The list is deliberately short. It covers only 2026 so far, and a game earns a place only when critics have had enough time with it to form a clear opinion. Mixed or disappointing releases are left out rather than used as filler, and the page is updated as the rest of the year's releases land. Scores quoted below are the aggregates reported around the time of writing and can move a point or two.
1. Resident Evil Requiem#
Capcom released the ninth mainline Resident Evil on 27 February 2026, and on PS5 it holds a Metacritic score of 89 from 128 reviews, the top mark among the big 2026 releases at the time of writing. Two playable characters, Leon and Grace, carry interlocking stories that mix slow survival horror with louder action. The PS5 version is a technical showcase: with ray tracing it targets 4K at 60 frames per second, a 120 fps mode drops the ray tracing, and the DualSense adaptive triggers, haptics, and speaker add weight to weapons and puzzles. Digital Foundry placed the PS5 Pro version well ahead of other consoles. Reviewers praised the tight pacing and inventive zombie encounters. The recurring complaints are tonal whiplash between the horror and action halves, an overly linear structure, and some forgettable bosses.
2. Saros#
Housemarque's PS5 exclusive launched on 30 April 2026 and follows Arjun Devraj, voiced by Rahul Kohli, across the eclipse-darkened colony world of Carcosa. Built on the bullet-hell, roguelike loop of Returnal, it holds 88 on Metacritic and 91 on OpenCritic, with 95 percent of critics recommending it, and it edges past the earlier game's 86. Reviewers highlighted fluid, demanding combat and strong use of the controller, along with polished visuals and sound. Coverage put it among the early game-of-the-year contenders. The reservations are narrative delivery, which leans on voice logs and written notes and never quite lands, and a high barrier to entry for anyone who does not enjoy punishing runs.
3. Mina the Hollower#
Yacht Club Games, the Shovel Knight studio, released this top-down action adventure on 29 May 2026 for PS5 and other platforms. Its Game Boy Color inspired look wraps Zelda-style exploration around a gothic setting, and it reached a Metacritic score of 92, briefly the best-rated game of the year and ahead of Forza Horizon 6. RPG Site and IGN were among the outlets that awarded perfect scores, and critics praised the design, the art, and the way it draws on Zelda and Castlevania. It is the highest-scoring game on this list, but its sample of reviews is smaller than that of the big Capcom releases, which is why it sits behind them. The main caveat is taste: the deliberately retro presentation and old-school structure will not click with players who want modern spectacle.
4. Mewgenics#
Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel's turn-based cat-breeding tactics roguelite arrived on PC in February 2026 and reached PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox on 8 September 2026 at 39.99 dollars. On PC it scored 88 on Metacritic and 89 on OpenCritic from 54 reviews, and one review called it the best roguelike since The Binding of Isaac. The player breeds cats for traits, sends squads on missions, and builds from hundreds of upgrades, with more than 250 hours of content claimed by the developers. Praise centres on depth and replayability. The caveats are complexity, since the systems take a while to absorb, and McMillen's dark, crude humor, which is a deliberate acquired taste. The critic scores cited here come from the PC release.
5. 007 First Light#
IO Interactive's James Bond origin story launched on 27 May 2026, and it has a Metacritic score of 88 on PS5 from 47 reviews, with 96 percent of reviews positive. OpenCritic shows 89 and a 100 percent recommendation rate, along with the Mighty label. The strongest consensus is that the game understands Bond: the tone, the performances, the gadgets, the hand-to-hand combat, and the cinematic pacing were all singled out, and it was described as one of the better-reviewed licensed games in recent years. The honest weakness is a smaller and less varied set of standout ideas than the very best games here, and the review sample is still modest, which is why it sits behind the top four.
6. Nioh 3#
Team Ninja's third Nioh reached PS5 on 6 February 2026 with a Metacritic score of 86 from 102 reviews and 86 on OpenCritic, where 95 percent of critics recommend it and it ranks in the 95th percentile of all games scored. Its Style Shift system lets the player swap between a Samurai stance and a faster Ninja style on R2, and a well-timed swap can break unblockable attacks. The move to an open-world structure was widely called a triumph. Reviewers described it as the best entry in the series and the combat as best in class. The caveat, as ever with Nioh, is depth: stances, gear, and skill trees can overwhelm newcomers.
7. Onimusha: Way of the Sword#
Capcom's revival of its samurai horror series came out on 4 September 2026 on PS5 and other platforms, the first entry in the franchise in twenty years. Players control Miyamoto Musashi in Edo-era Kyoto, wielding the Oni Gauntlet against Genma demons. Metacritic shows 85 from 82 reviews on PS5, and OpenCritic gives 86 with 94 percent recommending it. Critics praised the parry-focused combat, the ability to switch between one-handed and two-handed play, and boss fights described as some of the best on PS5. Outlet scores range widely, from a perfect mark at IGN to 60 at VGC. The complaints are repeated mini-bosses and a difficulty spike in the second half that feels artificial.
8. Pragmata#
Capcom's sci-fi shooter launched on 17 April 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. It holds 85 on Metacritic for PS5 from 82 reviews, and 87 on OpenCritic with 95 percent of critics recommending it. The hook pairs Hugh with the android Diana, so every fight combines aiming with a real-time hacking puzzle. Critics praised the art direction, the polish, and the immersive puzzle-based combat, and it was called the highest-rated new AAA original property of the year at the time. It also sold a million copies quickly. The trade-off is that the whole game rests on one distinctive mechanic, so players who never warm to the hacking layer have little else to fall back on.
9. Control Resonant#
Remedy's follow-up to Control launched on 24 September 2026 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X and S. Metacritic reports 83 to 85 on PS5 depending on the snapshot, OpenCritic has 86 percent of critics recommending it, and VGC gave it a perfect score. Dylan Faden takes over as protagonist, and the game turns the original shooter into a melee-focused action RPG with talent trees and a shapeshifting weapon called the Aberrant, set in a reality-warping Manhattan. Critics praised the combat design and the supernatural environments. Weaknesses include repetitive fighting spread across a big world, thin RPG mechanics, a tedious late game, and a lead who is less memorable than Jesse Faden.
10. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection#
Capcom's monster-raising RPG was released on 13 March 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X and S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. On PS5 it holds a Metacritic score of 86, above the Switch 2 version's 82, and 92 percent of critics recommend it on OpenCritic. Players bond with monsters as Riders and fight in turn-based battles, a very different rhythm from the action of mainline Monster Hunter. Coverage placed it at the top of the Stories line. The caveat is precisely that difference: hunters who want real-time combat and long hunts should adjust expectations before buying.
11. Silent Hill: Townfall#
Screen Burn, formerly No Code, released this horror game on 24 September 2026 on PS5 and PC, with Xbox not supported. It is the first mainline Silent Hill played entirely in first person and has full DualSense haptic support on PS5. Set on the fog-covered Scottish island of St. Amelia in 1996, it scored 81 on Metacritic and 82 on OpenCritic, with 92 percent of critics recommending it. VGC called the setting one of the most terrifying in the series, and critics praised the world-building, puzzles, and sound design. The near-unanimous complaint is repetitive stealth sequences in the second half, plus limited enemy variety and some performance problems. Outlet scores range from 6 to 9, so it lands at the bottom of the list.
More games will be added and the order will shift as the rest of 2026 arrives. Placement reflects critic consensus at the time of writing, and a January release gets the same weight as an autumn one.