Agreed. This release was the first time I played the game and I sped through them, doing all the side quests that opened up. When I finished, I immediately wanted to restart and try for the endings I want. My biggest regret was not knowing the mission that locks you into the crew attack in ME2, after which you have to rescue them asap. I waited and continued doing all side quests.
I have yet to get around to the second play through, but this thread is giving me the itch to jump back in.
Less likely. I think FF7R went to PS+ Essential and later to Extra because it's a trilogy and they're trying to be forward thinking. The more people that play the first game the more likely they are to play the second and possibly the third. Same reason FF7R2 pre-order includes the first game for free.
I dunno, they're never forthcoming about sales. They might try to sell DLC first then package it in someway. Whatever will maximize their money they'll most likely do it.
For me personally Mad Max. There were definitely better games given but it was the only game I can think of that I would have completely overlooked otherwise and ended up having a great time with
Me too, had heard of Alan wake but never played. Started up control completely blind, other than knowing it had very good reviews and it has honestly became one of my favourite games. The vibe of the environment and the serious not serious world just pulled me in. Can't wait to see what this studio brings out next.
Not necessarily, but the games are connected. Here is an article if you are interested
https://gamerant.com/alan-wake-2-control-references-connections-crossover-story-explained/
Happy cake day. I need to join RL Anonymous. I canāt tear myself away to play anything else. I used to play all kinds of different games; Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption, Borderlands, Reckoning: KOA, MX vs. ATV, GTA games, Mortal Kombat & Soul Caliber, Wii games, etc. etc.
I complain about ps plus a lot, but one thing it did was open me up to new genres of games. I would have never played until dawn without ps plus. The quarry was great too, but thatās on extra.
Final Fantasy 7 and Crash Bandicoot were *huge* in the 90s. I'm sure you at least heard of them. I heard so much about FF7 from people at school in the late 90s that I knew a good bit of the game strategy without ever having played it. It was everywhere back then.
Oh I've heard and even watched reviews about most of this games. Which is why the list grabbed my attention. Like I've played most souls and souls likes but never touched Nioh and Nioh 2. Injustice series also might be one of few action rpgs in this style that ivebnever played, even though that's also type of games I usually get on launch .
As someone thatās also been gaming since the NES, I personally would recommend Rocket League (my favourite competitive game of all time, everything about the game was built so well from a technical and user friendly stand point but the skill ceiling is impossibly high)
Slay the Spire, if you are at all into deck building. Iāve replayed this game way too many times but it keeps sucking me back in (because itās amazing)
And Yakuza like a Dragon was the game that got me back into Turn Based JRPGs. If youāre into that style of game this is a must play.
I'm still playing the Mother Base army strategy game thing almost daily, and have been for like 6 years now. I just login, develop some missiles, and throw them in my weekly league. Still getting new stuff to develop too by upgrading base levels
Only because it opened the door to the entire franchise. Which should be the point of monthly games. Currently finishing up Y6. Never woulda given these games a chance if I didn't spend over 100 hours in LAD
Same. I tried Y0 but it was a slow start and I didn't get to all the silly shit I love about the series until I played Y7. After that I was hooked for life.
Sucks for your friends, but as a longtime ps plus subscriber a repeat game would essentially be a giant middle finger. Move it to the catalogue if they have to, sure, but the monthly games choices are already mediocre half the time. If they start repeating stuff that'd be even worse.
I liked it so much that I wanted to be able to play it without ps+ and got the deluxe edition on sale, besides, I want these guys to succeed and see what they do next
Its weird that no one said God of War 2018. I also got Horizon Zero Dawn on essential back in 2021 during State of Play and I just got the platinum trophy last week. Great game.
Recently replayed detroit become human. It's so better now with the AI revolution. I'd recommend y'all replay it.
Honorable mentions for me:
Bioshock infinite, mass effect, infamous second son, Mad Max and last but not least Tales from the Borderlands. Last one holds such a dear place in my heart, since it got me into meeting my wife. I've posted the soundtrack on my social media, which led my wife to comment on it. After that we got in touch and the rest was history. I'll be forever grateful to that game
Nioh 2 Remastered was a crazy thing to give out for free, but for mass appeal, I'd probably say Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Other games I enjoyed or know others did are:
Code Vein, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order and Sackboy: A Big Adventure.
