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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.
Updated on November 28, 2022, by Ritwik Mitra: The PS5 is a great console that has slowly expanded its library with a wealth of titles catering to many audiences. That being said, it’s no secret that Sony’s brand has shifted towards more mature and story-oriented titles for this console, and one need only see the approach their exclusives have taken to see how this is being accomplished. Here are some of the best M-rated titles for the PS5 that fans can check out to check out games that are more oriented towards the complex themes and issues that adults will be able to process properly.
15 Death Stranding
Release Date: November 8, 2019
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 The Last Of Us Part 2
Release Date: June 19, 2020
The Last of Us Part 2 faced a ton of controversy upon release, with a lot of it being completely unwarranted. However, fans of the dark undertones of the series definitely appreciated the bold direction taken by this title.
The Last of Us Part 2 takes a ton of risks with its narrative, which is more than what most people can say about the vast majority of modern video games. The stories of Abby and Ellie coincide beautifully and make for the best parts of this experience.
13 Sifu
Release Date: February 6, 2022
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.
12 God Of War: Ragnarok
Release Date: November 9, 2022
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.
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The gameplay has been augmented quite a bit, with the story of Kratos and Atreus being pretty brilliant in its own right. It’s only a given that fans of Sony’s exclusives will have a blast playing through God of War: Ragnarok.
11 A Plague Tale: Requiem
Release Date: October 17, 2022
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.
10 Metro Exodus
Release Date: June 18, 2021
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.
9 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Release Date: March 2, 2021
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.
8 Control: Ultimate Edition
Release Date: Feb 2, 2021
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.
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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.
7 Cyberpunk 2077
Release Date: February 15, 2022
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 has added even more content to the game, with the upcoming Phantom Liberty expansion promising to be a blast in its own right and the last hurrah for a gat that has done a complete 180 in terms of critical and commercial reception.
6 Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
Release Date: November 17, 2020
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.
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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.
5 Ghost Of Tsushima Directors Cut
Release Date: August 20, 2021
The PlayStation 5 upgrade of the brutal 2020 original brought with it many improvements. Ghost of Tsushima was already an exceptional game, and release with very high praise while delivering an excellent open-world adventure bustling with life and a great story.
The PS5 upgrade deemed 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.
4 Resident Evil: Village
Release Date: May 21, 2021
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.
3 Demon’s Souls
Release Date: 12 November, 2020
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.
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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.
2 Deathloop
Release Date: September 14, 2021
Arkane studio’s 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 very 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 gameis 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.
1 Elden Ring
Release Date: February 25, 2022
While it was expected that Elden Ring would release to high praise, it ended up being one of the highest-rated games in video game history. With an Open Critic Top Critic Average score of 95, Elden Ring is among the most beloved titles ever released. It has players traversing a gorgeous world that takes them from jungles to towns reminiscent of Bloodborne’s Yharnam. The Lands Between offers a lot of enemy and level variety with some remarkable boss battles.
Elden Ring brings with it an unparalleled sense of discovery, FromSoftware’srenowned gameplay at its best, and somber lore full of unique characters and NPCs each with quest lines of their own. Those who can handle it are sure to love it.
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