We'll Name the Greatest Game of the Gaming Era: Final Four
The past two days have been incredibly eventful. On Monday, we celebrated the half-decade milestone of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a competition to determine the top exclusive title of this console generation. We presented eight PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to face off against each other, all heading towards a final showdown where the top game from each console would battle it out. There have been some nail-biting finishes in the initial matchups, especially the extremely tight polls from the previous day. At this point, it's moment to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games ahead of Thursday’s final battle.
The PS5 Side
For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise given that it took home the top prize at last year’s Game Awards, but its win against God of War Ragnarök feels like a true upset. But to get to the finals, it'll have to go through the most valuable player of the PlayStation 5 era: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 enjoyed an easy journey to the final four, defeating Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game!) to land in the semi-finals. Will Spider-Man defeat a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he destined to become a chibi cameo in the next Astro Bot game?
Xbox Series X Contenders
For Xbox Series X has been even juicier. Emerging victorious from a diverse lineup of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the open-world driving game already, demonstrating that a more specialized genre game earns to be on the equal footing as traditional jump-and-run games and story-driven epics. Its final obstacle on the way to the finals is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a crowd favorite, beating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Can it beat a larger-scale title from an established IP that's synonymous with Xbox itself? Should anyone manage this feat, it's likely Indiana Jones.
Place your ballots to determine the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and return on the next day to see which games will face off for the ultimate trophy in the finals!
Polling Timeline
Round of 16: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM EasternQuarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern- Semi-final round: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Final round: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. EST
- Champion crowned: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST
Matchups
PlayStation 5 Bracket
Astro Bot versus Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Xbox Series X Bracket
Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
