You just received a PlayStation gift card, but you don’t know which game to buy. It’s not an easy decision to make when there are thousands of titles out there. Where do you even start?
This is a dilemma many gamers face, whether they receive or buy PlayStation gift cards.
Here’s how to find some of the best games for 2019.
Look at Award-Winning Games
You want to spend your gift card on a worthy game. But with thousands of titles to choose from, it can be difficult to know which game to choose.
A good place to start is with game awards. Award-winning games offer great stories, combat and gameplay.
Check these game award lists for some of the best titles this year:
The Game Awards
Created in 2014, The Game Awards celebrates game creators and players through its streaming awards show. If you’re looking for the best-of-the-best games, their list of nominees and winners is a great place to start.
These games won or were nominated for awards in 2018:
God of War
Winner of Game of the Year and Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards, God of War takes a beloved franchise to new heights. Kratos, the main character, embarks on a new journey with his son. Now living in the realm of the Norse Gods and monsters, it’s his job to teach his son how to survive in this harsh new world.
With stunning visuals, thrilling combat and an immersive storyline, you can’t go wrong with adding God of War to your game collection.
God of War is an exclusive PS4 game, and it is easily one of the best in its class.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards, Assassin’s Creed offers more than 50 hours of story gameplay alone. Get lost in the side quests and exploration, and you can easily spend more than 150 hours immersed in this game.
You take on the role of either Kassandra or Alexios and embark on an epic journey though ancient Greece. You meet some cool historical characters along the way, like Hippocrates, Herodotus, Darius, Pericles and Socrates.
The developers continue to add new content and side missions in game updates, so it’s a game that will keep on giving.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Another nominee for Game of the Year and winner of Best Narrative, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game for players who like action and a good story. Rockstar Games puts the main character in the unforgiving heartland of America.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the third title in the Red Dead series, and is the prequel to the 2010 game Red Dead Redemption.
The game also won:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Best Audio Design[/list_item]
[list_item]Best Score/Music[/list_item]
[/list]
Fortnite
The game that everyone is playing. Fortnite won Best Ongoing Game at The Game Awards. This online battle royale game has more than 100 million players around the world. The goal? Kill your enemies. If they get to you first, you’re out.
You enter the map weaponless. Your mission is to scavenge for weapons, resources, items and even vehicles all while trying to stay alive. The last player, squad or duo remaining is the winner.
Celeste
Celeste won Best Independent Game and Games for Impact at The Game Awards. The platforming game puts you in control of a girl named Madeline. Madeline is making her way up a mountain, and along the way, she has to avoid deadly obstacles.
Madeline can jump and climb walls, but she can also perform a mid-air dash.
Each board has its own soundtrack, and the gameplay is fun.
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn won the award for Best Art Direction. The visuals are certainly unique. The developers call it “an insurance adventure with minimal color.”
A merchant ship Obra Dinn set out from London in 1802 bound for the Orient. The ship was carrying more than 200 tons of trade goods, but was declared lost at sea six months later. You play the role of the insurance adviser sent to board the ship and provide an assessment of damages.
The game is a first-person mystery adventure with a focus on exploration and logic.
The visuals are what make this game unique, but the puzzle-based gameplay is loved by many players.
Dead Cells
Winner of Best Action Game, Dead Cells is a 2D game with tough but fun combat. There are more than 50 weapons and spells to use, with unique gameplay and fun worlds to explore.
The roguelike-metroidvania Dead Cells has a big following, and it’s a game that will give you hours of fun.
Monster Hunter: World
Winner of Best Role Playing Game, Monster Hunter: World is part of the Monster Hunter series. As you can guess from the name, you take on the role of a hunter who slays giant monsters.
The game has a living, breathing ecosystem. As a hunter, you can use the landscape and its inhabitants to get the upper hand on the enemy. You’ll need to use everything at your disposal to defeat the monsters.
Overcooked! 2
If you’re looking for a family-friendly game, Overcooked! 2 is a great choice. In fact, this game won the award for Best Family Game. This is a cooperative cooking simulation game, and up to four people can play together.
The goal is to serve a variety of recipes, including burgers, cakes, pasta, sushi and burritos, to hungry customers. But here’s the catch: you have to cook in unconventional kitchens.
You can play solo, or with a group of friends (locally or online). You’ll have to overcome obstacles while cooking, such as collapsing floors, fires and overbearing waiters.
It may sound childish, but the game is great fun – especially if you play with friends.
Destiny 2: Forsaken
Nominee for best multiplayer game, Destiny 2: Forsaken is a first-person shooter game where you’re dropped into a lawless world. The most-wanted criminals have plotted to break out of the Prison of Elders.
