Not all games are shooty-shooty pew-pew, you know. There are plenty of games out there that don’t have any violence at all, in fact. Not even the Mario, jumping-on-enemies’-heads kind. And you know what? We kind of love them. We’ve rounded up eight of the best non-violent games on PS5 right here.
Non-violent games come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are puzzle games, some are simulation games. Others encourage you to explore and simply enjoy being in the world around you. Typically, non-violent games are much less stressful than their violent counterparts. With no threats, you can simply take your time and enjoy the world around you.
No matter what type of game you enjoy, we’re confident you’ll find something on this list of non-violent games on PS5 that you’ll enjoy. So put the virtual weapons to the side, slow things down, and enjoy a different type of game.
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1. Strange Horticulture
Strange Horticulture is probably unlike anything else you’ve played before. You take on the role of an owner of a mysterious flower shop. But rather than selling pretty bunches of roses and lilies, you specialise in plants with mysterious powers.
As you might expect from such a place, then, your clientele aren’t exactly the usual sort. You’ll dabble in witchcraft and the macabre, all the while labelling your plants and figuring out exactly what everything does. It’s more puzzle than simulation, and we love every moment of it.
Read our review of Strange Horticulture
2. Tinykin
A 3D platforming adventure at its core, Tinykin is something rather special. In it, you take on the role of Milo, a tiny space traveller who seems to have landed in a rather ordinary-looking house. Well, ordinary to us. To Milo, everything is huge. Bathtubs become cities, and under the sofa is a whole other world.
You’ll spend your time exploring this weird and wonderful home, enjoying how the everyday has been turned into something magical. And with the help of the differently-coloured Tinykin creatures by his side, you’ll have to solve a variety of puzzles in order to progress through the house. The ultimate goal? To get Milo’s spaceship up and running. But really, you won’t want him to leave, as that means your journey is done.
Read our review of Tinykin
3. Disney Dreamlight Valley
Undoubtedly one of the best non-violent games on PS5 right now, Dreamlight Valley is a must for any Disney fan. Heck, even if you’re not a huge Disney lover, there’s plenty here to enjoy if you appreciate relaxing sandbox-type games.
Set in a world where characters from Disney and Pixar properties live side-by-side, you’ll spend your time exploring, farming, mining and completing quests for villagers. You can also spend time decorating your village and your house, or figuring out one of the many secrets lurking around the valley. We’ve lost many, many hours to Disney Dreamlight Valley, and we’ll certainly lose more.
Read our review of Disney Dreamlight Valley
Buy Disney Dreamlight Valley
4. Powerwash Simulator
In PowerWash Simulator, you do sort-of brandish a gun. But it’s a powerwashing gun. And rather than doing damage or shooting people, you’re cleaning up. Yes, powerwasher in hand, your goal is to rinse years of grime and dirt out of various scenarios. Old house? Check. Run-down skatepark? You’ve got it. Lara Croft’s mansion? Why not!
It’s made our pick of one of the best non-violent games on PS5 because it’s just so… mesmerising. Yes, powerwashing various locations might sound a bit dull, but once you’ve given it a go we’d wager you won’t be able to drag yourself away. There’s just something so relaxing and captivating about it.
Read our review of PowerWash Simulator
Buy PowerWash Simulator
5. The Talos Principle 2
And now for something completely different. At least, that’s what we imagine Croteam, the developers of Serious Sam, said to each other when they came up with The Talos Principle. It’s hard to believe that this thoughtful, philosophical puzzle game is from the same team who brought us the OTT shooting action of Serious Sam, but here we are.
While we loved The Talos Principle, its sequel is undoubtedly better in just about every way. It has a rich narrative and a wealth of puzzles which are an absolute delight to solve — even if they do take quite a bit of brain power.
Read our review of The Talos Principle 2
Buy The Talos Principle 2
6. Season: A Letter to the Future
Season: A Letter to the future is one of our favourite games. It’s also one of the best non-violent games you can play on PS5. In it, you take on the role of a young woman who is leaving her small hometown for the first time. She’s saying goodbye to her family, perhaps forever, to set out on an important journey: to document the end of the world. Well, sort of.
You see, in the world of Season, each new season means the end of the world, where everything starts anew. Nobody will remember the season that came before it. That’s just the way it always is, but with your camera and scrapbook in hand, you want to ensure at least someone remembers. It’s poignant and beautiful – and we had a great deal of fun crafting our own in-game scrapbook.
Read our review of Season: A Letter to the Future
7. A Little to the Left
A Little to the Left is another puzzle game, but it’s rather different to the others on this list. One of the best non-violent games on PS5, this is all about sorting and organising. Its bite-sized levels will have you arranging books or pens, or under-the-sink cleaning objects in size order, or maybe by colour or by pattern.
What’s particularly neat about A Little to the Left is that there’s often more than one way to solve a puzzle. In the same way that we all might like to arrange our book collections slightly differently, the game allows for different ways of thinking when it comes to organising. Either way, you’ll probably be so hooked you’ll want to discover all possible solutions.
Read our review of A Little to the Left
8. Jusant
Last but not least is Jusant, a gorgeous, meditative game that’s all about… well, climbing. It’s an exploration adventure at its heart, with your goal to climb, climb, climb as high as you can. Along the way you’ll pass through settlements, discover secrets and learn a little about the people who used to live there – and perhaps why they’re not there anymore.
It’s a peaceful game, but Jusant is also a bit of a puzzle game. You’ll need to think carefully about where you’re going, choosing the correct path or risk ending up at a dead end. With intuitive controls, too, making your way through Jusant, climbing left to right, anchoring your rope and ensuring you’re always stable, is a great deal of fun.
Read our review of Jusant
