PlayStation Plus has gone through several iterations and changes since it was first introduced. Originally, the service wasn’t required for online play at all and rewarded subscribers with extra discounts and free monthly games. Once the PlayStation 4 generation began, it was required for online play, but still offered those same benefits.
Now, PS Plus is divided into three different tiers of subscriptions. The basic tier, PS Plus Essential, still gets three games per month added, while the Extra and Premium tiers will have a varying number of games added to their catalogs. With hundreds of games already and more coming and going all the time, even the most dedicated gamer won’t be able to play everything on offer. To help you get the most bang for your buck, and so that no hidden gems fly under your radar, here are all the best games to play on PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium right now.
Best PS Plus Essential games
As is usually the case, everyone with the lowest tier of PS Plus gets three games this month, two with PlayStation 5 versions and one with a PS4 version. Here’s what you can play this month:
LEGO 2K Drive
PowerWash Simulator
Sable
Best PS Plus Extra games
The Extra tier is where you can download and play a massive library of both PS4 and PS5 titles. These games cycle in and out every month, though you never know how many will be added or removed at a given time. Here are some of the best ones available right now:
Demon's Souls
Bloodborne
Death Stranding: Director's Cut
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
It Takes Two
Winner of many game of the year awards, It Takes Two is the best example of a co-op game we’ve ever played. Playing as a couple on the verge of divorce who are turned into their daughter’s toys, you and your partner need to work together to navigate the world at your new scale to try and get back to normal. And when we say need to work together, we mean it. Unlike many other co-op games, teamwork is required here since each player has a different skill or ability in each segment of the game that can’t fully function without the other player’s. It may be a little long, but it is never boring since the mechanics change so frequently.
Horizon Forbidden West
Kingdom Hearts III
Doom Eternal
Red Dead Redemption 2
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
The classic PS2 franchise made a huge first impression on the PS5 with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. This game really shows what the new hardware can do in all aspects. The graphics are on the level of an animated feature comet to life, the frame rate is rock solid, and the resolution is beautiful and even offers ray tracing, but the real showpieces are the rifts. The whole concept of this title is that the dimensions are falling apart, allowing Ratchet, and new protagonist Rivet, to seamlessly move from one dimension to the next. It is a trick so amazing that you may not believe it’s real. Oh, and it also helps that the game is a fantastically fun shooter with tons of personality and creative weapons and enemies.
Rogue Legacy 2
Sea of Stars
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut
Assassin's Creed Origins
Hollow Knight
Returnal
Best PS Plus Premium games
The Premium tier’s exclusive games are all the PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 games you can download and stream. The lineup of PS1, PS2, and PSP games was fairly limited at launch but will grow as new games are added monthly. For that retro hit, here are the best games from past generations to try out.
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits
Twisted Metal 2
Whether you’re anticipating the TV adaptation or not, the original two Twisted Metal games are absolutely worth going back to. This is where car combat really started, and it’s arguably still the best. Each character you play as has a unique story as they attempt to win the titular tournament with the promise of any wish being granted upon victory. However, those wishes are never quite granted in the way the characters expect, making it a treat to play through the game to see how their words are twisted.
The Sly Collection
Ape Escape
Tekken 2
Wild Arms
Ico
F.E.A.R.
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