Best PS Plus Premium Games (April 2026)

A ground-up PS5 remake of Naughty Dog's 2013 survival drama, rebuilt around the same story spine: Joel, a hardened smuggler, escorts the teenage Ellie across an infected, collapsed America. The pull has always been the writing and the performances, and the remake foregrounds them, sharper facial animation and lighting sit on top of stealth, scavenging, and brutal close-quarters combat. It is a single-player, third-person journey, included on PS Plus Extra and rated Mature 17+. Critics landed at strong-but-qualified: the presentation overhaul and deep accessibility options drew real praise, while the recurring reservation was value, a full-price rebuild of a game whose core loop still feels rooted in 2013. Players rate it far more warmly, treating it as the definitive version of a landmark story. It suits newcomers wanting the best-looking entry point, and anyone who already owns the PS4 remaster has less reason to return.

Set in a post-apocalyptic America, "The Last of Us™ Remastered" follows Joel and Ellie as they navigate a world ravaged by a fungal infection. Players experience a combination of stealth, combat, and emotional storytelling as they bond and face various threats, making the game notable for its rich narrative and character development. This remastered version enhances graphics and adds additional content, elevating the original classic's impact.

Santa Monica's close to the Norse arc leads with character. Kratos and Atreus march toward a prophesied Ragnarök across the Nine Realms, and the writing, backed by performance capture critics treated as a benchmark, does more work than the fighting. Even so, the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos return heavier and more varied, threaded through puzzle-solving and a deep bench of optional realms and side content. Critics were near unanimous, and the game swept the 2022 Game Awards, taking Best Narrative and an accessibility prize among six wins. Players run warmer on the story than on the structure: the persistent knock is length, with long cutscenes, forced walking, and Atreus stretches that make a big game feel bloated rather than tight. It rewards anyone invested in the saga's emotional payoff and asks patience of everyone else. Newcomers are better served starting with the 2018 game first.

Rockstar's western is less an open world than a living frontier, built on a density of incidental detail few games attempt: weather, wildlife, and a reputation system that quietly tracks how the world responds to you. The story of Arthur Morgan and a dying outlaw gang is its spine, but the game trusts players to slow down and inhabit it rather than rush through. That deliberate pace is the fault line in its reception. Players consistently praise the storytelling, the world, and the sheer volume of things to stumble into; the recurring frustration is the friction, slow traversal, heavy controls, and systems that can feel like ceremony. It rewards players who want to live in a world rather than conquer it, and tests those who want momentum. Rated Mature.

Set in Norse mythology, 'God of War' follows Kratos, the former Greek god, and his son Atreus on a journey to honor his deceased wife. The game features breathtaking visuals, a deeply emotional narrative, and a combat system that combines strategy with visceral action, positioning it as a standout in modern gaming.

Set in vibrant and exotic locations, "UNCHARTED: Legacy of Thieves Collection" combines thrilling action-adventure mechanics with a captivating narrative. Players control treasure hunters Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer as they embark on globe-trotting adventures filled with puzzles, combat, and exploration. Notable for its acclaimed storytelling and stunning visuals, this collection brings together beloved titles from the series, making it a definitive experience for fans.

Guerrilla's open world imagines a far-future Earth overrun by nature and roamed by robotic beasts, and builds its combat around hunting them: setting traps, targeting components, and choosing the right tool for each machine. Aloy's search for her origins gives the exploration a strong narrative pull, and its premise, tribal societies living among the ruins of a lost technological age, is one of the genre's more original. Players praise the visuals, the tactical combat, and the lore; the recurring criticisms are repetitive side content, weaker human enemies, and occasional technical bugs. Teen-rated and approachable, it is the friendliest entry point on this list, a beautiful, generous open world that asks less of newcomers than the Mature, punishing picks around it. Rated Teen.

Bloodborne is FromSoftware's sharpest break from its template, and the closest relative to Elden Ring in feel. It swaps shields and cautious spacing for the rally system: take a hit and that health lingers, reclaimed only by counterattacking at once, so every exchange pushes forward instead of back. Trick weapons that transform mid-swing reinforce the aggression, all set in Yharnam, a Victorian beast-hunt that curdles into cosmic, Lovecraftian dread. Critics met it with near-unanimous acclaim, repeatedly calling it the PS4's first essential exclusive, and players still rank it among the studio's best. The reservations are narrow: the procedural Chalice Dungeons feel rote beside the handcrafted city, and a decade on the game remains locked at 30fps with no remaster, PS5 patch, or PC port despite relentless fan campaigns. For Elden Ring players who prize aggression and atmosphere over frame rate, the aging package is a footnote; for anyone hoping to play slowly or smoothly, it is the sticking point.

Insomniac's sequel is built around movement. Swinging and gliding across a compact, hyper-detailed New York is the best traversal in any game here, and combat gains new gadgets and a second playable Spider-Man to rotate through. It is a polished, cinematic open world that trades scale for density. That trade defines its reception. The traversal and set-pieces earn near-universal praise; the sharper criticisms target the story, a few weak side missions, and a world some feel offers less to do than its scale suggests. Teen-rated and accessible, it is the pick for a slick open world you can finish rather than a hundred-hour sink, and a soft landing for newcomers. Rated Teen.

