The PlayStation 5 is one of the most advanced consoles ever to be released, wowing gamers with ray tracing, SSDs, and other impressive features that allow for true technological marvels. But, sometimes, a well-designed 2D game is just as fulfilling as a large triple-A title, and the PS5 has some fantastic games that stick to only two dimensions.
From side-scrolling platformers to top-down RPGs, 2D continues to be a fruitful endeavor for indie and major developers on the PS5. Whether these games originally released on the PS4 or are PS5 exclusives, they remind us of simpler times while being no less entertaining as a result.
10Final Fantasy: Pixel Remasters
A Fantastic Mix Between The Old And The New
The first six Final Fantasy games are not only seen as foundational JRPGs but are still regarded as some of the best the genre has to offer. And with the Final Fantasy: Pixel Remasters, PS5 gamers finally have a way to play these classics that do service to the quality of the originals.
Obviously, the gorgeous pixel-art graphics are the main draw of these remakes, but there is also a wealth of quality-of-life additions that make this the definitive way to play Final Fantasy 1-6. Whether you are a seasoned Final Fantasy veteran or you have never played these games before, the Pixel Remasters offer dozens of hours of retro JRPG magic on your PS5.
9Flipping Death
When Death Came To Penny, He Offered Her A Job
Flipping Death has you play as Penny, who, after dying herself, fills in for the role of Death in this quirky Pratchett-esque 2D puzzle-platformer. you’re able to literally flip between the world of the living and the world of the dead, solving mysteries, exploring both dimensions and laying to rest the souls of those who have already passed on.
While the gameplay and writing of Flipping Death are stellar in their own right, its 2D arts-and-crafts visuals are simply beautiful and infuse both the living and dead worlds with a stack of personality. For a game all about death, there certainly isn’t anything rotten about the way it looks.
8Mega Man 11
The Eleventh Hour For The Blue Bomber
Mega Man 11 does a fantastic job celebrating the classic tropes of the series while still finding room to innovate after more than thirty years. The Double Gear system adds more strategy to the gameplay, and the new roster ofRobot Masters are some of the best in the entire series.
The developers carried over this philosophy of mixing classic and modern ideas into Mega Man 11’s visuals. The 3D character models look terrific against the hand-drawn backgrounds, resulting in a Mega Man game that looks the part while still fully embracing the HD era.
7Cuphead
A Tremendous Artistic Achievement
What more is there to say about the visuals of Cuphead? Based on the old-timey cartoons of the twenties and thirties, there isn’t a single visual detail in Cuphead that doesn’t fully commit to its artistic theme, creating a game based on a look that’s a hundred years old that will still look fantastic in a hundred years’ time.
It also helps that Cuphead is a really solid run-and-gun shooter. The boss fights are the clear highlight, offering a significant challenge that never feels too unfair and brings an extreme level of satisfaction once you finally see that “Knockout” text appears on the screen.
Developer Motion Twin had a stroke of genius when it decided to create a game that combine the repeatability of roguelikes with the non-linearity of metroidvanias. Dead Cells marries together both design philosophies to create a game that easily gets its hooks into you.
And if its gameplay doesn’t draw you in, then its hyper-detailed pixel art probably will. The visuals do a wonderful job of capturing the gritty look of the island while still finding the beauty in all the desolation that surrounds your journey.
5Monster Boy And The Cursed Kingdom
A Wonderful Return To This Classic Series
The Wonder Boy games were some of the most beloved action-platformers in the late eighties and early nineties, so there was a lot of excitement around the long-awaited return of this series when Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom released in 2018. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype, delivering a joyous metroidvania bursting with color and creativity.
Speaking of color and creativity, Monster Boy is still one of the prettiest 2D games on the PS5. Each zone within the world map stands out for having its own unique visual identity, from the scorching look of the volcano to the moody atmosphere of the haunted mansion.
4Undertale
What One Man Can Create
The 2D visuals of Undertale are the definition of “less is more.” While the game’s sprites and environments aren’t the most technically advanced, they have nonetheless become iconic across both gaming and internet culture thanks to Toby Fox’s ability to extract so much personality from not a lot of detail.
Undertale’s subversive writing and idiosyncratic battle system make it stand out as an RPG, while its morality system elevates it to the upper echelons of indie games. For a 2D game made by one man on RPG Maker, Undertale is so much more than what it appears at face value.
3Hollow Knight
Nothing Hollow About This 2D Modern Classic
Simply put, Hollow Knight is one of thebest metroidvanias on PS5. It seamlessly blends together a gripping atmosphere, slick movement, fascinating lore, and unparalleled world design to create a 2D game that goes way harder than it ever had any right going.
The moody environments and memorable enemy designs complement all of these other aspects, resulting in a 2D game for the PS5 that doesn’t look or play like anything else on the system.
2Celeste
The Peak Of Pixel Art On The PS5
Few other 2D platformers elicit as many feelings through their story and characters as Celeste does. The journey of Madeline as she attempts to summit Celeste Mountain is a deeply moving one that resonates through its mature exploration of anxiety, self-doubt, and overcoming seemingly insurmountable mental challenges.
The 2D visuals and tight platforming convey these themes by effortlessly switching between expressions of frustration and triumph depending on what the narrative demands. Celeste is a fully three-dimensional emotional package told in a beautiful two-dimensional world.
1Sea Of Stars
Reaching For The Stars
Sea of Stars is a retro RPG throwback that isn’t content with just standing in the shadows of the greats but instead aims to stand alongside them. It achieves that lofty goal with an ethereal story about friendship that is elevated throughmemorable playable charactersand confident worldbuilding.
And then there’s Sea of Stars’ industry-leading pixel art, which dazzles at every opportunity. Throw in an engaging battle system and towering bosses, and you have one of the best 2D games for the PS5.
