It's a fact of life that the best time to get a new games console is just when it's about to be replaced with a shiny new successor. That's never been more true than with the Sony PlayStation 4, which has aged as well as Piers Brosnan, a Peter Luger steak and that Contagion movie, combined. So if you're need in of some new PlayStation 4 games to liven up your downtime, there are dozens of bona fide classics to choose from. Whether you're playing on the slimline PlayStation 4 or the 4k-capable PlayStation 4 Pro , we've picked the absolute essentials from the last couple of years. From the brutalist paranormal charms of Control to Resident Evil 2's vicious survival-horror thrills, these are the best PlayStation 4 games you can buy.

Doom Eternal It's hell on earth again and there's only one man for the clean-up job. A sequel to 2016's glorious adrenaline rush, Doom Eternal once again plonks the Doom Slayer in the midst of an unholy bloodbath. Because who else are you going to call when there are demons to be slain? Now featuring a semi-comprehensible plot and some breathless platforming segments, this isn't a total retread of its surprisingly cerebral predessor, but that glorious ultra-violent formula remains largely unchanged. If it's blood-soaked catharsis you're after, then look no further. £49.99. At amazon.co.uk

Call Of Duty: Warzone Aching for a chunk of the ongoing battle royale goldrush, Activision has unleashed Call Of Duty: Warzone into a now crowded fray. More of a PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds with added concessions to instant gratification than a riff on Fortnite's cartoon frolics and the hero-based revelry of Apex Legends , Warzone is a fun and familiar take on the genre to anyone who enjoyed Modern Warfare's multiplayer hijinx. Key to this free download's appeal is the idea that you and your fellow 150 players are never really dead. You can be bought back to life by fellow squadmates or free yourself from the jaws of the Grim Reaper by winning a 1v1 face-off against another slain foe in the foreboding Gulak arena. Free. playstation.com

Dreams There's no game quite like Dreams , which makes it both a damn nuisance to describe and a treasure trove of joyous imagination. The latest delirious toybox from Media Molecule – the same folks behind the charming Little Big Planet series – this title is basically a game creation toolkit that works pretty much effortlessly with the DualShock 4 controller. Of course, there are thousands of homemade gems for you to dive into hassle-free, but the real magic here is making something of your very own to share with the world. £34.99. At amazon.co.uk

Nioh 2 Sadists by their very nature, Soulsborne nuts who can't get enough of the hard-as-nails action RPG formula pioneered by Dark Souls and Bloodborne found plenty of carnal pain in 2017's Nioh. This refined sequel is just as punishing, but smooths off a few rough edges from its predessor. So twists on the exacting template, such as posture affecting the damage you can mete out and the ability to recover stamina with a well-timed button press remain, alongside the new ability to counter your foes' most devastating attacks and the ability to summon AI companions to get through particularly stubborn roadblocks. Basically, it's more of a good thing in a BDSM sort of way. £38.49. At amazon.co.uk

Resident Evil 2 Yes, it’s a remake. But what a remake. Resident Evil 2 feels like it came out about 25 years ago, such is the emotional toil of modern life. It’s one of the best survival-horror shooters to date, and a wonderful tribute – as well as a smart augmentation – to the original game. Moody and atmospheric, it’s a title that revels in the mushy gore of a headshot and the thrill of a suspenseful creep up a dilapidated corridor. A must play. £19.99. amazon.co.uk

Red Dead Redemption 2 It’s easy to gush about Red Dead Redemption 2 . Everything this game achieves is remarkable – from its world building and atmosphere to its character writing and storytelling. It raises the bar for games as an immersive artform, delivering the most artistic and meaningful experience in developer Rockstar’s esteemed history. We’ve played more than 80 hours of this wonderful, absurd thing and would happily play for 80 more. £24.99. amazon.co.uk

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Sekiro is one of the most brilliant, frustrating games you could hope to lay hands on. From the makers of Dark Souls and Bloodborne , it follows in the footsteps of those games by offering an experience focussing on pinpoint precision and accuracy all wrapped up in a delightfully satisfying combat system. Set in a sort of fantasy feudal Japan, it’s as lush as it is difficult, frequently wowing with its landscapes and locations. Not for the faint hearted, but worth the tough barrier to entry. £44.99. amazon.co.uk

The Last Of Us The Last Of Us gets our prize for the best video game ending, but the rest of it is pretty amazing too. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a fungus that David Attenborough talked about once has mutated to affect humanity, you’re tasked with saving the world. Of course, things don’t go to plan one way or the other. The result is developer Naughty Dog’s best game and a must-play that sees good people doing bad things, and bad people doing even worse things. It’s dark and frequently unpleasant, but you won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen. £11.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

Control A real weirdo’s game, we loved Control . It’s hard to say what it’s about without spoiling much, but try this: a mind-bending sci-fi romp that twists up all expectations. It can be annoying, with difficulty spikes that really push you to the limit of patience at times, but the sense of place within the Bureau Of Control – the game’s central location – is so well done that it’s hard not to be caught up immediately in the mysterious story the game is telling. £34.99. At Game. game.co.uk

The Outer Worlds The Outer Worlds is a proper, classic RPG. It’s rough around the edges in places, and its ideas don’t stretch quite as far as the game asks them to – but it’s also deadly funny, really charming, and packs more bright colours than a jumbo pack of crayons. Developer Obsidian – known for the excellent Fallout New Vegas – creates a smaller, more compact role-playing game that isn’t as big or audacious as something like Skyrim , but it makes up for what it lacks in scope by offering rich characters and a sardonic world. £29.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt To sum up this game in a short snippet is tough, especially considering as it took us some 200+ hours to complete, but if there’s one game you want to fill your two-week Christmas holiday (and perhaps the rest of 2019), look no further. You’ll venture from war-ravaged battlefields to the snowy tundra of viking-esque lands, and it all revels in a sense of freedom that’s unparalleled. More impressive than that is the sheer variety of it all, which demonstrates a development team at the top of its game, and one that truly understands what makes an unforgettable role-playing game. £14.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

Destiny 2 Destiny 2 ’s "Forsaken" update was massive and set a distinct course-correct for the newly independent developer, Bungie. A big new campaign, lots of new gameplay features, and an obvious new focus for the next steps in the Destiny franchise were all much needed. The result is a solid continuation of one of the best first-person shooters ever made – smooth, satisfying and immensely re-playable – and its future has never looked more exciting. £17.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

Borderlands 3 Much of Borderlands 3 is stuff you’ve seen before. And yet developer Gearbox nails the satisfying gameplay loop so well that it’s hard to not come back for more. This is a game that will happily suck up dozens if not hundreds of hours, and the fact the studio’s artistic talent gets to flex its muscles with multiple new distinct worlds is all the better. £28.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

What Remains Of Edith Finch In terms of length it’s the perfect Christmas game, really. What Remains Of Edith Finch is an unforgettable story that’ll take up just an afternoon of your holidays to complete as you explore the fascinating nooks and crannies of the titular Finch family home. You really should dedicate that time to the game, too, because it’s packed full of so many genius ideas and human tales that you will come away not only remembering the game, but feeling somewhat altered by it. £15.99. At PlayStation. playstation.com

Outer Wilds Outer Wilds is a complete marvel, and one of the only games in 2019 that felt truly, wholly original. As an open-ended space game, it doesn’t have the huge scope of a limitless galaxy akin to No Man’s Sky . Instead it offers hand-crafted worlds each revolving around a key design theme, all of which are absolutely captivating to witness, from a world of endless space-high tornadoes to one with a black hole at its centre. The colourful solar system you explore can be flown around in in minutes, but there are so many secrets to find and puzzles to solve within the game that you’ll likely be engrossed for a long time. £18.99. At PlayStation. playstation.com

God of War Until Red Dead Redemption 2 came along, God Of War was our favourite game of 2018. It’s not just any reboot: it reframes its lead, the eponymous deity Kratos, in a remarkably intelligent way. Pitched as a lengthy, transformative journey that’s largely about the difficulties of single parenthood, God Of War is much more exciting than we’ve just made it seem. It sends you out on a mythical adventure in the ancient land of Midgard, and it’s bloody, smart and suitably epic. Arguably the best PlayStation 4 exclusive to date. £16.98. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

Tetris Effect We know what you’re thinking. It’s just Tetris , right? Wrong. We can’t stop thinking about Tetris Effect . It’s ostensibly a musical riff on the iconic block-breaking classic, developed by Rez and Lumines genius, Tetsuya Mizuguchi. The game takes its name from the psychological phenomenon which occurs when you devote enough time to one particular activity that it begins to pattern your thoughts. £30. amazon.co.uk

Grand Theft Auto V Grand Theft Auto V ’s parodic recreation of California still holds up today. It’s a game that never asks you to care, which absolutely works in its favour. It’s a big, detailed playground for destruction that tells a three-character crime caper, while also letting you live out your crime boss dreams in GTA: Online . For less than twenty notes, this is a steal, and with Rockstar continuing to support the online mode with free updates, there’s almost always something new to see as you cruise around sunny L.A. £17.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

Bloodborne Of all the gaems on this list, Bloodborne is the one that’s the most rewarding. A gothic extravaganza that prioritises skill over storytelling, forcing you to truly engage with its world in order to discover its most hidden secrets. Do that – submit to Bloodborne – and it’s a game that gets under your skin. You’ll want to pore over every think-piece and watch every explanatory video, just to better understand its world. £11.99. At Amazon. amazon.co.uk

Honourable mentions: Uncharted 4 , Dishonored 2 , Overwatch , Spider-Man , Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain , Horizon Zero Dawn , Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

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