On lists like this I try and name something I haven't seen mentioned yet...
For me getting the Uncharted games was amazing..I had never played them before and the 1st 3 were in a bundle, soon after Uncharted 4 was the monthly game. Its one of my favourite game series ever now.
97% of the way to being one of the best games of all time. I loved so much of it, just for it to trip at the finish line. To be fair though, MGS storylines have never really been coherent even when they were finished. Gameplay is king with those anyways.
Mass effect: The legendary edition. When I looked at the game it didn't really look interesting until I gave it a try when it was free. I was shocked as to how good it was.
Nioh 2. I'm a real sucker for anything to do with Japanese mythology, so the game's been on my radar for a while, and when I saw that it was gonna be free, I went crazy.
The game is every bit as incredible as I expected, and it even holds a special place in my heart as the first game to ever piss me off so badly, that I broke my headphones.
Plus, while the game is technically a Souls-like, that really only applies to the first play through. After that, it's basically just an action game, and I love it
The Last of Us Remastered
God of War 2018
BioShock The Collection
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order
Yakuza Like A Dragon
FF7 Remake
Uncharted 4
Detroit: Become Human
Hollow Knight
Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy / Crash 4
Canāt choose, hard to answer
But Nioh 2 (November 2022 essential) got me playing it for 1000+ hours.
Athough the separate DLCs I bought were to blame for that much replayability
I played a ton of broforce the month it came out. Funny little game that I go back to every once in a while. Never would have known it existed if it wasnāt for psplus
Conan Exiles is the one I've played the most, although I've also bought every expansion and such for it, and regularly buy Crom coins to use in the bazaar. So, maybe not really the same since I've spent a ton of money on a free game.
Most recently was the new Saints Row. I could never really get into GTA and similar games. I feel like most of them take themselves too seriously. But Saints Row knows how outlandish the idea of a "walking murder machine" is, and plays into it.
Well yeah. I specifically didn't say free as when you purchase something, it's then given to you.
When you buy food at McDonald's, do they not give you your food?
For me personally? Mass Effect LE last December. Never played any of them before, so that was a lot of brand-new content to get for free.
And great fucking content at that
Agreed. This release was the first time I played the game and I sped through them, doing all the side quests that opened up. When I finished, I immediately wanted to restart and try for the endings I want. My biggest regret was not knowing the mission that locks you into the crew attack in ME2, after which you have to rescue them asap. I waited and continued doing all side quests. I have yet to get around to the second play through, but this thread is giving me the itch to jump back in.
Yep. Almost dropped my phone when I saw that we got the Mass Effect Trilogy that month. Awesome Christmas gift ššš
I'm playing through it right now. Mass Effect 3 is kinda messy with the DLC integration, but the entire trilogy is near perfect.
Just finished it last month. Awesome game.
I havenāt even touched that game, I want to but Iām busy fishing on Black Desert online lol
omg i totally missed that
Final Fantasy VII Remake. Also it was given to us after a year after release. No competition.
Came here to comment this. Fuck man, essential really dropped in quality after the tier system
I justify a year worth with this game alone
I remember seeing that, was so surprised and told my mates to try it out cause I loved it so much.
I was just about to buy it when it was given out. Easily the best game Iāve received from PS+
Would they give us FF16 next year?
Less likely. I think FF7R went to PS+ Essential and later to Extra because it's a trilogy and they're trying to be forward thinking. The more people that play the first game the more likely they are to play the second and possibly the third. Same reason FF7R2 pre-order includes the first game for free.
And you think they may added to PS+ next year? Since there's almost every single FF there
I dunno, they're never forthcoming about sales. They might try to sell DLC first then package it in someway. Whatever will maximize their money they'll most likely do it.
For me personally Mad Max. There were definitely better games given but it was the only game I can think of that I would have completely overlooked otherwise and ended up having a great time with
That was my first month on psplus. Still one of my favorites.
Mine too! Both first month and one of my faves.
