As for the launch of the next-gen console, I think the PlayStation 5 is the best ever. Between first-party titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Demon’s Souls, and major multi-format releases like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, there’s plenty to play. But every system faces a cold, harsh reality about six weeks after release: the fledgling library just can’t compete with the nearly a decade of content its predecessor has to offer.
I remember this was particularly the case with the PlayStation 4 for an eerily long time. Once I was done with Killzone: Shadow Fall, I went back to the PlayStation 3 for what felt like an eternity. I ended up playing dozens of games on the last generation device, including some brand new releases like Gran Turismo 6. It wasn’t until 2015 that I actually transitioned to the PS4.
But with the PS5, there is no danger of that happening. While they are barebones and need iteration, I greatly prefer the ecosystem of Sony’s next-gen console, and backward compatibility means never having to leave it like I did with my PS4 almost a decade ago. I’ve already beaten major PS5 titles, including Sackboy: A Big Adventure, but I’m playing for hours every day on my new system. You literally have to tear me off the thing right now.
Part of this has to do with my personal circumstances – I’ve been lucky to have had a bit more time to play lately, and lockdown has only increased my sessions – but I also really love browsing my library. to dig. I recently returned to Days Gone to clean up my Platinum Trophy, and it felt like a different game at 60 frames per second on Sony’s new system; I am currently revisiting Hitman 2 for its successor.
It’s disappointing that not every title has been improved for the system – Final Fantasy VII Remake, a title I recently beat, would have been dreamy at 60 frames per second – but I love that I can just run the game on my PS5 install and enjoy it within the slick, faster operating system that Sony has developed. I plan on taking Death Stranding from my shame soon, and the fact that I don’t have to keep my PS4 plugged in is a godsend.
Now, of course, a console needs to stand on its own strengths, and the native PS5 library appears to be growing a lot this year. But we’re in a transition period, it’s okay to admit that, and backward compatibility has completely changed my relationship with Sony’s new console. Where I spent part of the PS4’s first 12 months with my PS3, I absolutely love playing PS4 games on my PS5. It’s useful and fun, and I hope all PlayStation platforms will be backward compatible from this point on.
Do you think backward compatibility glued you to your new console too? What games have you played the most on your PS5 and why? Put your PS4 away in the comments below.