After many rumors, PlayStation has finally announced its new subscription service. With it comes the promise of over 340 PS Plus games to play on the highest subscription tier. We can expect to see games from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PSP generations plus cloud streaming of PS3 games.
A list of available games has yet to be revealed. Sony is keeping their cards close for now, but that gives us time to speculate and hope for what games might be added.
Over the course of PlayStation’s history, we’ve seen a number of incredible games. Some have turned into highly successful series while others haven’t been seen in years despite leaving a mark. This new service will give players the chance to fall back in love with old favorites while also exploring little-known, underrated gems from past consoles.
We’ve compiled a list of games we’re hoping will find a place in the Premium tier’s catalog.
Be sure to let us know in the comments what other PS Plus games you’re hoping to see when the service launches later this year.
Shadow Hearts Series
The Shadow Hearts trilogy was released on the PlayStation 2 in the early 2000s. It is often hailed as one of the best and most unique JRPGs, and it can be hard to find nowadays without shelling out some serious bucks. It twists history as we know it and infuses elements of the supernatural and horror into its gameplay and story.
Its turn-based battles employ a timing-based mechanic that makes combat more engaging. On top of that, some characters depend on a sanity meter to stay viable in battle. If their sanity dips too low, they’ll go berserk and act on their own in battle.
Ideally, all three Shadow Hearts games would debut as new PS Plus games, but we’d also be happy with just Shadow Hearts: Covenant.
Metal Gear Solid
The first Metal Gear Solid made a mark on gaming that still can be felt today. It, and the series as a whole, is often regarded as one of the best and most important gaming series of all time. Metal Gear Solid is often credited with popularizing the stealth genre. Combining that with its exciting gameplay, engrossing story, long cut scenes, and voice acting helped secure its spot as one of the best-selling games in 1998.
The series has continued to have success and embrace its strangeness. Giving players the chance to experience where it all began would mark an important moment for the new PlayStation service.
Bloody Roar 2
The late 90s and early 2000s saw a number of fighting games attempt to roundhouse their way next to giants like Tekken and Street Fighter. While a new Bloody Roar title hasn’t been seen since 2004, it still stands as one of the most unique fighting games. Bloody Roar 2 improves upon the first one in many ways.
In the series, you start as a human and build up your Beast Mode and when that’s full, you can turn into a Beast with a new moveset. It was a flashy and fun fighter with a twist that helped it stand out amongst some of the heavy hitters in the genre.
Legend of Dragoon
The Legend of Dragoon is one of those original PlayStation JRPGs that folks pray to the gaming gods for a remake. Adding it as a PS Plus game would be the next best thing. It offers up a distinct cast of characters. Each can turn into a Dragoon complete with wings. In this form, more damage is dealt and you get access to new spells and abilities.
It looks dated today like most other JRPGs of the generation, but its story is enthralling and turn-based battles add a fun timing mechanic that helps up the ante. While the timing can have a steep learning curve, being able to chain your attacks is a satisfying way to take down enemies.
Silent Hill
It would be hard not to think about the future list of PS Plus games and not include the original Silent Hill. Currently, the second and third (which we ranked as the best of the best) can be played on PS Now, but the original cannot. By today’s standards, it’s definitely a little rocky, but its creepy atmosphere and scares are undeniable.
The series also twists survival horror in a way that’s unique from other mainstays in the genre like Resident Evil. Silent Hill turns to the grotesque and mentally disturning versus gore and horror. The psychological warfare found in Silent Hill helps it stand out even today.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
It’s no question that the Final Fantasy 7 compilation is immensely popular. Thanks to the recent success of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, there’s been a resurgence of love for the characters in that world. It would be a missed opportunity to not port Crisis Core over to PlayStation’s new service.
The game serves as a prequel to Final Fantasy 7 and follows Zack Fair during his time as a SOLDIER and his relationships with Sephiroth before his descent into madness. The game uses real-time combat with many familiar callbacks to the first game including Materia and Summons. Plus you get to see characters like Tifa and Aerith from the eyes of Zack.
Clock Tower
Thanks to the success of Resident Evil, Clock Tower found success on the PlayStation upon its release in 1997. While the two games are vastly different, both rely on crafting a terrifying atmosphere for the character to explore. Clock Tower sets itself apart as a point-and-click game.
Clock Tower is known for its main villain, Scissorman, and has a number of different endings. This entry includes ten which can be seen depending on what actions you choose through the course of the game.
God of War: Chains of Olympus
With the release of God of War Ragnarok looming in the distance, adding as many God of War entries as PS Plus games seem like a no-brainer. God of War: Chains of Olympus would be a great addition.
The game follows a similar structure to its previous entries with its combo-based hack and slash combat and puzzle-solving. It would later find its way to PS3 in the God of War: Origins Collection alongside God of War: Ghost of Sparta. Let’s hope one or both make their way to the PS Plus Premium.
Simpsons Hit and Run
It’s not often a licensed game is as fun and successful as Simpsons Hit and Run. In a world where licensed games are often pushed out to make a quick buck, Hit and Run stands out. The game involves a plot from aliens, insanity-cause cola, and gameplay parodying Grand Theft Auto 3.
Many praise the game for bringing the world of Springfield to life. It blends together that signature Simpsons humor seamlessly with its GTA-inspired gameplay. Because of its animated graphical style, it holds up better than many games from that same time period, too.
Xenosaga
Part of the larger Xeno series that includes both Xenogears and Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenosaga is often overlooked despite being a fantastic JRPG experience. All three games in the series are well-loved by fans and critics.
Its cinematic sci-fi world is often said to be too ambitious, but it’s hard to deny how richly developed the story and the players within it are. It would be a perfect fit as PS Plus Game for the Premium tier. Xenosaga is one of the best sci-fi JRPGs in the last few decades.
Dino Crisis
Oh, Dino Crisis. Every few years, there seems to be some rumor that it is coming back, but so far, that’s yet to happen. It was developed by the same team who made the original Resident Evil and much of that game’s influence can be found in this sci-fi survival horror game.
Resident Evil is often known for its slow-moving, shambling zombies. Dino Crisis’s introduction of fast-moving, intelligent dinosaurs led Capcom to bill the game as a “panic horror” game instead of “survival horror” like its sibling.
Driver: You Are the Wheelman
Before there was the open world of the Forza series, Driver did similar things on the PlayStation. It features a full plot that follows an NYC detective named John Tanner. He is undercover working for an organized crime organization and must fulfill a series of driving tests.
These tests allow for some exciting and destructive antics like driving through restaurants, scaring taxi customers, and following cars. There are four open cities to explore: San Francisco, Miami, New York City, and Los Angeles.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Soul Reaver explores the spooky, gothic world of Nosgoth. In it, you control Raziel, a vampire turned wraith, on a quest seeking revenge for the vampire lord Kain. Raziel hacks and slashes his way through enemies. The game has Raziel move between the material and spectral worlds to solve puzzles.
Some billed the game as hardcore and difficult because of its puzzles and lack of a map. Despite that, the game’s ambitious story, voice acting, and atmosphere are still worth looking at today.
Persona 3 Fes
Persona 3 FES is an enhanced version of the original Persona 3 game. It features over thirty hours of additional gameplay – much of which is in the form of the game’s new epilogue. Persona 3 moved the game into a full 3D territory and helped cement the series as an unmissable gem for JRPG fans.
The game offers dozens of Personas to collect and battle with, multiple levels of the towering dungeon Tartatus to explore, and relationships to build. In all honesty, though, any Persona games would be a welcome addition as PS Plus games. Give the people what they want!
Sly Cooper: The Sly Collection
PlayStation has had a number of anthropomorphic protagonists in platformers over the years. Croc, Gex, and Sly are some of the more notable, and of the three, Sly still comes up regularly in whisperings that just maybe he’s coming back. It’s hard not to love the stealthy raccoon.
