PS5 Games You Should Only Buy If They Go On Sale

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By Daniel Trock/June 12, 2023 7:00 am EST

Do you know what's nice about the current video gaming scene compared to a few generations ago? Sales consistency. Compared to the days when you had to wait for your local Walmart to have a holiday sale, games go on sale on modern platforms much more frequently. Not only is this nice because, obviously, you're spending less money, but more frequent sales also give you an opportunity to take a gamble on games you may not usually play.

Games are generally a bit on the expensive side, and with the sheer volume of new releases dropping all the time, you may not be able to justify new games for, say, your PlayStation 5 if you're not 100% committed to them. When the sales roll around, though, you can take these games for a spin, secure in the knowledge that if you don't like them, you at least didn't pay sticker price for them. 

Focus Entertainment/Flying Wild Hog

"Evil West" was released in 2022 by publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Flying Wild Hog, which previously cut its teeth on the rebooted "Shadow Warrior" trilogy. If you played those games, you'll have a good idea of the tone you're in for here as you control a steampunk-powered cowboy in his crusade against a brotherhood of ancient vampires. Use a mix of classic Western weaponry and electrically-boosted fisticuffs to repel the coming of eternal night.

"Evil West" is, for better or worse, a very traditional action romp, with design sensibilities reminiscent of previous generations of gaming. It's a generally linear progression of encounters, and while the moment-to-moment action can be fun if it starts wearing on you, it's not going to get better. While the aesthetic of a cowboy vampire hunter is undeniably awesome, there's little-to-no story beyond "go here and shoot the thing," which means the game's less interesting segments won't be bolstered by interesting twists or dialogue.

Sloclap

Released in 2022 by independent game publisher and developer Sloclap, "Sifu" is quite possibly the most earnest attempt at translating classic kung-fu action movies into a playable game format. As a young martial arts student whose master and father were struck down before them, you embark on a path of vengeance against the criminal syndicate responsible, punching and kicking your way through legions of thugs as you go, growing in strength and skill every time you are defeated.

"Sifu" is a very lovingly crafted game that strives to create a truly skill-based combat system. It is also, however, an exceptionally difficult game that quickly demands a complete understanding of its mechanics, similar to high-level play in a fighting game. If you're good at those kinds of games, great, but if you're not, you will get your butt kicked repeatedly and forcefully. It'd be nice to get it on sale so a potential rage quit doesn't sting as much.

Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks

Developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda, along with the executive producer oversight of legendary game director Shinji Mikami, "Ghostwire: Tokyo" takes you to Tokyo in the middle of a supernatural incursion. With the populace spirited away and the streets rife with hostile yokai, you play as a teenager possessed by the spirit of a paranormal investigator, banishing foes with the power of your spiritual "wires."

"Ghostwire: Tokyo" has its aesthetic nailed down to a tee, presenting a surprisingly accurate depiction of Tokyo's narrow streets, peppered with representation of mythologies and folklore. However, while the flashy hand motions of the combat look cool, it's not an especially deep or fast-paced system. The overworld is a bit bloated, too, requiring you to cleanse shrine gates to open up more districts and fill each with random collectibles. It's the kind of game that's really flashy at first, but once the flash wears off, it's rather middling.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

"Returnal" was one of the first major console exclusives for the PS5, released in April 2021 just a few months after the console's debut. The game places you in the role of an astronaut stranded both on a mysterious planet and in an infinite time loop, bringing her back to her crash site every time she dies. Blast your way through alien hordes to discover the truth of this science-fiction mystery.

"Returnal" was the first triple-A attempt at a roguelike game, a genre mostly reserved for smaller developers. As the point of roguelike games is that you have to start over from scratch every time you get a game over, it's understandably a hard game, one that may feel unfair if you're not used to the genre's ins and outs. It's also a bit grindy compared to other roguelike games, requiring you to replay sections to increase your weapon proficiencies. On the bright side, it is more accommodating now than when it first launched, since you couldn't save your progress mid-run back then.

Square Enix

"Neo: The World Ends with You" from 2021 is an exceptionally late-stage sequel to the 2007 Square Enix action RPG "The World Ends with You," released on the Nintendo DS. The game is set in modern-day Shibuya as youths who have lost their lives are drawn into an underworld game for a chance to return to reality. By using various pins to conjure supernatural abilities and working in tandem with your teammates, you can fight off monsters in stylish battles.

While "Neo: The World Ends with You" is a cool game, it's a very niche kind of cool. You need to be into Japanese youth culture to really appreciate the aesthetic, not to mention play the first game to get the whole story, which can be a bit of a tall order since the first game isn't on PS5. The game is also very dialogue-heavy, which means it could be a while before you can actually decide if you like the gameplay. It's the kind of game you really need to be square in the strike zone to enjoy.