stranding

Death Stranding released to huge fanfare this year, and whether you enjoy Hideo Kojima's strange stories or can find satisfaction in its 'walking simulator on energy drinks' gameplay, it's a game that will define the tail-end of the PS4 generation. You play as Sam Porter Bridges, a post-apocalyptic delivery man in a world populated by survivors, Timefall rain showers - which age and ultimately destroy anything they touch -  and Beached Things, or BTs – spirits of the dead unable to pass on. There's also Mules, bandits driven mad by a lust for packages, nightmarish villains Cliff and Higgs, and BB, your Bridge Baby who helps you avoid the BTs. Kojima has filled the game with celebrities too, with Norman Reedus as Sam, Margaret Qualley as Mama, and an embarrassment of cameos from his contacts book. You may not always love it, but you'll never have played anything like it either. 

28. Final Fantasy 15

Four adrenaline-driven teens embark on the journey of a lifetime, but this ain’t no Road Trip. The RPG tale of Prince Noctis and his merry band straddles fantasy and reality with almost balletic grace, throwing in titanic monsters and classic missions alongside conversations about the weather and visuals that just sing "America". Final Fantasy 15's story is bonkers and its final destination a genuine surprise, but it's still a winding, delight-strewn road that Square converts are duty-bound to travel – with sufficient appeal in its blockbuster battles and eclectic quest mix to suck in Fantasy novices, too. 

27. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Doubling down on all the intelligence, uncompromising emotional grit, and giddy, hilariously brutal Nazi killing that made its predecessor such a special game, Wolfenstein 2 has an even lesser tolerance for messing about. Transposing BJ Blazkowicz's intensely personal war to an alternative '60s America twisted into an ugly parody of itself by Nazi rule, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus brings the same aggressive focus on combat and character, alongside a newfound relevance and indignation. Not that it's all seriousness and soul-searching. Wolfenstein's kinetic, high-risk, high-reward combat is even better tuned up, with customizable dual-wielding laying on even more strategic carnage, just as hatchets and exo abilities blow up the stealth. Brainy, brawny, big, brash, and beautiful, MachineGames' new wave of Wolfenstein remains some of the smartest and most unique FPS around. 

26. Doom

This modern reboot is worthy of the name Doom, and is basically the FPS equivalent of a muscular body: it's speedy, empowering, and hits incredibly hard. You awake as the classic Doomguy to begin another spree of demon genocide on a Mars colony, with a surprisingly intriguing plotline that explains how you're able to murder so many Hellspawn. There's a primal satisfaction to whipping out a Super Shotgun, blasting an Imp's innards into oblivion, and then performing a lighting-fast, stunningly violent Glory Kill on the demon who caught shrapnel just behind him. The classic weapons and enemy types benefit from new additions like upgrades and double-jumping, making Doom one of the most frenetically fun shooters of all time. Also, you can grab it super cheap now.

25. Dishonored 2

The first Dishonored was so great there isn’t much room for manoeuvre here, in terms of quality: you’re again getting an options-packed adventure brimming with deftly woven narrative tales, set in a thoroughly believable world. What Dishonored 2, set 15 years later, adds is a second playable character – choose between original hero Corvo or super-powerful protege Emily. Supernatural abilities such as the latter’s grapple-like Far Reach again deliver both flair and fun, while a small-but-major improvement to melee combat is being able to turn a parry into a non-lethal knockout, making murder less of a necessity if stealth is your jam. The only notable drawback is assumed knowledge – the storyline makes little sense if you've not played the first game.  

24. Rise of the Tomb Raider

Exactly two decades on from her PlayStation debut – hence the PS4 version of Rise of the Tomb Raider being subtitled the '20 Year Celebration' edition – Lara Croft delivers another must-own round of substantive combat and taxing-yet-enjoyable puzzling. The storyline, with Ms. Croft venturing through Siberia in an attempt to complete her father's work in the lost city of Kitezh, doesn't scream originality but packs in some genuine shocks, while the platforming and zip-lining mechanics take Lara to heights she's never before reached – and not just figuratively. Choose to pick it up on PS4 and you also get all previous DLC, a new co-op Endurance option, and Blood Ties single-player content. And you really should choose to pick it up.

23. Fallout 4

Hitting PS4 with the atomic force of a Fat Boy, Fallout 4’s excellent gunplay and crafting systems can trigger a nasty case of RPG-itis. Don't worry though, there's a Stimpak for that. There’s so much to do in this post-apocalypse it's almost terrifying and quite often you'll set off to complete a mission and get completely side-tracked when you find something wonderful/horrific along the way. Giving the main character a proper voice adds an extra layer of polish to proceedings, and the expanded set of companions and customization options are very welcome too. It’s not without its faults (or vaults), but the scale of Bethesda’s wasteland will keep you bunkered down for weeks. Slosh in the extensive DLC additions available in the complete Game of the Year version and you’ll never want to return from the Wasteland. 

22. Titanfall 2

Titanfall 2 is an absolute colossus of a game. It was one of the biggest surprises of 2016, as it delivered a smart campaign and enhanced the killer mulitplayer of the original (which was Xbox-only). The story is overflowing with unique twists in a genre that long ago anchored itself in a sea of wash-rinse-repeat, offering true freedom while still retaining a sense of the familiar. Its navigation and combat feel truly three-dimensional, and its big-gun battles are an adrenaline rush even Optimus Prime would struggle to contain. A special, special game which, in execution, is anything but robotic. 

21. Monster Hunter World

We knew Monster Hunter World was going to deliver something special but no one expected quite the level of depth and beauty awaiting within Capcom's updated action RPG, or how quickly we'd add it to our list of best PS4 games. Despite being the most accessible Monster Hunter yet, you're still going to have to wade through some intimidating tutorials to get to the good stuff but smash through that wall and be dangerously prepared to lose all of your time here. Endless weapon types, huge creatures, constantly gorgeous environments, and a terrifyingly addictive loot for spoils system means Monster Hunter will have its claws in you from the get-go. Oh, and don't forget to aim for those weakspots. You'll thank us later. If you're looking for more help, check out our Monster Hunter World tips. 

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