If you're looking to check out Monster Hunter Wilds ahead of its February launch, Capcom is ready to roll out an open beta. The company announced the official schedule for the round of testing, which starts with early access for Pl?ayStation Plus members on October 28.

PS Plus members testing on PS5 will get their exclusive run until October 30, with the rest of the platforms following on October 31. You'll be able to spend your Halloween night in the world of Monster Hunter PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam from October ?31 to November 3. The beta will support crossplay between? the three platforms. 

Here's a breakdown:

Monster Hunter Wilds open beta start times

PlayStation 5 - PlayStation Plus Exclusive Ea?rly Access:

• Starts: Monday, October 28, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. PT

• Ends: Wednesday, October 30 at 7:59 p.m. PT

PlayStation? 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam (with Cro?ssplay):

• Starts: Thursday, October 31, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. PT

• Ends: Sunday, November 3, 2024 at 6:59 p.m. PT

According to Capcom's overview, the beta will let players tinker with character creation, and the resulting Hunter and Palico data can be carried over to the full version. There's also the Doshaguma Hunt, which involves taking down the alpha of the Doshaguma pack, and a trial of ??the story that includes the opening cutscene and the Chatacabra Hunt with tutorials to help along the way.

Rounding out the announcement is a new trailer, The Black Flame. This one in?troduces the third location in the Forbidden Lands, the Oilwell Basin.

Monster Hunter Wilds launches in full on February 28, 2025.

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The PlayStation catalog offers a diverse range of horrific adve?ntures, from new releases to classic titles, ensuring there's something to thrill every horror game enthusiast. PS Plus users can dive into this rich collection of scary entries, each offering a unique and spine-tingling experience.

So, if you're ready to jump into some frightening escapades, here are our picks for ??the best horror games to play on PS Pl??us.

Until Dawn

When I first stepped into the terrifying world of Until Dawn, I was immediately drawn to its gripping storyline and impactful ?choices. It's almost like you're in control of your favorite scary movie as you make decisions in each passing chap??ter. In it, you'll experience the lives of eight friends who have returned to a lodge riddled with bad memories. Things go wrong, of course, and it's up to you to keep everyone alive (or dead if you want to be a menace).

But if that's not enough to pique your interest, the game features a star-studded cast, including Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, and Jordan Fisher. The recent modernization of the PS5 has also enhanced the graphics of characters and settings with its remastered version. However, this would include a sepa?rate purchase, so you can stick to the PS Plus' PS4 version.

Resident Evil series

It's honestly hard to pick just one Resident Evil title, but I suppose there's not necessarily a wrong choice to start with.?? Although the original isn't on the PS Plus catalog, almost every single one aft?er that is available here.

If you want to follow the release order, you can go with Resident Evil 2, where you'll wit??ness the origins of the legendary Leon S. Kennedy. You'll have the choice to play between Leon and Claire Redfield as t?hey try to survive the night in undead-infested Racoon City.

Or, you can go for a more skillful Leon in Resident Evil 4. The undead are still present even after all those years, but you'll at least have his back-flipping skills to get you through. There are plenty of other variations apart from these two, such as Resident Evil 6, Revelations, and The Umbrella Chronicles.

Slender: The Arrival

I remember the days when the legends of Slender Man first took the world by storm in 2009. It brought out a reign of terror then, and now you can experience its horrors in video game form with Slender Man: The Arrival. You'll be taken deep i??nto the woods of Oakside Park, where a sinister pr??esence haunts your every step.

Like many horror games, you'll document your journey using a vid?eo recorder. Discover hidden secrets here to further your investigation of a recent missing person's case. But make sure to watch your back for the deadly Slender Man.

Dead by Daylight

If you want more of a collaborative take on horror, jump into the action survival horror Dead by Daylight. It's become ??a classic a?t this point, with thousands of players tuning in each day. You can participate in the team-based focused Survivor role with three other players or go the murderous route as a Killer.

Surviv??ors must find a way out to escape the Killer's clutches, including repairi??ng generators and discovering the Exit Gate. The Killer's playthrough is the complete opposite, as you hunt down helpless victims with your distinct powers.

Horror fans can play as many iconic characters as they can, such as Alien's Xenomorph and Resident Evil's Albert Wesker. Or, become the hero you were born to be with Survivors like Lara Croft, Stranger Things' Steve Harrington, and Evil Dead's Ashley J. Williams.

Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare

Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare is a classic survival horror title with many thrilling ??twists and turns. Even if it launched back in the PS2 days, it still holds up to this day with its highly immersive tale. You'll have the choice between two characters: Detective Edward Carnby and Professor Aline Cedric. No matter who you play, you'll undoubtedly run into trouble with Shadow Island's many formidable creatures.

The goal here is to find out what happened to Carnb??y's best friend, who mysteriously turned up dead on the island. You'll need to acquire three ancient tablets to uncover the truth, awakening a dang?erous power that lingers there.

Outlast 2

If there was one game on this list that gave me nightmares, it would be Outlast 2. Everything about it is truly terrifying, wheth??er it be the jumpscares of its grotesque villains or its haunting soundtrack.

Fortunately, you don't need to play the original since its sequel features a new lineup of characters. You'll take on the role of the cameraman Blake Langermann alongside his wife, Lynn. The two together must investigate the murde??r of a pregnant woman, Jane Doe. Once they dive further into this mystery, they run into the menacing Sullivan Knoth, who leads a group of anti-Christ followers.

Be warned: Outlast 2 is not for the faint o??f heart since you'll often be placed in some of the most intense situations, not to mention the fact that the game is a bloody mess filled with gore galore.

The Evil Within

The Evil Within is another one of those titles that kept my heart racing at every turn. And it makes sense why, considering that it was developed by the creator of the Resident Evil series, Shinji Mikami. As Detective Sebastian Castellanos, players are met with the horrors of various creatures and humanoids. One of the chapters will even make you feel like you stepped into a scene of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, where you must quick??ly escape?? from a man known as the "The Sadist."

To make it more challenging, The Evil Within only provides you with a few resources to use. The environments ar?e always changing, too, forcing you to constantly adapt and rethink your str??ategy.

Dead Space

Many of these PS Plus horror titles take place in the typical secluded village or island. So, to change up the pace, let's take a trip across the galaxy in Dead Space. I first played this horror gem in my teens, and the one thing I remember from it was the endless jump scares. It plays out similarly to the Alien franchise, as you hop on a ship that's been taken over by, y??ou guessed it, alien??s.

The playable character, Isaac Clarke, must venture inside this vessel to find out what happened to the crew and his partner, Nicole. While you're trying to decipher each clue, t??he monstrous Necromorphs will jump at you every chance they get, inflicting considerable damage to Isaac. See if you have what it takes to survive through this galactic nightmare, taking a??dvantage of the various tools in your arsenal.

The Dark Pictures Anthology series

Similar to Until Dawn, the Dark Pictures Anthology series offers a cinematic experience with many life-altering decisions. You'll have three choices in games from the PS Plus catalog, including Man of Medan, Little Hope, and House of Ashes. Each entry?? presents its own twist on horror, allowing you to play with up to five players.

Man of Medan is the first installment of the Dark Pictures Anthology franchise, following the story of five friends who come across a ghost ship. But if witches are more of your thing, try out Little Hope to uncover the shocking past of the XVIth century Andover Witch Trials. Last but not least is House of Ashes, showcasing a different take on warfare. Play as a team of S?pecial Forces and find out what awaits you in the formidable ??Sumerian temple.

Siren

The PS2 collection brought out many memorable horror games, which have fortunately been re-imagined on the PS Plus catalog. Siren is among them, where you take control of one of the ten characters. Survive through three days in the fictional Hanuda village in Japan, turning all its residents int??o undead husks known as "Shibitos."

Use the characters' unique abilities to figure out the secrets within the village and see how each story ties together. And if you want more of Siren, PS Plus also features Blood Curse Episodes 1-12. Like the?? original, this narrative splits into different stories across Hanuda with seven playable characters.

The post 10 Best PS Plus Horror Games to play in 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

When you upgrade your PlayStation Plus membership to tiers above Essential, you’re going to get a lot more games. But, of all the current PS Plus games in the catalog, which?? ones are the best in terms of multiplayer?

We have some recommendations below.

The 10 best PS Plus multiplayer games

There are two other tiers for PS Plus, so we’ll also note which one is for which service to give you a better idea of which o?ne to get or what’s available in? your current subscription.

For Honor - Extra

For Honor has been around for over seven years at this point, but has received so much content ranging from new maps, characters, customizations, and progression options. Team up with some friends to take on the PvE or PvE modes in this br??awler. 

It takes a while to get good at a game like this since it’s different than many other games in this genre, but once you ge??t some decent combos and defensive plays down, this opens up tenfold.

Monster Hunter Rise - Extra

With Monster Hunter Wilds on the horizon, now is the best time to get into the latest installation of the franchise to prepare for it. Rise is more akin to the classic formula of the MH games, borrowing a lot of the more modernized stuff from World, but also making it better.

The cooperative aspect is seamless and just more fun with more people coordinating awesome methods to hunt, trap, and beat the monsters. If you’re looking for a game to introduce you to the franchise, you will not be disappointed with Monster Hunter Rise.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege - Premium

Similar to For Honor, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege has been out for a long time, having so many maps, operators, and content that awaits. Admittedly, this game is a sweat fest, but as long as you ignore the ranke?d side and team up with some friends for casuals, it’s a?? great time.

This game breaks away from the twitch shooter aspect that many may have grown tired of from games like Call of Duty. It’s slower, more tactical, and methodical. You still n??eed to be a decent shot, but each operator has their own set of weapons and gadgets that can help snag that win.

