PlayStation 4 Games That Were Held Back By The Hardware

The PS4 launched in 2013, and it’s safe to say it was a big step up from the PS3, which started as a bit of a disaster for Sony. The PS4 was succeeded by the PS5 in 2020, and strangely enough, games are still coming out on the PS4, and it’s already been over a decade. That’s how popular the console is that developers can’t help but support it even if these games aren’t perfectly fit for the console anymore.

That’s the main premise of this article, as sometimes, games aren’t released for the right console for a number of reasons. From bad frame rates to long loads, these PS4 games could have perhaps been better on different consoles. It doesn’t mean they are all bad games on the PS4, though.

Cyberpunk 2077

Thank Goodness For The PS5

Cyberpunk 2077 was released on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and while the PC version had some issues, the console versions were an absolute mess at launch. It looked like the alpha version of the game, complete with blurry textures that made it hard to read.

The PS5 had launched a month prior, along with the Xbox Series X/S, so those lucky to get a new console could play a manageable version of the game, but PS5 players still reported consistent crashes. Many patches later, it became more playable on PS5, but it was essentially worthless to those who only owned a PS4.

Bloodborne

Still Trapped In 30 FPS

Bloodborne is one of the most celebrated PS4 games of all time as the next big FromSoftware game on the console, which was, and still is, an exclusive. While the core game is an excellent action RPG set in a gothic fantasy world, there were some glaring issues that fans overlooked because the game was that good.

First, like all Soulslikes, the challenge level was high, meaning that death was imminent and players had to reload constantly. The trouble was, most loading sessions easily took two minutes, and that was a long wait to go through. The other downside was that it was locked at thirty FPS, for those who care about frame rates, and perhaps this could have been avoided if it had been given more time in development or if it hadn’t been a PS4 exclusive.

Control

Brilliant But Glitchy

Control was released late into the console’s life as the next big game from Remedy Entertainment, which launched on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Like Cyberpunk 2077, the PC version was the way to go because the PS4 had a lot of issues. There were dips in the frame rate, making it look very janky in the heat of battle.

There were also sound issues because of this slowdown, which was accompanied by some long loads in between sessions. Patches eventually made it more playable on the PS4 hardware natively, but the eventual next-gen version in 2021 on PS5 was the superior game to get, making one wonder if Remedy Entertainment should have just waited.

Monster Hunter: World

Not Quite The Wilds

Monster Hunter: World was a big leap up for the Monster Hunter franchise in 2018, as it introduced a lot of quality of life improvements, from better weapon handling to bug-based guides to more open zones. In the games prior, zones were segmented off into smaller areas and forced players into constant loads between screens.

Despite the name, Monster Hunter: World was not an open-world game as players still had to load into each biome, which were lengthy on par with Bloodborne, before they could go hunting, which remained true in the sequel, Monster Hunter Rise, as well. It wouldn’t be until 2025’s Monster Hunter Wilds that the series finally featured a seamless open-world that did not require long loads, and this could be attributed to the hardware being more powerful on the PS5.

Destiny 2

Waiting Would Have Been More Impactful

Destiny was released in 2014, and it was vastly popular as a live-service game and spiritual successor to Halo. Bungie supported it until Destiny 2 was released in 2017, which may have been a mistake to jump the gun like this.

There hasn’t been a sequel since Destiny 2, and thanks to all of the extra content added over the years, load times became unbearable on the PS4. Thanks to the PS5 version, everything started to run better in 2020. It almost seems like the overall game should have waited until the new consoles launched to make it a more impactful sequel, with Destiny being supported by DLC over the years.

No Man’s Sky

Held Back By Hardware Or Time?

It’s hard to say what exactly went wrong with No Man’s Sky when it launched in 2016. All versions of the game ran fine, but the trouble was that there wasn’t much to do in this giant, seemingly endless space simulator.

More updates changed what players could do, like the 2018 Next update, along with the new console versions in 2020. At that point, it felt more like a finished game, so perhaps the hardware wasn’t big enough for what Hello Games imagined at launch back in 2016 on the PS4.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remaster

The GameCube Was Better

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was released exclusively for the GameCube in 2004 in North America, which required each player to have a link cable and a GBA to play in local multiplayer.

While expensive, it made for one of the coolest multiplayer experiences of the GameCube era. The remaster looked and ran perfectly fine on consoles like the PS4, and they even supported online co-op. The lack of local multiplayer was a real sting to the experience, though, making the remaster a less desirable version.

Dreams

Could Have Used A Touchpad

Media Molecule made a name for itself with LittleBigPlanet in 2008, which was a 2D platformer that allowed players to make their own levels. With each sequel, the mechanics grew wider, and their next big game, Dreams, was their most ambitious title to date.

It was released for the PS4 exclusively in 2020, before the PS5 launched, and it allowed players to make literally anything they wanted, from shooters to turn-based RPGs. While the game was perfectly fine on the PS4, it is interesting to think about a world where games like Dreams were released on PC or the Switch instead. Mouse controls or a touch screen would make for a better user interface.

Tearaway Unfolded

Better On Vita

Tearaway Unfolded was a remaster and also almost a brand new game compared to the PS Vita version, which was just called Tearaway. On one hand, it was great that the game got a console port because fewer players had a PS Vita. However, this also made for a lesser experience because the game wasn’t as interactive.

On the PS Vita, players could look into the camera to be the sun, tap the screen to bounce, rub the back to break open containers, and more. The PS Vita’s unique controls made the game great, while the PS4 controller had less to offer in the console version.

Starlink: Battle For Atlas

Star Fox Says Hello

Starlink: Battle for Atlas was an ambitious game from Ubisoft that wanted to get into the toys-to-life genre. Instead of standalone figures, the game supported big spaceships that could attach to the controller and serve as the playable character. It was an interesting space shooter RPG, and all versions performed well enough.

However, there was no reason to buy the game on the PS4 or any other console besides the Switch, simply because it had an exclusive Star Fox tie-in. This campaign was 100% better than any recent Star Fox game, too.