The game is stylish with its gameplay and its titular character is a lovable anti-hero who comes from a long line of thieves. Sly and his family steal from criminals rather than the good. In-game, he has a number of moves inspired by his stealth and agility.
Syphon Filter
Syphon Filter was developed by Eidetic, the same people who made Bubsy 3D, one of the worst games of all time. Thankfully, Syphon Filter is anything but awful. Its stealth-centric gameplay blends seamlessly with the game’s action.
While it borrows from Metal Gear Solid and Goldeneye, it stands out enough on its own merits. With the game’s wide array of weapons and gadgets, players have a variety of ways to take down enemies. Plus, it features a selection of secret and unlockable weapons that help up replayability.
Dragon Quest Viii: Journey of the Cursed King
By the time Dragon Quest’s eighth entry came around, the series was already universally loved. Journey of the Cursed King, however, took that game into new territory. Its introduction of fully 3D environments and character models stood out thanks to its cel-shaded visuals.
It’s often regarded as one of the best games in the series and sold over 3 million copies in three days in Japan. Dragon Quest VIII is a timeless JRPG that still holds up today thanks to the series’ turn-based gameplay. It’s hard not to love its cast of fully voiced acted characters either.
Tomb Raider
Lara Croft has been an icon for decades. Giving players the chance to see where it all began by making the original one of the Premium PS Plus Games seems like a no-brainer. Like many games on this list, much of it doesn’t hold up, but there’s still fun to be had – it’s just fueled by nostalgia.
The original game balances its archaeological puzzle-solving and dual-pistol combat well. The game doesn’t rely on combat too much, but when the occasion arises, it helps add tension to the game alongside some of the traps that Lara comes across.
Wipeout Pure
The PSP has a lot of notable gems. Wipeout Pure continues the series’ futuristic racing streak and brought the anti-gravity gameplay to the handheld. Despite being released in 2005, it still looks sleek today.
Each vehicle handles differently and you must balance the damage you take as you race. If your energy shield runs out your ship will explode. In a generation defined by realistic racing games, adding this futuristic racer as one of the PS Plus games would add some variety to the genre.
Ape Escape
Ape Escape was released to critical acclaim, but today the game is somewhat of an underrated gem. The series hasn’t been seen since 2011. Adding it as one of the original PlayStation PS Plus Games would let others experience its zaniness.
The game pits you against an army of intelligent apes. Your goal? To catch them with a number of special gadgets. It was also the first game on the PlayStation to require the use of the DualShock controller, a big innovation at the time.
Parasite Eve
Both the first and second Parasite Eve games merged horror with action RPG elements to great success. The opening scene of the first game in which the audience of an entire opera house combusts into flames is still shocking today. It sets the tone for just how bonkers the games are.
Battles use a pausable real-time system with ATB gauge. While the gauge fills, the player can move around to dodge enemy attacks. Parasite Eve also has a New Game +, a popular feature at the time. This lets you replay the game with certain things from your final save carried over.
Tekken 3
Tekken 3 expands the roster of notable characters in this entry. Many regard it as one of the best fighting games of all time, and we ranked its arcade iteration as one of the best arcade games of all time. It improves upon the previous two installments in a number of ways. It also includes dynamic relationships, endings, and stories that are not often seen in a fighting game.
In true Tekken fashion, the game’s roster includes a number of human characters plus a few oddballs. From Panda, Ling’s bodyguard and a literal Panda, to Gon, a tiny orange dinosaur, there’s a lot of ground covered.
Fatal Frame Ii: Crimson Butterfly
Many consider Fatal Frame II to be one of the scariest games of all time. In it, you play as Mio Amakura as she and her sister Mayu explore a ghostly village. The game has players use a camera that can exorcise ghosts, and this is where the action and combat take place.
Fatal Frame II turns a lot of typical horror tropes seen in more popular games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill on its head. Its use of spirits, ghosts, and Japanese folklore is a nice departure from the sometimes overwhelming gore often seen in Survival Horror games.
