In June 2022 in North America, Sony launched a revamped version of PlayStation Plus that combines the previous model with PS Now. Split into three tiers, subscribers who invest in PS Plus Extra or Premium gain access to a wide selection of PlayStation games. While the library has hundreds of PS4 titles, it also includes quite a few PlayStation 5 releases, something PS Now did not offer.

With each new month of additions, PS Plus Extra adds a couple of PS5 titles, ensuring the library continues to expand. So far, the selections have been decent, and they have arguably been getting better as the current generation progresses. Consequently, what are the best PS5 games on PS Plus Extra?

Updated June 22, 2024: The June 2024 PS Plus lineup contained quite a few major PS5 games, including Crusader Kings 3, Anno 1800, After Us, and Football Manager 2024. Nearly all of those are major time-sinks, but the selection contained one other (Capcom) game that can be life-consuming.

Monster Hunter Rise

Metascore: 87

Monster Hunter Rise started life on the Nintendo Switch, before eventually making its way to other ecosystems. While very popular in general, Capcom's franchise is still relatively niche and can be intimidating for newcomers who have yet to hunt their first monster. Consequently, World and Rise seemed to be designed with the specific purpose of lowering the barrier for entry, providing an accessible experience that still preserves the typical Monster Hunter experience that long-time fans have come to expect. As the easiest core title in the series, Rise incorporates a relatively short "story" that teaches beginners the basics, all the while allowing veterans to skip this crash course and jump right into the Hub quests that are the real meat of the game.

Monster Hunter Rise is addictive, time-consuming, and an absolute blast. Now, the gameplay loop is pretty basic: hunt, loot, craft, hunt, loot, craft, and repeat for eternity. However, the combat offers a ton of customization options, including 14 weapon types that feel completely different from each other and require dozens upon dozens of hours to master. While the village story missions are single-player, the Hub quests support co-op, which is generally the "ideal" way to experience a hunt. That said, Rise is a blast even when played solo.

Animal Well

Metascore: 88

A pleasant surprise, Animal Well is an indie Metroidvania with a strong artistic identity, responsive platforming, and clever puzzles. Beyond the atmospheric visuals, the latter brain-teasers are the game's main selling point, and every screen is a puzzle that requires utilizing a small assortment of tools in inspired ways to unlock doors and avoid threats (be it intimidating crows or a kangaroo). Putting aside fireworks that can stun or eliminate enemies, Animal Well is pretty much devoid of combat, with even boss fights being essentially puzzles with added steps and on a more epic scale.

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This Animal Well walkthrough will help players reach the end credits and explore the challenging puzzles that can be found beyond them.

While not extremely long, Animal Well is quite difficult in a few ways. More often than not, the puzzles require thinking outside the box, especially after the first hour of the campaign. Consequently, they can occasionally bring progression to a screeching halt, although they are satisfying to solve. The game does not provide much direction on where to go, leaving players to their own devices. That said, the map is quite detailed and helpful. Even if it might not be the biggest name ever, Animal Well is undoubtedly among the best PS5 PS Plus games and a must-play for anyone into puzzles or Metroidvanias.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Metascore: 88

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was one of the first projects to truly come across as a next-generation experience, and the game is still among the console's standard-setters. Insomniac has been on fire over the last few years, and while Spider-Man has hogged most of the spotlight, the studio regularly produces the goods whenever it returns to its other flagship IP.

Rift Apart is, fundamentally, just another Ratchet & Clank adventure that delivers exactly what most fans have come to expect from the franchise. Along with stunning graphics, the game has fast-paced and satisfying gunplay, enjoyable platforming, lavish worlds, and charming characters. Although not lacking in new ideas, including the introduction of a second playable character, Rift Apart mainly seeks to perfect the formula rather than reinvent it. The result is a polished, confident, and delightful third-person shooter.

Returnal

Metascore: 86

Housemarque's Returnal is a sci-fi epic about Selene, a space traveler who visits a strange planet and becomes ensnared in a time loop. This plot point serves as narrative justification for the third-person shooter's roguelike structure; as Selene explores Atropos' six biomes, her demise will signal a return to the beginning.

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Returnal has fantastic gameplay, which is hardly surprising considering the studio's previous releases like Alienation. The story builds an engrossing sense of mystery while cleverly diving into Selene's history and mental state.

Dave The Diver

Metascore: 91

Added to PS Plus Extra and Premium on April 16, 2024, Dave the Diver is undoubtedly a huge get for Sony's service, especially since it was technically a Day 1 addition, at least concerning the PS5 and PS4 ports. Management sims are not particularly uncommon, but Mintrocket's project is a singular entity that combines a few different genres to create something that fits all of them while standing out in each of them. The campaign primarily consists of two sections: exploration/fishing and restaurant management. The former feeds into the latter and vice versa, creating a symbiotic relationship that heightens both sides of the equation.

Dave the Diver follows, well, Dave as he dives into a magical sea in search of fish that can be turned into sushi for a restaurant he opened with a couple of friends. During the day, players explore the Blue Hole in search of living ingredients, and they have to make certain choices before they dive into the cold water. For one, Dave can only carry a limited loadout, meaning he has to preemptively pick between equipment suited for different fish, not knowing what he might find in the ever-changing Blue Hole. The daily dives can produce jaw-dropping vistas along with genuine terror (for Dave, the game is not remotely scary) and the occasional boss fight.

The management side of things also works well, even if it is a bit stripped down compared to games dedicated to the genre. Players have a fair degree of control over the restaurant's processes, including hiring staff to ensure things keep running smoothly. Dave the Diver is not the greatest management sim out there, but it complements the exploration side of things well to create a satisfying whole.

Ghost Of Tsushima: Director's Cut

Metascore: 87

Talk about a fantastic way to conclude the PS4 era. Ghost of Tsushima is a majestic open-world action game that expertly blends visuals, story, and gameplay to create an experience that feels complete. Inspired by the Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island in the 1270s, the eponymous ghost refers to Jin Sakai, a samurai who seeks to free his home and regain his honor.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut packages the base game with the Iki Island expansion, adding roughly 10 hours of content to what is already quite an expansive campaign. Except for its plot, the DLC is of mostly high quality, and the same could be said for the Legends multiplayer mode.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns

Metascore: 81

March 2024's PS Plus Extra lineup of new games was pretty decent, even if it will not go down as an all-time great. Still, most of the month's included projects are worth checking out, and they cover a few gameplay styles as well. Except for maybe NBA 2K24, which is an acquired taste, Midnight Suns was the month's biggest game. Obviously, Marvel properties will always be fairly mainstream, but Firaxis' tactical RPG is a completely different beast than, for example, Insomniac's Spider-Man franchise. When the game launched in 2022, there probably were quite a few people who held back from investing due to their inexperience with the genre. Although gradually becoming more accessible, tactical RPGs can seem intimidating, and a Marvel coat of paint can only lower the barrier of entry so far.

Consequently, Midnight Suns is the perfect addition to a platform like PS Plus Extra since it is both a known property and a niche prospect. While not lacking depth, Firaxis' game is quite accessible, largely thanks to the combat system not relying on RNG to the extent of the X-Com franchise. Players step into the shoes of The Hunter, a new hero who finds himself teaming up with a plethora of Marvel's most famous faces. The turn-based action is flashy and addictive, and it utilizes an inspired card-collecting system that adds customization and replay value. Outside of battle, Midnight Suns transforms into something of a social sim that allows the protagonist to befriend the available superheroes. This section can be polarizing, but it should be neat for die-hard fans of the comics.

Horizon Forbidden West

Metascore: 88

One of the biggest PS Plus PS5 games, Horizon Forbidden West is an open-world juggernaut that looks and plays great. The sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn is larger and, arguably, better. In search of a way to save GAIA, Aloy heads west in pursuit of Sylens and becomes embroiled in a conflict between two tribes.

