PS Plus has always been a service that has lived in the shadow of Xbox Game Pass, as there is simply no competing with the library that Sony’s rival has on its platform.
However, credit where it’s due, that doesn’t mean PS Plus is a failure, as there is no shame in coming in second when the competition is that strong.
PS Plus still offers a lot of value to its subscribers, with a wealth of great games in the catalog, classic games, and game trials for those that spring for the ‘extra’ tier, and a handful of free games you can keep every month for as long as you keep your subscription running.
However, you may be looking back at the free games of old and wondering if, on balance, the service offers enough bangers to warrant a long-term subscription.
Well, we want to help you make up your mind by listing the best games that the service has offered subscribers since the tier change a few years back.
For clarity, we will only be considering games given away for free since the price/tier change that introduced Essential, Premium, and Extra back in June 2022.
10
Tunic
Cunning Like A Fox
Unless you’re a PlayStation fan that moonlights as a Nintendo fan on the sly, your gaming career will likely have been absent of top-down dungeon-crawling puzzler experiences like The Legend of Zelda. However, Tunic was a game that helped finally give PlayStation fans a taste of what they were missing.
This game is a classic Zelda clone at heart, but to label it as that alone would be rather reductive, as this game is also a wonderful Metroidbrainia where knowledge is power, and it’s a difficult souls-lite that will force you to master the combat systems at play.
The world design is incredible, the art style is cute as a button, and thanks to the brilliant accessibility options, it’s a game suitable for all levels of gamer. It’s the closest thing you’ll ever get to classic Zelda on PlayStation, and it’s a must-play for indie fans.
9
Rollerdrome
Roller Disco Destruction
Speaking of indie darlings, we have one that isn’t quite as well-known but definitely on par in terms of quality. If you’re a fan of old-school Tony Hawk games, this will be right up your street.
This one employs a lot of the same mechanics. Such as a time trial where you’ll be thrown into an arena and need to do tricks to achieve a massive high score, and you’ll also have set goals to achieve within that time limit. But, there’s a twist.
This game is also a battle royale, fight to the death, where you’ll need to take out the various house players to come out the other end victorious, and the only way to do that is to shoot everything in sight, and do it with style.
It takes a hot minute to truly get into a groove, but before long, you’ll be backflipping, dodging bullets, and firing off rockets while in midair all in one seamless motion.
8
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
Do A Kickflip!
Speaking of the Birdman, PS Plus was kind enough to bestow upon us the incredible remake of the first two classic games from the PS1 era, offering the same arcade brilliance from yesteryear, but with a much-needed coat of paint to bring the series into the modern era.
Each classic level looks familiar yet unrecognizable, as every glow-up makes each new map you unlock feel like a brand-new discovery. Plus, you have a wealth of modern skaters added to the line-up to honor where the sport is today.
We have loved more modern, realistic skate games like Session, Skate, and Skater XL, but there’s something so satisfying about defying the laws of physics in a THPS title.
At the time of writing, we are mere months away from the next remake for THPS 3+4, and if those games are refined to the same extent that these first two were, we are in for an absolute treat.
7
A Plague’s Tale: Requiem
You’re Never Too Far From A Rat
While I would suggest going back and playing the first Plague’s Tale game, Innocence, before diving into this one, it has to be said that the option to do so provided by PS Plus was a very welcome one indeed.
Requiem is a stunning game that takes the strong stealth-meets-action approach of the first Plague’s Tale game and refines the formula to offer a more cinematic and affecting narrative, grander level design, and impeccable visuals.
The rat swarms look even more grotesque in the sequel, the stealth and combat feel a lot more satisfying to work with, and there are even vast open areas that make this linear adventure feel like an open world at times.
Plus, there’s no laughable final boss like in the first game, which is a blessing. It’s a showcase of why AA games are incredible in their own right and a must-play for fans of narrative-driven adventures.
6
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Tight-Knit Platforming
Platformer_SackboyABigAdventure
If you’re on the hunt for a co-op adventure like no other, then you need look no further than LittleBigPlanet’s own Sackboy, who has a big adventure that he would love your company on.
This game takes the fun and whimsy of the LittleBigPlanet series, offering level design that feels like it has been lovingly crafted in an in-game level creator. However, in this game, it’s all about puzzle platforming instead of community spirit.
It’s effectively like LittleBigPlanet if it were a LEGO game, offering refined drop-in, drop-out co-op that is tight, satisfying, and a lot of fun to mess around with.
It’s one of the best PlayStation 5 exclusives the console has boasted to date, and it’s one that PS Plus fans got to play just for the price of their subscription alone. Which, considering the hours of co-op fun on offer, is one hell of a deal.
5
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
The Force Is Strong With This One
Before the dawn of the Star Wars Jedi games, there was a severe lack of good modern Star Wars games. The goodwill earned from classics like Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Battlefront was exhausted mainly by games like Kinect Star Wars and, ironically, Star Wars: Battlefront.
Jedi fanboys needed a win, and from the most unlikely of sources, they got one. Respawn and EA teamed up to provide a Star Wars game that offered Metroidvania meets Souls-lite gameplay, incredible visuals, a bespoke story worth its weight in gold, and lightsaber combat that felt as good as it ever has.
So, when PS Plus subscribers were offered the chance to lead the Jedi resurgence in the shoes of Cal Kestis, most of us grabbed the opportunity with both hands, and the adventure we enjoyed as a result still sticks with us today.
It’s a great game, and it laid the strong foundation for the superior sequel, Jedi Survivor, to build upon. So, if you’re a Star Wars fan that still hasn’t witnessed Cal’s tale, there’s no time like the present.
4
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
Crash Is Back
Much like their partner in crime, Spyro the Dragon, Crash suffered from a series of terrible games in the late 2000s and mid-2010s that all but killed the franchise stone dead. But thanks to the work of Toys for Bob, both franchises are in a very healthy state today.
Spyro got a phenomenal trilogy remake, as did Crash, but Crash got the better end of the deal, as the beloved Bandicoot featured in a brand-new game, which pushed the envelope on what a Crash game could be with the tech of the 2020s behind the project.
It’s a perfect blend of classic crash platforming with enough new, fresh ideas to make this feel like a sequel that pushes the series forward instead of running in place. Not to mention, it’s a game that pulls no punches in terms of difficulty.
It’s most likely the last grand hurrah for Crash, but if it was, what a way to go out.
3
Sifu
Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting
I’ll be the first to say that I’ve never been a fan of fighting games, and was one of those stereotypical button mashers that would crouch kick on repeat and hope for the best.
However, one beat-em-up that stood out from the crowd and forced me to fall in love with it was Sifu—a classic tale of vengeance combined with roguelike mechanics and tight, punishing combat.
The game forces you to take every single encounter with even the most basic of enemies seriously, encouraging you to learn new combos, play with caution, and pick your moments to deliver a hammer blow.
It’s rather like a Souls game in many ways, but with the caveat of much more dynamic, fast-paced combat, and the ability to get stronger upon death rather than have it be a burden to bear.
Never has a game made me feel like more of a kung-fu master, and it will take one hell of a game to top this one moving forward.
2
It Takes Two
Multiplayer Mayhem
While Sackboy was undoubtedly one of the finest PS Plus offerings in recent memory, it still doesn’t hold a candle to the best co-op game given out courtesy of the subscription, It Takes Two.
Josef Fares’ co-op masterclass is a game that champions multiplayer gaming above all else, offering a whimsical and corny story underpinned by symbiotic gameplay mechanics that require communication and teamwork to master.
The writing may be akin to the quality of a high school creative writing assignment at best, but the game makes up for this with sublime level design, a wealth of memorable moments, and seamless split-screen action that you just don’t see anymore in the modern day.
Split Fiction may have just usurped this one as the ultimate modern co-op experience, but It Takes Two is brilliant in its own right, and if you have someone willing to take the plunge with you, it’s one you should play as soon as you can.
1
Dead Space
Improving On A Masterpiece
Then, to wrap things up, we have a remake of what I still consider to be one of, if not the best, horror games of all time. However, in a surprising twist, the remake actually surpasses what was already a masterpiece.
Dead Space was a game that offered claustrophobic level design, intense third-person gunplay with a difference, and unparalleled sound design. The remake retains all of these aspects, but then adds more to the bargain.
The remake expands on the story and alters the flow of the proceedings to create a more cinematic and engaging narrative throughout. Additionally, the game boasts absolutely stunning visuals, refining the outdated graphics of the original to make the grotesque and gory action even more unsettling and visceral.
It’s rare you get a remake of a near-perfect game that feels like a worthwhile venture, but this certainly was one, and for me, this is the best game that PS Plus Essential has ever tossed our way.
NEXT
10 Best PS Plus Games You Can Beat In One Weekend
We all live for the weekend, and these games can make the weekend special.
