Sony has a bevy of studios that have produced some incredible work for the PlayStation platform. One of the more beloved developers under PlayStation Studios isSanta Monica Studio, who is most known for creating theGod of Warfranchise since the PlayStation 2 era.
Related:The Best Action Games To Play If You Like God Of War
Along with making a beloved series, Sony Santa Monica is also known for helping develop some of the most creative PlayStation indie games. Andwhen looking at the best games the studio has ever made, it is hard not to keep these in the conversation.God of Waris also restricted to entries that best represent a style of game.
10Hohokum
Santa Monica Studio has worked on quite a few indie projects, some of which end up larger than others.Hohokumis a delightful yet small game by Honeyslug that Santa Monica Studio helped debut on PlayStation andthe PlayStation Vita. The exploration game has players take on the role of a rainbow snake.
Hohokumdoes have objectives that are only important for those looking to beat the game, such as picking up and carrying objects to specific parts of an area. But for the most part, the goal of the game is just to relax and have fun checking out different areas and their unique art style or setting.
9Kinetica
While Santa Monica Studio is mostly known for theGod of Warfranchise, the first game that the studio developed on its own was actually a racing title calledKinetica, which was only released on the PlayStation 2 but did get a re-release in 2016 on the PlayStation 4.
Set in the future,Kineticapits twelve racers against each other as theyzoom around major citiesin Kinetic Suits, which gave them wheels for their hands and feet. There are 15 total tracks that are split between three cups, otherwise known as seasons. This game’s engine would soon be used to make the firstGod of Wargame.
8Downhill Domination
Kineticawasn’t the only racing game that Santa Monica Studio had a hand in.Downhill Dominationis another PlayStation 2 game that has a focus on mountain biking. It was co-developed by Santa Monica and Incognito Entertainment, the latter of which is known for theTwisted Metalfranchise.
Related:Best Biking Video Games
There is both a single player mode and a multiplayer mode for up to four individuals. Along with racing down treacherous mountains,Downhill Dominationis also known for featuring real-life professional racers in the BMX scene. That includes Eric Carter, Missy Glove, and Tara Llanes.
7Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture
The Chinese Room, known for making one of the first games to be referred to asa walking simulator, partnered with Sony and Santa Monica Studio to develop a new entry for the genre that would later release on PlayStation 4 calledEverybody’s Gone to the Rapture.
Taking place in a fictional village called Yaughton in 1984, players are placed in a town where all the residents have disappeared without a known cause.The goal of the game is to wander around the village following clues that will lead to understanding the events that led up to and caused the mysterious event.
6The Unfinished Swan
Another walking simulator that Sony Santa Monica had a hand in helping with is Giant Sparrow’sThe Unfinished Swan. This is the debut game from this studio, who would later go on to makeWhat Remains of Edith Finch, anothercritically-acclaimed walking simulator.
The Unfinished Swantakes place inside a painting that the main character, a boy named Monroe, was working on. Along with exploring the environment, the main gameplay mechanic is Monroe’s ability to throw paint at objects in the world to be able to see the objects that are in it or activate specific pathways.
5Sound Shapes
It doesn’t matter how small a project is, Santa Monica Studio was willing to lend a hand during its external development program. One of the games with one of the smallest initial teams around it isSound Shapes, a musical 2D platformer from Queasy Games.
Unlikea lot of 2D platformers,Sound Shapesmoved away from putting a focus on difficulty and instead on providing a beautiful sequence of events that matched up to the music of that level. There were many collaborators on the project, such as Deadmau5 and Beck. Those who did like difficulty, however, could try the game’s Death Mode.
4Twisted Metal: Black
As mentioned earlier, Incognito Entertainment was known for being the studio behind theTwisted Metalfranchise. One of the more popular entries in the series wasTwisted Metal: Black, which was a reboot on the PlayStation 2. Assisting with the development of this game was Sony Santa Monica.
Related:Every Twisted Metal Game, Ranked
Just like other entries in the franchise,Twisted Metal: Blackis a vehicular combat game that has players choosing a character then racing around an arena while attempting to knock out opponents using weapons at their disposal. There are a ton fo characters in the game, all of which have their own story campaign that is unique to them.
3God Of War 2
There is no secret the series that means the most to Santa Monica Studio, with the developer having been behind two standout periods of theGod of Warfranchise. While there are multiplegreat titles to choosefrom the PlayStation 2 era,God of War 2is frequently cited as one of the best games ever made.
God of War 2takes place after Kratos has killed Ares to become the newGod of War. However, he is betrayed by Zeus and is dragged to the underworld. After being rescued by the Titan Gaia, he goes back in time to take revenge on the king of the gods.
2Journey
Thatgamecompany is known for making truly mind-blowing,beautiful experiences that are meant to invoke feelingsrather than immerse the player in deep gameplay mechanics. One of their greatest masterpieces isJourney, which was developed by them and Santa Monica Studio.
While the specific details of the story or never made clear, players make their way through a desert as a robed individual. Players will have the ability to use a musical chime to activate pieces of fabric that will help unlock pathways to the next area. At one point, players can be joined by another player randomly with no communication and will only learn their identity at the end ofJourney.
1God Of War: Ragnarok
After many years off from the franchise, Sony Santa Monica decided to rebootGod of Warin 2018. This provided a completely different approach to gameplay while placing Kratos in a world under the Norse mythology. But while the initial reboot was a masterpiece, its sequel grew even further from that.
God of War: Ragnaroktells the story of Kratos and his son Aterus as they deal with the ramifications of their actions in the first game. This includes being threatened by Odin and his son Thor, the latter of which Kratos is forced to fight early on.Ragnaroksees many characters of the previous game return, along with a plethora of new enemy types.