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Horizon Forbidden West has a massive and lavish open-world, fine-tuned combat, and epic enemy designs, particularly for the robotic dinosaurs. Narratively, the game delivers the goods as well, building nicely upon its predecessor's groundwork. Along with just being one of the best PS Plus PS5 games, HFW's debut might demonstrate how Sony plans to treat first-party exclusives moving forward.

Sea Of Stars

Metascore: 87

One of 2023's nicest surprises, Sea of Stars managed to make a splash despite being surrounded by huge releases like Armored Core 6 and Starfield. The indie turn-based RPG comes from Sabotage Studio, and it is a prequel to 2018's The Messenger. While the games take place in the same universe, they are otherwise wildly different, and they are both great titles in their own right. Paying homage to classic JRPGs, Sea of Stars tells a gorgeous pixilated adventure set on an island, with the story's protagonists being two warriors who are powered by the moon and sun.

Sea of Stars' narrative is well-written and engaging, and while initially somewhat prototypical, it goes in a couple of unexpected directions as it moves along. The turn-based combat system is very solid and contains just enough depth to remain interesting throughout the reasonably lengthy campaign, and it even incorporates some real-time elements. Overall, Sea of Stars is comfortably one of the best indie PS5 games on PS Plus, if not the outright best.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

Metascore: 76

PS Plus is not a great option for Borderlands fans, with the platform having none of the main entries; however, Sony has steps to fill that void in 2024 by adding Tiny Tina's Wonderlands to the catalog. The 2022 spin-off takes the franchise's standard looter-shooter formula and gives it a DnD makeover, courtesy of Tiny Tina acting as dungeon master for a game of Bunkers & Badasses. As a newcomer cast in the role of the Fatemaker, players are guided through an epic tale filled with Dragon Lords, medieval-themed guns, and plenty of humor. Due to its nature as a side quest, the game's story largely does its own thing removed from the central timeline, making Tiny Tina's Wonderlands a good pick for people who are either new to Gearbox's franchise or have not played all the entries.

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Gameplay-wise, the spin-off largely sticks to the IP's standard structure, with the gunplay feeling very similar to Borderlands 3. Everything is just themed around fantasy rather than sci-fi, a change that does give the campaign a slightly different feel than the norm. Players still get to pick from a few classes that each come with three build categories, and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands supports co-op just like the main Borderlands projects. Although not a masterpiece, this title is a fun ride that does not overstay its welcome, opting to deliver a streamlined adventure that steadily builds up the absurdity as it goes along. As far as FPS projects are concerned, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is among the best PS5 games on PS Plus Extra.

Rogue Legacy 2

Metascore: 90

It took a while but Rogue Legacy 2 finally made its way to the PS5 and PS4 in June 2023, debuting directly on PS Plus Extra. On the surface, the sequel to 2013's influential roguelite might not seem to take all that many risks as it largely sticks to the same core formula; however, the game plays out like a perfected version of the original Rogue Legacy, which was and still is fantastic. As before, players are randomly assigned a class as they head into massive levels in search of loot and bosses. When death comes calling, they can pick from three new characters who will have different classes and personality traits. While they must start exploring from scratch, players can use their acquired loot to purchase upgrades, so they are not constantly returning to zero.

Rogue Legacy 2 emphasizes the differences between its classes way more than its predecessor, to the point that each one feels completely unique. Simply trying out the various options is fun, especially since most classes are fairly complex and take a while to master. Variety is also provided through the many traits, relics, and upgrades, all of which can greatly alter a build or run. The stages are expansive, ambitious, and detailed, ending with memorable boss fights that will test anyone's skills.

Doom Eternal

Metascore: 87 (PS4)

Premium subscribers can check out the classics, starting from the 1993 original release and concluding with Doom 3. Meanwhile, Doom Eternal Extra tier, along with its predecessor. Id Software knocked 2016's Doom completely out of the park, and the developer could have simply opted to rethread the exact same ground for the sequel; thankfully, Doom Eternal carves its own identity.

