27 December 2025

The 15 Best PS Plus Monthly Games Added in 2025

By newsgame

For better or worse, subscription services like PlayStation Plus and Game Pass are here to stay. These platforms have had a complicated impact on the games industry as a whole, but it’s hard to deny that they’ve offered incredible value to consumers, serving as solid options for gaming on a budget.

In 2025, PlayStation Plus arguably became the best of the bunch. Xbox Game Pass, which for so long had overshadowed PS Plus due to its price point and firmer commitment to day-one exclusives, had a bit of a fall from grace this year. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which gives players full benefits and access to all day-one GP games, jumped to $30 a month in November, up from $20 per month. By contrast, PS Plus Premium is $18 a month, and the lower tier, PlayStation Plus Extra, is just $15. And as subscribers know, PlayStation Plus Extra offered a lot for $15 in 2025.

The following list is in no particular order.

Pacific Drive

Check Out Pacific Drive On OpenCritic

Part Stalker, part Car Mechanic Simulator, Pacific Drive is one of the most original ideas to come out of the indie scene in years. Players are trapped in The Zone, a surreal and mysterious region in the Pacific Northwest, with only a car and some remote companions to aid them. Its gameplay is akin to a single-player extraction shooter, but instead of weapons, players collect and upgrade car parts. It’s eerie, compelling, and an excellent example of zone-horror, a subgenre exemplified by works like Roadside Picnic, Annihilation, and the Metro franchise.

Added to PS Plus Extra in November 2025

Released: February 22, 2024
ESRB: T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language
Developer(s): Ironwood Studios
Publisher(s): Kepler Interactive

Grand Theft Auto 5

Read Game Rant’s Grand Theft Auto 5’s Current-Gen Review

Few games have been celebrated as much as Grand Theft Auto 5, a highly anticipated open-world adventure that, at the very least, met audience expectations when it launched in 2013. It can be hard to believe that this game was originally released for the PS3 and Xbox 360, where it represented the pinnacle of what those consoles were capable of. Compared to Rockstar’s eventual endeavors with Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA 5 may not be quite so impressive, but it’s still a historically significant, unique title deserving of its accolades.

Added to PS Plus Extra in November 2025

Released: September 17, 2013
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
Developer(s): Rockstar North

Silent Hill 2

Read Game Rant’s Silent Hill 2 Review

My hopes for the Silent Hill 2 remake were subterranean: Konami had been on a generation-defining losing streak, and Bloober Team’s track record was spotty at best. Never before have I been so wrong about a game. The Silent Hill 2 remake is nuanced, thoughtful, and iterative without being disrespectful of the source material. It’s not a replacement for the 2001 original, but it is—dare I say it—just as good. Here you have one of the best remakes of all time, and a game that might go down in history as having single-handedly pulled Konami out of its slump.

Added to PS Plus Extra in October 2025

Systems

Released: October 8, 2024
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Read Game Rant’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon Review

Turn-based games tend to be contentious, so when Ryu Ga Gotoku revealed that it would be pivoting to a turn-based combat system for its 2020 Yakuza game, reactions were mixed to say the least. And to be honest, Yakuza: Like a Dragon‘s turn-based combat isn’t much to write home about, though it is fun. No, the real reason why Like a Dragon is worth playing is its writing: the game presents some of the most lovable characters to grace the RPG genre, the side quests and minigames are hilarious and unfettered, and the story, while still melodramatic and silly at points, is incredibly refreshing thanks to Ichiban Kasuga, a worthy quasi-successor to Kazuma Kiryu.

Added to PS Plus Extra in October 2025

Yakuza: Like A Dragon Tag Page Cover Art

Released: November 10, 2020
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol

Lies of P

Read Game Rant’s Lies of P Review

Lies of P is one of the most pleasant surprises of the past few years. Developed by the relatively unproven Round 8 Studio, Lies of P initially looked like something of a Bloodborne spiritual successor, but it turned out to be so much more. Lies of P is wickedly original, with a story, progression system, and combat loop that manages to feel both refreshing and aspirational, shaking up the long-oversaturated soulslike market.

