The PlayStation 5 opens the door for you to play a huge catalog of games, with plenty more to come, but you might be surprised at just how many you can jump into right now if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber.
To caveat, the PlayStation Plus games on this list are found in the middle and top tiers (Extra and Premium) of the service since they allow access to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue. Essential subscribers can, however, still snag five games this month, including LEGO Horizon Adventures, The Outlast Trials, Neon White, and more.
With that covered, let’s jump into the best games to play over the Holidays, particularly if you’ve not touched any of them yet.
The Last of Us
We’re starting strong here with The Last of Us, and whether you’ve been watching the HBO TV show, haven’t touched any of the games yet, or are waiting for news on the next entry (if there is one), then you really should check them out again.
The original game launched in 2013 as a PS3 title, and while it got a PS4 remaster, the PS5 is now home to a ground-up remake that’s built for the current generation of consoles. Not only is The Last of Us Part 1 (that’s the official title) a much better-looking version of a game that was showing its age, but it includes the Left Behind expansion, which was previously a separate purchase back on PS3, and PS5 features like DualSense functionality.
I’m cheating a tad with this entry, too, because it’s hard not to feel like The Last of Us Part 2 helps the whole story feel whole. If you’ve not played the sequel, then again, you’re in luck – The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered (as the name suggests) is a prettier version of the 2019 PS4 original that’s unflinching in its portrayal of a cycle of violence but also, in my opinion, is a vastly superior game in many respects.
Play one, or play both, but if you’re new to the series, prepare to be blown away.
Cyberpunk 2077
Much has been written about Cyberpunk 2077’s initial launch, particularly if you jumped in back in 2020 on PS4. The game was downright broken, prompting Sony to remove it from sale.
That makes it all the more impressive that five years on, Cyberpunk 2077 has grown into one of the best RPGs around.
Eschewing The Witcher’s fantasy setting for Mike Pondsmith’s grimy, neon-lit metropolis Night City, the game is absolutely gorgeous and filled with memorable characters and set pieces.
It’s also incredibly flexible, with the player character, V, being able to fit into just about any kind of playstyle you’d like. Want to turn your arms into lethal blades? You can carve swathes through foes. Prefer to use a combination of stealth and hacking? That’s an option, too.
PlayStation Plus doesn’t include the spy-thriller-like Phantom Liberty expansion, but it does include the free updates included in patch 2.0, which also launched in 2023. The update adds new weapons, improves AI for NPCs, introduces vehicular combat, and revamps the in-game Perk system for greater flexibility.
If you played it back in 2020 on console, rest assured – this is one comeback story that’s worth the hype.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Sure, the sequel is a bigger, flashier game with not just one but two Spider-Men, but Marvel’s Spider-Man is a great first chapter in Insomniac Games’ growing universe of comic book capers.
Picking up with Peter Parker having his powers and getting to be a dab hand at this hero stuff, everything goes sideways when a new group led by Mr Sinister arrive. Peter finds both sides of his life colliding in surprising ways, with appearances from a whole host of classic supervillains and some twists along the way.
The Remaster is just that: A prettier, smoother version of the PS4 original, meaning the same satisfying web-slinging and acrobatic combat comes as standard.
Also included on PlayStation Plus is the standalone Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which builds on the first game with a new Spidey star. If you’re looking to catch up for the second numbered entry and 2026’s Wolverine, this is a great way to do it.
Returnal
Roguelite games might be a dime-a-dozen these days, but there’s an argument to be made that Returnal might just be one of the more compelling ones – and it’s coming from a studio with pedigree, too.
Housemarque is responsible for titles like Super Stardust and Dead Nation during the PS3 era, and Returnal might just be its crowning achievement. It stars Selene Vassos, a pilot stuck on Altropos. Every time she dies, she goes back to the crash that brought her here, and each run sees the world change, too.
Fighting all kinds of monsters with bullet hell-style combat and some excellent uses of the DualSense’s haptic triggers simply never gets old because Selene feels so nimble to control and each run teaches you, or grants you, something new that you can use next time.
As of the Ascension update, the game can be played in co-op with a friend, too, and as a reminder, Saros launches in March. It’s billed as a spiritual successor to Returnal.
Planet Coaster 2
Something a little different to the swinging and shooting on this list, Planet Coaster 2 is that rare beast: A management sim that plays well on a controller.
Originally launched in 2024, Planet Coaster 2 takes the park-building and rollercoaster construction of its predecessor and takes it to a new level with the arrival of water parks, which are exceedingly customizable across slides and pools.
Whether you want to spend time building the most improbable rides to exist within the laws of gravity, find satisfaction in toying with your customers, or just want to browse the in-game creation suite to ride other people’s rollercoasters, Planet Coaster 2 is worth a look.
Updates this year including be able to customize video billboards, too, and sync up ride launches.