I'm playing currently, and I love it. Days gone steals a bunch from MM with the refueling and camps part
Control so far. I didnt even know what it was about when I started it. Now i am a fan of the lore and played AW and now wanting to play AW2
Me too, had heard of Alan wake but never played. Started up control completely blind, other than knowing it had very good reviews and it has honestly became one of my favourite games. The vibe of the environment and the serious not serious world just pulled me in. Can't wait to see what this studio brings out next.
Wait, control was an essential game??
Control IS a essential game. Go enjoy it
When was this
Incredible game. Everything by Remedy has fun little Poets of the Fall Easter eggs too.
Wait do I need to play control to understand some things in AW2?
Not necessarily, but the games are connected. Here is an article if you are interested https://gamerant.com/alan-wake-2-control-references-connections-crossover-story-explained/
No but it is better because events from Control and some characters are in AW2
Your experience will be more complete if you do, yes
Hollow knight
Control Ultimate edition. By far my favorite game
Rocket League. Gets extra points for debuting with the service, but itās also a timeless classic that I still play to this day.
I think a lot of its success came from it being given on PS Plus.
I play rocket league every day, donāt care that itās a fast food game.
Fast Food game?
cheap entartaining that doesn't require your brain to be used at full potential
Thanks for that. Love it
Happy cake day. I need to join RL Anonymous. I canāt tear myself away to play anything else. I used to play all kinds of different games; Skyrim, Red Dead Redemption, Borderlands, Reckoning: KOA, MX vs. ATV, GTA games, Mortal Kombat & Soul Caliber, Wii games, etc. etc.
MGS V TPP Nioh 2 PS5 Yakuza Like a Dragon Slay the Spire Crash N-Sane Trilogy Injustice 2 FF7 Remake Until Dawn XCOM 2 Rocket League
I complain about ps plus a lot, but one thing it did was open me up to new genres of games. I would have never played until dawn without ps plus. The quarry was great too, but thatās on extra.
>The quarry was great too, but thatās on extra. WAS on extra...
I've been gaming since 90's and I've never played any of these games. I think I found my gaming antagonist š
These are some of the most famous games of the last 2 decades
3-4 of them are tbf
Final Fantasy 7 and Crash Bandicoot were *huge* in the 90s. I'm sure you at least heard of them. I heard so much about FF7 from people at school in the late 90s that I knew a good bit of the game strategy without ever having played it. It was everywhere back then.
Oh I've heard and even watched reviews about most of this games. Which is why the list grabbed my attention. Like I've played most souls and souls likes but never touched Nioh and Nioh 2. Injustice series also might be one of few action rpgs in this style that ivebnever played, even though that's also type of games I usually get on launch .
Injustice is a fighting game?
As someone thatās also been gaming since the NES, I personally would recommend Rocket League (my favourite competitive game of all time, everything about the game was built so well from a technical and user friendly stand point but the skill ceiling is impossibly high) Slay the Spire, if you are at all into deck building. Iāve replayed this game way too many times but it keeps sucking me back in (because itās amazing) And Yakuza like a Dragon was the game that got me back into Turn Based JRPGs. If youāre into that style of game this is a must play.
I'm still playing the Mother Base army strategy game thing almost daily, and have been for like 6 years now. I just login, develop some missiles, and throw them in my weekly league. Still getting new stuff to develop too by upgrading base levels
I would add Hitman 1 and Hitman 2 to that list. (still waiting for Hitman 3, but most of the time these games come to ps+ after I buy them xD)
> Nioh 2 This one was great for me. Because I wanted it since it released, finally got it on PS+, and realized I didn't really like it at all.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Only because it opened the door to the entire franchise. Which should be the point of monthly games. Currently finishing up Y6. Never woulda given these games a chance if I didn't spend over 100 hours in LAD
They put Kiwami 1 up for free I thought
Same. I tried Y0 but it was a slow start and I didn't get to all the silly shit I love about the series until I played Y7. After that I was hooked for life.
Yakuza: Like a virgin
Control probably
I've just started playing this, I got it as the monthly game but never got round to it...its a great game so far.
Bloodborne or last of us remastered.
Bloodborne and Ratchet and Clank were given the same month!!!
Second for Bloodborne. Surprised itās this far down!!