Killing Floor 2 - Extra

Killing Floor 2 is a round-based zombie shooter game with classes. The cooperative aspect of it makes th??is so much fun, especially when pitted against the hundreds of zombies (or Zeds as they are called in-game). 

With so many maps to choose from and so many builds in the gam?e, you can easily have dozens of hours slaying these Zeds. There’s even a PvP aspect of the game if you and your group are feelin??g competitive.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge - Extra

If you want a classic beat ‘em up in the modern era, TMNT Shredder’s Revenge is the best you’ll get from the PS Plus collection. It’s an awesome party game that’s so reminiscent of the ??Sega Genesis and arcade era of 16-bit games.? 

The best part is, if you have a group above four people, ??you can play up to six playe?rs at once!

Worms W.M.D - Extra

The Worms games were all wacky fun with hilarious physics, explosions, and interactions. To break away from games that have a more cooperative aspect, Worms W.M.D is all about blowing up all the competition to be the? one to get out on top. 

It’s an easy game to get into, whether you have eve??r tried 2D t??ank-styled games or not.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 - Premium

The Division 2 is one of the bigger looter shooter games out right now that isn’t free to play. It? has only gotten better since it was first released. Having a full-on cooperative aspect, PvP, and a sizeable community, this is something you can easily sink over a hundred hours into.

The gunplay and all ??the builds are for the hardcore, but the initial playthrough of the base campaign will still provide plenty of fun for casuals.

Serious Sam Collection - Premium

If you want a more cooperative experience with a shooter, the Serious Sam Collection is going ?to be a blast. Being more akin to early 2000s boomer shooters, this collection of games will provide you and your friends with dozens of hours of high-octane shooter gameplay.

W??hile highly unlikely, you can play cooperative mode with up to 16 players. The action will be insane and hilarious all at the same time.

Moving Out - Extra

If you want a more party-centric multiplayer game in the PS Plus catalog, Moving Out will scratch that itch and then some. Think of these games being an extension of the Overcooked games. You’re constantly walking over your teammates and othe??r obstacles to get the job done.

You might break a few things or have?? a huge fail along the way, but it’s all in good fun.

Overcooked 2 - Extra

Carrying the momentum forward from Moving Out, Overcooked is the OG of birds-eye view, cooperative, item-moving games. The experience in the second game is different almost every single time since everyone is frantically trying to? get their tasks done and efficiently. 

The post 10 Best PS Plus multiplayer games appeared first on Destructoid.

Sony has been adding more PlayStation 2 games to its Classics catalogue on PlayStation Plus, starting with Tomb Raider Legend, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the first Sly Cooper game. Hopefully, the other two Sly sequels will follow suit. But, in the meantime, it's said that Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus has been the most popular so far?, and has even had the biggest debut ev??er on PS Plus Premium.

This is according to TrueTrophies, which sampled data from over 3.1 million active PSN accounts. While there are no exact figures, Sly Cooper saw 39.66% more active players the week of its PS Plus launch than Tomb Raider Legend (both games arrived on June 11). It also had 2.5% more players than what PS1 RPG The Legend of Dragoon, the former best-performing PS Plus Premium game, had during? its launch week in February 2023.

As a die-hard fan of the Sly series myself, it makes me very happy to know fellow PlayStation owners have flocked to the first game, be they returning fans or curious newcomers. At the very least, this shows there is interest in the series, though I'm hesitant to say this is all the evidence Sony needs to justify launching a hypothetical Sly 5. For starters, while it may rank at the top of the Premium tier, further data from TrueTrophies covering all of PS Plus puts Sly Cooper as only the eighth biggest PS Plus launch of 2024 so far, sitting below indie hit Animal Well and Borderlands spin-off Tiny Tina's Wonderlands.

Plus, I really can't think of a Sony owned developer that could take over the Sly series. Sucker Punch, which handled the original trilogy from 2002 to 2005, has made it clear it has moved on from the series, even stressing in a 2022 blog post that no Sly projects were in the works at any studio. It's also easy to assume the studio is busy working on a possible sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, especially considering how much of a sales success that game was, with its last recorded figures being 9.75 million copies by July 2022, two years after launch.

Sony enlisted Sanzaru Games for the fourth entry, 2013's Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, but that studio has since been acquired by Facebook and is now part of Oculus Studios. And while Sony has studios well-versed in making 3D platformers, like Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games and Naughty Dog (which made the Jak & Daxter games before moving onto Uncharted and The Last of Us), ??there are likely far too busy with other projects that would be more of a priority for the company.

A Sly 5 is sorely needed, if only to resolve the cliffhanger ending from Thieves in Time. With the odds of such a sequel happening so low, though, I think us fans will have to pin hopes on Sly 2 and 3 being added to the Classics catalogue, which will? hopefully?? happen sooner rather than later.

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Sony has announced that the coming weekend will offer PlayStation players free access to online multiplayer modes in games that they own. The PlayStation Plus free weeke??nd a??ccess is set for June 22-23.

While PS Plus�online multiplayer feature will be free for all players this weekend, it is important to unders?tand that the free access is solely for online multiplayer gaming, and no other PS Plus benefits will be free this we?ekend, such as access to Game Catalogue. This also means that you must own the video games you want to try out the online multiplayer modes for.

Subscription to a PlayStation Plus tier is generally required across many games on the PlayStation in order to play online multiplayer modes. Owning a video game on the console is not enough for some titles to gain access to multiplayer modes, with titles such as Helldivers 2, EA Sports FC 24, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, GTA Online, and many more requiring a PS Plus subscription.

However, there are also games available on PlayStation that do not require any PS Plus subscription to gain access to the online multiplayer modes. Games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, and Rocket League gi??ve players access to multiplayer modes without requiring an active PS Plus subscription.

PlayStation X/Twitter account’s official announcement carries the promo picture for this upcoming free multiplayer weekend, where for some reason, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is featured alongside NBA 2K24, and EA Sports FC 24. Modern Warfare 2 came out back in 2022, and its successor Modern Warfare 3 came out last year in November 2023. Regardless, the free multiplayer weekend ?can be utilized to try out multiplayer modes for games you own. What are you planning to play this weekend?

The post PSA: PlayStation Plus has a free multipla??yer weekend on June 22-23 appeared first on Destructoid.

Sony has revealed the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog titles for June 2024. A total of 14 games have been added, which includes Monster Hunter Rise, Football Manager 2024, Far Cry 4, and more. All the titles will become playable from June?? 18 on??wards.

Monster Hunter Rise is an action RPG from Capcom, whereas Football Manager 2024 is a football management sim. Ubisoft’s Far Cry 4 is an FPS title set in Kyrat, a fictional Himalayan country.&nbs??p;

Here ar?e all the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog titles for June 2024:

• After Us
• Anno 1800
• Crusader Kings 3
• Far Cry 4
• Football Manager 2024
• LEGO The Hobbit
• LEGO The Incredibles
• Monster Energy Supercross â€?The Official Videogame 6
• Monster Hunter Rise 
• Police Simulator: Patrol Officers

Crusader Kings 3 is a strategy RPG game from Paradox Interactive. There are two LEGO games coming as well, based on The Hobbit and The Incredibles movies respectively. Monster Energy Supercross �The Official Videogame 6? i?s a motorbike racing game, based on the 2022 Supercross season.

PlayStation Plus Premium members get to enjoy titles from the Classic Games Catalog as well, which features?? titles originally released?? for older PlayStation consoles.

Here are the PS Plus Cl??as??sic Games Catalog titles for June 2024:

• Daxter
• Ghosthunter
• LEGO Star Wars 2: The Original Trilogy

Sony has also announced Kayak VR: Mirage as a new edition to the PS VR 2 games catalog.

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Sony has added a new demo, or game trial as it likes to call them, for Persona 3 Reload to its PlayStation Plus serv??ice, so Premium tier subscribers can play its first three hours at no extra cost. It's an offer that has been met with scrutiny and m??ockery from fans online, and they're not exactly wrong.

Take a quick look through reactions to developer Atlus' announcement for the trial on Twitter, and you'll see many fans argue that three hours is not enough time for something like Persona 3 Reload. The game has a pretty slow start and is front-loaded with a lot of cutscenes and story set-up. You likely won't reach yo??ur first instance of combat and dungeon exploring until you're over an hour in, and that's if you don't spend too much time wandering around the school area beforehand. You can save a lot of time by skipping cutscenes, but then how are you supposed to tell if you'll like its cast of characters and st??ory? This also doesn't leave much room to get to grips with other important mechanics, like the Social Links and fusing Personas.

Plenty have also drawn direct comparisons with Microsoft's offer on Xbox Game Pass, which lets you play Persona 3 Reload in its entirety. It's not even as if Sony's offer is distinctly cheaper. In fact, it's ever so slightly more expensive; one month of Game Pass is $16.99, while one month of PS Plus Premium is $17.99. If you're curious about trying out Persona 3 Reload, you may as well do so via Xbox.

Granted, not everyone can afford to own both a PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and there's no harm in at least giving the trial a go if you're a PS5 owner who's already subscribed to PS Plus Premium. However, these time limits Sony imposes on its game trials ultimately prevent you from really taking your time with them. The constant ticking clock means you're forced to rush through as much of the game as possible, which doesn't do a good job of demonstrating what the game's actually like to play casually. This isn't so bad for games that quickly throw you into the thick of it, but RPGs like Persona 3 Reload certainly need a lot more than three hours.

Perhaps an ideal compromise would be to limit the demos to a certain number of days. I imagine Sony doesn't already do this out of fear of players speeding through an entire game so they don't have to buy it; remember, these trials grant access to the full game, not a small portion of it. This obviously wouldn't be great for shorter games, but maybe there could be an exception for the longer ones, like Persona 3 Reload. Even if it was only a two or three-day limit, that's more than enough time for someone to get a proper underst??anding of the game and decide if they want to keep goin??g. Or maybe just make it a normal demo that has an exact cut-off point; one that still lets you continue your progress into the full game.

Sony probably won't be changing its approach to handling PS Plus trials any time soon, but it's offers like this that frankly don't make them feel like much of a bonus for paying for a Premium subscription. Admittedly, the biggest selling point for the Premium tier is the catalog of retro PlayStation games,? but that's not an especially impressive line-up eit??her.

If you're not a PS Plus subscriber, don't have access to an Xbox, but do want to give Persona 3 Reload a shot, it's probably better to wait for it to go on sale than subscribe for just three hours of game time. In fact, at the time of writing, Persona 3 Reload on PS5 is available at a discount digitally fo??r $48.99, but only until June 6.

The post Persona 3 Reload’s three-hour PS Plus trial highlights the problem with time-limited demos appeared first on Destructoid.

Barely any PS2 games have been added to the PlayStation Plus Classics catalog since the service's 2022 revamp, and the ones that are included are HD conversions or remasters, meaning they lack the additional features seen in the emulated Play Station 1 and PlayStation Portable titles. However, that may be about to change according to a leaked listing for an upcoming re-release of 2002's Star Wars: The Clone Wars game.

This comes courtesy of PS Deals (via Gematsu), which specialises in tracking the backend of the PS Store for updates. The listing obviously isn't live, but PS Deals was able to find and share a description and screenshots for Star Wars: The Clone Wars alongside a purported release date of June? 11. This should mean we'll see the game added to the Classics catalog in next month's update.

What's most interesting, however, is how the game will be "enhanced with ??up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters." This will make it the first PS2 game on the catalog to have such features, and seems to suggest that there'll finally be a dedicated PS2 emulator on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Ideally, this will result in PS2 games being more frequently added to the service.

I can think of several PS2 classics that myself and fans would love to see arrive on PS Plus via emulation, such as the original Ratchet & Clank and Sly Cooper games. Although I wouldn't be surprised if more obscure choices took priority considering Sony's track record with the catalog so far. To date, the PS1 line-up still lacks era defining games like the first Tomb Raider and the Crash Bandicoot series, but does have Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. Not to mention it seems the first of these emulated PS2 games will be a Star Wars movie tie-in rather than any major first-party exclusive??.

Still, we can always hope, and more PS2 games is better than none. It should at least add some extra value to the Premium tier for PS Plus and, depending on which games are added, could incentivise more people into subscribing. Maybe one day, Sony will somehow get a PlayStation 3 emulator working too, so we don't have to make do with its cloud streaming service to play old?? PS3 games.

The post Looks like PS Plus may finally get a PS2 emulator starting with Sta?r Wars: The Clone Wars appeared first on Destructoid.

Bethesda recently released a fancy next-gen update for Fallout 4, upgrading the game to run natively on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Ser??ies X|S. If you're a PlayStation owner and are subscribed to PlayStation Plus, don't worry, you can access the free? update too, and we've put together a simple explainer on how to download it.

Aside from being able to enjoy Fallout 4 on current hardware, the update comes with improved visuals and resolutions, 60fps, and general bug fixes. For whatever reason, this initially didn't apply to anyone who has access to Fallout 4 via PS Plus' game catalo??g, sparking assumptions that you had to buy the game itself to receive the update.

Bethesda soon assured that wasn't the case and, in an April 25 post on Twitter, promised to sort this out. As of April 30, the issue has been resolved (again, per Bethesda's Twitter account), so here's ??how PS Plus subscribers can download the PS5 update.

How to download Fallout 4's PS5 update on PS Plus

First things first, be sure you're at least subscribed to the PS Plus Extra tier. It's the cheapest tier that gives you access to the service's game catalog, which lets you play Fallout 4 (as well as upwards of 400 other games) at no extra cost. The catalog is included with PS Plus Premium too, but n??ot PS Plus Essential.

To download the update, go to the Game Library on the PS5 home screen. As long as you've downloaded Fallout 4 from the Game Catalog in the PS Plus menu, you should find the game in the Your Collection section. Select Fallout 4, open the drop-down menu by sele??cting the three little dots, and pick the s??tandard edition of the game.

This is the bit that's a little confusing since it will then list two options, both labeled as "Game." You want to pick the second "Game," which should bring up the option to add the PS5 version of Fallout 4 to your library for free.

If this is your first time heading into the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 4, feel free to check out our guide?? on which perks you should prioritize obtaining in the early game. You may have also heard some players recommending not downloading the update at all, though this mainly pertains? to the PC version b?ecause of how the update has impacted mods.

The post Fallout 4’s PS5 update is available for PS Plus owners—here’s how to download it appeared first on Destructoid.

Plus a Trek to Yomi

The PlayStation Plus monthly game lineup for June 2023 is out, and?? it's got a strange mix of titles. Sports fans, archaeologists, and sword aficionados will all have something t??o look forward to in June, at the least.

For June 2023 PlayStation Plus is getting NBA 2K23, the most recent entry in the basketball series, for PlayStation 4 and PS5. Reviews on this particular entry seem medium-warm, though I'll admit, I haven't played some virtual hoops in quite a while. My go-to is NBA Street, personally. But if you want to play the modern-day, professional basketball, this a cheap way to try ?it out?.

Otherwise, if you're a bit more keen on dinosaurs, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is also on this month's docket. These dinos (probably) can't play basketball, but they can cause havoc for you and your parkgoers. Ever think you could run Jurassic Park and have it not turn into a terrifying mess? Well, this is your shot??.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g76Zx7zydXQ

If you just want a cinematically inclined, action-driven story about a swordsman, Trek to Yomi can cover that. Following Hiroki, a blademaster who fails in his vow to protect the people he cares for, you can expect a lot of slicing and dicing in this 2D action-adventure game.

Of course, a new month means we see some old games depart. If they look appealing, make sure to get?? them before they're gone. Here's everything coming and going on the PlayStation Plus monthly lineup in June 2023. You've got until June 6 to lock them onto your account.

Coming to PlayStation Plus monthly games in June 2023

• NBA 2K23 (PS4, Ps5)
• Jurassic World Evolution 2 (PS4, PS5)
• Trek to Yomi (PS4, PS5)

Leaving the PlayStation Plus monthly games on June 6

• GRID Legends
• Chivalry 2
• Descenders

The post June PlayStation Plus lineup includes inclu?des basketball and dinosaurs appeared first on Destructoid.

Finally, Humanity is launching

It will soon be time for Humanity to hit PC and Pl??ayStation. Enhance and Tha Ltd.'s human-driven puzzle game will debut on M??ay 16, and it will be a Day 1 game for the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog.

This curious mixture of puzzle-solving and barking orders debuted during a Sony State of Play earlier this year, alongside a demo. Now, the puzzler is ready to launch onto both P?layStation 4 and PS5, as well as PC, and with VR versions on PS VR and PS VR2.

Additionally, Humanity will be one of May's PlayStation Plus Game Catalog entries. This means those who subscribe to the upper two tiers of PS Plus, either Extra or Premium, will get access to Humanity for no cost.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM1yO7bcqqk

As you can see in the frankly delightful commercial above, Humanity follows a service dog who can direct mass amounts o?f humans around puzzling stages. The glowing shiba inu can place commands for the hordes of humans to follow, creating a forward-marching line of people that??'s wild to watch.

The Humanity team is advertising a "90-plus stage single-player Story Mode," but there's even more potential in the level creator section too. Users wi??ll be able to create and share their own puzzle level??s online.

Humanity's best friend

Every time I see Humanity, it feels like a PS1 puzzle game leapt forward in time. It's got such a markedly different look and feel from many other games out there right now, and I love the seemingly simple but extremely flexible set-up of the game. Suffice to say, this is on my radar for May, even if it's launching alongside one of the year's biggest releases.

This is also another get for the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, as having something like this Day 1 certainly makes the service look appealing. The open-air adventure Tchia was also a Game Catalog launc??h, and it's interesting to see Sony get more of these lined up.

Humanity arrives for PlayStation 4, PS5, PS VR, PS VR2, and Steam on May ??16.

The post Humanity arrives in May, and will be Day?? 1 for PS Plus Game Catalog appeared first on Destructoid.

Ready to download on PS4 & PS5 today

Sony has rolled out its "Essential" tier offerings for all PlayStation Plus users today. As of today, all PS Plus members can download March's games, which include Electronic Arts' Battlefield 2042, Bandai Namco's Code Vein, and Xbox Game Studios Minecraft Dungeons.

//www.youtube.com/watch???v=WomAGoEh-Ss&ab_channel??=Battlefield

Released in the fall of 2021, Battlefield 2042 is the 12th mainline installment in the Battlefield series, once again developed by EA subsidiary studio, DICE. This entry features all of the land, sea, and air combat one has come to expect from the series, but earned infamy for its litany of bugs, balancing ??i?ssues, and technical problems upon launch, while als?o receiving derision for being the first title in the series not to offer a single-player campaign, focusing solely on multiplayer.

While the furor has long since died down, Battlefield 2042 was railed across the coals at launch, with negative review??s, players calling for refunds, and piss-poor sales ultimately killing the title before it had barely gotten out of the barracks. An update would fix much of the game's problems, but the horse was long out of the barn, with the title, even in improved form, failing to ?meet sales expectations.

//www.youtube????????????????????????????.com/watch?v=o_r3tjj0XeA&ab_channel=BandaiNamcoEntertainmentAmerica

Developed by Bandai Namco's in-house studios, Code Vein is an anime-gothic soulslike that launched on PS4, PC, and Xbox One in September 2019. It tells the tale of a post-apocalyptic world, where an endangered race of vampiric creatures known as "The Revenants", ?embark upon a grim and hazardous journey for sustenance, lest they become the frenzied monsters known as "The Lost".

