PS Plus Premium has a library of over 700 titles, but which are the best games on Sony’s subscription service?
Sony launched its new PlayStation Plus in North America. Split into three tiers, this model combines the previous version of PS Plus with PS Now; depending on which level someone subscribes to, they will gain access to certain services and games.
PS Plus Premium has over 700 games covering more than two decades of PlayStation history. Such a huge collection can be overwhelming, and the PS Plus app does not make it very easy to browse through the library; as such, it can be useful to know this tier’s highlights before investing in a subscription. Each month, Sony adds a handful of new games. While most of these are PS5 and PS4 releases, they are occasionally accompanied by a few classic titles.
What are the best games on PS Plus Extra? What are the standout PS Plus Premium classic games?
Each entry states whether the game is also accessible with a PS Plus Extra subscription. Also, if a game is on Amazon, a link to its listing page has been provided in case somebody prefers to own a physical copy Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is among the most high-profile PS5 games available on PS Plus Extra. As a console exclusive, this reveal seemed destined to transpire sooner or later, although almost two years from the game’s debut had to pass for this moment to arrive. Rift Apart might very well still be the most beautiful PS5 title on the market, a testament to Insomniac’s mastery of the technology and talent for creating vibrant and stunning worlds that would not look out of place in a Pixar movie.
Rift Apart backs up its good looks with fantastic gameplay and an enjoyable story that allows its lovable characters to shine. Although Ratchet and his robotic companion take center stage, they are accompanied by a new playable Lombax in the form of Rivet, who also comes with her own partner. In combat, the characters largely control the same; however, the game does a great job of establishing Rivet’s own identity through her personality.
Ultimately, Ratchet & Clank lives and dies on the strength of its gameplay, and Rift Apart is right up there with the franchise’s best efforts. Ratchet and Rivet have access to a wide assortment of fun weapons, all of which serve a purpose within the campaign. Sea Of Stars
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Although day-one PS Plus games are not commonplace, they have been becoming more frequent. August 2023 contained two of these releases: Moving Out 2 and Sea of Stars. Both titles garnered positive critical receptions and are, overall, fantastic additions to the streaming service, even if they are not the most mainstream projects on paper. Moving Out 2 is a co-op party game with a quirky sense of humor, a charming visual style, and an admirable ability to turn a frustrating real-life experience into a fun and only periodically frustrating gaming event. It builds nicely on the original game’s ideas, to the point that newcomers should jump into the sequel rather than starting with Moving Out.
As good as Moving Out 2 is, Sea of Stars is the star of the show. By the same studio responsible for The Messenger, Sabotage’s 2023 project is a turn-based RPG that takes obvious inspiration from genre classics like Chrono Trigger. Utilizing pixel graphics, Sea of Stars is more than pleasant on the eyes, and the game’s beautiful visuals demonstrate why so many indie studios opt for a retro art style. Combat-wise, Sabotage took plenty of lessons from classic and modern JRPGs, and Sea of Stars combines them to create a system that is familiar but also different enough to remain engaging. The story, while not breaking new ground, is generally well-written and fueled by likable characters, along with some impressive world-building. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Quite a few Vanillaware games are on PS Plus, and they are all worth playing. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is unlike anything else available on the streaming service, even if it does take ideas from a few different genres. Basically, this anime-inspired mecha title largely plays out like a visual novel, albeit with an integrated combat system to provide more interactivity than typical for this type of project. Narratively, the game revolves around teenagers who pilot robots to take on huge beasts, which is a description that makes the story sound more generic than it actually is. 13 Sentinels does an impressive job of exploring its characters, shining a light on each of its 13 pilots. The campaign is long, well-written, and ambitious.
The turn-based strategy combat works well without being too demanding or complicated. Even though it prioritizes the story, the game does not treat the battle system as an afterthought either, and a satisfying progression system helps keep things moving along well. 13 Sentinels could be considered an acquired taste since it combines two niche genres in visual novels and strategy games, but the project should be tried by all PS Plus subscribers since it provides such a singular experience. Kena: Bridge Of Spirits
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
AA games have become fairly uncommon in recent years, but when they do show up, they tend to be quite special. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is gorgeous considering it was developed by a relatively small team, and pretty graphics are far from the only thing this game gets right. The story follows a spirit guide who must free souls in order to stop the spread of corruption, which is slowly corroding a peaceful and beautiful village. As far as premises are concerned, Kena is nothing too unusual; however, the game creates a world overflowing with personality, both in terms of environmental detail and NPCs.