Quantic Dream's near-future thriller hands players three android protagonists in a 2038 Detroit where machines have begun to think, and routes every scene through a branching flowchart of choices. The defining feature is reach: dialogue, hesitation, and quick-time prompts feed dozens of forking paths and multiple endings, with character deaths that stick and reshape the rest of the story. It plays less like a conventional game than an interactive drama, built on exploration and decision-making rather than combat. Reception splits along a clear line. Critics and players consistently credit the production values and the sheer weight of its consequences, while the recurring objections target thin moment-to-moment play, quick-time events, and writing that can turn heavy-handed. Rated Mature and included on PS Plus Extra, it suits players chasing a choice-driven story, not those wanting mechanical depth.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is an open-world fantasy role-playing game built around one freedom: the province opens in every direction at once, and a build emerges from how the hours are spent rather than a class chosen up front. Hunting the dragon Alduin as the prophesied Dragonborn can be shelved indefinitely for a mage's college, a thieves' guild, or a snowbound barrow no marker pointed toward. The original collected more than 200 Game of the Year awards, and the remaster's lighting and effects freshen a decade-old world without touching what dates it. The friction players still name is the combat, stiff beside modern action RPGs, and an engine that keeps surfacing bugs. Console Creations and mod support soften both and stretch an already long game. Included on PS Plus Extra, it rewards anyone who treats the map itself as the quest, and disappoints those after responsive swordplay.

Set in an open-world New York City, "Marvel's Spider-Man" follows Peter Parker as he battles iconic villains while exploring the city. The gameplay focuses on fluid web-slinging mechanics and dynamic combat, allowing players to experience the life of Spider-Man. Its engaging narrative and stunning visuals make it a standout title in superhero gaming.

Set in the eerie town of Silent Hill, the psychological horror game 'Silent Hill 2' follows protagonist James Sunderland as he searches for his deceased wife. Players navigate a haunting world filled with disturbing visuals, complex puzzles, and deeply emotional storytelling. Notably praised for its atmosphere and character depth, it has influenced many games in the genre.

A full-scale reimagining of the original's opening hours, Final Fantasy VII Remake confines its entire story to the industrial city of Midgar and expands it into a 25-hour role-playing game. Cloud Strife's mercenary work for the eco-terrorist group Avalanche becomes the spine of a single-player, third-person adventure built on real-time combat that blends action timing with tactical, party-based command. Striking art direction, a celebrated soundtrack, and deepened character arcs flesh out what the 1997 game raced through. Reception splits along one line: how much padding a player will tolerate. Critics praised the combat and emotional storytelling while flagging filler side quests and slack pacing between set pieces, and longtime fans divided over the fate-altering ending. Rated Teen and included with PS Plus Extra, it rewards newcomers and the patient; those wanting the original's brisk momentum should weigh the slower middle.

Set against the backdrop of brutal Greek mythology, God of War® III Remastered follows Kratos in his quest for revenge against the gods that betrayed him. Players engage in visceral real-time combat, portal through intricately designed platforms, and solve challenging puzzles, all rendered in stunning 1080p at 60fps. This remaster of the critically acclaimed action-adventure game delivers epic battles with enhanced graphics and refined gameplay mechanics.

Hollow Knight is the benchmark modern metroidvania: a hand-drawn descent through the ruined insect kingdom of Hallownest, where a huge interconnected map unlocks one hard-won ability at a time. The appeal is density, every corridor hides a charm, a boss, or a shortcut, and the tight nail combat and pin-sharp platforming reward patience over reflexes. Player reviews single out the art direction and the sense of discovery; the recurring reservation is a deliberate scarcity of fast travel and map markers that some find punishing, and PS4 owners have flagged save-file issues. Take it as the genre's high-water mark for exploration and atmosphere rather than a gentle entry point. Anyone who wants to understand why metroidvania became a PlayStation staple should start here, then move to its faster or friendlier peers.

The Definitive Edition of the critically acclaimed action-adventure has been rebuilt for next-gen consoles, featuring an obsessively detailed Lara and a stunningly lifelike world. Endure high-octane combat, customize weapons and gear, and overcome grueling environments to survive Lara’s first adventure. Additional hardware required for Remote Play. - Text Languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese - Audio Languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish

By day, DAVE THE DIVER is a roguelite descent into a shifting underwater trench, harpooning fish and scavenging gear under real time pressure. By night it flips into a sushi bar: the day's catch becomes the menu, and the player hires servers and cooks, juggles drink orders, and clears tables to climb the local restaurant rankings. That feedback loop, dive to source the ingredients, then sell them across the counter, is the engine the whole game runs on. Critics landed near-unanimous on it, praising the way two full games are bolted together with charm and surprise, though the restaurant half is a light management layer rather than a deep tycoon sim, and money loses its grip once everything is upgraded. The common player gripe is pacing: long, unskippable story beats interrupt the rhythm. Rated E10+ and included with PS Plus Extra, it suits anyone who wants restaurant management folded into a wider adventure, less so purists after a dedicated sim.

Set in a vibrant multiverse, "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart" follows the iconic duo as they jump between dimensions to thwart the evil Dr. Nefarious. The game features engaging platforming, dynamic combat, and stunning visuals, showcasing the capabilities of the PS5. Its innovative use of dimensional rifts offers unique gameplay mechanics, making it stand out in the franchise.

"Uncharted™: The Nathan Drake Collection" brings together the critically acclaimed adventures of treasure hunter Nathan Drake in beautifully remastered graphics. Players navigate visually stunning environments while solving puzzles, engaging in combat, and uncovering ancient mysteries through an engaging narrative and cinematic storytelling. The collection is notable for its seamless blend of action-adventure gameplay, character development, and blockbuster-quality visuals.