The PlayStation 4 became home to some of the most ambitious fantasy worlds of the last decade, from sprawling open-world role-playing games to punishing action adventures and intimate dungeon crawlers. Its library covers Western epics, Japanese classics and FromSoftware's dark realms side by side, and most of these games still play well on the console today.
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt#
CD Projekt Red released The Witcher 3 in May 2015, and it remains the benchmark for story-driven fantasy role-playing. As monster hunter Geralt of Rivia, you search for your adopted daughter across war-torn kingdoms, and even minor side quests carry real moral weight and memorable writing. The Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions add dozens of hours of top-quality content. Combat is serviceable rather than great, and inventory menus are clumsy on a controller, but the world and characters are unmatched.
2. Elden Ring#
FromSoftware's Elden Ring arrived in February 2022 with worldbuilding by George R.R. Martin, and it turned the studio's punishing formula into a vast open world. The Lands Between are full of colossal demigods, hidden caves and optional bosses, and you are free to explore in almost any order. Build variety is enormous. Difficulty spikes can frustrate newcomers, and the PS4 version runs at a lower frame rate and resolution than on newer hardware, so it is best for players who are patient and curious.
3. Bloodborne#
Bloodborne, released by FromSoftware in March 2015 as a PlayStation 4 exclusive, swaps knights and dragons for a Gothic, Lovecraftian nightmare in the city of Yharnam. Combat rewards aggression over shields, with transforming weapons and a regain system that pushes you to fight back. The atmosphere and boss design are among the best in the genre. Load times are long, the frame rate is capped at 30, and the difficulty is steep, so skip it if you want a relaxed adventure.
4. God of War#
Santa Monica Studio reinvented God of War in April 2018, moving Kratos from ancient Greece to the Norse realms and pairing him with his son Atreus. The over-the-shoulder camera, the weighty Leviathan Axe and a seamless, single-shot presentation make it feel cinematic, while the mythology is treated with real care. Puzzles and exploration balance the brutal combat. It is more of a character-driven action adventure than a traditional role-playing game, and some players miss the series' older, faster style.
5. Dark Souls III#
Dark Souls III, released by FromSoftware in 2016, closes the trilogy with faster combat and some of the best boss fights in the series. Its crumbling kingdom of Lothric is full of knights, dragons and cursed ruins, tied together by clever level design and interlocking shortcuts. The item-driven lore is subtle and rewarding. It is more linear than earlier entries and leans on fan service, and the difficulty is unforgiving for players new to the genre, who might start with an easier game.
6. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition#
Bethesda's Skyrim Special Edition brought the 2011 open-world classic to PS4 in October 2016 with improved visuals and mod support. You play the Dragonborn, shouting at dragons, joining guilds and wandering a snowy province at your own pace. Few games make simply exploring so satisfying. Combat is stiff, quests can be shallow, and bugs remain, but the freedom to become a mage, thief or warrior and to install mods keeps it endlessly replayable.
7. Hades#
Supergiant Games' Hades, available on PS4 since 2021, casts you as Zagreus, son of the god of the dead, fighting out of the Underworld in fast, stylish runs. Each escape attempt unlocks new weapons, boons from the Olympian gods and story scenes, so failure always feels like progress. The Greek mythology is witty and warm, and the voice acting and art are superb. It is a roguelike, so repetition is unavoidable, and players who dislike dying repeatedly might look elsewhere.
8. Hollow Knight#
Team Cherry's Hollow Knight, which reached PS4 in 2018, is a hand-drawn Metroidvania set in the ruined insect kingdom of Hallownest. Tight platforming, demanding bosses and an atmosphere of melancholy make exploring the interconnected map a joy, and charms let you customize your approach. It offers well over 30 hours. There is no built-in map guidance, so getting lost is common, and some late sections are punishing, but the quality is exceptional.
9. Divinity: Original Sin II – Definitive Edition#
Larian Studios' Definitive Edition arrived on PS4 in August 2018 with a rebuilt interface and controller support. This turn-based role-playing game lets you create or recruit characters and use the environment, from poisoned puddles to teleportation, to win fights. Reactive quests and party banter give it depth. Combat encounters can be long and tricky, and inventory management is fiddly on a controller, but few games give you this much freedom to solve problems creatively.
10. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age#
Square Enix's Dragon Quest XI, released on PS4 in the West in September 2018, is a warm, traditional Japanese role-playing game with art by Akira Toriyama. You play the Luminary, travelling a colorful world with a charming cast of companions. The story is sweet and old-fashioned, the music is lovely, and turn-based combat is easy to pick up. Its pacing and plot are very conventional, and veterans of the genre may find it too familiar, but it is a superb comfort game.
11. Dragon Age: Inquisition#
BioWare's Dragon Age: Inquisition launched in November 2014 and gave the series a large open-world form. As the Inquisitor you seal rifts to a demon realm, lead an organization and recruit unforgettable companions like Varric and Cassandra. The war table, tactical combat and Skyhold hub give it a sense of scale. Many open zones are padded with fetch quests in an MMO style, and the mid-game drags, but the characters and the ending are strong.
12. Final Fantasy XV#
Square Enix's Final Fantasy XV arrived in November 2016 and follows Prince Noctis and three friends on a road trip that turns into a war. The real-time combat, the Regalia car and the camaraderie between the four leads are its strengths, and the soundtrack is excellent. The story becomes rushed and confusing in its second half, with key details left to a film and other media, and later chapters are linear. It is a flawed but charming adventure.
13. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen#
Capcom's Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, which reached PS4 in 2017, is a cult action role-playing game about an Arisen hunting a dragon with AI-controlled pawns as companions. Climbing onto griffins and cyclopes and fighting them as they move is thrilling, and the vocation system gives you many ways to play. The story is thin, the traversal can be tedious, and the world is smaller than expected, but its big-monster battles still stand out.
14. Shadow of the Colossus#
Bluepoint Games' 2018 remake of the Team Ico classic rebuilds the game for PS4 with stunning visuals. You ride across a lonely, forbidden land to find and climb sixteen colossal creatures, each a puzzle and a boss in one. The melancholy mood and minimalist story remain haunting. Controls can feel awkward, the world is empty by design, and there is little to do besides the colossi, so it suits players who value atmosphere over content volume.
15. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom#
Level-5's Ni no Kuni II, released in March 2018, follows the exiled boy king Evan as he founds a new kingdom. Its storybook art, inspired by the earlier Studio Ghibli collaboration, is delightful, and real-time combat with small helpers called Higgledies keeps battles lively. Kingdom building adds a fresh twist. The writing is sweet but simple, the difficulty is low, and it lacks the emotional weight of the first game, but it is a pleasant, family-friendly adventure.
16. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana#
Nihon Falcom's Ys VIII reached PS4 in the West in 2017, sending the red-haired adventurer Adol to a mysterious island where he and other castaways survive and explore. Fast, satisfying action combat with swappable characters is its core, backed by a great rock soundtrack and a gradually unfolding mystery. Visuals are dated and the start is slow, but the island exploration and the last third of the story make it one of the best Japanese action role-playing games on the system.