Though divisive, Code Vein has its own sense of style �pushing its "Metal" edge to the point of cheese which is, in itself, an endearing qu??ality. The title poses a significant challenge to all players, and maintains flow with an interesting cast of characters and a dark overworld. Worth checking out for Soulslike fans, maybe you'll find that it pushes all of your requisite buttons.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC??bE47v1qVk&ab_channel=Minecraft

Minecraft Dungeons, as the name suggests, takes the globally popular world builder and marries it to the dungeon-crawler genre, ultimately producing the cutest little Diablo clone you ever di?d see. Played from an isometric perspective, heroes battle their way through procedurally generated dungeons while slaying monsters and bagging loot. The ultimate goal is to reach a lost friend, who has fallen under the influence of the powerful Orb of Dominance.

Minecraft Dungeons is a perfectly fine du??ngeon crawler, but is perhaps better suited for younger players, given its ease, short length, and relatively shallow nature. As a gateway to a world of dungeon crawling, however, it ver?y much achieves its goals with ease.

Battlefield 2042, Code Vein, and Minecraft Dungeons are available now to all PlayStation Plus users.

The post March PS Plus of??ferings include Battlef??ield 2042 and Code Vein appeared first on Destructoid.

Superhot and Injustice 2 on PS4 round out the PS Plus Essential lineup for October 2022

If you didn't pick up Hot Wheels Unleashed at launch (and recent sales didn't tempt you), then October should be a good month for PlayStation Plus. Milestone's well-liked arcade racing game joins the lineup for PS Plus Essential subscribers alongside NetherRealm's superhero fighter Injustice 2 and the minimalist action-shooter classic Superhot.

You can follow those links and claim the games starting on Tuesday, ?October 4.

Hot Wheels Unleashed has some cool locations, complete with nostalgic plastic orange tracks, and the cars look authentic, too. The main hangup is the way they're unlocked (through loads of DLC and loot boxes), and while those complaints still stand, getting acces??s to the base game with your PlayStation Plus subscription eases the tension a bit.

I'm not sure where you're at with general superhero fatigue in 2022, and Injustice 2 feels like a short lifetime ago, but it's the kind of broad-appeal fighter that makes sense for the PS Plus audience. (There's ??a story mode.) Been there, done that? I feel you.

[caption id="attachment_346186" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Superhot is super replayable. You can always fight better.}
[/caption]

As for Superhot, it's a game about looking cool with a novel time-moves-when-you-do mechanic powering cinematic shootouts and other crazed action scenes. A classic FPS, though I'm sure plenty of you would've preferred getting the VR?? edition instead??.

Obligatory reminder in case it slipped your mind: you have until October 3 to claim Need for Speed Heat, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and Toem. If you're a completionist �or could be, under the right circumstances �then I'd also suggest snagging the free Keys to the Map for Need for Speed Heat while you're at it. It'?ll fill in the collectible locations.

According to Sony, the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium game additions for October will be shared "later this month." More classics this time, please! Like, a lot more.

The post Hot Wheels Unleashed is a great get for PlayStation Plus in? October appeared first on Destructoid.

The next batch of classics and Game Catalog titles will show up on September 20

After neglecting retro game fans in August, Sony has several PS1, PS3, and PSP classics lined up for PlayStation Plus Premium subsc?ribers in September, as well as more games joining the PS Plus Extra tier's Game Catalog. It's not the splashy lineup I hoped to see.

Here are the PlayStation Plus Premium classics coming on September 20:

• Syphon Filter 2 (PS1)
• The Sly Collection (PS3)
• Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3)
• Bentley's Hackpack (PS3)
• Toy Story 3 (PSP)
• Kingdom of Paradise (PSP)

And here are the Extra/Premium Game Catalo?g additions, also arriving on Septem?ber 20:

• Deathloop (PS5)
• Assassin's Creed Origins (PS4)
• Watch Dogs 2 (PS4)
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 (PS4)
• Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition (PS4)
• Chicory: A Colorful Tale (PS4)
• Monster Energy Supercross â€?The Official Videogame 5 (PS4, PS5)
• Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX (PS4, PS5)
• Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show (PS4)
• Rayman Legends (PS4)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game â€?Complete Edition (PS4)

If you're a PS Plus Essential subscriber, Sony also confirmed the monthly games, following a leak �they'll be claima?ble from September 6 through October 3:

• Need for Speed Heat (PS4)
• Granblue Fantasy: Versus (PS4)
• Toem (PS5)

For summaries of every game, the PlayStation Blog has you covered.

As I'v?e said before, if you've got the money and interest, Essential is where it's at right now. The main limiting factor i?s time (and maybe storage or bandwidth caps).

Some of us were willing to take a chance on upgrading to PlayStation Plus Premium for this first year, but if Sony wants to keep people hooked long-term, it'll have to do better. A lot better. The fact that there's a treasure trove of potential classics to pull from makes it all the more painful to see stuff like Toy Story 3 for PSP instead of, say, Dino Crisis.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFRmr6MNivE

It is nice to see Sly Cooper return in any capacity, but you're out? of luck if you can't (or won't) do streaming, which remains the only way to play these PS Plus PS3 games.

On a happier note, I'm stoked to dig into Chicory, Toem, and Alex Kidd. I ??think September is a pretty good one for the Essential and Extra tiers. More fuel for the backlog?. It's a shame that the classics side of the equation isn't �or at least doesn't feel like �a priority.

The post PS ??Plus Premium is adding more retro games in September, but the Extra lineup is so much better appeared first on Destructoid.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers are getting Yakuza, Trials of Mana, and more

Sony shared the new games coming to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog in August for Extra and Premium subscribers, and I hope you like Yakuza or are willing to give it a chance. Heavily discounted as they often are, the Yakuza games rule, and Yakuza 0, especially, is an all-time great video game �the? kind that will sit with you for years.

It feels strange to call Monopoly Madness a hidden gem, but it is. Take a chance on it.

Here's the full lineup, which some of you might find disappointi??ng.

New games joining the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog on August 16, 2022

• Bugsnax
• Dead by Daylight
• Metro Exodus
• Monopoly Madness
• Monopoly Plus
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
• Trials of Mana
• UNO
• Yakuza 0
• Yakuza Kiwami
• Yakuza Kiwami 2

It's going to be interesting to see what a "normal" month ends up being for the PS Plus Game Catalog. Expectations are pretty set for the Essential tier, at this point.

As someone who tries to keep up with most major releases within reason, these games aren't that fresh �but if you've been out of the loop and haven't played games like Bugsnax, Metro Exodus, or Yakuza 0 yet, then sure, t?here's some good stuff to check out.

[caption id="attachment_339045" align="alignnone" width="960"] _{Monopoly Madness is worth a look for the Overcooked crowd �even if you dislike Monopoly proper.}[/caption]

Trials of Mana is a good pull if you're down for an RPG remake, and while it's super under the radar, Monopoly Madness is a surprisingly enjoyable party game.

Weirdly �bafflingly �there's no word yet about additional classic PS1, PS2, or PSP games joining the PlayStation Plus Premium library in August. After a quiet launch, followed by two lonely classics (No Heroes Allowed! and LocoRoco Midnight Carnival) in July, I'm not feeling optimistic about Sony's retro releases. There's so much to pull from!

If you haven't upgraded, I would easily recommend PlayStation Plus Extra at most �skip Premium until it proves itself. The middle option is the sweet spot with access to the Game Catalog, and while you're missing out on?? classics, you aren't missing that much.

The post The PlayStation Plus Game Catalog has a hidden gem lined up for A??ugust appeared first on Destructoid.

The game catalog has a lot going on, so let's cut through the noise and add to your backlog

After a staggered regional rollout, the "new" PlayStation ?Plus is available across the board. Bu?t is it worth it? And if so, what games should you play? I've got my take.

Subscriptions now range from the most basic and familiar Essential tier (with free monthly games, online multiplayer, and cloud saves), up to Extra (with a hundreds-deep game catalog), and finally Premium (with classics, game ??trials, and cloud streaming).

I intended to hold off, but when I saw how much it would cost me to upgrade and weighed that against the featured?? PS1 and PS2 classics, I ended up springing for Premium.

Maybe don't be like me, though, Many of the retro games can be bought standalone (unfortunately Resident Evil is not one of them), the cadence (and quality) of future PS1 drops is hazy at best, and when it comes ??to PS3 games, they're streaming-only. PS Plus Premium may ultimately prove its?? worth, but for now, I'd widely recommend Extra.

(That said, go ahead and buy Ape Escape. It holds up super well with rewinds.)

Of the three, PS Plus Extra seems ideal so far

Quick refresher: the scale goes from $60 per year (Essential), to $100 per year (Extra), to $120 per year (Essential). That's quite a jump, especially if you're juggling other gaming and streaming services, but *depending on your backlog*, there's a lot of potential? value in the PlayStation Plus Extra game catalog. For new PS5 owners, in particular, it could be a great way to dive in and experience some of the console's best exclusives, back to back.

After poking around the PS4 and PS5 catalog, I've come back with 20 games for you to check out if you're unsure of what to play next with your PlayStation Plus Extra subscription. Rather than just try to sum up the no-brainer best of the best, I thought I'd go with some lesser-kn?own games to keep things interesting. Speaking of which...

Stuck on what to play next? Here's a list of ideas

Bee Simulator (PS4)

This is my wildcard pick of the bunch, for sure. It's less a by-the-books "simulator" than it is a fast-flying game-y adventure with talking bees, side ques?ts, and assorted facts.

I only meant to take a look out of morbid curiosity, but I kept playing Bee Simulator, and I'll be back for? more. The inherently neat game concept and zoo setting help make up for budget- and scope-constrained rough edges. Also, huh, there'??s split-screen multiplayer.

