The 7 Best PS5 Pro Games That Justify The Upgrade, and 3 That Absolutely Don’t

The PS5 Pro costs £699.99. That is a lot of money for a mid-generation upgrade. Sony knows this, which is why the console launched with over 50 PS5 Pro Enhanced titles and has since grown that list to well over 100. However, of the several dozen available, only the best PS5 Pro games justify the upgrade. The others? They’re good to have, but you could live without them.

After spending hundreds of hours across the PS5 Pro’s library, here are the 7 games that genuinely justify the upgrade and 3 that absolutely do not.

Why You Should Upgrade to a PS5 Pro

Buying a PS5 Pro is straightforward: you get better graphics, faster frame rates, and enjoy PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) upscaling, designed by Sony to eliminate the old quality-or-performance trade-off so you get both of both worlds.

With PSSR, you can play games in fidelity mode at 60fps without compromise, or at least, that’s how it should go.

The best PS5 Pro games deliver on that promise so convincingly that the PS5 Pro feels like a new console. Others slap on the “PS5 Pro Enhanced” label and change so little that you would never notice without a Digital Foundry comparison running side by side.

Here are the best PS5 Pro games that give you your money’s worth.

The 7 Best PS5 Pro Games

1. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

As a first-party Sony studio, Insomniac Games set the standard for PS5 Pro enhancements. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on the PS5 Pro gives you three distinct display modes: Performance (60fps with improved resolution), Fidelity (30fps with full ray tracing at higher quality), and a new Pro Performance RT mode that combines ray-traced reflections with a 60fps target. That third option is the one that matters. On the base PS5, you had to pick between smooth gameplay and pretty reflections. On the PS5 Pro, you get both.

Swinging through Manhattan with ray-traced building reflections at 60fps is the single best visual showcase on the entire platform. The upgrade is immediately visible and felt, not something you need a side-by-side comparison to appreciate.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s combat rewards fast inputs. ClickSticks let you dodge and web-strike without ever lifting your thumb from the camera stick. If you’re replaying this on Pro, a custom PS5 controller makes the combat feel as sharp as the visuals.

2. Alan Wake 2

Remedy Entertainment’s survival horror masterpiece was one of the most visually ambitious games on PS5, and also one of the most compromised. The base PS5 version ran at 1440p in Performance mode with no ray tracing on either display mode. The PS5 Pro changes that.

Quality mode now runs at 4K output (upscaled from 2176×1224) with ray-traced reflections, both opaque and transparent. This is the first time Alan Wake 2 has had console ray tracing of any kind. Performance mode keeps 60fps but upgrades the visual settings to match the base PS5’s Quality mode, meaning you get better fog, volumetric lighting, and shadow accuracy at twice the frame rate.

Fair warning: Quality mode is still locked to 30fps, and the PSSR upscaling from that 864p internal resolution in Performance mode has drawn some criticism for occasional shimmer. It is not perfect. But the gap between base PS5 and PS5 Pro is one of the largest in the entire library, and that alone earns it a nod as one of the best PS5 Pro games.

Alan Wake 2 is a slow-burning survival horror. Using a custom ps5 controller with adaptive triggers add tension to every flashlight squeeze and gunshot. This is one title where keeping standard analogue triggers makes sense. TMR sticks, however, help with precise aiming.

3. The Last of Us Part II Remastered

Naughty Dog delivered a textbook PS5 Pro patch with the controversial The Last of Us Part II Remastered, turning one of its so-called “cash cow” marquee titles into one of the best PS5 Pro games. For example, the new PS5 Pro-specific enhanced rendering mode renders at 1440p (same as the base PS5 Performance mode) but uses PSSR to upscale to a 4K output with fidelity-mode visual quality. The result? The image quality of Quality mode is the same as that of Performance mode at the frame rate.

That is exactly what the PS5 Pro is supposed to do. No more choosing between pretty and smooth. You get both, and the implementation is clean. No shimmer, no artifacts, no compromises.

If every PS5 Pro Enhanced game worked this well, nobody would question the price.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered‘s combat is all about precision under pressure. Digital triggers cut the actuation time on every shot, and ClickSticks mean you can crouch, dodge, and craft without taking your thumb off the aim stick.

4. Gran Turismo 7

Mark Cerny specifically highlighted Gran Turismo 7 during the PS5 Pro reveal, and for good reason. The PS5 Pro version adds ray-traced reflections between cars during gameplay, turning one of the best PS5 games into one of the best PS5 Pro games as well.

On the base PS5, car reflections during races used screen-space reflections, which actually looked pretty decent already but break apart at wide angles. The Pro’s ray-traced alternative is visually transformative, especially in wet weather conditions and night races. Gran Turismo 7 also targets 8K resolution in certain modes, though you will need a compatible display to benefit from that.

Racing games are among the few genres where adaptive triggers are essential. The resistance simulates brake pressure and throttle control. A custom build with IAS (shorter left stick for quicker steering input, taller right for fine camera adjustment) complements the setup without sacrificing the immersion.

5. Stellar Blade

Shift Up’s action game was already impressive on the base PS5. The PS5 Pro version pushes it further with two notable options: native 4K at a 50fps target, and a high frame rate mode that upscales 4K via PSSR at 80fps. For a game built around precise dodge timing and parry windows, those extra frames are as functional as they are costmetic.

Stellar Blade’s Pro implementation is clean. No shimmering issues, no artifacts. The character models, environments, and particle effects all benefit from the resolution boost. It is one of the best-looking action games on any platform in 2026.

Stellar Blade’s combat is built on split-second parries and dodge chains. Digital triggers provide the instant actuation that analogue triggers simply cannot match in this genre. ClickSticks for dodge-cancelling without losing camera control completes the setup.

6. Ghost of Yotei

Sucker Punch Productions built Ghost of Yotei with the PS5 Pro in mind from the start, not as a post-launch patch. That distinction matters. The Pro version delivers enhanced visuals and performance that feel native rather than bolted on, with the studio’s signature open-world environments rendered at a level of detail that the base PS5 cannot match.

Ghost of Yotei sold 3.3 million copies in its first month, exceeding the original Ghost of Tsushima’s launch pace. The samurai open-world formula clearly works, and on the Pro, it looks its best. If you bought a Pro and needed a single game to validate the purchase, this is a strong candidate.

The duelling and stealth mechanics benefit heavily from custom controller mods. For a full breakdown of the optimal setup, check out our Ghost of Tsushima PS5 controller settings guide. The sequel is pretty much the same game, as far as controller settings go.

7. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

This is the sleeper pick on the list. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is a massive open-world RPG that pushed the base PS5 hard. Frame rate dips, resolution drops, and occasional stuttering marred an otherwise outstanding game. The PS5 Pro version fixes nearly all of it.

On the PS5 Pro, PSSR upscales from 2160p to a higher output resolution while maintaining a solid 60fps target. The stability improvement alone transforms the experience. Warhorse Studios clearly invested real effort into the Pro patch, and it shows. For a game where you will easily spend 80 to 100 hours exploring medieval Bohemia, consistent performance matters more than a few extra pixels ever could.

Long RPGs are where TMR sticks earn their keep. 100+ hours of gameplay means 100+ hours of stick wear on standard ALPS potentiometers. TMR’s contactless sensing eliminates that entirely. If you are planning a deep dive into Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, drift-proof sticks are not a luxury. They are a requirement.

Learn more in our guide to custom PS5 controller features worth prioritising.

The 3 PS5 Pro Games That Absolutely Don’t Justify It

Not every PS5 Pro Enhanced label means what you think it means. These three games carry the badge but fail to deliver enhancements worth the £700 hardware.

1. Silent Hill 2 (Remake)

This one stung. Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake was one of 2024’s best games, and it carried the PS5 Pro Enhanced label from day one. The reality? Quality mode still runs at 30fps with no noticeable visual improvement over the base PS5. Performance mode introduces a distracting shimmering effect on surfaces like puddles, trees, and reflective objects.

Multiple outlets later confirmed that PSSR was causing the shimmer, and players on Reddit documented the issues extensively. Bloober Team acknowledged the feedback but the core problem remained: the PS5 Pro version of Silent Hill 2 was, at launch, arguably worse than the base PS5 version in Performance mode. For a game about atmosphere and visual tension, that is a significant failure.

It is not all bad. Patches have improved things since launch. Unfortunately, as an advertisement for the PS5 Pro’s capabilities, Silent Hill 2 was, and still remains, a misstep.

2. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor already had a rough technical reputation on PS5. The base version required multiple post-launch patches to reach acceptable performance. The PS5 Pro Enhanced patch was supposed to fix everything, but it didn’t. If anything, the game performed and still performs worse on the PS5 Pro.

Respawn Entertainment has since released further patches, but the damage was done. If you bought a PS5 Pro expecting Kal Cestis’ second outing to feel like a transformative experience, you were disappointed. The improvements were, at best, marginal. At worst, they made things worse.

3. Dragon’s Dogma 2

Capcom’s open-world RPG launched with performance issues on every platform, and the PS5 Pro Enhanced update was meant to smooth things out. The result was inconsistent.

Frame rates did improve in some areas, but the PSSR integration introduced unnecessary and excessive shimmering on environmental textures and character models. The game’s dense foliage and detailed armour sets seemed to confuse the upscaler, producing an effect that looked more like visual noise than visual enhancement.

For a game that already struggled with frame pacing, adding a new visual issue on top of partially solving an old one is not what “enhanced” should mean.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is still a good game, but it is far from one of the best PS5 Pro games.

What These Three Games Have in Common

All three disappointing titles share two things: they are built on Unreal Engine (or similarly complex third-party engines), and they rely heavily on PSSR to deliver their enhancements. Sony’s first-party studios (Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Polyphony Digital, Sucker Punch) have had more time with the hardware and clearly understand how to implement PSSR correctly. Third-party developers are still catching up.

This matters because it tells you where the PS5 Pro excels and where it falls short. If a game’s PS5 Pro enhancement was done by a Sony first-party studio, the chances of a meaningful upgrade are high. If it is a third-party patch, check the reviews before getting excited.

What the PS5 Pro Can’t Fix

Here is the part nobody talks about. You can spend £699.99 on a PS5 Pro with 4K ray tracing, PSSR upscaling, and 120fps support. However, every PS5 Pro ships with the same standard DualSense controller. The same ALPS potentiometer sticks that will develop drift within 12 to 18 months. The same analogue triggers with 70 to 120ms of actuation travel.

Better visuals do not fix stick drift. Faster frame rates do not give you back buttons. Ray tracing does not reduce your trigger actuation time. The PS5 Pro upgrades what you see. It does not upgrade how you play.

If you have already committed £700 to the console, the controller is the other half of the equation. A custom PS5 controller with ClickSticks and digital triggers turns the visual upgrade into a gameplay upgrade. TMR sticks mean you will never need to replace the controller over the life of your PS5 Pro. IAS lets you swap stick heights between shooters and RPGs in two seconds.

For a deeper breakdown of the stock-vs-custom argument, our best PS5 FPS controller setup guide covers the performance mods that matter most for the games on this list.

Quick Reference: PS5 Pro Enhancements at a Glance

Game	Key Pro Upgrade	Performance Mode	Verdict	Best Mod
Spider-Man 2	RT at 60fps (Pro RT mode)	60fps, improved res	✔ Justifies	ClickSticks
Alan Wake 2	Console RT (Quality), 4K output	60fps, Quality-level settings	✔ Justifies	TMR sticks
TLOU Part II	Fidelity visuals at 60fps	60fps, PSSR 4K output	✔ Justifies	Digital triggers
Gran Turismo 7	RT reflections in races	60fps, RT in gameplay	✔ Justifies	IAS
Stellar Blade	Native 4K/50fps, 80fps HFR	80fps HFR via PSSR	✔ Justifies	Digital triggers
Ghost of Yotei	Built for Pro from ground up	Enhanced visuals + perf	✔ Justifies	ClickSticks + TMR
KC Deliverance 2	Stable 60fps, higher res	60fps, PSSR upscale from 2160p	✔ Justifies	TMR sticks
Silent Hill 2	PSSR shimmer, no real gains	Shimmering artifacts	✘ Doesn’t	N/A
Jedi: Survivor	Worse than base PS5 at launch	648p lows, shimmer	✘ Doesn’t	N/A
Dragon’s Dogma 2	Partial fps fix, new shimmer	Inconsistent, texture noise	✘ Doesn’t	N/A

Upgraded the Console? Now Upgrade the Controller

The PS5 Pro is a genuinely impressive piece of hardware when the right games take advantage of it. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Gran Turismo, Stellar Blade, and others on this list prove that upgrades can be transformative. Unfortunately, this visual upgrade feels incomplete without the input side. You are looking at 4K ray-traced visuals through a controller that uses the same stick technology as a PS4 DualShock from 2013. The visuals evolved. The controller did not.

If you have already spent £699.99 on the Pro, the smartest next step is not another game. It is a controller that matches the hardware. TMR drift-proof sticks. ClickSticks for back buttons. Digital triggers for instant actuation. IAS for adjustable stick heights across genres.

Upgrade your PS5 controller to match your PS5 Pro. Your games look better than ever. Make sure your inputs do, too.