Let's Name the Best Title of the Console Generation: Semi-Finals

The past two days have been nothing short of dramatic. On Monday, we marked the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a tournament to determine the top exclusive title of this hardware cycle. You were given eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to face off against each other, all heading towards a championship round where the top game from each console would battle it out. There have been some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, particularly yesterday’s razor-thin votes. At this point, it's moment to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games before the championship on Thursday.

The PS5 Side

For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected given that it won top honors at last year’s Game Awards, but its win against God of War Ragnarök feels like a true upset. But to get to the finals, it'll need to defeat the MVP of the PlayStation 5 era: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the final four, leaping past Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game!) 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 upcoming Astro Bot title?

The Xbox Series X Side

The Xbox Series X side has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a diverse lineup of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the racing adventure title so far, proving that a niche category title deserves to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the finals is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a crowd favorite, defeating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Can it beat a larger-scale title from an well-known franchise that's synonymous with the Xbox brand? If anyone can pull that off, it's likely Indiana Jones.

Place your ballots to determine the top PlayStation and Xbox titles of this era, and return on the next day to see who will be competing for the grand prize in the championship round!

Polling Timeline

• First Round: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Quarter-finals: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Championship: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Champion crowned: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST

Matchups

PlayStation 5 Bracket

Astro Bot versus Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Bracket

Forza Horizon 5 versus Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes