As a lifelong gamer, I am forever plagued by my backlog: the ever-present reminder of how much money I've spent on various video games across numerous platforms. I sometimes refer to this as my "pile of shame," but the truth is that I love having a smorgasbord of different games to choose from, taking some nibbles out of an action game here, a bite from an RPG there; services like PlayStation Plus are perfect for this tendency of mine, as they constantly offer something fresh.
But even I must admit that the selections offered by the likes of PS Plus can be overwhelming: it's just too hard to know what game to pick sometimes, especially if you've already exhausted all the heavy-hitters. It's for this reason that a guide, perhaps published weekly by a reputable black-and-orange-themed gaming website, can be a useful tool for narrowing down one's options. For a smattering of hand-picked PS Plus suggestions, read on.
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Play Bloodborne
Available on PS Plus Extra
It's recently come to my attention that a number of gamers, even in our post-Elden Ring world, have yet to play Bloodborne; this is a problem I seek to remedy. While fans may argue whether Bloodborne is truly the "best" of FromSoftware's action-RPG catalog, precious few would argue that it's not a contender for that title. For my part, I'll say that Bloodborne is a powerful and uniquely unsettling game that completely changed my life. Maybe it will change yours too.
- How long to beat Bloodborne: 32–43 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 91 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- March 24, 2015
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Sony






Hunt your nightmares as you search for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam, now cursed with a strange endemic illness spreading through the streets like wildfire. Danger, death and madness lurk around every corner of this dark and horrific world, and you must discover its darkest secrets in order to survive.
A Terrifying New World: Journey to a horror-filled gothic city where deranged mobs and nightmarish creatures lurk around every corner.
Strategic Action Combat: Armed with a unique arsenal of weaponry, including guns and saw cleavers, you'll need wits, strategy and reflexes to take down the agile and intelligent enemies that guard the city's dark secrets.
A New Generation of Action RPG: Stunningly detailed gothic environments, atmospheric lighting, and advanced new online experiences showcase the power and prowess of the PlayStation(R)4 system.
Ever-changing Chalice Dungeons to Explore: Use holy chalices to gain entrance to a network of vast underground ruins, filled with traps, beasts, and rewards, to explore and conquer alone or with others. These procedurally generated dungeons offer brand new challenges to master, and can be uploaded or shared with friends.
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- ps4,ps5
- Cross Save
- yes
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- no
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 33 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- no
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Play Cult of the Lamb
Available on PS Plus Extra
Something more digestible and colorful but (surprisingly) no less dark is Cult of the Lamb, a part-roguelike, part-city-builder ARPG featuring cute anthropomorphic animals. The game's combat isn't exactly groundbreaking, but its unique premise—the player is a literal lamb leading a cult, after all—alongside some solid management systems, makes it well worth a try. It's a great game for short, contained sessions, too, so it's a nice side dish for some of my other, more sizable suggestions.
- How long to beat Cult of the Lamb: 14–20 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
- Released
- August 11, 2022
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood, Violence.
- Developer(s)
- Massive Monster
- Publisher(s)
- Devolver Digital
Cult of the Lamb casts players in the role of a possessed lamb saved from annihilation by an ominous stranger, and must repay their debt by building a loyal following in his name. Start your own cult in a land of false prophets, venturing out into diverse and mysterious regions to build a loyal community of woodland Followers and spread your Word to become the one true cult.
BUILD YOUR FLOCK
Collect and use resources to build new structures, perform dark rituals to appease the gods, and give sermons to reinforce the faith of your flock.
DESTROY THE NON-BELIEVERS
Explore a sprawling, randomly generated world, fight off hordes of enemies and defeat rival cult leaders in order to absorb their power and assert your cult's dominance.
SPREAD YOUR WORD
Train your flock and embark on a quest to explore and discover the secrets of four mysterious regions. Cleanse the non-believers, spread enlightenment, and perform mystical rituals on the journey to become the mighty lamb god.
