January 2025 Shows PS Plus Essential Failing to Live Up to Its Name

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Summary

  • PS Plus Essential‘s January 2025 lineup includes the poorly-received Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
  • The other two games, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, are a remaster and remake.
  • PS Plus Essential’s declining quality in game offerings suggests a push towards upgrading to Extra and Premium tiers.

The lineup of games available for PlayStation Plus subscription in January 2025 has been announced. This collection is accessible to all subscribers, regardless of the tier, and includes a modest selection of both PS4 and PS5 games. Each month, the Essential tier of PS Plus introduces new games, enabling subscribers to download them without needing to purchase them first. However, the games offered in this particular lineup seem to continue a pattern that PS Plus has been experiencing for roughly a year now.

Since early 2024, there’s been a growing concern about the games provided on PS Plus Essential each month. The service seems to be offering games that are either inexpensive or have underperformed, which is making PS Plus Essential seem less impressive compared to the more well-regarded titles offered in the Extra and Premium tiers. In January 2025, this trend continues with a new batch of questionable game additions, but whether they are enjoyable to play isn’t really the issue.

January 2025 Is Proof That PS Plus Essential Is Not as Essential as It Once Was

January 2025’s PS Plus Essential Headliner Was One of 2024’s Worst-Reviewed Games

Leading the January 2025 PS Plus Essential selection is none other than Rocksteady’s “Suicide Squad: Justice League – Fated Encounters,” a game that received less-than-stellar reviews in 2024. Initially, this game appeared appealing, especially considering the developer’s reputation from the Batman: Arkham series and the intriguing premise of controlling characters like Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark to face off against Justice League members. However, the game fell short due to an excessive focus on live-service mechanics, resulting in repetitive gameplay that seemed hollow at its core.

Despite the widespread negativity and criticism surrounding the game “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” which has even become a meme due to its poor reception, it seems unusual that PS Plus Essential would include it in their service offerings. It may be an attempt to revive interest in the game, but given the response so far, this doesn’t appear likely. However, despite the backlash over “Kill the Justice League” being added to January’s PS Plus Essential lineup, its inclusion reveals some interesting insights about where PS Plus currently stands and what or who they prioritize in the gaming industry.

January 2025’s Other Two PS Plus Games Are a Remaster and a Remake

The other two games, “Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered” and “The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe,” which are part of the January lineup on PS Plus Essential, have a better reputation compared to “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.” However, this doesn’t alter their status or the fact that they occupy two out of the three available spots. “Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered” is essentially an updated version of a classic racing game, often regarded as one of the best ever made. Similarly, “The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe” is a revamped and semi-sequel to the highly praised original “Stanley Parable.” Despite their positive reviews, these games are still remasters and remakes, which raises questions about their suitability as PS Plus Essential offerings.

Leading the roster for January 2025’s PS Plus Essential subscription is none other than Rocksteady’s “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” a game that received less favorable reviews in 2024.

The claim that PS Plus Essential is experiencing a significant drop isn’t solely reliant on its January 2025 lineup. Instead, the games added to PS Plus Essential this month are simply additional proof of the service’s increasingly underwhelming offerings over the past year, and possibly indicators of its attempts to persuade subscribers to upgrade to its Extra and Premium tiers, which have been offering more appealing games recently. It’s hoped that this pattern will change soon for the benefit of PS Plus Essential users, as if it continues, they might decide to cancel their subscription altogether.

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2025-01-11 21:43