7 PS5 Games Perfect for Photo Mode

Jun 13, 20204 min read

After months of waiting, Sony finally treated us with a big reveal of the upcoming PlayStation 5's rather striking hardware design, as well as a look at the games that will be arriving on the new platform later this year. Despite opening with a curiously large feature on GTA V, which looked every bit the 7 year old game that it will be at the time of launch, the show soon got into its stride and gave a great idea of the wide variety of titles we can look forward to.

Given the huge growth in popularity of virtual photography over the last console generation, and the excellent photo mode support from many of Sony's first party titles, it's likely that several of the games revealed will be responsible for providing future photographic subjects so, let's take a look at 7 games from the PS5 reveal show that would be a perfect fit for photo modes.

we are doing things we've never been able to do before...

DualSense: Controlling Virtual Photography

7 PS5 Games Perfect for Photo Mode:

1. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Insomniac Games

It seems so obvious now, after Spider-Man was used to demonstrate the speed of the PS5 hardware, that an updated version of Insomniac's game should be ready for the new console at the end of the year. A stand-alone title that expands on the original, much like inFAMOUS First Light and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, the new iteration sees Miles Morales take on the role of Spider-Man and, in donning the incredibly detailed Spidey suits, no doubt become a firm favourite of PS5 virtual photographers.

2. Gran Turismo 7 | Polyphony Digital

Gran Turismo titles have perhaps become known for 2 things; taking a vast amount of time to arrive; and maintaining a fastidious approach to its car models. Well, a full series entry is finally on the way and it appears to have all the high visual fidelity we should expect, with some fabulously glossy bodywork and sumptuous interiors on show. GT Sport's extremely capable Scapes mode can already be seen on the nostalgic GT Town so expect plenty of shots worthy of your PS5 wallpaper.

3. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart | Insomniac Games

Insomniac Games' second entry on this list is one that, unlike Spider-Man, has not previously benefited from a photo mode, but I really hope that it does this time. Not only would the CGI style add a different dimension to where we can take our virtual cameras but the game looks to be taking great advantage of the PS5 hardware. There is some amazing lighting on show, including the use of ray traced reflections on Clank's metallic skin plus other areas by the looks of it, and Insomniac's own Marcus Smith admitted that "we are doing things we've never been able to do before". Please make sure that one of those things is to bring a photo mode to the series...

4. Project Athia | Luminous Productions

Previously responsible for the Stadia version of Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix subsidiary Luminous Productions are bringing their first original title to PS5 and it looks gorgeous. Neither the working title or the atmospheric trailer reveal too much of exactly what the game is about, but the beautiful visuals and dark fantasy vibe make this look like the kind of adventure that would be perfect for virtual photography.

5. Stray (aka HK_Project) | BlueTwelve

The vision of Montpellier-based indie developer, BlueTwelve, Stray puts you in the shoes, or rather paws, of an impeccably rendered cat to give a unique perspective on the game's sci-fi city environment. While I am more of a dog-lover myself, the cyberpunk styling of the Hong Kong inspired streets and the thought of roaming through them along with their robotic inhabitants is really drawing me in. Photo mode s'il vous plaît.

6. Kena: Bridge of Spirits | Ember Lab

Another indie title, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the work of brothers Josh and Mike Grier with their small team at Ember Lab. Don't let the studio size fool you though, this is a charming title with a game world that looks beautiful, magical and daunting in equal measures. A journey of self-discovery to fight ominous spirits and befriend some altogether more adorable ones, reminiscent of Nintendo's Pikmin in their actions, could bring some refreshing new virtual photography opportunities if it is afforded a photo mode.

7. Horizon Forbidden West | Guerrilla Games

Having created one of the most popular titles amongst console virtual photographers on PS4, Guerrilla Games look set to do it all over again with this follow-up to Horizon Zero Dawn. The reveal of Aloy's new adventure was an absolute showstopper and really delivers the feeling of next generation visuals. I can't wait to see how the already solid photo mode has evolved to take advantage of the impressive new machines and even more vibrant living environments, the only thing missing was the mention of that "Holiday 2020" release window...here's hoping.