Blasphemous (PS4)

I called Blasphemous the gnarliest video game of 2019, and in the years since, I'm happy its dark religious world has caught on with a surprisingly wide audience. This game is a must-play for action-platformer fans, and if you're up for a challenge �and have a knack for sussing out s?ecrets �you'll be rewarded with some unforgettable imagery.

For the best experience, I'd pick the S?panish voice-o?ver instead of English.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (PS4)

You can only play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night so many times (just kidding, I'll never get tired of it), and when the mood strikes again, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is here.

If you're looking for a good old grind, th??is could be it; I l?oved filling out the bestiary and collecting shards. Just don't be afraid to seek pointers if you're stumped during the main story progression �there are a few sketchy spots that could lead to wild goose chases.

Somehow, the update roadmap is still underway in 2022. If you've tuned out, or it's just been a while since you last played Bloodstained, the linear Classic Mode is worthwhile.

Dead Cells (PS4)

As much as I wanted a nice spread of genres, I can't resist spotlighting Dead Cells.

This is one of the best roguelite action games out there, with ridiculously slick-feeling combat and fun character builds, and it only seems to get better with age (and free updates). Recently, the developers opened up accessibility options and a full-on Assist Mode, so if you just want to "see the end," you can ?use revives and power through.

Death Stranding: Director's Cut (PS5)

I like when Kojima gets *weird*, and Death Stranding certainly goes there.

But more than just "the funky game with famous faces and a baby in a jar," Death Stranding is a fresh, conscious take on open-world gaming. Hiking feels personal and impactful in a way that no other game has really nailed, and ?collaborating with other players from afar to collectively make the world a little? easier is such an untapped "please copy this" concept.

The story? It's a ride. As for the Director's Cut, expect a bunch of little features and additions sewn into the original exper??ience. There are new quests, but they're quick.

Demon's Souls (PS5)

Done with Elden Ring yet? It's never too late to go back to Demon's Souls.

This was my first honest-to-goodness PlayStation 5 game, and in mid-2022, it is still the ??definitive "PS5" experience for me. I expect Bluepoint's impressive visuals to hold up all the way to the end of this console's life cycle �it's got that stop-and-stare wow factor.

With so many gigantic open worlds to? explore these days, it??'s nice to be able to hop between segmented levels from a convenient hub zone. Both styles have their place.

If you're up for it??, a castle-storming, prison-breaking, swamp-sloshing adventure?? awaits.

Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow o??f New Despair (PS4)

Sometimes, I w?ant a gripping, thoughtful game that'll ke?ep me fully absorbed.

Other times, I've honestly had enough �I just want to shut off my brain and shoot the shit outta some vicious giant? insects who have once again come back.

Final Fantasy VII (PS4)

The idea of going back to Final Fantasy VII in a post-Remake, pre-Rebirth world sounds ki??nd of fun, doesn't it? You might want to refr?esh your memory before next winter.

Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut (PS4, PS5)

There's nothing quite like riding through fields on horseback in Ghost of Tsushima, and if you haven't experienced that sensation for yourself �if you haven't listened to the wind and touched the tall grass �then you ought to. Don't get me wrong, sneaking and slicing are cool too, as is the co-op Legends mode. But taking in the sights is a highlight.

Ghost of Tsushima resonated with a huge segment of t??he PlayStation audience, and it has certified crowd-favorite status at this point. The Director's Cut sweetens the deal.

If you haven't done Iki Island yet, same! I wasn't ready for it when it ??first came out �open-world fatigue is real �but it seems more palatable now. I've heard great things.

Graveyard Keeper (PS4)

The life-sim landscape has a wide reach these days, and everyone's got their favorite game. Graveyard Keeper isn't?? min??e, but it isn't too far behind, either. It's special.

Graveyard tending is only part of this crafting-heavy experience, and it's not long before the medieval fever-dream snowballs out of control. There are so many potential tasks to do, with only so much time in a day, and figuring out how to stay on top of the w?eekly schedule is a feat. Along the way, you'?ll cross paths with strange, memorable charact?ers.

If you're okay with some busywork �okay, a lot of busywork �you'll sink right in.

Journey to the Savage Planet (PS4)

This one goes out to all the Metroid Prime fans who still waiting for what's next.

Journey to the Savage Planet isn't a perfect stand-in, but it captures some of those sa?me notes on a smaller scale. Better yet, if you've got an online partner, there's co-op support.

The humor?? can be hit-or-miss (I liked it fine), but the gameplay �exploring vertical areas with a grappling hook, scanning alien weirdos, and upgrading your suit �is a blast.

KeyWe (PS4, PS5)

Don't sleep on KeyWe if you're looking for an Overcooked replacement. While plenty of games have leaned into communicating amid all-out chaos, few have come this close.

KeyWe is about a pair of kiwis who have to run a multifaceted mailroom, which means you'll work together with a partner to stomp keys to write messages and perfectly pack boxes, among other frantic tasks. When? you're in the thick of it, you'll have to parse info pretty fast and divide the labor with your teammate efficiently, so it's more than just dashing around and having quick reflexes. If you've got a big brain, you can play solo.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (PS4, PS5)

This game had quite the turnaround from?? inc??eption to launch. From the outside looking in, I genuinely thought it was something I could skip without hesitation, and I wasn't alone.

But ??it's go?od, actually. Parts of it �the characterizations, especially �are even great.

Coming off of Thor: Love and Thunder, this vibe could hit just right.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS4, PS5)

I feel like Miles Morales will b??e one of the most-downloaded PlayStation Plus Extra games, so you don't need me to tell you to check it out, but I will anyway. I've got to!

Even if you're "not that into Spider-Man" in general, it's fantastic, much like its predecessor �come for the slick citywide swinging, stay for these charac?ters. When everything is said and done, you'll become a fan.?? Insomniac really pulled it off.

Comparing the two games, I like the refined combat and smaller scope of Miles Morales. It stands on its own, and it's got me (even more) hyped for the larger-scale sequel in 2023.

Returnal (PS5)

I miss Housemarque's earlier arcade days, but if the trade-off is Returnal, I can't be mad.

This is the sort of game PlayStation Plus Extra was made for �it's very particular, and plenty of people are going to bounce off it, but you'll never know until you try it and you may end up loving it. Once you learn the ways of the bullet-hell and start toppling bosses, you'll be hooked. Try to at least get through that first biome before cal?ling it quits.

In case you missed it, there's now a Suspend feature, so that pesky caveat is out.

SOMA (PS4)

I've championed SOMA before and I'll do it again.

If you like horror games, go for it, no questions asked. If you can tolerate horror games and you care a lot about video games as a unique medium to te?ll stories, take a chance. Worth noting: if it's too intense, there's a Safe Mode to?? keep the monsters (relatively) at bay.

I'?m rooting for horror games in the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog �keep 'em coming.

Tetris Effect: Connected (PS4)

Do you ever replay emotional moments from games in y??our mind out of the blue???

I do, sometimes. And against all odds, one of those moments comes from Tetris Effect of all games. The music, the visuals, everything. It's magical. I never thought of myself as a "Tetris person" �and I still don't; not really �but this goes ab??ove and beyond.

Until Dawn (PS4)

Supermassive has continued its cinematic horror-adventure kick far beyond Until Dawn, and if yo??u've never played the original �and arguably best �of the studio's games, you should. Ideally with friends, if you ?can. It's coming up on seven years, but it still holds up.

Until Dawn plays with cheesy horror tropes and puts you in charge of characters you might not actually want to survive?? the night,?? but that's all part of the fun. Sit back, follow your gut, and strap in �this story is meatier than you might expect, and you'll need to keep your cool until the final moments. (Trust me. It can all go to shit in an instant.)

Wild Guns Reloaded (PS4)

As a huge SNES fan, I always regretted missing Wild Guns back in the day. It looked so sick �and still does! Thankfully, the game lives on today, in part with th??is upgraded remaster.

Wild Guns Reloaded deserves a big nod if you've been craving the chaos of arcades, especially with a full co-op crew ready to back y?ou up. It'll be an unruly night.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (PS4)

It might not be the fan-favorite (Ys VIII is also in the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog), but Ys IX has cool world traversal, a??nd sometimes that's what it takes to get the foot in the door.

And with that, I'm spent. There are hundreds of PlayStation Plus Extra games to sift through, and those are my suggestions to at le??ast get you started.

We'll see how the catal?og shapes up as new games ??come and go.

The post 20 games worth playing in the PlayStation Plus Extra c?at??alog appeared first on Destructoid.

Sony has confirmed the lineup for May 3

[Update: Sony announced the May 2022 games for PlayStation Plus subscrib?ers.]

We've got a heads-up on the next batch of free-with-your-subscription PlayStation Plus games, so hold tight and don't buy anything prematurely. According to a leak out of Dealabs, the May 2022 lineup for PlayStation Plus will include FIFA 22, Tribes of Midgard, and Curse of the Dead Gods, t??he latter of which is a hidden-gem roguelike acti??on game.

We're at a place in the console divide where it's worth asking which platforms are supported. In this case �according to the leak, at least �FIFA 22 will be claimable for PS4/PS5, Tribes of Midgard will be PS4/PS5, and Curse of the Dead Gods will be PS4-only.

There's a contingent of players who prefer to only ever pick up sports games through subscription programs like PS Plus or EA Play. And then there are folks like me who always redeem whatever sports game shows up with no intention of playing it. For a lot of folks, FIFA 22 will be a good get. Personally, though, I've had my eye on the other ?two.

[caption id="attachment_318845" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Curse of the Dead Gods.}[/caption]

You know FIFA, but what about the others?

Tribes of Midgard left an impression on me during last year's summer of streams; it's a co-op survival action-RPG about thrashing giants before they can wreck your town. The premise seemed fun, but I was never convinced I'd stick with?? it all the way,?? so I held off.

Curse of the Dead Gods, on the other hand, is a solitary skill-driven roguelike game set in a relentless temple. I've wanted to play it �the und??er-the-radar buzz sounded pretty good! �but I've also heard it can be a very demanding game once you're in the thick of it.

Sometimes �a lot of the time, actually �it pays to hesitate. If you're a PlayStation Plus ??member, chec??k back in during the first week of May to claim these PS4 and PS5 games.

It won't be much longer now before the PS Plus scene gets more complicated.

The post PlayStation Plus May lineup locks in ?FIFA 22, Tribes of Midgard, and Cur?se of the Dead Gods (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends is considered a bonus

PlayStation Plus is giving out four free-with-your-sub games in March, and this lineup should feel like a relative step up for many of us. Starting Tuesday, March 1, subscribers will be able to claim Team Sonic Racing (PS4), Ark: Survival Evolved (PS4), Ghostrunner (PS5 only), and a so-called "bonus game" �Ghost of Tsushima: Legends (PS4 / PS5).

[Update: It'??s time to add these games to your PS Plus library. Follow those links!]

What's worth playing?

You might be wondering what's up with Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, so let's start there. It's a standalone version of the Legends co-op multiplayer mode, which ended up being surprisingly excellent. In?? other words, if?? you bought the main game, you already have access to this stuff, so there's nothing to see here with respect to PlayStation Plus.

For everyone else who didn't play Ghost of Tsushima but might be into a bit of class-based PvE action, Ghost of Tsushima is definitely worth checking ou??t with your subscription.

No really, it's great! It's a nice way to experience Sucker Punch's combat without needing to go through another meaty open-world adventure (and I say that as someone who dug the campaign). Apart from more story-focused two-player missions, Legends also has four-player survival rounds and a team-??based Rivals ??mode. I recommend the former.

Ghostrunner, a fast-moving ninja action game set in a cyberpunk world, is my personal standout among the March PlayStation Plus lineup �al?though it's a shame that it's tied down to PS5 given th?e console's availability. Eight-hour games just fit the bill sometimes.

You probably know how you feel about Ark: Survival Evolved by now �it's an online survival game you're either open to or are truly, utterly never going to play. The dinosaur-wrangling world is a great premise, and there's a dedicated community, but in 2022, my attention is admittedly more focused on the upcoming Ark II, which looks wild.

As for Team Sonic Racing, I'll come right out and say that I'm glad I held off, because I was really on the fence. Realistically, this game was never going to top Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, as that Sega-celebrating bundle of joy is up there with Mario Kart 8 for me in ?terms of all-time kart racers. But as a PS Plus freebie, sure, I'll play and enj??oy this one.

Agree? Disagree? We've? all got our PlayStation Plus takes. Let's hear yours.

The post PlayStation Plus has four games for March, including Ghostrunn?er appeared first on Destructoid.

Persona 5 Strikers, Deep Rock Galactic, and Dirt 5

[Update: This month's games are available now, so hop in through the PlayStation Store links below to make sure you pick up this pretty solid l?ineup of games.]

PlayStation Plus will be ringing in the new year with a more enticing than usual lineup of free-with-your-subscription games: starting on January 4, 2022, we're getting Persona 5 Strikers, Deep Rock Galactic, and Dirt 5. Some people are really going to be stoked (assuming they didn't recently buy any ??of these titles, which can be a constant worry)??.

PS Plus members will be able to snatch up Persona 5 Strikers for PS4, Deep Rock Galactic for PS4 and PS5, and Dirt 5 for PS4 and PS5, which �with the way certain PlayStation Plus freebi?es tend to come with certain platform caveats �is worth clarifying.

If these names sound oddly familiar stacked up like this, you might've seen a recent leak out of Dealabs about the?? January 2022 lin?eup that was, once again, spot on.

Deep Rock Galactic is well-regarded as one o?f the best online co-op games out there, so if?? you're partial to cave-busting space dwarves and teamwork, don't hesitate. According to Ghost Ship Games, the new PlayStation version includes the "Season 01 content update, and will enjoy the same live content schedule as its PC and Xbox counterparts."

That said, I suspect Strikers will be the standout among Destructoid readers �though you may want to brush up on your Persona 5 before diving too deep into this Musou offshoot. You'll get way? more out of it beyond the raw combat; the story isn't an afterthought.

While those two games are likely to generate some genuine excitement or at least curiosity, as a follow-up in a long-running racing series, Dirt 5 feels a bit more like a "Yeah, sure, free is free" inclusion. Especially compared to something like Forza Horizon 5.

If you've been sleeping on the December 2021 PS Plus games, you have until January 3 to claim Godfall: Challenger Edition, LEGO DC Super-Villains, and Mortal Shell (as well as the VR trio The Persistence, Until You Fall, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners).

The post January’s PlayStation Plus games are a step up from recent months appeared first on Destructoid.

The other free PS Plus games are Mortal Shell and LEGO DC Super-Villains for PS4

[Update: Following a leak last week, Sony has confirmed three PlayStation Plus games for December 2021. Starting on Dec. 7, subscribers can claim Godfall: Challenger Edition (PS4/PS5), Mortal Shell (PS4), and LEGO DC Super-Villains (PS4). But, there's a twist.

Rather than the normal full-game Godfall experience, this PS Plus freebie is a newly-whipped-up Challenger Edition that "focuses on" three endgame-level modes called Lightbringer, Dreamstones, and the Ascended Tower of Trials. As Sony puts it, "you'll be immediately equipped with a spread of deadly weapons and skill points, letting you team up with up to two other players in co-op," and "Challenger Edition’s endgame co-op is compatible with all upgraded editions of Godfall and supports cross-gen play."

So where does that leave us? "Godfall: Challenger Edition players can upgrade at any time to the Deluxe Edition, gaining access to both Godfall and Fire & Darkness campaigns."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS6PVLwX590

There's arguably still fun to be had even without the campaign, but talk about a head-turning call that just looks bad at a glance. Our original article follows.]

It would seem we've got an early heads-up about what to expect from the December PlayStation Plus lineup, as Godfall, Mortal Shell, and LEGO DC Super-Villains are reporte?dly on deck for subscribers. I'm sure you've already got thoughts ab?out such a lineup!

Among other lineups, the November PlayStation Plus games were correctly leaked by Dealabs (although we ultimately ended up getting more bonus PlayStation VR games than expected), and now the site is back with another leak for December's PS Plus games.

You might remember Godfall as that loot-accumulating fantasy action-RPG �you know, the one published by Gearbox and released as a PS5 launch game before eventually coming to PS4? That one. It was too pricey for me originally, and I never circled back, so even though my expectations aren't high, I would be down to play it with my subscription. Come to think of it, I've maybe only paid the full $70 for one PS5 game (Demon's Souls) so far without necessarily even trying. I wonder how much longe??r that streak can last.

Of the three games, Mortal Shell, another action-RPG that's more directly Dark Souls-inspired, is probably the most enticing. It's got that "I've been meaning to play you" factor going for it. And while the mood isn't always right for a LEGO game, they're nice to chill out with �I'd say LEGO DC Super-Villains is a pretty fun pick. You get to play as Lobo!

While we wait for these (or other!) games to become claimable in early December, there's still time to claim this month's stuff, including Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, The Persistence, and Knockout City, among others.

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For PlayStation VR's fifth anniversary, Sony revealed the top five most-played games

We've reached the fifth anniversary of PlayStation VR, and Sony is celebrating by adding "bonus games" to the PlayStation Plus library in November, as well as revealing the top five most-played PS VR games since launch and highlighting some d??eveloper quotes.

About those bonus games: "Starting in November, PlayStation Plus members will? get thr??ee PS VR bonus games for no extra charge."

Sony will announce details "in the next few weeks," so for now, we don't know what the games will be or what kind of quality threshold to expect. Hidden gems? Best-sellers? No-names? The phrasing "starting in November" is curious, too. That could imply that the three bonuses are only the beginning of a bigger promo, or that we're getting one bon??us game per month and November is just the first month of that rollout. We'll see!

There are a lot of PlayStation VR games that could be summed up as "PS Plus fodder," and getting people more invested in this platform can only help the eventual PS5 VR headest, so here's hoping for?? some generous picks. (It's gotta be backward-compatible. Right?)

//youtu.be/QkcGRQg0RhQ

As for the most-played PS VR games, Sony took a look at global "playtime hours" from October 13, 2016 �August 31, 2021. Excluding The Playroom VR, which was pack-in software wi??th the headset, these are the worldwide favorites:

• Rec Room
• Beat Saber
• PlayStation VR Worlds
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
• Resident Evil 7

According to Sony, other regional PS VR favorites across North America and Japan include Job Simulator, Firewall: Zero Hour, and Gran Turismo Sport.

In some ways, PlayStation VR doesn't fee?l five years old.

I remember meticulously going through the hit-or-miss launch lineup, sharing gems like Statik just to see how family members would react, teaming up in Keeping Talking and Nobody Explodes, and nervously exploring Resident Evil 7's Baker estate in VR?? �one of my favorite video game experiences of the decade �like it was yesterday. Was it all worth it? I have no real regrets. The high? points made this platform worth owning.

In other ways, PS VR absolutely shows its age.

My patience for charging PlayStation Move controllers is at an all-time low, and that sentiment goes for setting up the headset in general. I don't like having it "out" unless I'm actively playing something, and despite getting one of those PS5 adaptors, I rarely go out of my way for VR games these days unless they seem special �"more of the same" doesn????'t cut it. My library of VR games is mostly locked in, and it's collecting digital dust.

It's hard to tell if Sony is gearing up to announce the next PlayStation VR model at the end of this year, or if that showcase will happen sometime in 2022 (or even later). It's a tricky time to be launching new hardware. I sympathize with anyone who just wants to get ahold of a PS5 console, period, but I am ready for PS5 VR �assuming the software is there. Until then, new PS4 VR games, including Moss: Book II, are still on the way.

While it's a slightly risky idea with three unknown free games coming in the near future, a number of PS VR titles are really cheap right now on the PlayStation Store.

The post PlayStation Plus is throwing in three “bonus” PlayStation VR games in November appeared first on Destructoid.

[Update: Sony PlayStation has confirmed that Hell Let Loose on PS5 and Mortal Kombat X and PGA Tour 2K21 on PS4 are O??ctober's PlayStat??ion Plus offerings. All three titles will go live October 5.]

Mortal Kombat, Hell Let Loose, and PGA

Like clockwork, it seems that Sony's PlayStation Plus offerings for October 2021 have been leaked ahead of time. First spotted by French forum Dealabs (later reported by VGC). It seems that Hell Let Loose for PS5 and Mortal Kombat X and PGA Tour 2K21 for PS4 are all set to join the PS Plus?? library ??in the coming weeks.

Perhaps the oddity here is NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat X, which is not only a pretty old release �having debuted on PS4, PC, and Xbox One in 2015 �but the gory fighter is already included as part of PS5's PlayStation Plus Collection. In fact, I'm quite sure that MKX has already been a PS Plus title, as I remember purchasing it one January/February and being chagrinned when it hit Plus the very next month... That might have been something else. I don't know, it's early. But MK X is definitely part of the PlaySt??ation Plus C?ollection.

Hell Let Loose is a first-person shooter set against the miserable backdrop of World War II's frontlines. Developed by Australian studio Black Matter, the multiplayer-centric title launched as an Early Access PC release in the summer of 2019. It is scheduled to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X on October 5, which may offer a clue as to when the new PS Plus games will hit the PlayStation Network. PGA Tour 2K21 is the latest entry in the long-running golf simula??tor, originally launching in August 2020 on PC a??nd consoles.

So Mortal Kombat X is a bit of an oddity, but the lineup here seems more than believable otherwise. We'll be sure to give you a heads up when the official world comes through from Sony. In the meantime, Hitman 2, Predator: Hunting Grounds, and Overcooked! All you Can Eat are still a????vailable to download on PS Plus right now.

The post (Update) PlayStation Plus October?? offerings confirm previous leak appeared first on Destructoid.

And Virtua Fighter hangs around PlayStation Plus for another month

[Update: It's time to claim July's PlayStation Plus games from the PlayStation Store: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, A Plague Tale: Innocence, and WWE 2K Battlegrounds.]

A new month means a new set of PlayStation Plus games, and one game on the July 2021 card is one I'm sure people might have been eyeing since a follow-up was announced during ?E3 2??021.

A Plague Tale: Innocence's PS5 version headlines July's PlayStation Plus lineup, accompanied by Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and WWE 2K Battlegrounds. They'll all be available starting July 6, and they're joined by a fourth game: Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown will spend a second month on PlayStation Plus.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evv-ECAk35g

It was recently confirmed A Plague Tale: Innocence is coming to new-gen consoles, as well as the Nintendo Switch via the cloud. The PlayStation 5 version targets 60 FPS at 4K native resolution??, which is a really high-fidelity lens to view all those creepy rat swarms through.

Considering A Plague Tale: Requiem was announced at Xbox and Bethesda's E3 showcase, I imagine folks are probably looking for a way to play the first game, so this is a pretty good get. And I have to admit, I'm morbidly curious about the bizarre WWE 2K Battlegrounds.

Remember to pick up June's PS Plus games before July 5, which includes Star Wars: Squadrons and the very good co-op espionage sim Operation: Tango.

The post July’s PlayStation Plus includes the PS5 version of A Plague Tale: Innocence appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh my!

[Update: It's that time again! You can now claim Wreckfest (PS5 only), Stranded Deep (PS4), and Battlefield V (PS4) for your PlayStation Plus library. The ??offer stands until? June 1, 2021.]

The three games coming to PlayStation Plus members next month feature famous vehicles of destruction, from the historical and sporting to the nautical. On May 4, Wreckfest hits the PlayStation 5 lineup, while Battlefield V and Stranded Deep round out the PS4.

Wreckfest: Drive Hard, Die Last is a "full-contact racer" from the makers of FlatOut. There aren't just competitive races, but challenges involving odd vehicles like crop harvesters, and 24-player online multiplayer. Seems good for the folks who didn't get their fill of next-gen vehicular destruction from Destruction AllStars. 

Battlefield V is the series' return to World War 2, with single-player War Stories and massive multiplayer maps to fight across. It makes sense to see this on here, as the Battlefield team is teasing a reveal coming soon.

Stranded Deep is the one I'm least familiar with, but it looks like a survival game about staying alive after your plane crashes in the Pacific. Not only do you have to deal with hunger and thirst, but also the elements and cr??eatures, like possibly sharks? Yikes.

This also serves as a reminder that Oddwold: Soulstorm, Days Gone, and Zombie Army 4: Dead War will be leaving the day before, on May 3. Make sure to lock those in if you don't want to miss out on zombies, zombies with a side of bikers, or trying to save your friends from platforming p?uzzles.

The post Cars, tanks, and sharks headline May’s PlayStation Plus lineup appeared first on Destructoid.

The April 2021 lineup for PS Plus is Oddworld: Soulstorm (PS5), Days Gone (PS4), and Zombie Army 4: Dead War (PS4)

[Update: It's time to claim the PlayStation Plus games for?? April 2021, so follow those links??.]

Son??y is back with three games for PlayStation Plus in April, and it's an interesting lot.

Some people – notably, PlayStation 5 owners – are probably going to feel short-changed by Sony's decision to double-dip. From April 6 until May 3, PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to claim Oddworld: Soulstorm (PS5 only), Days Gone, and Zombie Army 4: Dead War for their library.

In a vacuum, I like this lineup, but for anyone who got a "free" copy of Days Gone with their PS5 through the PlayStation Plus Collection promo, it's a retread. Of course, there's a lot to like with this open-world romp – more than people were initially thinking – and it's a meaty game. As a freebie, it's a solid pick.

We already knew about Oddworld: Soulstorm's inclusion after a recent State of Play (what felt like the sixth time we've seen this long-time-coming game appear on a stream), so that's not a surprise. Are you curious? It's worth reiterating that even though Soulstorm is launching on PS4 as well, you can only claim the PS5 version through PS Plus – although y?ou don't need to own the console yet to? do so.

As for Zombie Army 4, I've never fooled around and fallen in love with this wild series, but I'm weirdly open to the idea. I'm back on the Resident Evil 4 train and have been going hard with Mercenaries. When I've done all that I can ??with the full crew, I'll be in the mood for more frantic head-popping mayhem.

On the off-chance you haven't done this already, don't forget to grab the Play At Home 2021 games before April 22. Unlike April's PS Plus titles, ??anyone can redeem this stuff with a free account.

The post PlayStation Plus really wants us to ?play Days Gone in April appeared first on Destructoid.

GreedFall, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Maneater (PS5)

As disappointing as it ?was to see Sony stop giving out PS3 and Vita games as a PlayStation Plus perk last ye?ar, I have to say, I'm liking the recent "two PS4 games and a PS5 bonus" push. It helps a lot.

The January 2021 PlayStation Plus lineup follows that trio format again with Shadow of the Tomb Raider (the third title in Square Enix's modern Lara Croft trilogy), GreedFall (a flawed RPG gem from Spiders), and the PS5 version of Maneater (a silly fish-, gat?or-, and human-chomping action game)?. Not bad.

You'll be able to redeem these games on the PlayStation Store beginning January 5. Reminder: you can (and should!) claim PS5-only PS Plus games even if you don't own a PlayStation 5. Stockpi?le away!

Maneater is also available on PS4 – there's even a free PS5 upgrade for owners – but this particular PlayStation Plus giveaway only covers the PS5 copy, so that's all you can play. No funny business. 

Did any of you just buy any of these in a sale? Always happens to someone.

The post January’s PlayStation Plus selection starts the year off right appeared first on Destructoid.

Bugsnax is more than a catchy theme song

It's your last chance to claim a free PS5 copy of Bugsnax. After January 4 – that's today! – you'll no longer be able to redeem the game at no extra cost with your PlayStation Plus membership. To find it, head over to the web store or use the app and grab the PS5 version (not the "PS4 & PS5" bundle).

While only the PS5 edition is up for grabs, you can claim it prior to owning the console, so if you have an active PlayStation Plus subscription, there's no reason not to. Tomorrow's deadline is for redemption purposes only – you'll be able to download and play Bugsnax as long as you have a PS Plus account.

We don't alwa?ys do PSAs like this, but since the pro??mo has been up for a couple of months (longer than the usual PS Plus giveaways), I figured it was worth doing one final shout. Also, I dig this game!

Young Horses' jovial-until-it-isn't creature-collecting adventure garnered a lot of jokes, but beneath that silly surface, I found a genuinely fun game. Not that there was much competition at launch, but Bugsnax was one of the first PS5 games I platinumed – I had that much fun figuring out how to trap every critter. The characters are fleshed out, the gameplay and puzzles are just c??????????????????????????omplicated enough, and there's also some nice Du??alSense feedback implementation. In other words, it's a good early pickup.

If you're all good to go, check back tomorrow. The January 2021 PlayStation Plus lineup is Shadow of the Tomb Raider, GreedFall, and Maneater (PS5 only). Those three games are tagging in on January 5.

The post It’s the last day to claim Bugsnax for PS5 before it leaves the PlayStation Plus rotation appeared first on Destructoid.

