9 PS4 And Xbox One Games That You Should Play Already, Goddamnit

    It's about time.

    Ahmed Ali Akbar
    by Ahmed Ali Akbar

    BuzzFeed Staff

    The big two consoles are closing in on their second birthday in November, and it's time to take stock of the best of the shiny toys you can play on your young PS4 or Xbox One.

    Also shout-outs to big bro Wii U, which is nearly three years old.

    1. The Last of Us: Remastered is an instant classic that is directed with a careful eye and love for character. Also, it's about mushroom zombies.

    Naughty Dog

    The game was originally released for PS3, but its epic story and refined graphical style was so well-received that it was quickly adapted to PS4.

    Metacritic rating: 95

    Available on: PS4, PS3 (not remastered, obviously)

    2. Don't like sports? Don't like racing games? Too bad, because Rocket League's mashup of soccer, demolition derby, and car ballet will instantly get you hooked.

    Psyonix

    You drive around frantically trying to hit a giant ball into a giant goal in a lil' car with friends. What's not to love?

    Metacritic rating: 85

    Available on: PS4, PC

    3. The silky-smooth open-world gameplay of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain makes you feel like the star of an action movie. It's also the culimination of the most legendary continuous story in gaming AND you can put balloons on lambs.

    Konami

    If you've never played the series and kept up with its massively ambitious and convoluted story, MGSV is an incredibly good entry into the series. Unlike previous entries, the gameplay is slick and you feel like a complete badass building out your stealth arsenal and recruiting for your private army (which you can paint pink!). It also has some truly surreal and hilarious moments — a series signature.

    Metacritic rating: 93

    Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC

    4. Dragon Age: Inquisition has incredible character development. Also you can romance the heck out of like all your companions AND slay dragons??? Cool.

    BioWare

    The beautiful and otherworldly setting is only enhanced by the fact that you can fully customize your character in a way that is inclusive of different races and sexual orientations. Yeah, everyone should play this.

    Metacritic rating: 89

    Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC

    5. For a satiating soupy mix of sorcery and silly story, slay with Bloodborne on the PS4.

    Sony

    The game's world is bonkers in all the right ways, but the action-RPG elements of the gameplay are perfectly refined and super challenging.

    Metacritic rating: 92

    Available on: PS4

    6. Batman: Arkham Knight really makes you feel like Batman, stalking around streets and rooftops, teaming up with your Batcrew, and using detective skills to capture the biggest bads of Gotham.

    Rocksteady

    Whether you're already a fan of the Arkham series or you just love Batman generally, there's something magical about having all of Batman's tools at your disposal.

    Metacritic rating: 87

    Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC (but it's very buggy)

    7. More of a fantasy fan? Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor will fulfill your orc-slayin', Middle Earth–questin' dreams.

    Monolith Productions / Via fluffybunbunkittens.tumblr.com

    In addition to providing you with a big ol' Mordor to play around in, the game has an innovative Nemesis system that pits you in a constant struggle against Sauron's army. And it comes with dynamic rewards depending on your success and failure at killing Uruk leaders and avenging other fallen players.

    Metacritic rating: 84

    Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC

    8. Don't be fooled: Shovel Knight's '80s aesthetic belies a wonderfully designed game filled with satisfying sequences and hidden treasure.

    Yacht Club Games / Via yachtclubgames.com

    The game only recently came to modern consoles, though it was available on the 3DS and Steam long before. Finally catch up with all the hype!

    Metacritic rating: 90

    Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, 3DS, Wii U, PlayStation Vita

    9. Journey is art. It's straight-up two (extremely replayable) hours of art.

    Thatgamecompany / Via thexenatron.tumblr.com

    You wander around a desert in what basically amounts to a digital painting. You stumble upon a companion, who is another player, but they're anonymous, so there's no obnoxious messages. You simply and silently discover a world together.

    Metacritic rating: 92

    Available on: PS4, PS3