With the arrival of next-gen consoles in 2020, it’s important to look back on the last half-decade of platform exclusives that defined the generation. Between the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, there were more than a handful of expertly crafted experiences that only owners of those specific platforms could enjoy.

There’s an argument to be made that exclusives are lame, but at the end of the day, they help drive hardware sales. Let’s now look at the 10 best console exclusive games of the last 5 years, according to Metacritic.

10 Bloodborne (92) (PlayStation)

FromSoftware has become one of the more celebrated and trusted game developers over the last decade. They’ve delivered well-crafted and engaging third-person action games that have won the hearts of gamers worldwide.

Bloodborne was their first exclusive since Demon’s Souls and the Lovecraftian horror was a sight to behold. With a score of 92 on Metacritic, it happens to be one of FromSoftware’s best-received games critically, and a title fans have wanted a sequel to ever since its release in 2015.

9 Forza Horizon 4 (92) (Xbox)

The sole racing game to make the cut happens to be one of the Xbox One’s premiere titles. Forza Horizon 4 is the latest release in Playground Games’ arcade take on the Forza Motorsport series. Forza Horizon 4 did a lot of what people love the series for, which is that they had fun DLC and built a racing game that spoke to both hardcore gearheads and casual racing fans.

It’s unclear where the series will go with the studio focused on a Fable reboot, but with a Metacritic score of 92, it’s unlikely Playground Games doesn’t return to its beloved series.

8 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (93) (Nintendo)

In 2020, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is now considered the greatest video game crossover of all-time. This is because the beloved arcade fighter has managed to add characters from even more franchises through DLC fighter packs since the game’s initial release.

Gamers can argue about whether or not it’s a fighting game, but one thing is clear and that’s that it earned every bit of its Metacritic score of 93. On top of excellent gameplay and mechanics, it also happens to be home to arguably the greatest soundtrack in gaming history.

7 Uncharted 4 (93) (PlayStation)

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was the culmination of Nathan Drake’s story, a character PlayStation fans had been attached to for generations. In recent years The Last of Us has become developer Naughty Dog’s more notable franchise, but the Uncharted series is nothing to scoff at.

The fourth entry snagged a score of 93 on Metacritic, the second-highest in the entire franchise, sitting only behind Uncharted 2: Among Thieves’ score of 96. The entire mainline Uncharted series averages a Metacritic score above 90 which is pretty impressive.

6 The Last Of Us Part 2 (93) (PlayStation)

One of only two 2020 exclusives to make the grade, The Last of Us Part II sits in an interesting place in terms of praise and reception. It has a Metacritic score of 93 thanks to critics finding the game’s level of quality almost unrivaled, but gamers are divided on numerous bold choices developer Naughty Dog made in the game’s narrative story-telling.

The second chapter in Ellie’s journey is full of industry-defining animation, heartbreaking interactive moments, and some of the scariest experiences players will endure in the gaming landscape.

5 Ori & The Will Of The Wisps (93) (Xbox)

Despite not making the cut for nominations in the 2020 Game Awards Game of the Year category, Ori and the Will of the Wisps stands as one of 2020’s best games. The sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest managed to take the original’s jaw-dropping art, music, and Metroidvania design and improve on all of them in significant ways.

The game is no longer an exclusive as it is now available on the Nintendo Switch, but that simply means there are even more places to play a game that received an aggregate score of 93 on Metacritic.

4 God Of War (94) (PlayStation)

The God of War franchise was always synonymous with video games as it featured a loud and violent protagonist with little personality but tons of anger. Kratos, despite being the focus of more than 4 games, was never someone people developed a profound connection to.

That all changed with the 2018 spiritual reboot of the series that turned the action game into a deep narrative role-playing experience. God of War (2018) made Kratos a deep and layered character. A score of 94 is what Sony Santa Monica was rewarded with on Metacritic for their efforts in rebooting a popular franchise.

3 Persona 5 Royal (95) (PlayStation)

Persona 5 is a Japanese role-playing game that launched in 2016 and was praised for its commitment to the franchise’s formula and dedication to delivering what many consider to be one of the greatest role-playing games of all-time.

A newer version titled Persona 5: Royal launched in 2020 and featured the addition of a new Phantom Thief member, new music, and a new Palace, among other things. The original release has a score of 93 on Metacritic, but its 2020 version exceeded that and the new content resulted in an improved score of 95.

2 Super Mario Odyssey (97) (Nintendo)

For years fans asked Nintendo to make a true spiritual successor to Super Mario 64. Though Super Mario Sunshine and both Super Mario Galaxy titles were well-received, they weren’t exactly what every fan wanted.

In 2018, Nintendo finally delivered with a true spiritual successor by way of Super Mario Odyssey. The game’s level design and structure were reminiscent of the Nintendo 64 classic but added modern sensibilities. It received a Metacritic score of 97 as Nintendo nailed the 3D Mario formula.

1 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (97) (Nintendo)

Coming in as the best exclusive game on any platform over the last 5 years is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was originally revealed as a Wii U title, but due to the tremendous sales failure of the console it ended up launching for both the Wii U and the Nintendo Switch, the company’s new console/handheld hybrid the day the system launched.

The game was praised for bringing the beloved franchise into the open-world genre in a real way for the first time and expertly crafting a world full of interesting systems and mechanics. This resulted in a Metacritic average of 97.

NEXT: The 10 Best Western Role-Playing Games (According To Metacritic)