A reason to jump right into backward compatibility

Sony added a tremendous perk to PlayStation Plus for anyone who plans on adopting the PlayStation 5. It's especially useful for those who haven?'t been entrenched in the PlayStation ecosystem for a long time.

Sony is making use of the PS5's?? backward compatibility functionality to offer up a ton of PlayStation 4 first-party exclusives (and a lot of quality third-party tit??les too). Anyone who has an active PS Plus membership will be able to access these games on PS5 for free at launch on November 12:

• Battlefield 1
• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Bloodborne
• Call of Duty: Black Ops III
• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
• Days Gone
• Detroit: Become Human
• Fallout 4
• Final Fantasy XV
• God of War
• inFamous: Second Son
• The Last Guardian
• The Last of Us Remastered
• Monster Hunter: World
• Mortal Kombat X
• Persona 5
• Ratchet & Clank
• Resident Evil 7
• Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
• Until Dawn

That's a list of absolute bangers suddenly rolled into a subscription that most people probably already have. This group, dubbed the "PlayStation Plus Collection" won't be the headliner when it comes to this afternoon's stream, but it seems like one of those value propositions? that people will come to really appreciate over time.

The post A ??ton of great PS4 first-party exclusives w??ill be free to play on PS Plus on your PS5 appeared first on Destructoid.

Promoted from our Community Blogs

_{[I almost never care even the slightest bit about whatever flavor-of-the-week video game has taken the world by storm, but Fall Guys is different. It speaks to me on a primal level, and you can bet your ass that I have strong opinions about which rounds reign supreme. There's not enough space here to fully get into it, but let's just say that I absolutely, 100%, do not agree with all of Dango's choices here in this blog ranking each round. Still, he makes some really great points, and I'd love to hear what y'all have to say on the subject! - Kevin]}

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout has been a godsend fo?r those of us who grew up playing platformers, because it finally gave us a chance to use our experience in?? an online competition. While games like Rayman Legends give us ghost modes and weekly challenges???? to master, Fall Guys throws us straight into the arena to fight toe-to-toe with several other players. There has been grabbing. There has been tripping. There has been blood.

It's not a perfect game in its current state, but it is incredib??ly addicting due to being some?? of the purest fun a game can offer. I'm talking like 96% fun. Heisenberg-level fun.

Despite this, people haven't been shy when it comes to picking favorites between the game's many challenges. ??Tier list after tier list has been made by tons of players, but did any of these fine folks work for days with a team of scientists to create the ultimate ranking? I don't believe they did.

I didn't either, but my list?? is still better because my mom says I'??m special.

Here's my ranking of all the rounds before Season 2 comes out and ma?kes it outdated!

The Best of the Best

Slime Climb is so awesome! It's a relentless horde-thinner that's always intimidating to witness, always heartbreaking to fail at, and always satisfying to conquer. A course of raw emotion where every layer of the climb is another chapter in an epic tale. It's only made better by the fact that it often rewards those who qualify with an early finale, and therefore a ?better chance to grab the crown. Many great battles have been fought here ??and many more will.

The Whirlygig is a roun?d I always love to see. It has shifted between first and second place in my mind for a while, and it'll likely continue to do so. The bean-launching propellers give it more tactical depth than most courses, as well as an amazing sense of momentum. Aside from that, the choice by the end to go sideways or to test your might in the middle is a minor masterstroke in its own right, tempting the bravest of us with a faster road to victory.

The Rest of the Best

Dizzy Heights is fun as all hell, but it falls just short of the Whirlygig when it comes to playing with momentum and weird tactics. Still, its bouncy bits add a lot of replayability, and the three spinning disks near the end are a great source of last-minute chaos, which can be hel??pful for players who have fallen behind.

Hit Parade seems like the default Fall Guys obstacle course, as it feels the most like a playable episode of Wipeout/Takeshi's Castle/MasterChef Junior. Lots of swinging things?? and cylinders you have to balance on, without a lot of unique gim?micks. It's not the most exciting one, but I think the game would somehow feel a bit hollow without it, and that's reason enough to put it this high.

Gate Crash should have been named Door Dash, since it's the one where you dash through doors. It's also my favorite of the simplistic gimmick courses because of how it rewards timing and positioning,?? making me feel real smart.

Door Dash&nb?sp;should have been named Gate Crash, since it's the one where you crash through gates. Something must have gotten mixed up during Nina Struthers' hostile takeover of Mediatonic. This is Gate Crash's more luck-based cousin, and I like it a lot, but it's a ta?d more repetitive in my experience.

Tip Toe is an interesting mix of luck-based madness that rewards bravery and tactical positio??ning that encourages being a conniving mastermind. It's mind games, chaos, despair, and relief packed into the only challenge with no clear way to proceed, and it leads to some of the most fascinating behavior from other players. The panel-based layout also makes it seem like a drastically more fun version of Perfect Match, which I will get to...

See Saw is one of the more free-form courses, which makes me love it despite its reputation. It isn't as bad as people make it out to be. It mostly just requires you to get good a diving at the right time. I love leaping from a tilted seesaw to let everyone behind me fall. It's the Yoshi jump from Super Mario World ?;on a b?igger scale, and it fills me with evil pleasure.

Fall Mountain is the only final ??round I've ever won, and I've done it twice. It's a bit too short and not too interesting aside from the sheer speed of those rolling balls, but the exhileration of the W ahead bumps it up for me.

Fruit Chute is a massacre. The fruit gods have no mercy and do not discriminate. All that ma??tters to them is that people suffer. It's one of the most hilarious parts of the game.

Hex-A-Gone is a fun, visually pleasing round which happens to be so ball-bustingly hard that even Fruit Chute and Slime Climb tremble before it. It's deceptive as well, making you think you're doing great until you suddenly fall several levels to end up below everyone else. While one of the most imaginative rounds, it almost feels like it doesn't belong in this game, since the controls aren't quite tight enough for any strategies to feel too reliable (unless I just suck). I hope to win this one day, but it might be a while.

The Goodsie-woodsies

Roll Out is a good survival ??cha?llenge. It's enjoyable and easy to understand right away, but I feel like it could've been harder. They made it a bit too easy to get comfortable on one end of the cylinder.

Block Party is harder than Rol?l Out, but flatter ??and less replayable. There always seems to be a cost.

Royal Fumble is the best tail game by virtue of involving the most strategy and taking place in the coolest arena. While all tail games suffer from ping issues (or whatever), this one involves some of the slickest action and cleverest choices. This type of g?ame works better with only a few players.

The Alrights

Jump Club is about jumping good. It's fine.

Hoopsie Daisy is my favorite team game because it feels the most flexible and encou??rages diving more th??an the others. I like diving. Diving is good and cool.

Jump Showdown is something I feel could potentially go on forever. It's a bit too much of an endurance test for my liking, but it ?probably feels pre??tty good to win it.

Egg Scramble. The fun??niest team game if you ask me. I enjoy the frantic nature of this one, but I also underst?and why it's as hated as it is.

Fall Ball used to be one of my least favorite rounds. It can be a slow-paced, stressful experience at times, and it often is, but then you score the occasional star player goal, and the satisfaction shoots through the roof. It's no Rocket League, but it sure has its moments.

Hoarders is forgettable but decent enough. I?t contains entertainment valu?e. I don't know what else to say about it.

The Meh

Tail Tag and Team Tail Tag are two sides of the same coin, but it's a coin without much worth. I appreciate the fact that they are a change of pace, but I rarely cheer for them. Maybe they'd be better if those tail-teleporting issues were ?fixed.

Rock 'n' Roll makes the mistake of separating all three teams for most of its duration, which guarantees that it on??ly eve?r gets interesting by the very end.

Jinxed is a round in Fall Guys. I don't quite understand how it works or why it exists,? but it's in the game, and I can live with it.

The Turd in the Dessert

Perfect Match is by far the most boring, repetitive, underwhelming, boring, slow, inflexible, boring, redundant round in all of Fall Guys. It's fun-ish the first two or three times, but then it quickly goes downhill. It's pure memorization and little else, forcing you to stand and look at these ugly, pixelated drawings of f??ruit while nothing else happens. It's so dull that I've started to s??elf-eliminate every time it comes up, simply because it's a much faster way to get to a fun part of the game, and I can't imagine doing that with any of the others. Perfect Match does not qualify.

If you have your own take on which rounds are the best and which are the worst (and I know you do...), feel free to comment. You probably didn't need me to say that, but... whatever. I have to end this weak excuse for a blog somehow.

Thanks for reading, have a nice day, stay hydrated, get sleep, and follow your dreams!

The post The indisputable and scientifically correct Fa??ll Guys round rankings appeared first on Destructoid.

Joined by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered

The stars are aligning for Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, a game show-inspired battle royale platformer in which 60 players try their wobbly best to survive enough rounds to be crowned the sole winner. It's a blast – two surprisingly intense matches were all the convincing I needed – and it's bound to be huge.

Fall Guys is launching on August 4, and it'll join the PlayStation Plus library the very same day. After launch day, you'll have until August 31 to claim your PS4 copy. The second PS Plus August freebie, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, will be up for grabs from July 28 to August 31.

After a super successful beta weekend (that included topping the Twitch charts), this is such a smart play on Mediatonic and Devolver Digital's part. I'm not sure Fall Guys has the potential longevity of something like Rocket League (who does?), but this seems like another lightnin??g-in-a-bottle m??oment.

If you aren't subbed to PlayStation Plus, there's one more thing: Sony is flipping the PS4-wid??e "free online multiplayer" switch from August 8 at 12:0??1 a.m. through August 9 at 11:59 p.m. "local time."

PS Plus games for August announced [PlayStation Blog]

The post Fall Guys is the perfect choice for Pl??ayStation Plus in August appeared first on Destructoid.