The 10 best PS4 games under $20 in 2018

After the popularity of our 2017 list published last year, we’ve put together a list of the best cheap PS4 games your money can buy in 2018.

Despite recent controversies regarding overpriced DLC, gamble-laced loot boxes and annoying microtransactions, there are still some fantastic games released every year, and with each year that passes games become cheaper and cheaper to buy off the shelves.

These 10 games, many of which were just released in 2017, can now be picked up for an absolute bargain, and are must-play additions to your PS4 collection.

10. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

 

The fourth entry in Drake’s adventure saga was his first on the PS4, and what a fantastic entry it was too. Up there with the best looking games this generation, Uncharted 4 takes everything that was good about the first three games and doubles down on them – intense third-person cover shooting action, spectacular set pieces, intense vehicle sections and some of the most gorgeous exotic locations on Sony’s console.

A Thief’s End marks an excellent end to Nathan Drake’s adventures, and is really a must-own for action game fans.

A great game for: Fans of Indiana Jones, third person adventures and cinematic, narrative-driven games

Not-so great for: Someone looking for a multi-player focused game, or someone looking for in-depth combat mechanics.

Grab Uncharted 4 here on Amazon.

9. Wipeout Omega Collection

The Omega collection is a remaster of WipeOut HD, HD Fury and 2048, the three best games in the series. WipeOut has always been famous for its stylish appearance, but the driving mechanics have some real depth and are satisfyingly tough to master. Be sure to turn off the auto-steering assist to get the most out of it.

A blistering and stylish futuristic racer that looks phenomenal in 4k, WipeOut Omega Collection is a fluid, punishing and addictive addition to your library, and probably the best racer on the console.

A great game for: Racing game fans, people wanting to show off a 4k TV.

Not-so great for: Players looking for a casual experience. WipeOut’s learning curve is real.

Check the price of the Omega Collection here on Amazon.

8. Ratchet & Clank

 

Ratchet & Clank is a full remaster of the very first instalment of Insomniac’s franchise for the PS2, with fully re-done graphics and sound.

Insomniac haven’t had to change much gameplay-wise, as the original was such a joy to play in the first place. Rachet & Clank fuses large open levels, tight platforming and excellent gunplay, which all amounts to the best 3D platforming experience on the PS4. Insomniac has produced something that can be appreciated by both fans of the original and newcomers to the series.

A great game for: Fans of 3D platformers, fans of the original game, players looking for a throwback to a classic formula done in all the right ways.

Not so great for: Players looking for a multiplayer experience, and people who don’t like shooting in their platformers.

Get Ratchet & Clank here from Amazon.

7. The Last of Us Remastered

The Last of Us launched in the PS3’s twilight years, and when it released it was clear it should have been produced on more powerful hardware. So when Naughty Dog announced the remastered version for the PS4, it didn’t come as a surprise to many..

The Last of Us sees players take control of Joel, who, accompanied by his daughter Ellie, must traverse post-apocalyptic New York in search of safety, 20 years after an outbreak of the cordyceps fungus in humans. Players must use the environment in a mix of stealth and action in battling through the infected humans in what is probably the most cinematic and engrossing experiences on the PS4.

The Remastered edition for the PS4 is the definitive version of the game, with every technical element of the game lovingly remastered in high detail.

A great game for: Players who enjoy cinematic, narrative-driven games, adventure game lovers, fans of the Uncharted series. It’s essential for anyone who missed the PS3 original.

Not so great for: Players who have beaten the PS3 version multiple times, as this is just a remaster with no brand new content per se.

Check the price of TLOU Remastered here from Amazon.

6. Rayman Legends

 

I’ve gushed several times about why Rayman Legends is the best 2D platformer ever made, and the PS4 is home to the definitive version of the game.

This game is a masterclass of 2D platformer design, with controls that are easy to pick up but tough to master, levels that are just the right length and contain just the right amount of secrets, and a difficulty curve that’s crafted so well that the game can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. There’s Super Meat Boy levels of difficulty here if the player wants to look for it, but also the more casual player can enjoy bouncing through the levels if they so please.

Add on top of this a unique Daily and Weekly Challenge feature involving competitions against other players online, a multiplayer football component, a wealth of collectables and secrets, and a bunch of levels from the predecessor – Rayman Origins – thrown in, it all amounts to one of the best experiences on the system.