- Engine
- Unity
- Genre(s)
- Roguelite, Indie Games, Simulation
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 15 - 20 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Play Doom Eternal
Available on PS Plus Extra
Here we have one of the greatest first-person shooters of all time. In the wake of Doom: The Dark Ages, it's especially clear that Eternal landed on something special. It has the fast-paced aggression of its predecessor, but turned up several notches, and its chess-like gunplay keeps it from being mindless action; while The Dark Ages makes Doom Slayer slower and more stalwart, Eternal keeps him swift, agile, and nimble, which gels with the pace of Id Software's contemporary FPS design template. In other words, Doom Eternal is the Goldilocks of the modern franchise.
- How long to beat Doom Eternal: 14–20 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- March 20, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear... Is you.
Experience the ultimate combination of speed and power in DOOM Eternal - the next leap in push-forward, first-person combat.
SLAYER THREAT LEVEL AT MAXIMUM - Armed with a shoulder-mounted flamethrower, retractable wrist-mounted blade, upgraded guns and mods, and abilities, you're faster, stronger, and more versatile than ever.
UNHOLY TRINITY - Take what you need from your enemies: Glory kill for extra health, incinerate for armor, and chainsaw demons to stock up on ammo to become the ultimate demon-slayer.
Enter BATTLEMODE - A new 2 versus 1 multiplayer experience. A fully-armed DOOM Slayer faces off against two player-controlled demons, fighting it out in a best-of-five round match of intense first-person combat.
- Engine
- id Tech 7
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- DOOM
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 15 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 82 GB (December 2023)
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Play Bugsnax
Available on PS Plus Extra
Coming hot off the heels of the delightfully bizarre Octodad, Chicago development outfit Young Horses soars with 2022's Bugsnax. As one might predict based on the studio's burgeoning portfolio, Bugsnax is charmingly odd and even grotesque in some ways, but it's also much more mechanically satisfying than Octodad, with a slew of Bugsnax to capture, new biomes to explore, and NPCs to befriend. It won't be on PS Plus for much longer, but it's a trim experience and well worth a fourth-quarter grind.
Bugsnax is leaving PS Plus on August 19, so get it while it's hot.
- How long to beat Bugsnax: 8–12 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 65%
- Released
- November 12, 2020
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Animated Blood, Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Young Horses
- Publisher(s)
- Young Horses
Bugsnax takes you on a journey to Snaktooth Island, home of the legendary half-bug half-snack creatures, Bugsnax. Invited by intrepid explorer Elizabert Megafig, you arrive to discover your host nowhere to be found, her camp in shambles, and her followers scattered across the island alone... And hungry!
It's up to you to solve the mysteries of Snaktooth Island: What happened to Lizbert? What are Bugsnax and where do they come from? But most of all, why do they taste SO GOOD?
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Play Forspoken
Available on PS Plus Extra
Now we come to a controversial suggestion. For what it's worth, I think that Forspoken's writing can be about as rough as people say it is—don't come here looking for the best narrative experience. But now that the dust has settled on Square Enix's strange and robotic foray into magic-based ARPG mechanics, it's clear that it had some salvageable bits. This primarily comes down to Forspoken's combat and magic system, which is remarkably expressive and satisfying to use. Indeed, if you're looking for a fresh take on an ARPG build-crafting system, then Forspoken's a surprisingly strong option. Maybe play it with a podcast or something in the background, though.
- How long to beat Forspoken: 14–26 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 66 /100 Critics Rec: 30%
- Released
- January 24, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Luminous Productions
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix






Mysteriously transported from New York City, Frey Holland finds herself trapped in the breathtaking land of Athia. A magical, sentient bracelet is inexplicably wrapped around her arm, and Frey discovers the ability to cast powerful spells and use magic to traverse the sprawling landscapes of Athia. Frey nicknames her new golden companion “Cuff” and sets off to find a way home.
Frey soon learns this beautiful land once flourished under the reign of benevolent matriarchs, called Tantas, until a devastating blight relentlessly corrupted everything it touched. The Break transformed animals into beasts, men into monsters, and rich landscapes into four dangerous realms. At the center of their shattered domains, the Tantas now rule as maddened and evil sorceresses.
Unaffected by the Break and desperate for answers, Frey reluctantly agrees to help the last remaining citizens of Athia who see her as their only hope. Frey’s journey through this strange and treacherous land will take her deep into the heart of corruption where she must battle monstrous creatures, confront the powerful Tantas, and uncover secrets that awaken something much more from within.
- Engine
- unity
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
- How Long To Beat
- 15 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium