Almost six years have passed since the PlayStation 5 launched in late 2020, and while the library has expanded enormously, the console’s most enduring draw remains its action-adventure catalog. The PS5 has become a canvas where sprawling narratives, precise combat, and breathtaking worlds converge — a digital stage where even the most familiar genres feel reimagined. Some of the earliest releases have aged like polished obsidian, their mechanics and stories still shining under the 2026 spotlight, while newer entries have only deepened the genre’s roots. Here are ten action-adventure games that every PS5 owner should keep installed, each a testament to how Sony’s machine continues to host the finest examples of interactive storytelling.
Eidos-Montréal’s Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy arrived in late 2021 with muted expectations, yet it rapidly became a beloved underdog. Players guide Star-Lord through a galaxy of neon-drenched chaos, issuing commands to Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot in combat like a conductor leading an unruly jazz ensemble. The writing is sharp, the 1980s soundtrack is a constant companion, and the game proves that licensed superhero titles can still surprise when they prioritize heart over marketing checklists. In 2026, it remains a third-party gem that many missed at launch, still offering one of the most emotionally resonant single-player journeys on the system.
Housemarque’s Returnal is a rogue-like bullet-hell shooter that lures players into a Sisyphean loop of alien dread, each death a stitch in a cosmic tapestry that refuses to be forgotten. Selene Vassos crash-lands on Atropos, a planet that shifts like a living nightmare, and the game demands mastery of its ever-changing arsenal. The PS5’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers turn every gunshot into a physical pulse, while the haunting audio design wraps around the player like a shroud. Six years on, Returnal still stands as one of the most demanding and artistically cohesive exclusives, a reminder that difficulty can be beautiful rather than punishing.
Ember Lab’s debut Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a small-budget miracle, a game that feels like a hand-painted animation cradled in the player’s controller. Kena, a young spirit guide, uses her staff not merely as a weapon but as a bridge between the living and the dead, and the Rot — tiny, fluffy companions — add a layer of puzzle-solving charm. The visual polish rivals any big-budget studio output, and the surprisingly tough boss encounters prove that a smaller scale can still pack a monumental punch. By 2026, it has become a touchstone for indie action-adventure success stories.
Sucker Punch Productions’ Ghost of Tsushima was a swan song for the PS4 generation, but its 2021 Director’s Cut on PS5 transformed it into a definitive samurai epic. Jin Sakai’s journey to defend Tsushima Island from the Mongol invasion is rendered across windswept fields and blood-stained bamboo groves, with the Guiding Wind mechanic acting like an invisible painter’s brush that pulls the player forward through the narrative. The PS5 upgrade tightened the already fluid combat and loaded haptics into every parry. Even now, as we await a sequel’s deeper reveal, the original’s Kurosawa-inspired black-and-white mode remains a meditative escape from the noise of modern gaming.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales launched alongside the PS5 in November 2020 and immediately proved that Insomniac Games could bottle the electricity of a new hero. Swinging through a snow-covered Harlem as Miles feels distinct from Peter Parker’s outings, thanks to bioelectric Venom powers and a more grounded coming-of-age narrative. The game’s ray-traced reflections and near-instant load times showcased what the PS5 hardware could achieve at launch — and six years later, those initial thrills have lost none of their gloss. With Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 having already arrived in 2023 to further evolve the formula, this entry still serves as the perfect entry point for anyone wanting to feel what it’s like to become a hero.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a sandbox of nostalgia that spans nine films with a cheeky, brick-built wink. Traveller’s Tales reimagined the classic LEGO formula with over-the-shoulder perspectives, hundreds of playable characters, and open-world hubs that let players live out their galactic fantasies in co-op. The humor whittles down even the darkest Star Wars moments into family-friendly farce, yet the sheer density of content makes it one of the most generous multiplayer packages on the platform. In 2026, it’s the go-to title for parents introducing their children to the galaxy far, far away — or for adults who simply want to unwind without a grim narrative.
Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two is a mandatory co-op experience that turns a fractured marriage into a whimsical platforming adventure. Cody and May, shrunk into dolls by their daughter’s tears, must navigate a world where every level introduces a new gameplay mechanic — from time manipulation to air hockey explosions — and the game demands genuine cooperation, much like a couple learning to dance after years of stepping on each other’s toes. Winning Game of the Year at multiple awards ceremonies in 2021, it still feels fresh in 2026, a reminder that split-screen innovation can thrive when storytelling and mechanics intertwine.
Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered took an already exceptional 2018 title and dipped it in the PS5’s ray-traced glow. Peter Parker’s adventure through a meticulously recreated Manhattan is a masterclass in momentum — web-swinging becomes a kinetic meditation — and the remaster bundles in all DLC along with a performance mode that sings at 60 frames per second. Even though the 2023 sequel introduced new boroughs and two playable heroes, this original story arc remains essential for its focused narrative and emotional gut-punches. For newcomers who jumped on the PS5 bandwagon in later years, it’s a timeless slice of superhero perfection.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart still serves as the PS5’s visual showpiece in 2026 — a kaleidoscopic interdimensional romp that leverages the SSD to instantaneously warp players between lush planets and chaotic combat arenas. Rivet and Kit join the original duo, bringing new heart and humor to a series that has never taken itself too seriously. The arsenal of outlandish weapons, from the Topiary Sprinkler to the Negatron Collider, guarantees experimentation in every firefight. It is the epitome of pick-up-and-play fun, yet its technical wizardry remains undiminished.
Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden West is the crowning jewel of this list, a role-playing epic that stretches from sunken ruins to snow‑capped peaks with a painterly grandeur. Aloy’s quest to stop a crumbling biosphere is propelled by a richer cast, improved melee combat, and machines that stalk the landscape like mechanical deities from a forgotten time. The world is a re-colored post-apocalyptic oil painting, every micro-story adding depth to the main saga. By 2026, the game has been expanded with significant updates and a VR spin-off that further explores its lore, but the base experience alone remains one of the finest reasons to own a PS5. It is, simply, a masterpiece that time will be kind to for decades to come.