While still ultimately the Doom everyone knows and loves, this entry shakes things up by emphasizing the Doom Slayer's range of motion, even including things like a grappling hook. These abilities work beautifully within combat, providing players with more options than ever before. Even with a fairly forgiving dodge function, Doom Eternal still packs a considerable punch, especially since ammo is reasonably limited. The campaign does include a few polarizing platforming and traversal sections, but they do not take much away from the overall experience.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Metascore: 84

Extra and Premium subscribers have quite a few Assassin's Creed projects at their fingertips, and Valhalla is the closest to a current-gen experience. While also available on the PS4, Ubisoft's massive open-world game benefits significantly from the PS5's hardware, even if the older version is decent and a solid option for fans of the franchise. Now, Valhalla is a quintessential Ubisoft package in many ways, which means an expansive map dotted with endless content; more importantly, the campaign is structured around completing a percentage of the open-world quests, meaning players will need to step away from the main story to progress.

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This 2020 release's reputation has arguably declined since its debut, which is unsurprising considering the game suffers from bloat. The combat system is also polarizing, while the full adoption of RPG elements might not hit the mark with long-time fans. That said, Valhalla still manages to impress, and it is a must-play for anyone remotely interested in Viking culture.

Stranded: Alien Dawn

Metascore: 81 (Xbox Series X/S)

While more at home on PC than consoles, Stranded: Alien Dawn works pretty well on the PS5, and it offers a unique experience compared to nearly every other title on PS Plus. Essentially a 3D RimWorld, Haemimont Games' project drops players on an alien planet and challenges them to scavenge, research, defend, and (ultimately) thrive. Starting with a handful of survivors and a crashed spaceship, players must gradually build their group up from nothing, crafting shelter, workbenches, and other crucial tools while remaining weary of the local wildlife.

Niche as it is, Stranded: Alien Dawn delivers on its promise to provide a customizable survival sim with decent visuals, deep mechanics, and potentially endless replayability via its scenarios. Regardless of how familiar a player is with these types of games, they should dedicate the first two hours to the tutorial, which does an admirable job of introducing all the mechanics and shortcuts.

Humanity

Metascore: 86

Debuting directly on PS Plus Extra, Humanity might not make as wide of a Day 1 splash as Stray, but the puzzle game is nonetheless a big get for Sony's service. Cast as a dog that must shepherd humans across dozens upon dozens of levels, players spend their time setting up directions to try and keep the crowd safely moving along. Although this might sound simple in theory, Humanity consistently introduces new mechanics, ideas, and options to maintain a steady challenge.

Ultimately, this 2023 release is an acquired taste that won't hit the spot with everyone; however, any fans of puzzle games should give it a look. Humanity has an eye-catching look, deceptively deep gameplay, and surprisingly intriguing themes, especially for its genre.

Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection

Metascore: 87

PS Plus Extra launched with the PS4 versions of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and The Lost Legacy, but the PS5's Legacy of Thieves Collection was added as part of the subscription service's March 2023 lineup. Now, the last-generation iterations are still absolutely fantastic, comparing favorably with most titles released over the last 5 years. Consequently, the "remaster" package does not bring too many changes, although the ones that are implemented make enough of a difference to establish the Legacy of Thieves Collection as the definitive way to experience these two stories.

Fueled by the power of the PS5, Uncharted 4 and The Lost Legacy now support multiple performance modes, allowing players to decide whether to prioritize 4K or 60 fps. The visuals have also been tweaked ever so slightly to give both games an overall cleaner and more immersive presentation. These improvements enhance two titles that were already considered masterpieces.

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits

Metascore: 81

AA gaming has been on the decline since the end of the PS3 era, and only a handful of modern releases fall within the bracket. However, a couple of projects do try to walk the line between indie and triple-A, with Kena: Bridge of Spirits serving as a prime example. Ember Lab's action-adventure title is visually impressive by any metric, dropping players into a fully realized fantasy world that has some gorgeous locations. In fact, the art style and special effects are arguably the game's strongest features.