A great game for: Anyone who’s remotely enjoyed a 2D platformer before, players who want a challenge, players who want a game they can dip into whenever they feel like it.

Not so great for: People afraid of a challenge. Legends gets tough quite quickly, but is all the more rewarding for it.

Get Rayman Legends from Amazon here.

5. Bloodborne

Bloodborne was one of the early PS4 exclusives that really set the console ahead of the pack in the console race. From the makers of the acclaimed Dark Souls games, Bloodborne bares many similarities to its sister-series, with very similar gameplay and punishing difficulty curve.

Where Bloodborne stands on its own as a masterpiece lies in its unique atmosphere and art design – quite different form that of the medieval Dark Souls, Bloodborne sports a gothic horror, quasi-Lovecraftian style which oozes from every crevice of the game.

A third-person action RPG of the highest calibre.

A great game for: Dark Souls fans, players looking for a real challenge, and fans of gothic horror.

Not so great for: Players who want a casual, pick-up-and-play experience to enjoy in bitesize chunks. Players afraid of a challenge.

Bloodborne is available here from Amazon.

4. Titanfall 2

The original Titanfall was something of a flawed gem on the Xbox, but its sequel ironed out the wrinkles and delivered one of the best games of 2017.

The campaign is generous in length and diversity, something the original sorely lacked, and delivers a fine 15-hour experience. But the real quality lies is in the multiplayer, which delivers a fresh and exciting experience that comes as a welcome change to the drudgery of the CoD and Battlefield paint-by-numbers formula.

Titanfall 2 is an extremely smooth and well-polished shooter that comes highly recommended for any FPS fan.

A great game for: Online multiplayer fans. Titanfall 2’s online component is amongst the best of this generation.

Not so great for: Fans of lootboxes and micro-transactions.

Get Titanfall 2 from Amazon here.

3. Steep

Steep is something of a rare thing in the contemporary gaming climate – a Triple-A high-budget extreme sports title.

The game gives you an open mountain-range to explore and tumble down on skis, snowboards and wingsuits, with runs and secret crevices scattered throughout. The controls take a little getting used to, but once you get there you’ll find yourself gliding down black runs and rolling off-piste like the professionals.

Steep comes as a welcome addition to a starved genre.

A great game for: Extreme sports fans, people who enjoy freedom in their games.

Not so great for: Fans of classic arcade snowboarders like SSX – it’s not quite as casual as the vintage snowboarding series.

Check the price of Steep here.

2. Dishonored 2

The original Dishonored was a fresh, unique experienced from Bethesda back in 2012, introducing players to an interesting and stylish and mysterious Steampunk-esque world full of interesting and layered characters.

The myriad of ways in which missions could be approached and tackled in the first game was one of its biggest strengths, and the sequel delivers this in spades. The whole game can be played without killing an enemy and without being seen, and the player is rewarded for doing so. Missions have several ways they can be traversed through and objectives can be tackled in completely different ways, often resulting in different outcomes and consequences later down the line.

Dishonored 2 is one of the finest stealth/infiltration games ever created.

A great game for: Fans of the first game. Dishonored 2 takes all that was glorious about the first and expands upon them, granting the player unparalleled freedom of choice in achieving the missions’ objectives.

Not so great for: Players looking for a multiplayer experience, fans of first-person perspective games, players looking for a mindless kill-fest.

Get it from Amazon here.

1. Dark Souls III

The final game in the Souls series, Dark Souls III represents more than a fitting end to Bandai Namco’s acclaimed series.

Set in the magnificent, sprawling and harrowing Kingdom of Lothric, the gameworld gradually opens up as the player progresses, and folds back on itself in that beautifully satisfying way Dark Souls games are known for – with the areas intertwining and connecting with each other to evoke the sense that the world feel genuine and alive.

The combat is of course the jewel in the game’s crown, with slight adjustments made to the already near-perfect combat system present in the previous games. The player has to learn when to attack, dodge and parry accordingly, with each enemy requiring a different, cautious approach.

The bosses as ever are a highlight, with some truly inspired designs on show. Dark Souls 3 is a superb way to end a beloved series – taking everything good about the game and executing them with style.

A great game for: Anyone looking for a truly rewarding challenge, any fan of action RPGs, patient gamers that appreciate dying is part of the learning experience.

Not so great for: Players looking for a more casual experience.

Grab Dark Souls 3 here from Amazon.

 

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