The PS5 gets marketed as the ultimate blockbuster machine. It is all about hyper-realism and controllers that vibrate when it rains. But if you actually dig into the PS Store, you’ll find a secret: a beautiful graveyard of old-school titans like Doom, Duke, Quake and Tomb Raider. They’re all just sitting there, ready to download. There is a hilarious irony in the fact that games older than Gen Z are still holding their own. Frankly, most of these ancient relics are just flat-out more fun than the bloated, $70 tech demos we get served nowadays.
Quick bit of honesty before the list, because it matters. Some of these are full native PS5 remasters. Others are PS4 releases that run on PS5 through backward compatibility. I’ll flag which is which as we go, because there’s a real difference and you deserve to know it. Either way, all you need is your console and a few quid.
Here’s where I’d start.
1. DOOM + DOOM II
The obvious number one, and I won’t apologise for it. This combined re-release runs on both PS4 and PS5, and Bethesda calls it the definitive version of the originals for good reason. You get DOOM, DOOM II, the old expansions, a brand-new episode, online deathmatch and co-op, plus a stack of community add-ons you can pull straight from the console. The shooting still hits like nothing else. Thirty years on and it’s still the blueprint everyone else is copying.
2. Quake + Quake II
If DOOM is the blueprint, Quake is the moment it went dark and went fast. Both Quake and Quake II are on the PS Store in their Nightdive-enhanced versions, each bundled with their expansions and a chunk of new content. Quake II in particular runs gorgeously on PS5. This is the pick for anyone who wants that heavier, browner, lonelier flavour of old-school FPS, the kind that still makes you jump when something growls behind you.
3. Heretic + Hexen
This is the deep cut, and it’s a brilliant one. Bethesda shadow-dropped the Heretic + Hexen bundle in August 2025 for about fifteen quid, and it’s stacked: Heretic, Hexen, the Deathkings of the Dark Citadel expansion, and two genuinely new episodes built by id Software and Nightdive. Think DOOM, but with a fantasy coat of paint, an inventory system and vertical aiming. For years fans begged for these to come back properly. Now they have, and on PS5 they look the best they ever have.
4. Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour
You can’t do a list like this and leave Duke at home. The one-liners, the shrink ray, the level design that still teaches modern shooters a thing or two. Duke Nukem 3D is one of the best classic PC games for almost any gamer, and it holds up far better than it has any right to. This is the 20th Anniversary World Tour edition, with a fresh episode and developer commentary baked in. It’s a PS4 release, but it plays fine on PS5. Hail to the king.
5. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
This is the one I’d push on anyone who thinks “retro” means “ugly.” Nightdive took the 1995 PC and PS1 shooter and rebuilt it for modern hardware, native on PS4 and PS5, running at up to 4K and 120fps. And it’s not just nostalgia bait. Dark Forces is real PC gaming history, the game that proved a Star Wars story could work as a first-person shooter, years before anyone said the word “Republic Commando.” Smooth, sharp, and still cool as hell.
6. Grim Fandango Remastered
Now we leave the shooting behind. Grim Fandango is one of the greatest adventure games ever made, full stop, and the remaster is the cleanest way to play it. It’s a PS4 title that runs on PS5 through backward compatibility, and the clever part is the toggle: you can flip between the polished new look and the original 90s art and controls whenever you fancy. Film noir meets the Land of the Dead, Mexican folklore, a travel agent for departed souls. There’s nothing else like it, then or now.
7. Day of the Tentacle Remastered
If Grim Fandango sells you on point-and-click, this is your next stop. Another LucasArts classic, another lovely Double Fine remaster, and the PS Store listing says it plainly: you can switch back and forth between classic and remastered modes, mixing the audio, art and interface however you like. It’s a time-travel puzzle comedy about stopping a power-mad purple tentacle, and it’s still genuinely funny three decades later. Runs on PS5 via backward compatibility.
8. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered
The big mainstream name on the list, and a deserved one. This collection brings the first three Lara Croft adventures to PS4 and PS5, and what I love is how little it sands off. You can play with the chunky modern visuals or flip to the original blocky look, and the tank controls are still there if you’re brave. Old level design, hidden secrets, deadly traps, the odd T-Rex. This is retro adventure gaming at its most iconic, preserved properly.
9. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered
A gothic gem that too many people slept on the first time around. This remaster bundles Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 on PS4 and PS5, and like the best entries here it lets you choose between the original presentation and the remastered graphics. Shifting between the material and spectral worlds to solve the environment around you still feels ahead of its time, and the voice acting and atmosphere are pure dark fantasy. If you like your action-adventures brooding, this is the one.
10. Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged
One last adventure to send us off. Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars first appeared in 1996, and this Reforged version drags that classic point-and-click into the present on PS4 and PS5 with redrawn visuals and quality-of-life touches. Conspiracy, the Knights Templar, a holiday that goes very wrong, hand-drawn charm everywhere. It’s a reminder that the genre PC gamers grew up on never really died. It just had to wait for a remaster.
That’s ten, and honestly I could have made it thirty. The PS5 store is quietly one of the best places to play classic PC and retro games right now, as long as you know where to look. So, if you find it hard to understand how to run classic PC games on Steam Deck, PS5 is the easier option. Grab a couple of games from this list, dim the lights, and remember why you fell for this stuff in the first place.
Honorable Mentions
The main list covers 10 of the most iconic titles, but there are also a few retro collections on PS5 that are still very easy to recommend. Each one packs enough classic games to be worth a look.
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection – A huge collection of early Mortal Kombat games and their different console versions. Probably the best choice if you want some proper 1990s fighting game nostalgia.
- Disney Classic Games Collection – Includes Aladdin, The Lion King and The Jungle Book. A very solid package for anyone who grew up with Disney’s 16-bit platformers.
- Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition – One of the newest retro releases on PS5, and a great way to return to one of the most colorful platformers of the 90s. It brings back that same feeling of playing the original Rayman 30 years ago, while feeling very comfortable on a modern controller.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection – Thirteen classic TMNT games from the arcade, NES, SNES, Genesis and Game Boy generations.
- Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration – More than 100 classic games mixed with interviews, archive material and gaming history. It feels almost like an interactive Atari museum.
- Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition – GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas in one collection. The Definitive Edition had a rough launch, but these are still three of the most important open-world games of the early 2000s and an easy way to play them on PS5 today.
These collections are also a good reminder that the PS5 retro games library is much bigger than it first appears. Once you start digging through compilations, remasters and old games hidden inside modern collections, there is actually quite a lot to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which classic PC games are available on PS5?
Several classic PC games and retro favorites are available to play natively on the PS5 through modern enhanced ports and re-releases. Highlights include DOOM + DOOM II, Quake + Quake II, Heretic + Hexen, Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster, Tomb Raider I–III Remastered and Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – Reforged.
Can you play original DOS or Windows 95 games on a PS5?
No. The PS5 cannot run DOS or Windows executables, and there is no way to install DOSBox, ScummVM or any other PC emulator on it. The only route is an official console port or remaster, such as the Nightdive and Aspyr releases, bought from the PlayStation Store.
Are these classic PC games native PS5 versions or PS4 backward compatibility?
Both. The Nightdive and Aspyr remasters DOOM + DOOM II, Quake, Star Wars: Dark Forces, Tomb Raider I–III, Soul Reaver 1 & 2, ship native PS5 builds with 4K and high frame rates. Older releases like Duke Nukem 3D and the LucasArts remasters are PS4 versions running through backward compatibility.
Do any classic PC games come free with PlayStation Plus?
Rarely. The PS Plus Classics Catalog covers PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 titles, not PC originals, so most of these remasters have to be bought separately. A few do rotate through the monthly Essential line-up or the Extra Game Catalog, so it is worth checking before you pay.