The summer drought is finally here: heavy-hitters likeDeath Stranding 2have been released, and while we’ve got plenty to look forward to over the next handful of months, things are certainly going to be slower than the first half of 2025. And that’s something to be grateful for, because as the modern gamer is all too aware, there’s no shortage of great games promising to pad out a hefty backlog. This is doubly true if one has a subscription service likePlayStation Plus Extra or Premium.
So, if you’re looking for a stopgap game to fill the void between now and something likeMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eaternext month, PS Plus has you covered. Indeed, PlayStation owners have a veritable deluge of high-quality games waiting for them onPS Plus' higher tiers, and the following recommendations have been hand-picked with novelty and tight scheduling in mind: none of the following games are massive, 100-hour endeavors, making them easy to juggle alongside each other, especially if you hop between games often like I do. These suggestions are also just slightly beneath the surface of the mainstream, so as to not be overly obvious mentions likeBloodborneorCyberpunk 2077.
ANNO: Mutationem
Available on PS Plus Extra
First cab off the rank isANNO: Mutationem, a severely underrated indie science-fiction RPG set in a delectable cyberpunk world. If unique and eye-popping visuals are your thing, then this game might just be a perfect fit:ANNO Mutationemmixes 2D spriteswith detailed 3D environments to create a decidedly distinct artistic landscape. With a head-bobbing soundtrack to boot,ANNO: Mutationemis certainly a treat for the senses.
But it’s more than just a pretty face;ANNO Mutationemweaves a compelling story of corruption and technology, its open-world is surprising and multifaceted, and its combat, while not revolutionary, is hard-hitting and addictive. For fans ofgames likeCyberpunk 2077andDead Cells,ANNO: Mutationemis a logical next stop.
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the neon-covered, 2D-meets-3D Cyberpunk world of ANNO: Mutationem. In this Action-Adventure game with RPG elements you become Ann: a highly-skilled combat-trained lone wolf on a personal mission in the giant Metropolis, full of sinister mega-corporations, mysterious fringe groups and creatures more bizarre than words can express.This is a world full of surprises waiting for you to find out! While going thru the main story you can chat with a Cyborg corgi, take on a part-time bartender job, hunt down vicious criminals reveal the true face of a trending V-streamer! By exploring diverse locations such as neon Noctis Town, an off-shore cargo ship and huge underground structures, players are free to go as they please and act as they want.
Arcade Paradise
Simulation gamesare really a dime a dozen these days. I’m not quite sure what it is about completing menial tasks in a low-stakes virtual environment that is so captivating to so many people, but after playingArcade Paradise, I’m starting to understand the appeal. In this game, players are tasked with running a reliable but unexciting laundromat while their father, the owner, is out of town. But the ABCs of doing laundry and running a business quickly take a backseat to the real money-maker: expanding the back room of the business with a bevy of arcade games.
You’ll alternate between taking care of front-of-house laundry business—cleaning, drying, and picking up garbage—and investing in new, more profitable arcade cabinets. What’s great is that you may actually play all of these games, and they are surprisingly fun. Thebasics ofArcade Paradisemight be fairly standard management-sim fare, but the game’s original arcade creations are what give it its flavor. If you like simulation games and are looking for something lightweight and refreshing, thenArcade Paradisecould very well be your jam.
Welcome to Arcade Paradise, the 90’s-fuelled retro arcade adventure. Rather than washing rags for a living, you decide to turn the family laundromat into the ultimate arcade. Play, profit, and purchase new arcade machines, with over 35 to choose from, to build your very own Arcade Paradise!Take the laundromat business made up of dull chores from washing clothes to throwing out the trash, and turn it into a booming arcade with the coolest games in town raking in all the money!Over 35 arcade games, each fully realized with its own gameplay, stories, missions, and high scores to set! Inspired by 3 decades of gaming, from early vector games right up to the 32-bit era.Insert a second coin and play against a friend in a number of co-operative & competitive arcade games with up to 4 players locally.Prove yourself across each game, set your high scores, make your favourite arcade game more popular and upload to the online leaderboards.From the individual games to choosing what song to put on the jukebox inspired by some of the great records of the early 90s, the soundtrack captures the heart of a bygone era.
Citizen Sleeper
Let’s slow it down a bit:Citizen Sleeperis another thought-provokingsci-fi RPG likeANNO: Mutationem, but with a more narrow focus on storytelling. The gameplay boils down to setting up a selection of five dice, which can be used for dialog and skill checks during a given in-game day. There are other resources to be managed as well, which lends the game a sense of strategy as you move through its heart-wrenching, relatable, and often unsettling narrative. TheCitizen Sleeperstory is quite a compelling one indeed, and you’ll want to squeeze every drop out of its rich world, which makes its relatively short runtime feel jam-packed with value.
