The Best PS5 Games And Gifts To Give This Holiday

Sony PS5 Chirstmas art

We might be just a few days into December, but we’re sure you’ve noticed that things are getting a little festive. Stores are playing Christmas carols everywhere you go, tinselly trees are being erected anywhere there’s a few square feet free, it’s a joyous time of year.

Of course, that means you have to start thinking about buying gifts for all your friends and family, and one of the best gifts you can give is the gift of gaming. The PS5 is likely to be a big seller this holiday period, and so too are its games — but what games should you give as gifts? That’s the eternal question, and one we’re here to answer.

Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man was a huge revival for superhero games, after the genre was left kind of middling for close to a decade — Batman: Arkham games excluded, of course. Its follow-up, Miles Morales, was even better, and now the best of both games are available in the full-fat sequel, Spider-Man 2.

Spider-Man 2 quickly shot to the top of the list for best PS5 games, having incredible gameplay – that swinging is divine – surprisingly good combat, and a story that was packed with twists and turns. It’s easily one of the best games of 2023, and one that should definitely be on your shopping list when buying games for loved ones.

Gran Turismo 7

Simulation racing games are seemingly becoming rarer, with series like Project Cars dying out and others pivoting to more arcadey gameplay. Gran Turismo, though, has stayed true to its roots, and GT7 is the best the series has seen yet. Every single part of the experience is fine-tuned to make for the best (and most realistic) racing you’ll ever play, with a physics engine that goes above and beyond what anyone thought was possible.

It also looks absolutely gorgeous on the PS5, running at a 4K resolution at a fluid 60fps, and while the ray tracing mode drops the game to half that rate, it looks and plays well no matter which compromises you make. Add in near-instant load times and you’ve got a game you can play for hours on end.

Alan Wake 2

We included Alan Wake 2 on our list of the best Xbox games to give this holiday, but it’s absolutely worthy of inclusion here too. There’s no denying that Alan Wake 2 is an incredible game, with spooked up survival horror-ish gameplay mixed in with detective puzzle solving and one of the most ridiculous stories you’ll find in any video game — and this is coming from a Kingdom Hearts fan.

Alan Wake 2 isn’t available physically just yet, so you might have to sneak onto your partner’s console in the dead of night on Christmas Eve to buy and install it, but it’s absolutely worth it. Whoever you manage to buy this for, no matter what platform you play it on, there’s an absolute blast to be had in Alan Wake 2.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

While we’re on the topic of survival horror games, Capcom’s remake of Resident Evil 4 is easily one of the best remakes ever made. It’s got all the charm of the original, but with updated gameplay, new and expanded side quests, a bunch of modern touches, and a parry. That last one might not sound like a game changer, but it absolutely is, trust us.

Of course, you don’t need to have played the original game to enjoy RE4R, nor do you need to have played any other game in the series. It makes reference to a few other games, of course, and to really appreciate the changes you’ll want to have played the original (still great, by the way), but it’s still fantastic as a standalone entry.

Demon’s Souls

Demon’s Souls was the first big PS5 exclusive, a totally ground-up remake of the game that launched an entire genre of games that we now call soulslikes. Make no mistake: Demon’s Souls on the PS5 is very much a faithful remake, perfectly recreating the original experience with a few tweaks here and there to make it much nicer to play.

It honestly blurs the line between remake and remaster, and that’s a good and a bad thing. The good thing is that if you liked the original game, you’re gonna like this one too. And if you hated it, you’ll probably hate this too. But it’s the game that started the soulslike genre, and it did so for a reason — it’s very good.

PlayStation Store Credit

Of course, maybe you don’t know what games your loved one wants. Or maybe you just want to let them pick their own games this holiday season. That’s what gift cards are for. PSN gift cards are available at most large retailers, including GameStop and other electronics stores, but also often at supermarkets, grocery stores, and even gas stations.

Failing all of that, you can pick them up digitally, and just send the code to whoever you’re gifting. They come in a wide range of denominations, so you can give them just enough to grab an indie darling, or more than enough to buy a triple-A game or two — no compromises made.

Check out our other gift guides:

Related: The Best Xbox Games And Gifts To Give This Holiday

Related: The Best Nintendo Switch Games To Give This Christmas