5 best PlayStation franchises that revolutionized gaming

PlayStation has been synonymous with gaming over the past few decades. No matter what platform you play on, almost everyone will agree on the impact it has had on the gaming industry over this time.

From taking the console crown from Nintendo to producing high-budget Hollywood films, PlayStation has 'been there and done that.' And of course, amidst all this, PlayStation has been delivering what matters the most, games that are masterpieces.

Even though almost every single first-party game from PlayStation is worthy of being called a piece of art (except for a few like The Order: 1886), we list some of the biggest and most revolutionary PlayStation games ever made.

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PlayStation games that revolutionized gaming

5) Uncharted & The Last of Us (The rise of Naughty Dog)

Naughty Dog games (Image via Twitter)

Although Naughty Dog was making games before PlayStation even started, it wasn't until 2007's Uncharted that Naughty Dog became one of the biggest names in the game industry.

Uncharted was nearly unprecedented in its graphical fidelity and game design, and with 2009's Uncharted 2 and 2011's Uncharted 3, the series became one of the most well-known PlayStation IPs.

2013 saw the release of The Last of Us. With the same DNA as the Uncharted series, this heart-touching story of survival, love, and loss went on to win over 240 Game of the Year awards.

2016's Uncharted 4:Among Thieves went on to win multiple Game of the Year awards, and 2020's The Last of Us, Part II, became the most awarded game ever with over 300 wins.

Naughty Dog with these two series changed the way video games have looked and felt ever since.

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4) Metal Gear Solid (Kojima's magnum opus)

Metal Gear Solid (1998) (Image via youtube)

While the original 'Metal Gear' game was made for MSX home computer in '87 and the newer titles (since 2013) were released on almost all major platforms, the 'Metal Gear Solid' series remains a PlayStation game through and through. And ever since the 1998 launch of 'Metal Gear Solid' on the original PlayStation, (with 2008's Metal Gear Solid 4 on the PS3 being the last game exclusively launched on a PlayStation), PS fans have touted it as one of the best series ever.

The tight gameplay mechanics of the series have earned high praise and the cinematic brilliance of the cut scenes are surely Oscar-worthy (especially MGS 4).

The 'tactical espionage' aspect of the series has inspired a generation of games and copies on multiple platforms ever since.

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3) Quantic Dream Games (Holy Grail of cinematic storytelling)

Quantic Dream games (Image via epic games store)

Just like Naughty Dog, Quantic Dream has been making games since the last century, but it wasn't until 2010's Heavy Rain, that the studio shot to worldwide fame.

2013's Beyond: Two Souls expanded on the concept set by Heavy Rain, and with its photo-realistic graphics and Oscar-worthy performance and motion capture, it has become a benchmark of cinematic storytelling in video games ever since.

Inspiring many games with storytelling at its core, Quantic Dream affirmed the importance of writing in video games.

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2) Demon's Soul (The birth of Souls-Borne)

Demon's Soul (Image via wallpapertip.com)

2009's Demon Soul became a cult classic and spawned a global fanbase of very dedicated gamers, hell-bent on achieving a hundred percent in every entry since.

The series went on to cement its place with each entry, with the Dark Souls trilogy (releasing on multiple platforms and), and Bloodborne (coming back to its PS roots).

With its desolate setting, high level of difficulty, and RPG elements, the Souls-Borne series spawned an entire genre dubbed "Souls-Like" and inspired hits like Hollow Knight and Nioh.

And with 2020's long-awaited Demon's Soul remake for the PS5, (with enhanced visual fidelity and gameplay elements) and the upcoming Elden Ring, now is the best time to get into the Souls-Borne games.

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1) God of War (A Mythological Masterpiece)

God of War 2018 (Image via Google)

The God of War series is a testament to how love and care can make (or break) a franchise. For over 16 years, we have experienced rage through the titular character and fallen in love with the game more and more with each entry. (Technically, Kratos didn't become the God of War until he killed Ares).

Spanning seven titles (soon to be eight) across 16 years, the God of War series has been pretty synonymous with the PlayStation console itself. For 13 years, fans across the globe have cleared out the Greek pantheon, then with 2018's entry, set out (along with Kratos' son Atreus) to take on the Norse gods and will follow it up with 2022's 'Ragnarok'.

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Note: The article reflects the writer's opinion.