So last Tuesday, I was searching my PS5 for something new to play. “Dude, Silent Hill 2 just dropped on PS Plus,” texts my buddy Mike. I’m like, wait, what? That game was released last year for $70. Now it’s just… included?
That’s when it hit me. For years, I’ve been subscribing to PlayStation Plus, and yet, up until now, I hadn’t properly explored the PlayStation Plus game catalog. It seems there’s a lot more going on in there than I realised. There are hundreds of games available. Some really good ones too.
Let me break down what’s actually going on with this service because, honestly, it’s kind of confusing.
The Three Tiers Thing
Right, so PlayStation Plus isn’t just one thing anymore. Sony split it into three tiers back in 2022 and honestly, it still confuses people.
PlayStation Plus Essential is the basic one. You get the monthly free games in October 2025; they’re Alan Wake 2, Goat Simulator 3, and Cocoon. Plus you get online multiplayer and cloud saves. That’s $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year. Pretty straightforward.
Then there’s PlayStation Plus Extra. That’s where the PlayStation game catalog comes in. You get everything from Essential plus access to 400+ PS4 and PS5 games. That’s $14.99 a month or $134.99 for PlayStation Plus 12 month.
Finally, there’s PlayStation Plus Premium. That adds classic PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP games, plus game trials. $17.99 a month or $159.99 yearly.
I’ve got Extra. Haven’t felt the need to upgrade to Premium yet because honestly, how often am I going to play PS2 games? But the Extra tier? That’s where the value is.
What’s Actually In The Catalog Right Now
The PS5 PlayStation Plus game catalog changes every month. Some games get added, some leave. October 2025 brought some seriously good stuff.
Silent Hill 2 remake just got added on October 21. That’s a $70 game from last year. Same with the Until Dawn remake. Both just dropped into the catalog like it’s no big deal. That’s $140 worth of games right there, and you’re paying what, $15 for the month?
V Rising came too. That’s the vampire survival game where you build a castle and enslave humans. It sounds weird, but it’s actually pretty fun. My roommate’s been playing it nonstop.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon showed up as well. That’s the one where they changed the combat system to turn-based RPG stuff. Been meaning to try that series forever.
The PS Plus free games this month for Essential subscribers are Alan Wake 2, Goat Simulator 3, and Cocoon, which are available until November 3. Alan Wake 2 is fantastic if you’re into psychological horror. It’s like playing a weird nightmare Stephen King novel.
How The Catalog Actually Works
Here’s the thing nobody tells you. The PlayStation Plus catalog isn’t permanent. Games rotate in and out. Some stick around for months or years. Others leave after a few weeks.
Like, six games just left the catalog in October. Battlefield 1, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, and a bunch of Dark Pictures Anthology games. Just gone. If you were in the middle of playing them, too bad. That’s frustrating.
But they usually give you warning. Sony announces what’s leaving ahead of time so you can finish up or at least know what’s coming.
The games you claim through Essential, which are those monthly PS Plus free games this month,are yours to keep as long as you stay subscribed. The catalog games? You can play them while they’re there and while you’re subscribed. Stop paying, lose access.
Is It Actually Worth It?
Man, I keep going back and forth on this. Some months the PlayStation Plus game catalog is stacked. October 2025? Amazing. Silent Hill 2 and Until Dawn remakes alone make it worth it.
But then you’ll get months where it’s like… indie games you’ve never heard of and games from 2015. Those months feel rough.
I did the math once. If you play just two or three catalog games a month that you would’ve bought otherwise, you’re saving money. I grabbed The Last of Us Part II Remastered from the catalog in September. That’s $50 saved right there.
My buddy Alex got PlayStation Plus 1 month just to play through God of War Ragnarök when it hit the catalog. Beat it in three weeks, canceled his subscription. Smart move, honestly. That’s way cheaper than buying the game.
What’s Actually Good In There
Beyond the new October stuff, there are some wonderful games in the current PlayStation Plus game catalog.
Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is here. That game is gorgeous. If you have not played it yet, make sure to do so.
Returnal’s in there. That’s the bullet-hell roguelike that is a lot more difficult than it appears. I’ve died like 50 times and barely made progress but I keep going back. Spider-Man games are there. Miles Morales, the original remastered version. Both are fantastic.
Demon’s Souls remake. That’s the one that launched with PS5. Still looks incredible. Still kicks your butt repeatedly.
There’s also a ton of Assassin’s Creed games, Far Cry games, and random indie stuff. Honestly, more than you could ever play.
The Premium Tier – Worth It?
I keep thinking about upgrading to Premium. The classic games library sounds cool. Tekken 3 just got added in October. That takes me back to middle school.
But here’s the thing: most of those old games don’t have trophies. Tekken 3? No trophies. Some of the Resident Evil classics? No trophies. If you care about that stuff, it’s kind of a letdown.
Plus the PS3 games are streaming only. You can’t download them. Your internet goes out? Can’t play them. That’s annoying.
The game trials are interesting, though. Premium subscribers get to try new games for a limited time, usually an hour or two, before buying. Midnight Murder Club trial just became available on October 7. Not sure I’d pay an extra $3 a month for that feature, but it’s something.
The Frustrating Parts
Let me be real; there’s stuff about the PlayStation Plus game catalog that drives me nuts.
Games leave with barely any notice sometimes. You’ll be in the middle of something and bam, it’s gone next week. Finish your games quick, I guess? The search and organization on PS5 is terrible. Finding specific catalog games is a pain. You basically have to scroll through everything or use the phone app.
Some regions get different games than others. People in Europe or Asia might not get the same catalog we do in the US. That seems unfair.
And the download sizes, man. These games are huge. Silent Hill 2 is like 50GB. Until Dawn is similar. You better have external storage or you’ll be deleting stuff constantly.
The October 2025 Lineup Is Stacked
Seriously though, October 2025 might be the best month the PlayStation Plus game catalog has had in a while. Silent Hill 2 and Until Dawn remakes? Those are massive gets.
If you’ve been thinking about trying Extra, this is the month. Grab PlayStation Plus 1 month for $14.99, play through Silent Hill 2, maybe check out Yakuza: Like a Dragon, grab Alan Wake 2 from the Essential games, and you’ve got a solid month of gaming for less than the price of one new game.
That’s basically what my buddy Alex does. He subscribes for a month, plays a bunch of catalog games, then cancels. Rinse and repeat every few months. Not a bad strategy, honestly.
My Honest Take
I wasn’t sold on PlayStation Plus Extra when it first came out. Seemed like Sony just copying Game Pass but worse. But after a year with it? I’m keeping it.
The PlayStation Plus game catalog has saved me hundreds of dollars. I’ve played games I never would’ve bought. I’ve got something new to try whenever I’m bored.
Is it perfect? Nah. Games leaving sucks. The organization is terrible. I wish Sony put their new exclusives in day one like Xbox does. But for $135 a year? It’s a pretty good deal. Especially months like October when they drop two brand new $70 games into the catalog. That’s wild.
If you’re on the fence, try PlayStation Plus 1 month of Extra. See if you actually use it. If you’re playing catalog games regularly, keep it. If you’re not touching it, downgrade to Essential or cancel altogether.
For me? I’m keeping Extra. Already downloaded Silent Hill 2. Gonna play that this weekend. Then maybe finally try Yakuza. Got plenty to keep me busy.