There are a lot of great games onPS Plus, but 2023 saw PS Plus Extra dominate left and right with its various additions every month. Counting the nostalgic inclusions of PS Plus Premium, the marathon of PS Plus Extra games, and the timed monthly PS Plus Essential games, here are the 15 best games Sony gave away on the service this year,listed in order of their additions.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PS Plus Essential)
Added in January 2023
Kicking off the year wasStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, among other titles. Not only was this Respawn Entertainment title heralded as a return to form forStar Warsgames, but the title joined at the perfect time. Its sequel,Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, would release just a few months later in April, ensuring that anyone who was remotely interested could get into the franchise ahead of the sequel. The PS Plus games for January kicked off the year strong, and it was a trend that would continue throughout the year.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
WHERE TO PLAY
A galaxy-spanning adventure awaits in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a new third-person action-adventure title from Respawn Entertainment. This narratively driven, single-player game puts you in the role of a Jedi Padawan who narrowly escaped the purge of Order 66 following the events of Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. On a quest to rebuild the Jedi Order, you must pick up the pieces of your shattered past to complete your training, develop new powerful Force abilities and master the art of the iconic lightsaber - all while staying one step ahead of the Empire and its deadly Inquisitors.While mastering your abilities, players will engage in cinematically charged lightsaber and Force combat designed to deliver the kind of intense Star Wars lightsaber battles as seen in the films. Players will need to approach enemies strategically, sizing up strengths and weaknesses while cleverly utilizing your Jedi training to overcome your opponents and solve the mysteries that lay in your path.Star Wars fans will recognize iconic locations, weapons, gear and enemies while also meeting a roster of fresh characters, locations, creatures, droids and adversaries new to Star Wars. As part of this authentic Star Wars story, fans will delve into a galaxy recently seized by the Empire. As a Jedi hero-turned-fugitive, players will need to fight for survival while exploring the mysteries of a long-extinct civilization all in an effort to rebuild the remnants of the Jedi Order as the Empire seeks to erase the Jedi completely.
Horizon Forbidden West (PS Plus Extra)
Added in February 2023
Sony would add a handful of first-party AAA titles to PS Plus this past year, and it’s impossible to deny the arrival ofHorizon Forbidden West. Aloy’s second adventure expands on the first game in nearly every way, with its inclusion on PS Plus a great way for those who had waited on the sequel to dive into it. It originally released the same month asElden Ring, after all, and it may have unfortunately ended up on the backburner for many folks. Adding it to PS Plus means that people could justify checking it out sooner, at least in some cases, at just the cost of their subscription. Not unlikeStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, Horizon Forbidden Westhad great timing as well, as itsBurning Shores DLCwould release just a couple of months later in April.
Horizon Forbidden West
Join Aloy as she braves a majestic but dangerous new frontier that holds mysterious new threats. This Complete Edition allows you to enjoy the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West on PC in its entirety with bonus content, including the Burning Shores story expansion that picks up after the main game.Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.The land is dying. Vicious storms and an unstoppable blight ravage the scattered remnants of humanity while fearsome new machines prowl their borders, and life on Earth is hurtling toward another extinction.It’s up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world. Along the way, she must reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past.
The Legend of Dragoon (PS Plus Premium)
Year after year, longtime fans call forThe Legend of Dragoonto get a proper remake, but it still hasn’t happened yet. That doesn’t mean they were ignored, though, as Sony likely saw the love and hype around the title and brought it to the service as a result.The Legend of Dragoonis the best PS Plus Premium addition of the year, which says something with how nostalgia runs that tier. Although it shows it age, anyone who hadn’t checked it out would be wise to do so. In it, players lead a part as protagonist Dart as they attempt to stop the destruction of the world with hybrid combat composed of real-time commands and turn-based mechanics.
The Legend of Dragoon
Experience The Legend of Dragoon™ – originally released on the PlayStation® console, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters.Unveil a fantasy of magnificence, deception, magical combat, and retribution as you join swordsman Dart and his companions to harness the spiritual forces of Dragons and triumph over evil.Using a unique and innovative tactical combat system, transform into Dragoons and unleash extraordinary powers. Control a wide variety of characters that wield unique weapons and Dragoon attacks powered by the elements in this unforgettable role-playing game.