Following a classic action-adventure formula, Kena incorporates exploration, combat, platforming, and puzzles. While not bringing anything substantially new to any of these elements, Ember Labs generally does an admirable job in each area. The gameplay does suffer from the occasional difficulty spike when it comes to the story’s bosses, but the fights themselves are largely enjoyable. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
PS Plus Extra has all four modern Wolfenstein games, and the best one is arguably The New Colossus. Building nicely on The New Order’s strong foundations, the sequel is bigger and generally better. Featuring an all-time great villain and an appreciation for scale and spectacle, The New Colossus is an action-packed blockbuster that looks, controls, and sounds great.
PS Plus does not have an overabundance of brilliant first-person shooters, but MachineGames’ mainline Wolfenstein trilogy is now available in its entirety to Extra and Premium subscribers. When taken as a whole, these games are arguably the genre’s best representatives on the service. William «B.J.» Blazkowicz’s journey is one filled with visceral action, gore, stealth kills, satisfying weapons, and glorious set pieces that put many Hollywood productions to shame. For the most part, these games tell entertaining stories that usually have just the right amount of cheese without coming across as try-hard. Rogue Legacy 2
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Roguelikes have grown exponentially in popularity over the last few years, and Rogue Legacy played a role in amplifying the genre’s exposure. The sequel builds nicely on its predecessor’s ideas, offering a more fine-tuned experience while not deviating too far from the beaten path.
Rogue Legacy 2 follows a knight as they try to power through an array of dungeons in pursuit of treasure. Naturally, they will eventually die, forcing players to start from scratch. The twist is that, rather than playing with the same character, players jump to the next generation, a process that is repeated whenever death comes knocking. Rogue Legacy 2 also slips into roguelite territory by incorporating permeant upgrades and abilities, so a new run is not a completely fresh start. Tchia
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Launching directly on PS Plus Exra, Tchia is a stunning open-world game, and that goes beyond just its vibrant presentation. Set on a tropical island, the title follows the eponymous girl as she goes on an important adventure to free her home from the control of a dictator. The story is straightforward but memorable, mainly thanks to its roster of characters. Tchia herself is especially endearing.
Tchia’s main mechanic is liberating in the best possible way. The protagonist has the ability to jump into both living and non-living entities, allowing her to temporarily take control of her targets. While this concept has been done before, Tchia expertly uses the freedom afforded by this idea to heighten its explorative element, encouraging players to experience the world from a wide range of perspectives. Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Prior to March 2023, PS Plus Extra subscribers could already play the PS4’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and its spin-off, The Lost Legacy; however, the Legacy of Thieves Collection presents PS5 owners with the ultimate versions of Naughty Dog’s beloved action-adventure games. Now, to be clear, this package does not remaster the titles in many significant ways, at least when it comes to the graphics.
The main reason PS5 owners should play these iterations is due to their performance options, as they do allow the games to run at a higher frame rate. Ultimately, if someone has already played through the entirety of Uncharted, they might not find much of a reason to return for the Legacy of Thieves Collection. Humanity
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Debuting directly on PS Plus Extra, Humanity is an endearingly bizarre puzzle game that follows a dog as it tries to navigate hordes of humans around various scenarios and obstacles. Literally barking orders, Shiba Inu must earmark a path for the crowds to follow since if they are left to their own devices, they will blindly make a beeline to their doom. At any given point, Humanity can flood the screen with hundreds of humans, paving the way to a satisfying flow of bodies once a level has been solved.
Although decently popular, puzzle games are still relatively niche, and many projects struggle to find the right balance between accessibility and challenge. Humanity succeeds in walking this tightrope by gradually expanding the scope of its brainteasers in a way that facilitates the introduction of new components and ideas without overwhelming players. Even though it takes inspiration from older games, Humanity is nevertheless a singular entity brimming with originality and creativity. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Insomniac Games’ repertoire speaks for itself, and the developer’s current focus is on Marvel’s Wall-Crawler. 2018’s Marvel’s Spider-Man is a great open-world game with satisfying movement, acrobatic free-flowing combat, and a respectable narrative; unfortunately, on May 16, the game will leave PS Plus. However, at the moment, Miles Morales is not set to follow suit. Although it feels more like an expansion than a proper follow-up, the spin-off retains all of its predecessor’s strengths, including the best web-swinging mechanics in gaming.
