Skip to main content

3 new PS Plus games you need to play this weekend (August 23-25)

Yennefer in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
CD Projekt Red

This week, we received our monthly batch of new additions to the PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra game catalog. It’s a great group of games that includes a fantastic RPG, underrated gems, Sword Art Online games, and some PS2 TimeSplitters games getting rereleased for the first time. If you’re looking for something to play this weekend, that means there are plenty of new games to choose from, but I specifically want to highlight three worthwhile games that just came to the service. They can all maintain your attention for more than just a weekend too.

Recommended Videos

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

best ps4 games horizon zero dawn
CD Projekt Red

CD Projekt Red’s crowning achievement needs little introduction. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best RPGs ever made, thanks to its fantastic world-building, writing, and characters. Geralt of Rivia is now one of gaming’s most iconic protagonists, and this RPG also put book characters Ciri and Yennefer in a central role for the first time. It features some of the best sidequests in an RPG too, as most of them are given the same care as the main questline. We’re over nine years out from its original release, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt still holds up. If you somehow haven’t played it yet, you need to this weekend. The PS4 and PS5 versions of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are now part of the PS Plus Extra Game Catalog. It’s also available on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

Wild Hearts

Wild Hearts player in front of cherry blossom tree.
EA

Although no game has been able to dethrone Monster Hunter, I think Omega Force and EA’s Wild Hearts is an extremely underrated alternative. Wild Hearts‘ unique twist on the formula is its Karakuri mechanic, which lets players build items like springs or a bulwark within the environment in order to help during a fight. It leaves a palpable mark of your battle in the hunt’s aftermath, which is a satisfying feeling I’ve never gotten from Monster Hunter. Not a lot of people talk about Wild Hearts, which launched last February, but the wait for Monster Hunter Wilds will be a little less painful if you play it. The PS5 version of Wild Hearts is available through PS Plus Extra. It’s also available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Cult of the Lamb

A player giving a gift in Cult of the Lamb.
Devolver Digital

You’ve probably heard of Cult of the Lamb because of some of the hilarious posts the X (formerly Twitter) account for it made. Well, it’s quite a memorable game even underneath that comedic exterior. It’s an interesting blend of base-building and roguelike as players balance going on more action-focused runs to take down bosses with the management of the village the cult resides in. If you need a good laugh, but also want an engaging gaming experience to back that up, it’s worth your time. Cult of the Lamb also just got an update called Unholy Alliance, which added local co-op and new follower traits, relics, and tarot cards. PS Plus Extra subscribers now have access to the PS4 and PS5 versions of Cult of the Lamb. It’s also on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Tomas Franzese
A former Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese now reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (February 21-23)
The four girls stand together in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.

PlayStation Plus isn't as consistent as Game Pass in adding day one titles to the service, but when we do get them, they tend to be excellent. The last State of Play revealed some exciting upcoming PS5 games coming to Plus on day one in the future, alongside games like Saros which are much further out, but one of the month's most interesting games is already on the service. The rest of the lineup is nothing to sneeze at, either. From AAA games to the return of old favorites, we've got the perfect selection of games for you to dive into this weekend.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 1
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - First Look Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games

The next game from developer Don't Nod, the original creators of Life is Strange, is taking us back to the '90s. Split into two parts (the second scheduled to release on April 15), Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is another adventure game focused on a group of four girls split between the summer of 1995 and 27 years later after the friends had a falling out. Whatever secret caused them to break apart has brought them back together. Anyone with nostalgia for the '90s and a love for teen drama and mystery has nothing to lose giving this first chapter a shot. Thankfully the story is only split into two this time so you won't have to wait multiple months between parts to finish the story.

Read more
3 PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (February 14-16)
Players charge at each other in Chivalry 2's Arena mode.

PlayStation surprised us earlier this week and a new State of Play showcase that highlighted a ton of upcoming PS5 games to look forward to, such as Metal Gear Solid: Delta and Onimusha: Way of the Sword. However, we have a long time to wait for most of those games, and even longer if you want to snag them on PlayStation Plus. This month has no shortage of new games coming out to play, but if you don't have the time or money to get them all, PlayStation Plus has you covered. We picked out some gems from the catalog that might have gone under your radar at the time. Whether you want a deep RPG, fantastic party game, or hardcore multiplayer title, these are the games you should play this weekend.
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds - Come to Halcyon Trailer | PS4

There's a good chance that Avowed will eventually make its way to PS5, but right now, there's no official word on that. What has been on PlayStation Plus for a while is the last major RPG from Obsidian, The Outer Worlds. Often compared to a Fallout in space, this is a more contained RPG experience where you explore several hub locations rather than a single open world. The entire game is a parody on corporations, capitalism, and class that hits way more than it misses. You are given a ton of different build options, and the companions are some of the best we've had the pleasure to meet. This isn't a huge game, but we do need to give you fair warning that it is leaving the service this month so you will need to commit to it if you want to finish it all. Even if you don't, it is worth a purchase to be ready for The Outer Worlds 2.

Read more
3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (February 7-9)
A player points a gun at a tiny town in High on Life.

It's the shortest month of the year, but PlayStation is still packing it full of new games joining the PlayStation Plus catalog. The first week is always dedicated to the Essential tier, meaning these games are available to anyone with a subscription. Time is at a premium this month with all the massive upcoming PS5 games, like Monster Hunter Wilds and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, but they aren't here just yet. This weekend, we have a series of games that are perfect holdovers to make the wait for your next giant time investment more bearable. We've got a fantastic co-op game, a shorter game you might be able to beat in a day or two, and a surprising remake you might just fall in love with. If you've got nothing else planned, these are the 3 new PlayStation Plus games you should check out this weekend.
High on Life
HIGH ON LIFE Official Game Trailer

Games very rarely attempt to be funny on purpose. Comedy is already incredibly subjective, and because the player has so much control over the pace of a game it makes it almost impossible for every joke to land as it is intended. High on Life comes from Squanch Games and is one of the rare examples of a game that uses the medium of games to its advantage when crafting jokes. It is a brisk first-person shooter set in a sci-fi world where you become an alien bounty hunter welding living weapons called Gatlians that are all voiced by comedians such as J. B. Smove, Tim Robinson, Betsy Sodaro, Jack Black, and many more. If the humor of Rick and Morty doesn't hit for you, it may not do it for you here either, but if it does then you'll have a blast.

Read more