Let's Name the Best Title of the Gaming Era: Final Four
The past two days have been incredibly eventful. This past Monday, we celebrated the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a tournament to decide the best first-party game of this console generation. You were given eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to compete against each other, all heading towards a championship round where the leading contender from each platform would go head-to-head. 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 time to crown the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games before the championship on Thursday.
PlayStation 5 Contenders
On the PS5 side, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected considering that it won top honors at the previous year's gaming accolades, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. However, to reach the championship, it'll have to go through the MVP of the PS5 generation: Insomniac Games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the semi-finals, defeating Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another title from the same studio!) to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Will Spider-Man defeat a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he fated to become a miniature appearance in the next Astro Bot game?
Xbox Series X Contenders
For Xbox Series X has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a more eclectic field of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the open-world driving game already, demonstrating that a more specialized genre game earns to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the championship is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a fan favorite, defeating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an established IP that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's likely Indiana Jones.
Cast your votes to determine the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and come back tomorrow to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the championship round!
Polling Timeline
First Round: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. ESTQuarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern- Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Championship: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Winner announced: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST
Head-to-Head Battles
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