Miles Morales establishes its eponymous protagonist as a viable alternative to Peter Parker, expanding on the character’s backstory and personality for players who might not be familiar with Miles’ comic version. Short as it might be compared to the main entry, the game tells an engaging story that focuses on the hero’s dual life, something he is only just starting to come to grips with since he is still new to this whole Spider-Man thing. Inscryption
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Roguelikes have taken over the indie scene over the last decade, and PS Plus has quite a few of the genre’s heavy hitters. Dead Cells, Enter the Gungeon, and Slay the Spire are all fantastic projects that can keep someone entertained for months on end, and they are all fairly popular in their own right. While perhaps not as well known as those titles, Inscryption deserves to be mentioned alongside them, although it is unlike most other roguelikes on the market.
For one, the game focuses quite a bit on its story, one that comes with a few shocking and well-executed twists that will not be spoiled here. Gameplay-wise, Inscryption plays out like a tabletop card game with a deck-building mechanic. Although not especially unique, this system is polished, fun, and works well; more importantly, it is just part of a much larger whole. Horizon Forbidden West
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Almost exactly a year following its debut, Horizon Forbidden West came to PS Plus Extra. While there is way too little data to try and pinpoint a trend, this addition could be an indication of how Sony plans to handle first-party projects moving forward.
Horizon Forbidden West tells the next chapter in Aloy’s story, and Guerrilla Games largely opted to fine-tune the original game’s mechanics. With a bigger open-world, refined combat, and a better-paced campaign, the sequel presents a convincing argument that it surpasses its predecessor. Combined, HZD and HFW can easily keep players entertained for more than 100 hours. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
While not without a few low points, TMNT has a long and storied history in gaming. The property is predominantly known for its ’90s beat ’em ups, with games like Turtles in Time holding up well today. Shredder’s Revenge pays homage to these classics, all the while delivering an approachable experience capable of attracting people who did not grow up in arcades. Boasting a vibrant and gorgeous pixel art style, the 2022 release matches cartoonish visuals with flashy combat that is easy to grasp but surprisingly difficult to master.
With seven playable characters who are not palette swaps, Shredder’s Revenge is quite replayable, which makes up for its fairly short campaign. Although solo players will not feel like they are missing out, the TMNT game supports and shines in co-op, allowing up to 6 people to work together to take on the Foot Clan. The Legend Of Dragoon
PlayStation Plus Premium
A beloved PS1 cult classic that JRPG fans have spent years hoping would receive a remake or a sequel, The Legend of Dragoon is, at least, now accessible on modern consoles. Ambitious for its era, Japan Studio’s project had great visuals, which are still charming in their own way. Although not too far removed from the genre’s other late ’90s releases, the game’s turn-based combat system has a few unique features that set it apart from the crowd. For instance, players need to time button prompts during attack animations to earn a boost.
The Legend of Dragoon is one of the best games on PS Plus Premium. Hopefully, the service continues to add these sorts of titles in the future. Devil May Cry 5
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Devil May Cry was a staple of the PS2 era, and those games’ HD versions and Devil May Cry 4 have been on PS Plus Premium since the service’s launch. In January 2023, the franchise’s most recent entry was finally added to PS Plus Extra, including the PS5’s Special Edition. Personal preference will dictate someone’s preferred entry in the series, but DMC 5 is undoubtedly a contender for that crown.
In a risky move, Capcom opted to include three playable characters who all have wildly different playstyles. Nero and Dante are both melee-focused fighters, although they are still nothing alike. The latter might have the most complete combat system in the hack and slash genre, which is saying something. The third character, V, only stars in a couple of chapters, but his range-based abilities provide a nice change of pace. The Special Edition even makes Vergil playable. Kingdom Hearts Collection
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Except for some browser games, Square Enix’s entire franchise is available to Extra and Premium subscribers. Overall, this selection contains eight games and three cinematic experiences; if someone were to accompany Sora, Goofy, and Donald for a full adventure, they would have to dedicate roughly 200 hours.
