The new subscription service from PlayStation is already a year old since June. There was a lot of discussion about it back then, and the service was often compared to Xbox’s Game Pass. Although PS Plus Extra and Premium have many issues in comparison, I still love the service.
What is PS Plus Extra/Premium? Most people probably know PS Plus Essential, which is the standard subscription for online gaming that existed before. The other two offer you additional games:
- PS Plus Extra: This service offers over 100 games from a catalog and (as of now) also Ubisoft+ Classics, with various titles from the French publisher. Currently, you can also get this service on PC for 1 € to try it out.
- PS Plus Premium: This service offers you a classic catalog of old games in addition to Extra, as well as trials of new releases and cloud streaming.
Basically, it doesn’t sound so bad, but the service is really not comparable to Game Pass.
One of the games you can play in the subscription is shown here:
The Xbox Game Pass excels with new releases
What makes the Xbox Game Pass better? The big advantage of the Xbox Game Pass are mainly new releases. Many games are available on the first day of the release directly in the subscription. Exoprimal, Wo Long, and Atomic Heart are some major examples.
As a result, you don’t have to pay 70 to 80 € for games that you may not even like. Many indie games also appear in Game Pass and may reach more players this way than if they get lost in the flood of Steam releases.
PS Plus Extra does not offer major games directly. No God of War Ragnarök or Spiderman 2. The exclusive blockbusters do not appear at release. The major flagships from Sony appear in the service only months to years later. Examples would be Horizon Forbidden West.
Nevertheless, the service also offers many blockbusters with very good ratings:
PS Plus Extra: The 5 best games you can play for free on PS4 and PS5 with the subscription
PS Plus is a feast for fans of Japan and the quirky
How is the Premium subscription? The classic catalog unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired at first glance. Individual titles like Resident Evil 1 or Tekken 2 are available. The question is, however, why only individual titles. Tekken 3 is considered one of the most important fighting games, not Tekken 2. Also, classics like Twisted Metal are only available after a year.
While there are countless PS3 games, many of them are titles that could come from the bargain bin of a Saturn. At least you can catch up on the whole God of War and inFAMOUS series. But there’s no real big lineup of historically important titles for Sony.
However, all of this is secondary to me because I have a lot of fun with the Extra and Premium catalog. And this is mainly because I am a fan of Japanese and quirky games.
A hidden gem in the service is Humanity
Why do I love PS Plus Extra/Premium? First and foremost, the selection of titles. They are not major blockbusters or anything like that. But they are games that I find interesting, which have disappeared due to a large wave of releases.
A Samurai Warriors 5 or Earth Defense Force 5 are not titles that would appeal to the masses. However, PS Plus Extra has its own character because of this. That has always been the appeal to me of the older PlayStation consoles. They were a home for the quirky and odd games.
And the Premium subscription also offers a lot of that. Ape Escape 2 is one of my absolute favorite games, where you just catch monkeys. Tokyo Jungle is a hidden gem of the PS3, which would probably work much better today as a rogue-like. Without the service, I would have never been able to try that game.
Microsoft does not have such a legacy. Sure, there’s Halo and acquired brands like Banjo Kazooie. But I don’t find a real character with edges and corners in Game Pass. Don’t get me wrong, I think both services are good, but not everything has to be like Xbox Game Pass.
It will be interesting to see how both services develop in the future. Have you had any experience with PS Plus Extra or Premium? Let us know in the comments.
A list of interesting hidden gems can be found here:
PS Plus Extra: 5 hidden gems that you can play for free on PS4 and PS5 with the subscription
