January 2025 has brought a new lineup for PS Plus Essential subscribers, but the offerings might not exactly be cause for celebration. This month, all subscribers can access a small array of PS4 and PS5 games. Each month, fresh titles appear, allowing players to enjoy without purchasing them out of pocket. However, the selected games this January underscore a concerning trend about the dwindling appeal of PS Plus Essential, a trend noticeable for about the past year.
Starting early in 2024, the quality of games on PS Plus Essential started to falter. Instead of exciting new titles, the service began featuring games that were either already low-priced or critically unpopular. This shift has called into question the value of the Essential tier, especially when compared to the more favorable game selections found in the Extra and Premium tiers. What’s troubling is that January 2025 has continued this pattern by adding more contentious titles to the lineup, with the worthiness of these games open for debate.
Leading this month’s lineup is Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Unfortunately, this game was among the worst-reviewed in 2024. Initially, its concept seemed intriguing—players control well-known anti-heroes like Harley Quinn and Deadshot against the Justice League, an idea bolstered by Rocksteady’s successful track record with the Batman: Arkham series. Sadly, the focus on live-service elements turned gameplay into a repetitive and hollow experience.
Given the less than stellar reception of Suicide Squad, it is surprising to see it featured in PS Plus Essential. Perhaps it’s an attempt to rekindle interest, but current reactions suggest this is unlikely. Still, the inclusion of such a flawed game in PS Plus signals what the service seems to be prioritizing, highlighting a need for reassessment in its game selection strategy.
Alongside Suicide Squad, players can enjoy Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe. Both titles are better received, but they also reveal a reliance on remakes and remasters for this month’s offerings. Need for Speed remains a stellar entry in racing games, while The Stanley Parable offers an engaging narrative. Yet, the presence of these well-loved but old games prompts questions about their relevance to PS Plus Essential’s goal of delivering compelling, new experiences.
The criticism surrounding PS Plus Essential’s lineup isn’t solely tied to January 2025’s picks. It’s part of a broader concern over the service’s diminishing allure. With Extra and Premium tiers showcasing superior selections, there’s speculation that this is a strategy to push subscribers to higher tiers. True enough, if this trend continues unchecked, Essential subscribers might find themselves seeking better value elsewhere. Hopefully, PS Plus will reevaluate its offerings and restore its former appeal, ensuring its Essential tier remains as relevant and sought after as it once was.