Kingdom Hearts is infamous for splitting its story among various platforms, making it unnecessarily complicated for fans to get the full picture. In recent years, Square Enix has taken steps to rectify this issue by releasing compilations that brought lesser-known entries onto consoles like the PS4. With Kingdom Hearts on PS Plus Extra, it has never been simpler to jump into this universe. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim — Special Edition
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Skyrim has been around for more than a decade, and yet the game is still a big deal. From November 15, PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can take on the mantle of the Dragonborn and start their journey in Skyrim. The Special Edition is generally considered the definitive iteration of Bethesda’s masterpiece, and the 2016 release was included in 2021’s Anniversary Edition that came out on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Skyrim’s longevity lies in its ability to immerse players in a fully realized world that makes exploration fun and satisfying. The combat might be a bit dated compared to more recent RPGs, but the game makes up for it through customization and build options. Even if most people have already experienced everything the campaign has to offer, Skyrim debuting on PS Plus makes the service’s library seem more complete. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Destiny 2 has been free-to-play for a while, so anyone with the required hardware can jump into Bungie’s game and get a taste of the Guardian life. Although a nice option, the free version only includes a limited range of content, to the point that it is closer to a sample or demo than a full showcase of everything the game has to offer. Basically, if someone wants to really experience Destiny 2, they will need to pick up an expansion. The first-person shooter has produced seven expansions so far, most of which are at least decent; however, The Witch Queen is a leading contender for the top spot.
Featuring a fairly lengthy campaign, this expansion is basically its own game, and it can be played without completing the rest of the DLC or even much of the base content. The story is primarily set in Savathûn’s Throne World, which is one of the title’s better settings. While accessible to an extent, players who are familiar with Destiny 2’s overall lore will get a fuller overall adventure, although newcomers can look forward to great gunplay. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is a huge get for PS Plus Extra subscribers, particularly those who love action JRPGs. The 1997 original helped put the PS1 on the map, and while the remake takes quite a few creative liberties with both the story and gameplay, it still respectfully pays homage to FF7’s legacy. Focusing on Midgar, the modern game chronicles Cloud Strife’s early days as part of AVALANCHE, showcasing the resistance group’s attempts to undermine Shinra’s authority.
Over the last decade, Square Enix has firmly shifted towards real-time action over turn-based combat, and FF7 Remake serves as the strongest representative of this gameplay style. As a sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, has been officially announced, this is the perfect time for newcomers to jump into the remake train, and PS Plus is the ideal platform to do so. Dragon Ball FighterZ
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
There are roughly a billion Dragon Ball games, and some of them are pretty great. However, for the longest time, the franchise seemed incapable of putting out a proper competitive fighter. Dragon Ball FighterZ changed that forever, with Arc crafting a project that could show up in eSports events alongside Street Fighter 5 and Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Dragon Ball is synonymous with flashy battles where a wayward ki blast could potentially blow up a planet, and FighterZ captures this element beautifully. Visually, the game not only echoes the source material but, at times, even looks better. Unlike some of Arc’s other fantastic games, FighterZ’s combat system is relatively easy to grasp, although it is still hard to master. The single-player campaign is split into three non-canon arcs, and, while enjoyable from a fan-service point of view, overstays its welcome. However, Dragon Ball FighterZ is all about its online scene. Ghost Of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Insomniac’s Ghost of Tsushima ended the PS4’s life as Sony’s main console on a high, and the Director’s Cut is just a better version of that already great game. Taking place during the Mongolian invasion of Japan, This samurai epic tells a tale of revenge as Jin Sakai seeks to protect Tsushima Island.
Ghost of Tsushima might be the most beautiful game on PS Plus Premium, and it is not just a looker. The hack and slash combat is a great deal of fun, managing to be deep and also cinematic. Narratively, the title does not do anything too out of the ordinary, but the unique setting helps set GOT apart from the many other open-world games on the market. Yakuza: Like A Dragon
PlayStation Plus Extra & Premium
Change is never easy. Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio took a big risk with Yakuza: Like a Dragon by not only introducing a new protagonist in place of long-time stalwart Kiryu but also swapping the franchise’s beat ’em up combat for a turn-based system. The story even introduced a new central city in Yokohama’s Isezaki Ijincho, taking the action away from Yakuza’s classic Kamurocho map.
