Let's Crown the Greatest Title of the Gaming Era: Final Four
The past two days have been nothing short of dramatic. This past Monday, we celebrated the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a tournament to determine the best first-party game of this console generation. You were given eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X games to compete against each other, culminating in a championship round where the top game from each platform would battle it out. We've witnessed some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, particularly the extremely tight polls from the previous day. Now, it's time to crown the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games before the championship on Thursday.
PlayStation 5 Contenders
For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise considering that it won top honors at the previous year's gaming accolades, but its win against God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. However, to reach the championship, it'll need to defeat the most valuable player of the PlayStation 5 era: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the final four, leaping past Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game!) to land in the semi-finals. Can Spidey topple a beloved PlayStation icon, or is he fated to become a miniature appearance in the next Astro Bot game?
Xbox Series X Contenders
The Xbox Series X side has been more exciting. Coming out on top from a diverse lineup of competitors is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the racing adventure title so far, demonstrating that a niche category title earns to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock on the way to the championship is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a fan favorite, defeating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an well-known franchise that's closely tied to Xbox itself? Should anyone manage this feat, it's probably Indy.
Place your ballots to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and come back tomorrow to see which games will face off for the ultimate trophy in the finals!
Polling Timeline
First Round: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 11, 9:00 AM EasternQuarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern- Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - Thursday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. EST
- Championship: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Winner announced: November 14, 11:00 AM Eastern
Head-to-Head Battles
PS5 Division
Astro Bot vs. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Xbox Series X Bracket
Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle