Siliconera Selects: PlayStation 4 Game Guide

Once again, Siliconera has come back with some game recommendations. The libraries for eighth-generation systems is rather huge, with loads of titles available for people to choose from. Old titles can get lost in the shuffle, while newer ones might be overshadowed by AAA releases. The goal with Siliconera Selects guides is to offer a little more unconventional approach to game recommendations. We’ll go with topics and genres you might not find in normal system guides, in favor of more unexpected picks. With our PlayStation 4 guide, we’re hoping to offer insights ahead of the PlayStation 5’s eventual debut.

Sony Staples

• Top Pick: Horizon: Zero Dawn – If there’s one “sort” of game that Sony has been missing in its catalog, it is one that has the same sort of concept as a The Legend of Zelda game. We have our avatar going on a grand quest to right some wrongs in the world, exploring a space filled with ambiance and possessing abilities that make them seem like they’re born to be a hero. Aloy is that hero for the PlayStation 4. She’s in a world filled with robotic creatures, trying to uncover its secrets, save it, and survive.
• Runners-up:
  • Bloodborne
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man

Best Port/Remaster:

• Top Pick: SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions – A dark horse has entered the race! The PlayStation 4 has received a lot of ports and remasters over its lifespan. This SaGa installment is a must-play for many reasons. It is a relatively easy to hop into, given how complex SaGa games can be. It has multiple playable characters and storylines. It gives you a relatively open world to explore, letting you shape your journey. It’s delightful.
• Runners-up:

• Gravity Rush Remastered 
• Kingdom Hearts: The Story So Far 

Shall We Date Virtual Characters:

• Top Pick: Code: Realize ~Bouquet of Rainbows~ – Idea Factory’s Otomate visual novels are developing quite a following worldwide, and it isn’t (only) because people like dating virtual pretty guys. Quite a few have interesting stories with characters that are easy to connect with. Code: Realize has a sympathetic heroine and bachelors based on iconic characters or who have supernatural backgrounds. This collection gives people the main game and its first fan-disc, which is quite an engaging experience.
• Runners-up:
  • Date a Live: Rio Reincarnation
  • Hatoful Boyfriend

Best Atlus Games:

• Top Pick: Persona 5 – The Persona series is a lot of fun and, frankly, its split between traditional dungeon-crawling with turned-based battles and daily high school life has inspired a lot of other developers to attempt similar things with their games. The latest installment is as stylish as ever, with lots of cool characters. However, I would advise waiting for Persona 5 Royal at this point, since it’ll be out in March 2020 in English.
• Runners-up:
  • Dragon’s Crown Pro
  • Odin Sphere Leifthrasir

Best Square Enix Games:

• Top Pick: NieR: Automata – Let’s be real here. If you like Square Enix, you are definitely going to play games like Dragon Quest XI and Final Fantasy XV. You might, on the other hand, not play the thought-provoking, insightful, beautiful, heartfelt, and deep NieR: Automata, an action-RPG following multiple androids. If nothing else, you’ll come away likely loving the soundtrack.
• Runners-up:
  • Dragon Quest XI
  • Final Fantasy XV

Best Sega Games:

• Top Pick: Yakuza 0 – All Yakuza games are pretty great in their own way. Really, you should play every one of these action-adventure games. So, since you absolutely are going to heed my advice and play them all, start with Yakuza 0. It introduces you to Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and the series’ central location. It introduces you to everyone you initially need to know. Also, it has Nugget the chicken and the Obatarian, two incredible NPCs.
• Runners-up:
  • Puyo Puyo Tetris
  • Valkyria Chronicles 4 

Best Bandai Namco Games:

• Top Pick: Dark Souls III – This is a tricky one. Every Dark Souls game is amazing. (It is the Yakuza conundrum all over again!) People should give at least one a chance, since they have incredible atmosphere, gameplay, and can some interesting multiplayer ideas. I would suggest Dark Souls III would be the best, because it has some incredible bosses, the enemy AI is solid, and multiplayer can be good.
• Runners-up:
  • Dragon Ball FighterZ
  • Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom 

Great Japanese Rhythm Games:

• Top Pick: Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone – This bundle gives you 220 Vocaloid songs. I didn’t stutter. That’s 220 amazing tracks from characters like Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Len, Megurine Luka. It’s the ultimate greatest hit collection and people should own it.
• Runners-up:
  • Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection
  • Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session 

Most Intriguing Indies:

• Top Pick: Journey – This is basically the PlayStation 4 indie to play, because it is such a unique experience. You start out alone as a wanderer in a beautiful, but lonely world. You gradually piece together what happens alongside a random other player you meet along the way. It is great at evoking emotions.
• Runners-Up:
  • Stardew Valley
  • Touhou Genso Wanderer

Fun Fanservice Done Right:

• Top Pick: Punch Line – This Kotaro Uchikoshi is the sort of game that screams fanservice. I mean, part of the gameplay mechanics involves massive explosions if the lead character sees one of the female roommate’s underwear. But there’s more to it than that. It has heart and a complex storyline. It balances out its fanservice scenario with a surprising amount of depth.
• Runners-up:
  • Onechanbara Z2: Chaos
  • Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash 

Games That Somehow Got Localized:

• Top Pick: A-Train Express – Hear me out. This category isn’t always about the “best” game that miraculously was localized. It’s the ones that somehow get brought over and you wonder how the fates aligned to make that happen. A-Train Express is that sort of game. This is a deep-cut that tasks you with planning out a railway and the city, ensuring all areas are properly served and people successfully get from point A to point B. Did you even realize it was released in 2019? It came out right ahead of E3, so you’re forgiven if you missed it.
• Runners-up:
  • Capcom Beat’em Up Bundle (for Armored Warriors and Battle Circuit)
  • Metal Wolf Chaos XD 

Interesting PlayStation VR Games:

• Top Pick: Astro Bot Rescue Mission – Figuring out how to manage a platformer in VR is a difficult task. The original Lucky’s Tale didn’t even get it right away. Astro Bot Rescue Mission works perfectly. The controls are tight, the levels are challenging and fun, and the robots are adorable.
• Runners-up:
  • Beat Saber
  • Tetris Effect 

If you have suggestions for future categories or game additions, please let us know in the comments. They could be included as the guide is updated. Past Siliconera Selects include our Nintendo Switch game guide.