Tchia (PS Plus Extra)
Added in March 2023
Tchiahit PS Plus Extra in March 2023, and it’s arguably one of the most unique games on this list. It’s a tropical open-world adventure game, complete with climbing, gliding, swimming, and boating mechanics, and it has a solid story to boat. What really drives Tchia home as a special game, however, is its main mechanic of taking control of any animal or object players can come across. Practically any animal, big or small, can be taken over by the player, allowing them to swim or fly as they see fit. Practically any item is the same, letting players roll around as a tire should they so choose.Tchia’s soul-jumping mechanicis its biggest draw, and it is a big draw indeed.
Tchia
Join Tchia on her tropical open-world adventure as she sets off to rescue her father from the cruel tyrant, Meavora, ruler of the archipelago. Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around beautiful islands as you explore a physics-driven sandbox. Face the fabric soldiers created by Meavora in open encounters where your creativity gives you the edge. Take control of any animal or object you can find, make new friends and jam on your fully playable Ukulele. A poetic coming-of-age story inspired by New Caledonia.SOUL JUMPING: Tchia’s special gift lets you take control of any animal or object you can find. With over 30 animals and hundreds of objects to choose from, fly around as a bird, explore the ocean as a fish or dig for treasures as a dog! Use your unique soul-jumping abilities to explore solve puzzles, and uncover secrets.EXPLORATION & TRAVERSAL: Jump and glide your way across a vast archipelago and use the Tricks system to perform cool stunts and dives. The free climbing mechanic lets you ascend anything in the world without restriction including any physics-driven tree. Take to the ocean waves, and sail your customizable boat across turquoise lagoons and dive around coral reefs and shipwrecks.COMBAT & ENCOUNTERS: Face the Maano: mysterious enemies spawned from pieces of wood and fabric. Keep moving, improvise, and use all of Tchia’s abilities to come out on top of those intense encounters. You can also put your skills to the test by tackling mystical challenges in the Totem Shrines.
Doom Eternal (PS Plus Extra)
Added in April 2023
Sometimes, gamers just need to let loose and kill something (in a game world, of course).TheDoomserieshas always been great about that, andDoom Eternalplays into this power fantasy excellently. Players can let loose, kill demons, and enjoy tons of frenetic gameplay without needing to pause to think or decide. It might be three years old, butDoom Eternalwas an excellent get for PS Plus in 2023.
DOOM Eternal
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear… is you.Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power in DOOM Eternal - the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat.SLAYER THREAT LEVEL AT MAXIMUM - Armed with a shoulder-mounted flamethrower, retractable wrist-mounted blade, upgraded guns and mods, and abilities, you’re faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever.UNHOLY TRINITY - Take what you need from your enemies: Glory kill for extra health, incinerate for armor, and chainsaw demons to stock up on ammo to become the ultimate demon-slayer.Enter BATTLEMODE - A new 2 versus 1 multiplayer experience. A fully-armed DOOM Slayer faces off against two player-controlled demons, fighting it out in a best-of-five round match of intense first-person combat.
Humanity (PS Plus Extra)
Added in May 2023
Humanitywas a day one PS Plus Extra game, with a simple yet compelling concept: a Shiba Inu guides humans toward a specific goal. This puzzle game is feature rich, and it includes a level editor for fans to make their own puzzles.
Humanity
HUMANITY is a third-person puzzle-action game where you become a dog to command massive, marching crowds of people to jump, turn, push, float, shoot, and climb their way to salvation across 90 story-mode stages.READY, AND…ACTION!: Devious puzzles and strategic thinking is broken up with more action-focused elements and platformer-like levels, even some epic boss battles!UGC = USER GENERATED CONTENT, UNLIMITED GRATIFYING CHALLENGES: Browse an ever-growing library of stages created by other players. Play, rate, and discover new types of puzzles in this limitless vault.CREATE AND SHARE LEVELS: Bring your ideas to life using the intuitive Stage Creator, be it a straightforward puzzle, action stage, or heck, even an artful sculpture!(OPTIONAL) VR Compatible: Immerse yourself like never before as you tower over the teeming, ant-like people! Mu ha ha ha ha!Whether on your standard display or in the optional VR Mode, watch as breathtaking swarms of people follow your commands to the exit, all in HUMANITY’s stark iconic style, courtesy of director and celebrated visual designer Yugo Nakamura and famed game creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Rez Infinite, Tetris Effect: Connected)
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (PS Plus Extra)
Sony also brought the console exclusiveRatchet and Clank: Rift Apartto PS Plus in 2023, which was one of the first games to demonstrate what the PS5 can do. Its portal mechanic really showed how instantaneously the PS5 can do dramatic shifts in graphics and gameplay, and it has great stories, beloved characters, and tons of fun to boot. It’s honestly a shame if anyone has waited this long to playRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and PS Plus does a good job of ensuring they have no reason not to now.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
The intergalactic adventurers are back with a bang in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart!Go dimension-hopping with Ratchet and Clank as they venture onto a PC near you for the very first time. Help them take on an evil emperor from another reality as you jump between action-packed worlds and beyond.With their own universe next in the firing line, dust off the dynamic pair’s outrageous weaponry and stop a dimensional collapse in its tracks!Unite the double team supreme with a cast of familiar allies and new faces, including newcomer Rivet. She’s a Lombax resistance fighter from another dimension, who is just as determined to take out the robotic scourge.
Rogue Legacy 2 (PS Plus Extra)
Added in June 2023
Rogue Legacy 2is a roguelike metroidvania game, where every time players fell, their descendants take up their sword (in spirit).Rogue Legacy 2characters are generated with one of various classes, as players keep pushing further and further into the game. It has an addicting gameplay loop, and what is intended as a short session can quickly become hours-long.Rogue Legacy 2’s addition to PS Plus Extra is one of the various game that can take scores, if not hundreds, of hours for fans to play and enjoy to the fullest.
Rogue Legacy 2
Rogue Legacy is back! But now it’s got a 2 on the end of it! New monsters, new traps, and new layouts await you every time you enter the Kingdom. This is a world where improvisation, and not memorization is the key to success.Rogue Legacy 2 is a genealogical rogue-LITE. That means it has all the trappings of a typical rogue-like (randomized runs, changing characters, and more), but with persistent upgrades, and persistent dead heirs. In this game, your legacy defines you.Spend your parents’ inheritance and grow the family manor to give your children a better fighting chance. Each child is unique, with their own traits and abilities. Your daughter could be a Ranger. She could also be vegan.It’s a new experience every time. Rogue Legacy 2 also lets you play how you want to. Go hard and fast, and dive deeper into the depths of a randomly-generated world. Or take it slow and steady and build your character up until you’re ready for greater challenges.
Alan Wake Remastered (PS Plus Essential)
Added in July 2023
LikeStar Wars Jedi: SurvivorandHorizon Forbidden Westbefore it,Alan Wake Remasteredwas added to PS Plus at the opportune time, withAlan Wake 2releasing just a few months after. This ensured players had a way to catch up before release or, if they haven’t played it now, access the first game before playing it now. While the two games are inherently different, the connection between the stories as Remedy also continues to build the “Remedy Connected Universe” is a compelling reason to check it out.
Alan Wake Remastered
Return to the mysterious town of Bright Falls in this remaster of the award-winning cinematic action game from Remedy Entertainment (Control, Max Payne), featuring overhauled visuals and new features. Troubled author Alan Wake embarks on a desperate search for his missing wife, Alice. Following her mysterious disappearance from the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, he discovers pages of a horror story he has supposedly written, but he has no memory of. Wake is soon forced to question his sanity, as page by page, the story comes true before his eyes: a hostile presence of supernatural darkness is taking over everyone it finds, turning them against him. He has no choice but to confront the forces of darkness armed only with his flashlight, a handgun and what remains of his shredded mind. His nightmarish journey to find answers to the mind-bending mystery he faces will lead him into the terrifying depths of the night.
