Top Ten Launch Titles for PS5 and Xbox Series X: Ranked

In just a few days, millions of players will have their hands on the brand new Xbox Series X (November 10th) and the Playstation 5 (November 12th). While the consoles have seen plenty of hype, including being totally sold out just about anywhere you look, there has been less talk about the games themselves. Here’s an early look at the top ten launch titles for PS5 and Xbox Series X, including both exclusives and third party games alike. 

10. Tetris Effect: Connected (Xbox Series X)

Every console launch, there’s one game that just feels like a blast of color and spectacular particle effects. In 2013, that title was Resogun for me. Tetris is one of the most replayable games of all time, and Effect has already proven its worth as an atmospheric, almost tranquil take on the series. Bringing cooperative and competitive play to the fold should give fanatics like me more than enough reason to try it out. If you’re looking for a game that can give you a temporary reprieve from some of the meatier launch titles, Tetris Effect: Connected may be the best game for it. 

9. Bright Memory (Xbox Series X)

If anything, Bright Memory looks like an awfully good tech demo for the power of the Xbox Series X. Almost to a fault, everything we’ve seen so far from the one-man studio FYQD looks technically and visually stunning. It remains to be seen how much depth there is to the rapid first-person shooter, but my guess is that lots of people will be talking about Bright Memory one way or the other. Expectation should certainly be kept low in terms of length, but with so many different things to play, that might not be a bad thing.

8. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (Xbox Series X & Playstation 5)

Is it really even a console launch without Call of Duty making an appearance? I don’t think so. The thing that excites me most is that this really feels like a return to the roots of what makes the series so special to me: high-intensity action sequences, a horrifying and fun zombie mode, and jaw-dropping graphics that help benchmark the console generation to come.

7. Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition (Xbox Series X & Playstation 5)

This one almost feels like cheating, especially because Devil May Cry 5 has been out for over a year now. But as soon as you look at a list of all the things that Special Edition brings to the table, you’ll understand why. Most notably, Vergil is making a return as a playable character – a return to the tradition developed in 3 and 4. Similarly, Special Edition is seeing a plethora of visual changes, including bringing ray tracing to both consoles. For anyone who may have missed it last year, Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is perhaps the most sure-fire bet for a fun time at launch.

6. The Falconeer (Xbox Series X)

This one is a little bit weird. The Falconeer was mysteriously missing from Microsoft’s Xbox One X showcase this summer, and only started to pick up steam after its fantastic trailer caught eyeballs on social media. Especially if you’re a fan of sky/air combat, The Falconeer looks like one of the most interesting and unique launch titles to drop on the Series X. Not only does it look visually distinct, it has the style of a console launch dark horse. Keep an eye on The Falconeer, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed by big budget titles.

5. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (Xbox Series X & Playstation 5)

Speaking of big-budget titles, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla might be the grandest of them all. The only reason Valhalla is ranked as low as it is is because of the immense amount of turmoil Ubisoft has been through over the last year, including a wave of harassment and sexual misconduct. Even though the franchise has proven to be such a consistent product, there’s no real proof that Valhalla is a substantial leap forward for the series. If anything, I’ll be holding my breath until reviews come out that this is another solid entry for the franchise. Nothing gets me more excited than returning to a franchise I love during a console launch. 

4. Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Xbox Series X)

So this one is going to be wild, right? Like a Dragon has had some mysterious exclusivity going on in the background and is currently only going to be available for the Xbox Series X and current-gen consoles until March. Everything about the Yakuza franchise is weird, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that its launch is all kinds of complex. Still, Like a Dragon looks incredibly dynamic and sustains much of the franchise’s off-kilter humor. It also makes a shift to turn-based combat, which has fans split with nervousness and excitement. Sega has such a solid track record with the franchise that this is another one that you can pretty much bank on being good. 

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Playstation 5)

Sony’s marketing campaign is #BeGreater, and that’s exactly what I’m expecting here. Coming off of the fantastic Marvel’s Spider-Man on Playstation 4, Miles Morales looks to build upon the rock-solid foundation of swinging through New York City. There’s lots of reasons to believe that Miles Morales will be more of the same (which is certainly a good thing) but also tinker with some of the issues present in the original game, including a lack of mission diversity and cutting out those damned Mary Jane stealth missions. 

2. The Pathless (Playstation 5)

This one is my surprise hit of the console launch – but the thing is, it probably shouldn’t be that surprising if The Pathless turns out to be as good as I think it will be. Giant Squid, the developers of the underrated ABZU, seem poised for a breakthrough. Not only does The Pathless look stunning, it features a rampant pace and gameplay style that breaks the mold from everything else playable at launch. The only thing holding it back is that it will also be releasing on iOS and Playstation 4, so it will be interesting to see how well it utilizes the power of the Playstation 5. 

1. Demon’s Souls (Playstation 5)

Not only is Bluepoint Games coming off of an all-time great remake in Shadow of the Colossus, but the Souls franchise is coming off of a console generation in which it was probably the most critically well-regarded hit of the decade. Demon’s Souls absolutely looks the part, perhaps being the most visually impressive game to launch on consoles this year. It’s also the perfect opportunity for a remaster, as Demon’s Souls is a bit of a clunky masterpiece that could really use  a visual and mechanical update. There is no reason to hold back excitement for this one: it’s going to be really, really good. 

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