PlayStation Plus: 10 best games you need to download and play

Browsing PlayStation Plus can be an overwhelming experience, whether you’re completely new to PlayStation or you’re a seasoned fan simply looking for something different to enjoy. If you’re an essential tier subscriber, I’d imagine you’re doing okay. It’s simple enough to pick from the three or four games you’re offered a month. After all, you may as well download them all. They’re yours to keep forever.

For extra and premium tier subscribers, it can be hard to know where to begin when you're faced with the option of playing hundreds of games. Fun fact: There are well over 400 games on offer. If that’s you and you’re feeling completely lost, you’re in the right place. Allow me to count down through 10 games you need to check out on PlayStation Plus from major franchises to all-time classics, with a couple of delightful indies sprinkled in between. There’s something here for everyone.

Tchia is just one of the games on this list. Enjoy the trailer below.

10. The Quarry

The Quarry is perfect if you also know a friend who’s looking for something new to play. It’s a single-player interactive horror drama, but with the outcome of the story affected by the many decisions you make. It’s so fun to compare differences with pals. Developed by Supermassive Games and released back in 2022, upon release, The Quarry had the entirety of the GAMINGbible in deep discussion over which characters they’d managed to keep alive and who had met their grisly end. Some playthroughs led to more bloodshed than others, but it was enjoyable to try and work out exactly where we each went wrong.

Set at Hackett's Quarry summer camp, The Quarry follows a group of camp counselors who end up staying at camp at the end of the summer for one day longer than planned, despite being advised not to. Their night of hedonism soon takes a turn for the worse, but I’ll keep the details light. The Quarry is a horror but I’d say it’s very playable even if you’re a scaredy cat like me. Once you’ve settled into the game’s rhythms, you’ll have a hoot of a time … or should I say howl.

9. Ghost of Tsushima

I’ll confess, I only recently played Ghost of Tsushima for the first time and I thought I was in the minority. Since then, I’ve mentioned it to so many people who are also yet to check it out - and it’s usually down to one reason. People seem to think that this game is way harder than it is, perhaps because of its similarities to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. As someone who is terrible at souls games, rest assured, Ghost of Tsushima is not a difficult game.

Of course, tricky difficulty settings are there if you wish to switch them on, but I wouldn’t say it’s any harder than the other major Sony AAA first-party releases on the preset moderate settings. Released by Sucker Punch back in 2020, Ghost of Tsushima is one of the best-looking games out there. You’ll play as Jin Sakai who must attempt to win back and protect his island home from invaders. If you enjoyed Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, there are similarities in the combat.

8. Horizon Zero Dawn

If you’ve already played Horizon Zero Dawn, do replace this suggestion with Guerrilla’s incredible sequel, Horizon Forbidden West which is an improvement on the first game in every way. If you’ve not checked out Horizon Zero Dawn though, it’s a must. I mean, come on. You own a PlayStation. You can hardly ignore PlayStation icon Aloy. With a rumoured 16 Horizon products in the pipeline at Guerilla, it’s best to get ahead while there’s not much to catch up on.

Horizon Zero Dawn is perfect if you enjoy open-world games. Of course, there are main missions guiding you to the key locations but it’s okay to wander off if you so desire. You may find a new settlement, new allies, or machines you’d rather avoid for the time being. The combat is engaging and fun and yes, while the NPCs do look like soulless voids, Horizon offers up some rich lore that’ll have you begging for more before you know it. I can also happily add that NPCs receive a vast upgrade in Forbidden West, in case you were wondering.

Ember Lab

7. Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a breath of fresh air in more ways than one. It’s definitely a tale of two halves. The game follows spirit guide Kena who must save an abandoned village and the souls trapped within it from the corruption unleashed by a powerful masked spirit. It’s very much what would happen if Disney crossed over with Studio Ghibli, so if you’re a fan of both animation studios, this is the perfect middle ground.

I say Kena is a breath of fresh air because it does offer true tranquillity. The world in which Kena inhabits is quiet. It’s absent of side quests and NPCs and such like, but it’s by no means empty. There’s a powerful sense of calm in the peace it offers (although you are accompanied by the adorable Rot). It’s also refreshing because for what appears to be a wholesome game, Kena packs some tricky soulslike boss fights which may catch you off guard. There are plenty of difficulty settings though and I highly recommend a playthrough.

6. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves

The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection includes, if you ask me, the two best Uncharted games - A Thief’s End and The Lost Legacy. Yes, yes. I know Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is epic too, but I said what I said. Admittedly, I do recommend that you play the first three Uncharted games before diving into the Legacy of Thieves Collection. That being said, if you’re sitting there thinking, ‘I don’t want to,’ The Lost Legacy is a spin-off featuring Chloe and Nadine, so you may be best starting there.

Both games feature all you could possibly want from an action-adventure series. An epic globetrotting adventure, ancient puzzles, shoot outs, chase sequences, plot twists … you name it - all while boasting top tier graphics.

Finji

5. Chicory: A Colourful Tale

Chicory: A Colourful Tale is an indie delight, developed by Greb Lobanov and published by Finji (also of Tunic fame). The game sees players inhabit a dog who wields a magical paintbrush and it’s essentially up to you to paint the world around you. How lovely does that sound?

Along the way, there are puzzles and you’ll be able to gain new paint related abilities to help you navigate the world. There are also boss fights, so it’s not a total walk in the park. You’ll want to rely on your paintbrush here too but if you’re thinking, ‘I just want to paint pretty colours’, worry not. There’s an option to skip boss fights if you’re just here for pure wholesome vibes, and we all need a little bit of that.

4. Bloodborne

FromSoftware have hardly flown under the radar, but it’s fair to say that Elden Ring introduced many people to the studio who perhaps have been too afraid to attempt a souls game before. It was hard to ignore Elden Ring’s hype. If that’s you sitting there with Elden Ring under your belt but unsure of which FromSoft title to tackle next, I strongly urge you to check out Bloodborne which, unlike Elden Ring, happens to be a PlayStation exclusive.

I’m not going to sit here and say it’s easy. That would be a lie. Even if you end up being dire at this game though, it’s worth the attempt just to spend some time relishing in this world, story, and lore. You’ll play as a Hunter who must find the source of a blood-borne disease which has ravaged the city of Yharnam, turning inhabitants into monstrous beings who, yes, will cause you a fair bit of trouble.

3. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart may be almost two years old, but it’s still one of the best PlayStation 5 games out there. If you’re overwhelmed by the number of Ratchet & Clank games, don’t panic. You only need to play 2016’s Ratchet & Clank to follow along with Rift Apart as the series was rebooted. Even then, if you have missed that 2016 release, you’ve only really missed out on how Ratchet and Clank came to meet.

If you can look past that and are just happy to accept that Emperor Nefarious is after them, there’s no reason why you can’t dive straight into Rift Apart. The game features a sprawling inter-dimensional world full of fun platforming puzzles, varying biomes, and plenty of enemy encounters. Whether you want to shoot, zap, or turn your enemies into bushes, that’s up to you. There’s never a dull moment to be had, and the DualSense’s haptic feedback? Chef’s kiss.

Kepler Interactive

2. Tchia

Tchia is another relaxing delight, except for the disturbing worm scene partway through. I’ll let you discover that for yourself though. Tchia is set on a fictional tropical archipelago - inspired by the very real territory of New Caledonia - and centres around the titular character who embarks on a journey to save her kidnapped father from the evil Maevora.

The game starts gently. You’ll slowly traverse the islands, searching for items in order to progress - soul jumping into animals to help you get around. Later on, as you confront Maevora and become more embroiled in the story, there is some light combat which involves dodging and throwing fuel cans. Tchia is truly one of those games that makes you feel enriched, as if you’ve learnt something and you're a better person because of it. What more could you want?

1. God of War

Finally, you simply can’t own a PlayStation and not give God of War a whirl. 2018’s God of War was a soft reboot of the series so if you haven’t played the games that came before this point, it’s really no problem at all. God of War features everything you’ve come to expect in a major PlayStation first party release. There’s a sweeping narrative, fast-paced combat, and several sprawling realms to explore.

I expect that last year’s God of War Ragnarök will likely join PlayStation Plus at some point, so you may as well catch up on the Norse Saga while you can. God of War is easily one of those games you won't want to put down until you have that sweet Platinum trophy. Isn’t it about time you saw what all the fuss is about?

Topics: PlayStation, Playstation Plus