As the gaming market expands, players have no shortage of great games to play. At the same time, live-service games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone do a terrific job of keeping players occupied, leaving many pulled in several directions. Of course, subscription services like PlayStation Plus don't exactly help with this.
Indeed, PS Plus and its competitors, namely Game Pass, have been a blessing and a curse for those looking to clear out their backlogs. On the one hand, they offer some of the best value imaginable, granting players access to hundreds of games for a relatively low price. But they can also make a manageable backlog infinitely more imposing, their sprawling catalogs urging players toward just one more download, one more new experience. As such, a guiding hand can certainly be helpful from time to time.
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Available on PS Plus Extra
A spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio, 2023's Bomb Rush Cyberfunk retains the former's unfettered charm and style, setting players loose in a colorful, absurdist extreme sports utopia. Its arcade-style controls and comic book world are reminiscent of classic franchises like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, though it's even less beholden to the laws of logic and physics. Put plainly, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is an easy crowd-pleaser, especially if the crowd in question likes crunchy, expressive gameplay systems.
- How long to beat Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: 10–24 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
- Released
- August 18, 2023
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Violence
- Developer(s)
- Team Reptile
- Publisher(s)
- Team Reptile
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Platformer
- Platform(s)
- PC, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Available on PS Plus Extra
Immortals Fenyx Rising is an open-world Ubisoft game I can get behind. It's clearly inspired by Breath of the Wild, to the point where many have gone as far as calling it a knock-off, but it's a damn good time regardless. It has solid, organic exploration and satisfying ARPG combat, and it is overall a much more successful version of Ubisoft's oft-maligned action-adventure template.
- How long to beat Immortals Fenyx Rising: 25–62 hours.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 78%
- Released
- December 3, 2020
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 32 GB (November 2023)
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
No More Heroes 3
Available on PS Plus Extra
Immortals Fenyx Rising might be somewhat derivative despite its high quality, but I can assure you there's nothing derivative about No More Heroes 3. The No More Heroes franchise is the brainchild of Suda51, the eccentric Japanese game developer behind cult classics like Killer7 and Shadows of the Damned, and it's about what you would expect from the esoteric auteur.
No More Heroes 3 is another bloody, ridiculous Travis Touchdown adventure, an intergalactic boss rush interspersed with open-world shenanigans and slice-of-life minigames. It's consistently surprising and inventive, which is more than I can say about most modern, big-budget games.
- How long to beat No More Heroes 3: 12–28 hours.
No More Heroes 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- August 27, 2021
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Grasshopper Manufacture
- Publisher(s)
- Grasshopper Manufacture
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- No More Heroes
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unsupported
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 12 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
Steep
Available on PS Plus Extra
Ubisoft is getting a lot of unexpected love from me today—what can I say, the studio knows how to make a good game once in a while. In the case of Steep, much of my enjoyment stems from sheer novelty: it seems like no other AAA developer is taking honest swings at the extreme sports genre, leaving room for Steep to clean up. It's something of a precursor to Riders Republic, but Steep is more than just that game with training wheels. Its snowboarding, bobsledding, and skiing gameplay is beefy and intuitive, with a wonderful physics engine and a vast, stunning rendition of the Alps that makes it consistently enjoyable.
- How long to beat Steep: 20–40 hours.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 28%
WHERE TO PLAY
ide a massive open world across the Alps, where the powder is always fresh and the run never ends.
Tame the wilderness on the American continent in the Alaska free update, a new region filled with challenges.
The mountain is yours to explore. So strap in, suit up, and drop in.
RIDE YOUR WAY -Conquer the world's most epic mountains on skis, wingsuits, snowboards, and paragliders.
LIVE UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS WITH OTHERS -Ride solo or drop in next to other players to share thrilling, adrenaline-fueled rides.
THE MOUNTAIN IS YOURS TO EXPLORE -Create your own path through a massive open-world, and share your best custom lines with friends.
PUT YOUR SKILLS TO THE TEST -Prove that you're king of the mountain in unique and spectacular challenges.
SET YOUR SIGHTS ON THE ALPS
Rip through the terrains of a snowy open world. Strap in and suit up for some epic stunts as you ride your way to the peak of the excitement. Experience 360° of visual freedom while you explore the Alps. Let your gaze immerse you in the massive winter playground. Situational awareness has never been more fluid with the integrated Tobii Eye Tracking feature set. Using your gaze to shred the hills enhances your gameplay and lets you embark on the ride of your life.
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Genre(s)
- Sports
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
- How Long To Beat
- 12 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium