PS4 best launch titles

There are only a few days left until Sony's PS4 launches here in the UK. We might be a few weeks behind the US, but that gives us a better idea of what games to pick up on launch night.

We'll kick off our round-up with the big exclusive titles, which separate the PS4 from Microsoft's Xbox One - for more on that read our full Xbox One review.

EXCLUSIVES

With DriveClub delayed until the new year, the PS4 only has two major exclusive releases to coincide with release day.

KILLZONE: SHADOW FALL – PS4 EXCLUSIVE
Sony always intended the Killzone franchise to be the Halo-killer that would convert Xbox Fans to the PlayStation, and Shadow Fall might finally be the game to do it. The extra graphical horsepower of the PS4 has allowed developer Guerilla games to increase the frame rate to 60fps, making multiplayer deathmatches feel much smoother than previous series entries, while looking stunning at the same time.

KNACK – PS4 EXCLUSIVE
Arguably the kid-friendly launch title that Sony so desperately wants to have the same staying power as Crash Bandicoot, Knack is a platformer/beat-em-up where the titular character grows as he absorbs objects from within the game world. It's a little bit like Katamari Damacy, crossed with small parts of God of War, but critical reception has been mixed in the US.

INDIES

Sony looks keen for the PS4 to overtake Microsoft's consoles as the go-to platform for smaller independent game developers. So much so that there are plenty to choose from at launch.
Contrast – PS4 EXCLUSIVE

Contrast is the game Sony has lined up to fill the void left by DriveClub, so expectations are high. It's a puzzle game split between 2D and 3D worlds, which are heavily influenced by 1920's vaudeville and film noir. It will be free for PS+ members, so there's no reason not to give it a try.

Resogun – PS4 EXCLUSIVE

This is the PS4 indie game we're most excited about playing. The Xbox 360 had Geometry wars but Sony's new console has Resogun. Voxel-based ships, screen-filling particle effects and non-stop waves of enemies should make this scrolling shooter the game you come back to for that "one last try" - time and time again.

Super Motherload – PS4 EXCLUSIVE

To be known as the oddball in a line-up of indie titles is no mean feat, but Super Motherload is exactly that. The randomly generated levels, Dig Dug-style gameplay and haunting soundtrack are getting rave reviews on the other side of the Atlantic and it's one of the few co-op games available at launch that doesn't involve shooting one another.

Trine 2: Complete Story

We've already reviewed Trine 2 - at least in its original form as a PC game. The side-scrolling sequel to the excellent Trine runs in 1080p and at 60fps on the PS4, and is also the first launch game to support stereoscopic 3D.

Flower

Flower is a surreal and abstract title that we even hesitate to call a "game" - originally released for the PS3 back in 2009, the PS4 version gains improved graphics and more responsive motion controls in the jump to the new console generation. Aside from that not a lot else has changed, so it could be one to avoid if you've played it before.



Sound Shapes
A side-scrolling plat-former with a music twist, Sound Shapes is another game updated from the previous generation in time for the PS4's launch. It can now be played using the Dual Shock 4's touchpad controls but otherwise stays the same as the PS3 and Vita versions.

We'll be updating this story with multi-format titles, along with the first set of free-to-play games coming to the PS4 at launch