The PlayStation guide to creative gaming
Gaming can be more than high scores and shiny loot – some of PS4’s most popular titles encourage and reward self-expression and creativity. Read on to discover how to unleash your inner artist.
Play imaginative games
Check out some of the best PS4 titles featuring creative gameplay.
Dreams
ESRB TEEN: Fantasy Violence, Language / In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
Media Molecule has taken their Play, Create, Share maxim to a whole new level with Dreams' innovative, ever-expanding game world.
Bring your imagination to life using their powerful creation tools, or immerse yourself in unique content created by other players. Whether you're producing games, music, paintings, animations, or a hyper-realistic plate of delicious food, Dreams is one of the most expressive creative outlets in games.
Minecraft
ESRB E10+: Fantasy Violence
Players have spent countless hours over the past decade chipping away at rocks, exploring dark caverns, and building impressive structures in Minecraft.
Bring your imagination to life one block at a time as you gather resources, craft items, and clash with monsters. The sense of progression combined with the freedom to create your own unique world makes Minecraft a fascinating and rewarding experience that you'll keep coming back to.
Concrete Genie
ESRB E10+: Fantasy Violence
Anyone can create stunning street art in Pixelopus' heart-warming adventure about a bullied teen using his magic paintbrush to brighten the abandoned streets of his hometown Denska.
With no one around to scold you for drawing on the walls, grab some living paint and add your own creative flair to Denska's gloomy buildings. Bring the town to life and summon mischievous Genies to help you solve puzzles, access new areas, or just play a few games.
The Sims™ 4
ESRB TEEN: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
EA's charming life simulation game lets you express yourself through every aspect of your Sims' lives in a vibrant sandbox with (almost) no rules.
Whether you're a newcomer or fluent in Simlish, your imagination is sure to shine as you create unique Sims with distinct looks, aspirations, and personalities, as you take on the role of an architect building and furnishing the perfect home.
With additional content packs released regularly, there's almost no end to how you can play with life.
LEGO® Worlds
ESRB E10+: Fantasy Violence
Returning to the creative roots of the iconic brand, LEGO Worlds combines the classic block-building freedom of the original toy sets with huge, procedurally generated environments.
Working by yourself or with a friend, shape and craft the world as you see fit, building anything from immense structures of stone and steel to leafy sand box playgrounds, or build both and whizz between the two in custom build vehicles.
CoolPaintrVR
ESRB Everyone
Get in touch with your inner artist with a relaxed, family-friendly VR experience that combines the immersion of virtual reality with the meditative quality of the visual arts.
Set the tone and mood by importing a personalised soundtrack, and then lose yourself in an immersive creative bubble with dozens of brushes, tools, effects, and more that allow you to bring your space to life with unique visual flourishes. Artistic bliss.
No Man's Sky
ESRB TEEN: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
Hello Games has continued to expand and refine its procedurally generated sci-fi adventure with new features, such as full PS VR support, graphical upgrades, and expanded multiplayer.
Build your own habitable bases anywhere on any planet you visit, assemble fleets of dreadnought-class freighters, or upgrade your technology to traverse hostile environments. Start your adventure in 'Creative' mode and you'll be free to build to your heart's content without worrying so much about gathering materials or blueprints.
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2
ESRB E10+: Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes / Users Interact
This Dragon Quest Builders sequel is both a robust block builder and a full-blown RPG-adventure jam-packed with areas to explore, beasts to battle, a compelling storyline, and a new online multiplayer sandbox mode.
Square Enix drops you into a fantasy world oppressed by a spiteful cult that has outlawed building, cooking, and creation of any kind. Defy the evil cultists by learning recipes required to become a master builder, hunting for materials, growing crops, and recruiting villagers to build new communities.
Cities: Skylines - PlayStation®4 Edition
ESRB Everyone
Sometimes it pays to think big, and it doesn't get much bigger than creating your very own living, breathing city.
Choose the perfect environment and slowly grow your city from a plucky boomtown to a bustling metropolis, taking care of everything from roads and rails to nightlife, culture, recreation and economic prosperity. Shape not just a city but a unique local culture, from a high-pressure business hub to a super-sustainable beachside getaway.
LittleBigPlanet™ 3
ESRB Everyone: Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference
Join millions of other players in building and sharing your own themed levels using LittleBigPlanet's deep creation tools in this acclaimed sequel to Media Molecule's hit adventure. From spawling platforming extravaganzas to simple mini-games, whatever you have in mind you can create.
Not only that, but there's also a huge campaign to enjoy. Use the unique abilities of Sackboy and his new friends - Toggle, OddSock and Swoop - to explore all corners of the Imagisphere and unravel the mystery of planet Bunkum.
Become a virtual photographer
Many of PS4's biggest titles come with feature-rich photo modes, allowing you to pause the action and capture your favorite in-game moments. What better way to document your gaming adventures?
Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition
ESRB TEEN: Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Mild Sexual Themes, Violence
Few open worlds are more lavishly detailed than that of Guerrilla Games' striking sci-fi adventure. Horizon Zero Dawn's highly customizable photo mode allows you to actively shift the time of day or re-pose the main character Aloy in a huge variety of ways to perfectly capture moments of action, awe, or off-the-wall comedy.
Snap breath-taking vistas, colossal mechanical behemoths, or the simple, understated details you find dotted throughout the world.
Days Gone
ESRB MATURE 17+: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
There's something savagely beautiful about Bend Studio's desperate, down-at-heel world and its writhing hordes of flesh-rending Freakers that has to be seen to be believed.
Days Gone's bespoke photo-mode lets you capture all this and more, with filters to recolor the drama for the right effect, decals to accompany them, and even options to drop out the backgrounds and isolate key moments – perfect for creating your own custom wallpapers.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
ESRB TEEN: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
If there's one thing Naughty Dog excels at, it's crafting intricately detailed, industry-leading visuals that deliver the wow factor you want in a blockbuster title.
With such lush presentation, a simple photo mode is a no-brainer, but UNCHARTED: The Lost Legacy goes a step further, integrating the feature into your character's smartphone. No need to pause the game: you can document the world as you would in-game, snapping selfies with lost ancient relics, unsuspecting thugs, or local wildlife.
There are even Trophies to unlock for snapping certain moments and locations, so keep your eyes peeled.
Share what you create
Part of the joy of creating is sharing what you've made with other people. Here's how you can do that on PS4.
The 'SHARE' button
Built into your DualShock 4 controller, the SHARE button is your first stop for capturing new creations. Pressing this button at almost any moment during gameplay pauses the action and allows you to save screenshots and video clips of whatever you’re doing.
These can then be saved to your console and accessed through the ‘Capture Gallery’ or uploaded directly to any social media account you’ve got associated with your PlayStation Network account. Did something awesome? Then why not Tweet about it?
The 'SHARE' button
Built into your DualShock 4 controller, the SHARE button is your first stop for capturing new creations. Pressing this button at almost any moment during gameplay pauses the action and allows you to save screenshots and video clips of whatever you’re doing.
These can then be saved to your console and accessed through the ‘Capture Gallery’ or uploaded directly to any social media account you’ve got associated with your PlayStation Network account. Did something awesome? Then why not Tweet about it?
SHAREfactory
Using PS4's SHARE button feature, you can capture up to 15 minutes of in-game footage at a time and save it to your console. To really highlight the best bits though, you might want to do some editing.
This is where SHAREfactory comes in. A free app available for download on PlayStation Store, SHAREfactory allows you to trim, re-order, and edit your footage directly on PS4. You can add transitions, title cards, and even speed up or slow down footage.
Simply search PS Store for 'SHAREfactory' via your PS4.
Share Play
Sometimes pictures and video won't cut it - you just have to be there. Well, with Share Play you can be, and so can your friends.
Accessed through your normal 'Party' chat settings, Share Play allows you to invite another PS4 friend to join your game remotely and either watch while you play or even take control themselves. Not only is this great for sharing what you've created, but it's an easy way to collaborate with friends on creative projects.
Launch a Play Share session through your usual Party Chat menu and you can invite a friend to view what you're currently working on, or even take control themselves so that they can try it out, make changes, or give you feedback.