One of 2022’s most acclaimed indies, the Game Awards-nominated Citizen Sleeper is a Tabletop-inspired narrative RPG set on Erlin’s Eye, a ruined space station that is home to thousands of people trying to survive on the edges of an interstellar capitalist society.You are a sleeper, a digitised human consciousness in an artificial body, owned by a corporation that wants you back. Thrust amongst the unfamiliar and colourful inhabitants of the Eye, you need to build friendships, earn your keep, and navigate the factions of this strange metropolis, if you hope to survive to see the next cycle.Inspired by Tabletop Roleplaying games, Citizen Sleeper uses Dice, Clocks and Drives to create a player-led experience, where you choose your path in a rich and responsive world. Each cycle you use the dice you are dealt to choose what to do with your time. Make or break alliances, uncover truths and escape your hunters. Survive and ultimately thrive, one cycle at a time, and sometimes against the clock!The station plays host to characters from all walks of life, trying to eke out an existence among the stars. Salvagers, engineers, hackers, bartenders, street-food vendors, each has a history which brought them here. You choose which of them you wish to help, and together you will shape your future.
Night in the Woods
Another story-driven game,Night in the Woodsis considerably more grounded thanCitizen Sleeper, which is odd, since its cast is comprised solely of anthropomorphic animals. But just like something likeBojack Horseman, the emotional impact ofNight in the Woods' narrativeisn’t at all softened by its non-human cast. If anything, the choice to make every character an animal heightens its surreal, dream-like nature.
Night in the Woodsfollows Mae Borowski, a cat who has just dropped out of college (the story really is good, trust me). Returning to her hometown of Possum Springs, she expects to pick up where she left off, but it quickly becomes clear that this won’t be possible—and there’s something deeper, and more terrifying, bubbling beneath the surface. It’s a powerful tale about friendship, family, regret, and smashing neon lights with baseball bats, and you’re definitely liable to shed a few dignified tears by the time you roll credits—don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Night In The Woods
College dropout Mae Borowski returns home to the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs seeking to resume her aimless former life and reconnect with the friends she left behind. It was always just shapes to her and maybe that’s why the familiar shapes gave her more comfort than the shapes at college.But things aren’t the same. Home seems different now and her friends have grown and changed. Gregg. Bea. Even Aunt Mall Cop. Leaves are falling and the wind is growing colder. Strange things are happening as the light fades.And there’s something in the woods.NIGHT IN THE WOODS is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet and lots to do across a lush, vibrant world. After a successful Kickstarter it’s being made by Infinite Fall, a teamup of Alec Holowka (Aquaria), Scott Benson (Late Night Work Club), and Bethany Hockenberry.
Session: Skate Sim
In honor ofTony Hawk: Pro Skater 3+4’s release, I thought I’d throw a wrench into the works and recommend an alternative.Session: Skate Simis a response to the dearth of skateboarding games that fans of the genre have suffered in the modern age, serving as something of a spiritual successor to the likes oftheSkatefranchise. Indeed,Session: Skate Simlives up to its name by being a true skating simulation, takingSkate’s ingenious joystick-flicking mechanics to the next level by prompting players to use both joysticks: the left stick for the left foot, and the right stick for the right. Not only that, but you have to use the joysticks to land tricks as well—the game won’t just set the board down on the ground for you.
It’s definitely not for everyone, but for those who like games with unique mechanics that are tough to master,Session: Skate Simis one of the best skating gameson the market. The skill ceiling forSessionis in the stratosphere, so you’ll be able to squeeze quite a good bit of gaming time out of this one, if you so please.
With the dual stick controls, each stick represents one of your feet. You will need to learn how to control them and transfer weight, just like on a real skateboard. The physics have been developed with a focus on realism, smoothness and immersion. Just like in real life for a new skateboarder, the first hours can seem challenging, but once you have mastered the technique, you will feel the unrivalled thrill of pulling off your very first kickflip! Session: Skate Sim also includes full options customisation, so you’re able to enjoy the perfect experience tailored to you. A full tutorial provides all the help you need to get started, and you can choose from four difficulty levels!Inspired by the golden age of street skating – the 1990s – Session: Skate Sim lets you experience true skateboarding and its culture: no scoring system; just you, your spot and your imagination! There’s no need for judges to tell you that your noseslide or varial heelflip are perfect for this spot. And because certain locations are iconic, the developers have added several of them to the game for you to skate in and express your creativity, including Black Hubbas (New York City), Brooklyn banks (New York City), FDR Park (Philadelphia) and many other spots.
