Xbox Game Pass gets the spotlight when it comes to offering games as a monthly service, but did you know that PlayStation has a similar service, too? For a monthly fee of £8.99, PlayStation Now subscribers can gain access to a library of games, ready to stream remotely or download locally on PS4 and PS5.
While Sony doesn’t push PlayStation Now as hard as Xbox does with Game Pass, it’s still full of some excellent titles. If you’re struggling to find something to play right now (me and my backlog are jealous of you), here are a few suggestions that are available on PlayStation Now.
God of War
This one is an easy choice, but if you haven’t yet played 2018’s God of War then you really need to get on it. Santa Monica worked wonders when it completely reworked the premise of God of War. It’s fresh faced with a new camera perspective and a one-take hollywood movie sheen. Riffing on classic Norse mythology, it’s easily one of the best written games of the last generation. It looks stunning on PS5, too. Santa Monica recently updated the game to run at a native 4K 60fps. The realms of Midgard have never looked more stunning.
After Sony’s fantastic PlayStation Showcase last week, now is the perfect time to get stuck into the most recent God of War. Ragnarok will take place a few years after the last game, continuing the story of Kratos and Atreus. The new gameplay trailer sees the return of several favourite characters, including Freya and Thor. New characters teased in the first game also make their debut appearance, including Tyr and Angrboda.
God of War is listed as having ongoing access on PlayStation Now, meaning that it’s not likely to leave the service anytime soon. With Ragnarok set to release sometime in 2022, you’ve plenty of time to get stuck into this stunning Norse adventure.
Judgment
One title that is leaving the service soon is Judgment. A spin-off title to the Yakuza series, Judgement sees players take on the role of a detective in the depths of Tokyo. Players will become familiar with the protagonist Takayuki Yagami. Throughout the game, he engages in stealth, brutal combat, and wacky chase sequences as he works to bring down the yakuza.
With Judgment leaving PlayStation Now soon, you should act fast. The sequel ‘Lost Judgment’ releases on September 21st and continues the story started in the first game. You’ll have a hard time finishing this 30-hour RPG in a weekend, but completing it in a few weeks should be achievable. Judgment is available on PlayStation Now until October 4th, after which you’ll need to purchase the full game to continue playing.
F1 2020
For a (literal) change of pace, you should give the F1 2020 official video game a try. It’s not as up to date as the current F1 season, but it still features an excellent roster of tracks and decent car handling to immerse yourself in the world of Formula 1. You’ll just have to gloss over the fact that the season calendar is inaccurate – Codemasters could hardly predict the global pandemic.
There’s some unique features in F1 2020 that make it enticing over F1 2021, too. It saw the introduction of the My Team mode which lets you build and manage your own F1 team throughout the 2020 season. There’s also a fantastic selection of classic F1 cars from the sport’s history. Most notably, Michael Schumacher’s iconic Benetton cars and liveries from 1994 and 1995 are driveable in all their nostalgic glory. If you’re about to watch the new ‘Schumacher’ documentary on Netflix, then F1 2020 will tie in just nicely.
Ghostrunner
I think I speak for lots of us when I say that Cyberpunk was more than a little disappointing. If you’ve still got that cyberpunk themed itch to scratch, Ghosturnner might be the game to satiate that.
It’s a ridiculously fast-paced ninja game set in a dystopian world of neon and technology. Armed with a katana and imbued with the ability to parkour like a boss, you’ll make your way through several 3D platforming puzzles and combat sections. The game is so fast paced that each level is almost like its own puzzle box. Think Hotline Miami where one wrong move can mean death, Ghostrunner is a speed runner’s dream.
Uncharted 1, 2, and 3
One of the other big announcements from the PlayStation Showcase was that Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy are headed to PC. This will be the first time that Uncharted has ever appeared on a platform other than PlayStation, so it’s a big deal for PC players. However, it’s only Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy making the jump. With three games worth of narrative preceding them, PC players might find themselves feeling a little lost.
Luckily, Uncharted 1, 2, and 3 are all available on PlayStation Now. You won’t be able to play them natively on PC, but you can access a remote play stream right from your desktop. Much of the emotional weight in Uncharted 4 relies on having previous knowledge of the series. If you’re planning on playing it on PC, it’s definitely worth catching up with the adventures of Nathan Drake. Plus, they’re fantastic fun – especially if you like the idea of Indiana Jones crossed with Lara Croft.
Until Dawn
It’s that time of the year where we’re approaching spooky season, and I for one can’t wait. Gamers aren’t short of spooky games to play, but if you’re planning a social event to celebrate the scary occasion, there’s one that I’d wholeheartedly recommend.
Until Dawn is developed by Supermassive Games which you might recognise from the more recent Dark Pictures anthology series. The game tells the story of a group of friends having a gathering in a family lodge, nestled high in a mountain resort. Taking inspiration from cheesy american horror flicks, Until Dawn has all the hallmarks of a cringe-fest. However, the way the story and characters change depending on player choice is surprisingly impressive, and a lot of fun.
It’s accidentally an excellent party game. Assign a character to each player and let them decide each of their fates. It’s not the way the game is intended to be played, but it’s an excellent hoot with the right group of people. Best of all, it’ll be available on PlayStation Now throughout Halloween, so there’s no need to shell out full price for a game that you’ll likely play once.
Bloodborne
FromSoftware is set to make a huge splash early next year with the release of Elden Ring. Given the studio’s reputation with making difficult games, you might want to consider getting some practise in before January. Of course, there’s the obvious choice of Dark Souls, or even Sekiro. However, if you’re yet to give it a try, Bloodborne is the one that I’d recommend trying.
While other FromSoft games require a balance of attack timing and a considered defence, Bloodborne requires you to be much more aggressive in your approach. While we’re not entirely sure on how Elden Ring’s gameplay will manifest, playing Bloodborne will help to instill a more action-oriented gameplay style into your muscle memory.
Sadly, Bloodborne hasn’t been updated to cater to the PS5 hardware. It’s a shame, because Bloodborne runs at a notoriously choppy framerate and features particularly long load times. Still, it offers some of the most intriguing enemy and world design and shouldn’t be passed up.
Which other games catch your eye on the PlayStation Now service? Let us know across our social channels.
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Featured Image Credit: Sony