With gaming attracting a bigger and more varied audience than ever before, the ability for games to be accessible to everyone is a topic that is growing in importance. The recent announcement of the accessibility options in upcoming sequel God of War Ragnarok follows similar announcements in recent years and represents a clear change in how studios view accessibility. Whether it’s to make gaming more comfortable for a disabled player or lowering the barrier to entry for someone completely new to gaming, these titles can be played on PS5 and contain features that enable a wider group to enjoy them.
The most accessible games playable on PS5
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The Last of Us Part II
Arguably the most high-profile AAA game in recent years to start a wider discussion about accessibility options, The Last of Us Part II boasts over 60 options aimed at helping disabled gamers, having consulted with several of them during development to ensure that their needs were met. On-screen prompts and an extensive audio cue system are big features, allowing those who are sight impaired to play with minimal changes to the gameplay experience. High contrast mode also helps with this and can be activated with a flick of the DualSense’s touch pad, which can also be used to magnify the screen with a double tap.
Other options are available too, such as the ability to remap controls, change the inputs needed for protagonist Ellie to play the guitar, and various camera assists. The Last of Us Part II is without a doubt one of the best games out there in terms of accessibility.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
One of the best PS5 exclusives to date, gamers with certain accessibility needs will be pleased to know that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is also no slouch when it comes to gameplay aids. Players will find themselves shooting enemies quite frequently in Rift Apart, and there are many features aimed (sorry) at helping with this. Auto firing can be toggled, as well as the ability to customize how enemies are targeted, with players able to toggle the action of aiming on/off instead of a button to hold, as well as enabling a lock on.
Visual options are also present, including high contrast modes and various shaders, while other changes can be made to mechanics found in the game, such as flight assistance and the ability to map all traversal actions to a single button. There is also an option for full controller remapping, one of the most important accessibility options that a game can provide.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is surely one of the more daunting open world games out there, but luckily there are some options players can pick from to make the experience a little more accessible. Like other entries on this list, partially sighted players are well-catered for, with multiple subtitle sizes and menu narration. Various pings can be added to the gameplay experience, including one that sounds when stuck on an obstacle.
Color-blind modes are also present, as well as the ability to remap controls. The game also offers an option to turn off QTE’s or change how you interact with them, another useful feature in aiding disabled gamers.
Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 is the latest entry in the long-running driving simulator, with the seventh installment releasing with features that ensure that it's the most accessible game in the series to date. Many of them relate to being able to more easily control your car and navigate races, with three difficulty presets each offering different accessibility options. The beginner preset contains such features as visual and braking indicators, with auto drive allowing a player not to worry when braking and steering. The intermediate option is quite similar but allows for more freedom while cornering, while the expert preset is far more stripped back.
In other menus, vibration intensity can be lowered, while controller remapping is available if you so choose.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
An underrated gem of 2021, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy boasts some impressive accessibility features alongside its excellent gameplay. As well as customizable subtitles and a closed captions toggle, Guardians of the Galaxy allows players to activate a hint system if more guidance is needed surrounding the mechanics.
The game can also aid players in combat, with a setting present that adjusts the level of damage dealt to enemies. Other gameplay elements can be tweaked, including the length of various timers and cooldowns. During fights, huddles can take place between the Guardians, giving you a boost to damage while also healing all characters depending on correctly resolving the concerns of the other Guardians. Players can choose to automatically win each huddle, bypassing the choice of answer.
Moss
One of the best PSVR titles and one that can absolutely be played by connecting your headset to a PS5, Moss contains some unique options to aid the player throughout. Most of them are designed to help players that are hard of hearing, with protagonist Quill able to communicate with the player through American Sign Language, an incredibly detailed accessibility option that the majority of games don’t attempt. Of course, subtitles are also available if you prefer. It is worth noting that the sequel, Moss: Book II also contains ASL, but other accessibility options aren’t as well implemented.
Visual cues are also included in the game and are well integrated into gameplay, with a blue aura appearing when interacting with objects. The game also has a great field of view and a minimalist style, making it easy to engage with.
Far Cry 6
The second Ubisoft title on this list, Far Cry 6 excels with its accessibility options and is quite accommodating for players looking for features to make the gameplay experience easier. Turning on these options is also a streamlined process, with players able to choose from a number of presets upon booting up the game for the first time, including hearing, vision, and cognitive presets. Each contains multiple features, removing the need to manually add them to your gaming experience.
Other notable options include color-blind features and no stick click mode, which allows you to remove any input from either stick click, plus there's menu narration, activated by default when first jumping into Far Cry 6.
Life is Strange: True Colors
The latest in the Life is Strange franchise, True Colors gives players a slew of options when playing. A color-blind mode is available, as well as visual indicators in the form of auras around characters. Options for those with fine motor impairments are also in the game, with toggles allowing you to avoid tapping buttons if you choose. A player is never required to press multiple buttons at once either, and controls can be customized, two great features that will go a long way.
Additional inclusions include quick time events that can be skipped, as well as certain players also being given an advantage in some minigames. Deaf gamers are also well catered for, with customizable subtitles.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Ubisoft games are fantastic for accessibility, and Watch Dogs: Legion is no exception. Like previous Ubisoft titles on this list, menu narration is present, as well as a color-blind mode. Closed captions and various subtitle options can also be activated. There are some great features relating to changing the gameplay experience too, with different indicator colors, aim assists, and toggles that change AI behavior and simplify the puzzles.
Controls can also be tweaked, and you can choose to remove the need to tap buttons during interactions with the environment. Shaky cam can also be turned off, helping those with motion sickness.
Bringing games to more players
As technology improves and society moves toward greater inclusivity, games are incorporating more accessibility features, helping the players that need them. There are some games that are at the forefront of this growing change within the industry, and these are among the best examples playable on PS5. The Last of Us Part II is arguably the most accessible game on this list as its extensive features are sure to aid many people throughout a playthrough. The multiple audio cues make it extremely playable if you’re hard of hearing while being able to activate features on the fly represents a level of sophistication that other games can’t match.
If you own a PSVR headset and are hard of hearing, Moss is a great choice due to its unique implementation of ASL and reliance on visuals. Options to make gameplay easier work well in titles such as Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy with its damage toggles and ability to make huddles easier, and the reduction of minigame difficulty in Life is Strange: True Colors. A safe bet if you have accessibility needs is to look at Ubisoft titles, as they tend to include a lot of the same accessibility features across many of their games.