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That said, the rest of the experience is by no means underwhelming. Gameplay-wise, Kena is cut from the same bow-wielding cloth as Tomb Raider and Horizon Forbidden West, although it also mixes in some staff-themed melee attacks. While somewhat repetitive, the combat is generally fun and surprisingly challenging, particularly when it comes to the campaign's bosses. Alongside battles, the game relies heavily on puzzles and exploration, both of which are handled well.

Inscryption

Metascore: 87

At a glance, Inscryption might appear to be a fairly typical card-battler, albeit one with a darker aesthetic than the norm for the genre. And, in some ways, the game is just that, but there is so much more to this package than meets the eye. Inscryption's card system might not hold too many surprises for people familiar with tabletop projects, but it is generally well-executed and addictive in a way that only these types of games seem to be.

Structured as a roguelite, players find themselves going up against a rather strange figure and a host of other opponents as they seek to win a series of matches. Each victory rewards new cards and upgrades, but multiple losses will send players back to square one. Inscryption does not stop at just a compelling battle system, and the game encourages players to explore beyond the table to piece together their circumstances. Yes, this is a card game with a story, and it is well done.

Tales Of Arise

Metascore: 87

Premium subscribers can play through four Tales games, while two of those releases are also on the Extra tier. Tales of Arise is the only title natively available on the PS5, and it serves as a fantastic entry point into Bandai's franchise as a whole. While not on the same level as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, Tales is nevertheless a cornerstone of the JRPG universe, and it sits among the most well-known properties in the real-time action subgenre.

Arise garnered attention for being among the first current-generation JRPGs, and it lived up to that billing by providing great combat and a lengthy campaign that tells an effective story that ranks among the franchise's best efforts. Offering a range of playable characters who all play differently enough to be worth trying out, Arise is the full package, even if it might not be the best-in-class in every area.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade

Metascore: 89

Square Enix's decision to remake one of the most beloved JRPGs in history was a risky move, but the 2020 remake does a great job of justifying its existence. The PS5 Intergrade version comes with the base game and the Intermission DLC, which features Yuffie as a playable character. Combined, the project should be able to keep a player entertained for a few weeks at the minimum, even if the campaign itself is relatively linear.

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FF7's story is well-known by this point, and the remake starts out by retreading most of its predecessor's early chapters. However, the narrative does gradually begin to divert, setting things up for a potentially surprising sequel. The latter is scheduled to drop in early 2024, making this the perfect time for PS Plus subscribers to play through the first entry.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Special Edition

Metascore: 81 (PS4)

The eternal RPG, Skyrim will never die. Ever since debuting in 2011, Bethesda's masterpiece has been ported to seemingly every system under the sun, to the point of being available on three PlayStation generations. The PS5 and PS4 Special Edition versions come with the base game and most of the DLC, along with a range of enhancements that take advantage of the newer consoles' capabilities. While they do not drastically alter the experience, they polish and fine-tune the campaign just enough to justify their existence.

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More than a decade after its original arrival, Skyrim is still incredible, largely thanks to its captivating open-world that emphasizes exploration and freedom. The main story is nothing special, but it is only a minor part of the overall package, and players can ignore these missions and still enjoy a full and satisfying adventure. The game's customization, world-building, side quests, and lore are all among the RPG genre's best efforts, and they combine to create a timeless epic with very few peers. Skyrim is one of the best PS5 games on PS Plus simply because it is among the greatest titles of all time.

Dead By Daylight

Metascore: 64

Dead by Daylight is one of the most popular multiplayer games of the last few years, and its frequent updates and expansions have kept the project in the public discourse.