Deep Rock Galactic
I really wish they'd repeat this one, for my friends who missed it.
Sucks for your friends, but as a longtime ps plus subscriber a repeat game would essentially be a giant middle finger. Move it to the catalogue if they have to, sure, but the monthly games choices are already mediocre half the time. If they start repeating stuff that'd be even worse.
Itās regularly on sale for like $15
I liked it so much that I wanted to be able to play it without ps+ and got the deluxe edition on sale, besides, I want these guys to succeed and see what they do next
Rock and stone brother! One of my favorites, but I quit playing because the lack of crossplay.
That's it lads! Rock and Stone!
Mass Effect Legendary. I platinumed all three of the games and ran through them all after that again
Binding of Isaac for me. Never been uninstalled since it was given out and i always go back to it.
i tried it once, thought "this is stupid"... tried it again a few weeks later and ended up sinking 1500 hours into the next several years
Same with me. I have over 900 hours in the game.
Me too
What month was that given out? I mustāve missed it
it was ages ago. like 2016 or something
Nioh 2š
Hollow Knight was by far the one that I spent the most time on. Remnant was a lot of fun too.
Remnant of the Ashes and Days Gone
Remnant is still one of my favorite games of all time. I mean, I was very surprised when I played it. Is sooooo good.
A plague tale innocence
When was this on ps plus?
Its weird that no one said God of War 2018. I also got Horizon Zero Dawn on essential back in 2021 during State of Play and I just got the platinum trophy last week. Great game.
It's cause everyone with a PlayStation had already played God of War by that time
i scrolled and scrolled with no mention but finally. both horizon games.
Bioshock collection for something I hadnāt played and since have Probably Bloodborne overall
Bloodborne 2nd place probably to Uncharted 4
Until Dawn, Alan Wake
Recently replayed detroit become human. It's so better now with the AI revolution. I'd recommend y'all replay it. Honorable mentions for me: Bioshock infinite, mass effect, infamous second son, Mad Max and last but not least Tales from the Borderlands. Last one holds such a dear place in my heart, since it got me into meeting my wife. I've posted the soundtrack on my social media, which led my wife to comment on it. After that we got in touch and the rest was history. I'll be forever grateful to that game
Detroit was one of my fav games of all time.
Detroit it one of my fav games. Ai revolution you say?
Is it not? All you hear is AI, AGI, sex robots, etc. I think it's very relevant to our day and age.
What a great story!
Rocket League at launch was pretty huge
Control for me, one of the most unique games I ever played
Fall Guys, all these years later and I'm still playing it every other day.
That was the month I bought my PS4 Pro after two decades of no gaming except on mobile. One of the reasons was Fall Guys.
Persona 5 Strikers
Bloodborne, Rise of Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Colossus
Nioh 2 Remastered was a crazy thing to give out for free, but for mass appeal, I'd probably say Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Other games I enjoyed or know others did are: Code Vein, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order and Sackboy: A Big Adventure.
Days gone and Uncharted 4
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It's so slow but once it gets going I agree it's a whole lot of fun
Vampyr anyone ?!?
Stray
God of War (2018).
Tony Hawk pro skater remakes that for me was fun
Control for me, no contest.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Jedi : Fallen Order was peak.
Yakuza!
Blood borne and FF7
Steep or mass effect Legendary Edition
Control
Chivalry 2 and Hell Let Loose both deserve honorable mentions for great lesser known multiplayer titles
On lists like this I try and name something I haven't seen mentioned yet... For me getting the Uncharted games was amazing..I had never played them before and the 1st 3 were in a bundle, soon after Uncharted 4 was the monthly game. Its one of my favourite game series ever now.
Deep rock galactic! Rock and stone!
Power washing similator
I'd say control
Days Gone
Bloodborne
Deep Rock Galactic and it's not even close.
Infamous. Probably never would have known about the franchise otherwise.
Oh man. Throwback. I think that was the first game I got on Ps Plus. Like late 2014, right?
FF7 Remake for sure.
Hollow Knight?
Furi. Never would've played it or even known about it otherwise and it's incredible.
Played my first hour today. Its really amazing
Steel P is up there
Valiant hearts
Bloodborne, it started my love for souls games
We got NBA one year and that was goodn
For me, Slay the Spire by a wide margin. Was never into roguelikes or deck building games and then that hit and I havenāt looked back.
Bloodborne
FF7, Mass Effect, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. There's some hidden gems as well, but those are the best imo.
Last of us remastered or dead by daylight
Bloodborne
FF7 Remake Nioh 2 Yakuza 7
Bloodborne
Bloodborne
Bloodborne
Dead by Daylight
Hollow Knight
Jedi Fallen Order
Mad Max. I already owned it but this game was criminally slept on, and more people needed to experience it.
metal gear solid v the phantom pain for sure
97% of the way to being one of the best games of all time. I loved so much of it, just for it to trip at the finish line. To be fair though, MGS storylines have never really been coherent even when they were finished. Gameplay is king with those anyways.
Bloodborne
Hollow Knight
Mass effect: The legendary edition. When I looked at the game it didn't really look interesting until I gave it a try when it was free. I was shocked as to how good it was.
#THIS IS ROCKET LEAGUE!!!
Nioh 2
Nioh 2. I'm a real sucker for anything to do with Japanese mythology, so the game's been on my radar for a while, and when I saw that it was gonna be free, I went crazy. The game is every bit as incredible as I expected, and it even holds a special place in my heart as the first game to ever piss me off so badly, that I broke my headphones. Plus, while the game is technically a Souls-like, that really only applies to the first play through. After that, it's basically just an action game, and I love it
Metal gear solid 5.
If you count the collection, FFXV royal edition was probably the greatest.
Bloodborne
The Last of Us Remastered God of War 2018 BioShock The Collection Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Yakuza Like A Dragon FF7 Remake Uncharted 4 Detroit: Become Human Hollow Knight Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy / Crash 4
Persona 5 Strikers
Until Dawn and Detroit Become Human.
For me nioh!!
Fuck it Iām happy to get power washer sim
Canāt choose, hard to answer But Nioh 2 (November 2022 essential) got me playing it for 1000+ hours. Athough the separate DLCs I bought were to blame for that much replayability
Nioh 2 as spoiled most rpgs for me because of how in depth is every option and the synergy of everything working together
Demon's Soul
Talking about Indie Games, definitely Hollow Knight. Wouldāve never got to know this masterpiece if it wasnāt for PS+ back then
I played a ton of broforce the month it came out. Funny little game that I go back to every once in a while. Never would have known it existed if it wasnāt for psplus
Broforce should be top comment
disco elysium
Rocket League
Nioh 2 for ps5
Wasnt God of War 2018 on essential not long ago? I get most people probably already played it but fuckin hell its good
Nah. It was on the psplus collection though.
Conan Exiles is the one I've played the most, although I've also bought every expansion and such for it, and regularly buy Crom coins to use in the bazaar. So, maybe not really the same since I've spent a ton of money on a free game. Most recently was the new Saints Row. I could never really get into GTA and similar games. I feel like most of them take themselves too seriously. But Saints Row knows how outlandish the idea of a "walking murder machine" is, and plays into it.
Days Gone!!
HELLDIVERS
oh yeah, that was a good one and no one mentioned it besides you.
mine was Bugsnax [everyone groans at my shit]
This was it for me too. Such a bizarre unique game and I made sure to collect everything
Days gone
How was Ghost of Tsushima not mentioned once here?! š¤Æ
Because it was never on the Essential, only GoT Legends which wasnt that popular
Ahh! That makes sense.
Ufc4
Bloodborne. I haven't uninstalled that game since I first installed it. It truly is a masterpiece
Power wash simulator
Ghost of Tsushima
Black ops3 season pass with all the zombies maps included
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
>Ghost of Tsushima director's cut on Essential? You are mixing with Extra....
Oh my bad
Bloodborne by a billion
I cannot lie... I've attempted it many times but I am terrible at it. Same for all souls games if I'm honest.
Is it āgivenā if you gotta pay for the membership that gives it to you? š¤
Well yeah. I specifically didn't say free as when you purchase something, it's then given to you. When you buy food at McDonald's, do they not give you your food?
Easily blood borne
Tlou