You’ve been sent to bring law and order back to the facility, but things won’t go according to plan. Play with others, explore the world, and try out the game’s new weapons and gear.
BAFTA Game Awards
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards are given only to the best in entertainment and games. If you want games with amazing storylines and visuals, their list of nominees and winners is a great place to start.
BAFTA game winners in 2018 included:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is just as much a psychological journey as it is a physical one. Senua is a Celtic warrior who travels to the underworld to save her lover’s soul. But here’s the thing about Senua: she’s suffering from psychosis. She hears voices – and as a player, you hear them, too.
During gameplay, you’ll have to rely on your senses and the voices in your head to get through.
The game cleaned house at the BAFTA wards, winning Artistic Achievement, Audio Achievement, British Game, Game Beyond Entertainment, Performer.
If you’re looking for a different kind of gaming experience, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice definitely takes the cake.
Overwatch
Winner of Evolving Game, Overwatch is a team-based multi-player game from Blizzard Entertainment. Choose from an arsenal of fun, quirky heroes, and fight together in unique battlefields.
Each match is intense in this multiplayer showdown game. If you’re a fan of Fortnite, Overwatch puts a new spin on this style of gameplay.
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch won Best Game at BAFTA, and with a 10/10 rating on Steam and more than 9,601 reviews, it’s easy to see why.
In this adventure game, you explore the colossal Finch home for stories. Along the way, you learn more about her family history and why she’s the only one left alive.
Masterful storytelling and unforgettable characters await you in this game.
Game Developers Choice Awards
The Game Developers Choice Awards is going into its 19th year, and some of the best games are nominated each year.
If you get PlayStation gift cards for your birthday or the holidays, you can use them to buy a game that honors developers.
Finalists for the 18th annual awards include:
NieR: Automata
NieR: Automata was the Audience Award Winner. The action role-playing game, developed by PlatinumGames, follows the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 in their battle to reclaim a machine-driven world run by powerful machines.
With a compelling storyline and thrilling combat, NieR: Automata puts a new spin on RPGs.
Gorogoa
Gorgoa won the Innovation Award as well as Best Mobile Game at the Game Developers Choice Awards. It also won the award for Debut Game. The puzzle video game tells a story through beautiful hand-drawn illustrations.
Players arrange illustrated panels in imaginative ways to solve puzzles. The concept is simple, but the game’s complexity makes it satisfying and fun to play.
If you’re looking for a new and creative gaming experience (and you love puzzles), Gorgoa is a great choice.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Winner of the Best Technology award, Horizon Zero Dawn is set in a post-apocalyptic world where nature has reclaimed ruins of civilizations. Humans now live in small tribes as hunter-gatherers.
Machines of an unknown origin have taken over the wilderness. The stunning open world offers different ecotopes, tribal settlements and machine types. From frozen mountains to dense jungles, Zero Dawn’s ever-changing landscapes are awe-inspiring. And the changing weather systems make gameplay more interesting.
A thrilling combat system and immersive storyline easily make this one of the best games of the year.
Superhot VR
Superhot VR won the award for Best VR/AR Game. The developers describe the game as “blurring the lines between cautious strategy and unbridled mayhem.”
In this game, time only moves when you do. There are no regenerating health bars, and there are no ammo drops. It’s just you, outgunned and outnumbered, taking weapons from fallen enemies to kill and maim your way through the chaos.
The game has won several awards for its unique experience and gameplay. If you’re looking for a VR game, Superhot is a great choice.
See What Other Gamers are Playing on the PlayStation Store
Maybe you couldn’t find a game that piques your interest on the game awards lists. The PlayStation Store should be your next stop.
Head over to the Top Add-Ons section to see which add-ons gamers are using the most. Right now, players are buying add-ons for:
[list style=’regular’]
[list_item]Fortnite[/list_item]
[list_item]Call of Duty: WWII[/list_item]
[list_item]Destiny 2: Forsaken[/list_item]
[list_item]Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege[/list_item]
[list_item]Fallout 4[/list_item]
[list_item]Assassin’s Creed Origins[/list_item]
[list_item]Dead by Daylight[/list_item]
[list_item]Injustice 2[/list_item]
[list_item]Tekken 7[/list_item]
[/list]
These are the top games that players are playing right now. It’s great for a game to win awards, but maybe you want to know what players are really playing.
If you buy Playstation gift cards online, it’s easy to purchase your game through the store instantly, and you can also use your PSN card to buy add-ons if you want.
Browse the top add-ons section to see what people are playing right this moment. While there, you may just find a game that you’d never heard of and fall in love with it.