Four Survivors must work together to turn on generators and escape before they are hunted down by a Killer. Players are free to pick from a wide selection of both Survivors and Killers, all of which come with unique abilities that greatly alter the flow of matches. Dead by Daylight's roster includes quite a few iconic faces, including Silent Hill's Pyramid Head, Hellraiser's Pinhead, and The Ring's Sadako Yamamura.

Judgment & Lost Judgment

Metascore: 83 (Judgment)

While Yakuza has shifted away from its beat 'em up origins, that does not mean Sega has completely turned its back on the classic play style. Since 2019, the old ways have been kept alive by Judgment, a spin-off series that focuses on a lawyer-turned-PI who takes on cases that start complex and gradually become overwhelmingly so.

Judgment and its sequel are both very good games in their own right, and they largely succeed in capturing the magic of the mainline entries while still offering something new that sets them apart from Yakuza. They offer great central storylines, solid combat, and a wide range of fantastic side activities. The latter quests and minigames are especially fun, as they tend to be in this franchise.

Demon's Souls

Metascore: 92

When the PlayStation 5 debuted, Bluepoint's Demon's Souls remake was the main reason to pick up the console. Since then Sony's system has welcomed quite a few great projects, but this launch title continues to be one of the PS5's crowning achievements.

FromSoftware's 2009 original is also on PS Plus Premium, and as game-changing as that PS3 classic is, the remake's improved gameplay and enhanced environments make it the version most worth playing on the subscription service.

Control: Ultimate Edition

Metascore: 85

Remedy Entertainment has a track record of producing ambitious games with addictive combat and fascinating stories. In many ways, Control represents the studio at its best and most intriguing. The game is set in the Federal Bureau of Control, a government building devoted to investigating and storing the strange and otherworldly; unsurprisingly, things go desperately wrong and it is up to Jesse Faden to clean up the mess.

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Armed with a shape-shifting gun and an array of satisfying powers, Jesse traverses the FBC's halls as reality twists and turns around her. Control's gameplay is incredible, and this world's lore demands to be explored.

Marvel's Guardians Of The Galaxy

Metascore: 80

Following the disappointing Marvel's Avengers, one would have been forgiven for being skeptical about Square Enix's Guardians of the Galaxy; thankfully, this single-player game is far superior to its live-service sibling. As Star-Lord, players get to experience a planet-hopping adventure packed with humor, action, and flashes of emotion.

While it is a bit disappointing that only Peter Quill is playable, GOTG's combat system blossoms nicely as the campaign progresses and players become more familiar with its intricacies. Narratively, this game should please both fans of the comics and the MCU movies.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

Metascore: 85 (PS4)

TMNT has a long and uneven video game legacy. The franchise has produced a few all-time classics, along with a couple of underwhelming titles that should have been a lot better. During the last two decades, the Turtles' gaming adventures have frequently failed to deliver, to the point that the license stopped producing console games for a few years. Thankfully, 2022's Shredder's Revenge not only turned that momentum around but can also stand alongside the best TMNT projects of yesteryear that it sought to emulate.

Tribute Games' title proudly wears its influences out in the open. Ripped right out of the '90s arcade beat 'em up scene, Shredder's Revenge delivers simple but addictive gameplay, gorgeous retro visuals, and a hard-as-nails campaign. The game has seven playable characters, all of whom have unique quirks that set them apart from their peers and combine beautifully in co-op. The stages are packed to the brim with references to TMNT's extensive history; in fact, Shredder's Revenge is just a huge love letter to the franchise. Also,

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Metascore: 85

Miles Morales builds upon 2018's stellar Marvel's Spider-Man; in fact, the two releases are so similar that the spin-off can feel a bit like an expansion. That said, the game's fundamentals are so unbelievably strong that they help nullify these criticisms.

As the titular hero, players get to swing around New York City during Christmas, all while they work through a deeply personal storyline that does a brilliant job of endearing Miles Morales to people unfamiliar with his comics. Like Marvel's Spider-Man is one of the strongest PS4 titles on Sony's subscription service, Miles Morales is among the best PS5 games on PS Plus​​​​​​ Extra.