Added to PS Plus Essential in August 2025

Released: September 19, 2023
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Violence
Developer(s): Round8 Studio, Neowiz

Sword of the Sea

Read Game Rant’s Sword of the Sea Review

Giant Squid, who previously developed ABZU and The Pathless, launched Sword of the Sea in August 2025 to rave reviews. Much like its predecessors, it’s a soothing, short, but ultimately powerful game built around fluid movement. Remarkably, it combines the varied and striking level design of ABZU with the simple but satisfying traversal of The Pathless, making for an experience that perfectly balances atmosphere and spectacle with mechanical depth (relative to ABZU anyway). It might just be Giant Squid’s magnum opus.

Added to PS Plus Extra in August 2025

Systems

Released: August 19, 2025
ESRB: Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence
Developer(s): Giant Squid
Publisher(s): Giant Squid
Number of Players: Single-player

Risk of Rain 2

Check out Risk of Rain 2 on OpenCritic

There have been countless roguelikes released over the years, with the genre gaining considerable traction in the 2010s and 2020s, but Risk of Rain 2 might just be the cream of the crop. It isn’t as story-intensive as a game like Hades, nor does it boast the impressive visuals of Returnal or God of War Ragnarok‘s Valhalla DLC, but its richness of content and mind-blowing progression systems put it in a class of its own. No two Risk of Rain 2 runs are the same, as a combination of well-wrought character archetypes and constantly-stacking upgrades offer variety and exhilaration in equal measure.

Added to PS Plus Extra in July 2025

Released: September 11, 2020
ESRB: T For Teen // Blood, Drug Reference, Fantasy Violence
Developer(s): Hopoo Games
Publisher(s): Gearbox Publishing

Indika

Read Game Rant’s Indika Review

Avant-garde is the term that comes to mind when I think of Indika. Odd Meter’s sophomore release follows a nun struggling with her faith in an alternate-history, semi-steampunk version of 19th-century Russia. It’s best to keep it at that to avoid spoilers, but know that this is more of an audiovisual experience than a game. An average playthrough of Indika will last about 4 hours, and while it will constantly surprise you, it won’t offer the mechanical depth of other titles. But still, it uses its interactivity in interesting ways. If you’re looking for a story that’s gutsy, hilarious, and upsetting, you won’t be disappointed with Indika.

Added to PS Plus Extra in August 2025

Released: May 2, 2024
ESRB: Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s): Odd Meter

Cyberpunk 2077

Read Game Rant’s Cyberpunk 2077 Review

Cyberpunk 2077 had a rough start, which may be why it’s struggled to get the credit it deserves. I have long held that Cyberpunk is a masterpiece in many respects, with some of the sharpest writing, best progression, craziest visuals, and hardest-hitting combat of any modern RPG. Had it launched in better condition, perhaps this would be a more widely held belief. Regardless, this is an essential title for any fan of the RPG or action genres, or of games like The Witcher and Fallout 3.

Added to PS Plus Extra in July 2025

Released: December 10, 2020
ESRB: M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

Red Dead Redemption

Read Game Rant’s Red Dead Redemption Review

Red Dead Redemption 2 might be the more recent release, some might even argue that it’s the better one, but there’s still no overstating how great the first game is. Red Dead Redemption was ahead of its time in many ways and helped establish Rockstar as a titan of narrative design. John Marston remains a uniquely complex and compelling character, although his depiction here might seem a little unfamiliar to Red Dead 2 fans. It’s obviously not as polished or complex as its successor, but it’s a can’t-miss nonetheless and one of the best releases of its era.

Added to PS Plus Extra in December 2025

Released: May 18, 2010
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
Developer(s): Rockstar San Diego