PS Plus Essential Struggles to Deliver In January 2025

In Short:

  • Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a widely criticized title, headlines PS Plus Essential’s January 2025 lineup
  • The two additional games, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe, are reimagined versions of previous releases
  • The declining selection of games in PS Plus Essential seems to be encouraging users to consider upgrading to the Extra and Premium tiers

 

The PS Plus Essential lineup for January 2025 is now available, providing all subscribers, regardless of tier, with a limited range of PS4 and PS5 games. Each month, fresh titles are introduced to PS Plus through the Essential tier.

It simply enabled subscribers to skip the purchase process and directly download the games. Sadly, the titles in this month’s lineup continue a troubling trend that PS Plus has been experiencing over the past year.

Since early 2024, the quality and selection of games on PS Plus Essential have steadily declined. The service has introduced titles that are either already inexpensive or free, as well as games that have underperformed without a doubt quite significantly.

PS Plus Essential is known to have failed to outshine, especially when contrasted with the more favorable offerings found in the Extra and Premium tiers.

The January 2025 update brings another round of questionable titles, though the issue lies less in their playability and more in their overall appeal.

 

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January 2025 Demonstrates That PS Plus Essential Is No Longer as Indispensable

ps plus january 2025

 

PS Plus Essential’s January 2025 Lineup Includes One of 2024’s Most Poorly Rated Games

The standout game in the January 2025 PS Plus Essential lineup is Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which unfortunately became one of the most poorly received titles of 2024. At first, the game seemed promising from a particular perspective.

The developer’s reputation from the Batman: Arkham series played a role in this initial excitement. The concept of playing as anti-heroes like Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark, taking on famous Justice League members, was a fascinating premise that arguably still sparks interest.

Unfortunately, the game’s focus on live-service elements led to repetitive gameplay, stripping it of meaningful depth.

Given how poorly Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been received, to the point of becoming a meme, it’s surprising that PS Plus Essential would choose to include it.
While it might be an attempt to spark renewed interest, the reaction to its inclusion in the January lineup suggests that this approach is unlikely to succeed.
While the criticism surrounding Kill the Justice League in January’s PS Plus Essential lineup is notable, the game’s position in the industry provides a clear reflection of where PS Plus stands and what it values. 

The Other Two PS Plus Games for January 2025 A Remake

While Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe are more highly regarded than Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, they are still remasters and remakes, filling two of the three available spots in the January PS Plus Essential lineup.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered revamps the original, which is often celebrated as one of the greatest racing games of all time. Meanwhile, The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe acts as both a remake and a semi-sequel.

While both games have received favorable reviews, their nature as a remaster and a remake raises concerns about their appropriateness for the PS Plus Essential lineup.

The belief that PS Plus Essential is in decline isn’t just about the January 2025 games. This month’s lineup simply adds to the ongoing trend of underwhelming game choices over the past year.

PS Plus seems to be steering subscribers toward its Extra and Premium tiers, which have been providing far better games recently. If this trend continues, however, PS Plus Essential users might soon decide to cancel their subscriptions.

 

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

 

Join the Suicide Squad as they take on the world’s most iconic superheroes, the Justice League. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an action-packed third-person shooter from Rocksteady Studios, known for their acclaimed Batman: Arkham series.

 

Franchise Name Suicide Squad
Release Date February 2, 2024
Platform(s) Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PC
ESRB Violence, Blood & Gore, (For 17+)
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Multiplayer Online Multiplayer
Publisher(s) Interactive, Warner Bros.
Developer(s) Rocksteady Studios
Number of Players 1-4
How Long To Beat 10 Hours
Xbox Series X|S Release Date  February 2, 2024
PS5 Release Date February 2, 2024
PC Release Date February 2, 2024
OpenCritic Rating Weak

 

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Bek Ibragimov
Bek Ibragimovhttp://gamewalt.com
Bek Ibragimov, a key member of the Game Walt team since its inception, dedicated 12 years to the publication. He's responsible for coordinating site content, and managing social media.