The Best PlayStation Plus Games in January 2026

Sony is kicking off 2026 with a bang by giving subscribers one of the best PlayStation Plus games lineup in recent memory.

Headlining the Extra catalog are Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Resident Evil: Village, two of the best games released for the PlayStation 5. Meanwhile, the Essential tier offers the cozy sandbox hit Core Keeper, and Premium subscribers gain access to PSP racing classics.

Across all three tiers, the latest additions boost the numbers to over 700 titles in the library, which range from AAA blockbusters to beloved PS1 and PS2 classics.

This guide covers every game worth playing right now, organized by subscription tier, with review scores and departure dates where applicable.

PS Plus Essential: The Three Games You Can Claim This Month

Before we head on over to our rankings, let’s talk about the three titles that subscribers must claim before February 2, 2026.

Similar to previous months, these games, once claimed, will remain in your library for as long as your subscription stays active.

Core Keeper

The standout of January’s Essential lineup combines the mining progression of Terraria with the cozy management of Stardew Valley. Players explore procedurally generated underground caverns while building bases, crafting equipment, farming crops, and battling bosses that unlock new biomes. The real magic happens in 8-player online co-op, where friends can divide responsibilities, turning this “free” game into one of the best PlayStation Plus games ever added to the library.

Pugstorm’s sandbox adventure spent two years in early access before its polished 1.0 launch, and the community-driven development shows in its refined systems and generous content updates.

Need for Speed Unbound

Criterion Games’ return to Need for Speed brought the series back to form with tight arcade handling, exhilarating police chases, and a distinctive visual style blending photorealistic vehicles with cel-shaded graffiti effects. While not the highest-rated racing game available, nor the best in the franchise, it’s the most accessible arcade racer currently on the PlayStation platform.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed

This lovingly restored remake of Warren Spector’s 2010 cult classic addresses nearly every criticism of the Wii original. Mickey Mouse ventures through Wasteland, a realm populated by forgotten Disney characters like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, armed with paint and thinner that let players shape the environment and choose between creative or destructive solutions. The completely rebuilt camera system and modernized controls (including a new double-jump) transform what was previously a frustrating platforming experience into a fluid exploration, creating a family-friendly title that doubles as a deep dive into Disney’s animation history and theme park legacy.

PlayStation Plus Extra

The Extra tier’s Game Catalog provides on-demand access to over 660 titles, and to no one’s surprise, Sony’s first-party titles dominate. However, you’d be surprised at the games that we’ve included on our list.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

The eighth mainline Yakuza game earned the series’ highest-ever scores by perfecting the turn-based RPG combat while delivering an emotional dual-protagonist story featuring fan favorites Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu. Set across Tokyo and Honolulu, Hawaii, the 100+ hour adventure offers staggering amounts of side content, including a Pokémon-style creature battling minigame and an entire resort management simulator.

If you’ve never touched the series, Infinite Wealth works as a standalone entry. Be warned, you’ll want tissues ready for the Kiryu storyline.

Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Jin Sakai’s journey to liberate Tsushima Island from Mongol invaders combines breathtaking open-world exploration with responsive katana combat and meaningful choice between honorable samurai traditions and pragmatic Ghost tactics. The Director’s Cut includes the substantial Iki Island expansion, cooperative Legends mode, and PS5 enhancements. The sequel, Ghost of Yōtei, just came out last November, so it’s never too late to enjoy two of the best games of the past five years, starting with this 2022 title.

Returnal

Housemarque’s BAFTA-winning roguelike shooter will never be a casual gamer’s favorite title, but anyone who wants to see the PS5 at its technical best will want to give Returnal a try.

The bullet-hell combat leverages DualSense haptics like no other game. We’re talking about rain pattering on your controller, trigger resistance varying with weapon charge, and adaptive feedback during intense firefights. The addition of co-op multiplayer and the Tower of Sisyphus endless mode extended the already substantial experience.

Returnal is a masterclass in atmosphere, challenge, and next-gen immersion, featuring an astronaut crash-landing on a hostile planet, all the while dying repeatedly and uncovering fragments of psychological horror and her own fractured memories.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered

Insomniac Games’ genre-defining superhero adventure remains the benchmark for open-world traversal. Web-swinging through Manhattan creates a flow state unmatched by any other game, while the combat system layers web gadgets, acrobatics, and environmental attacks into endlessly stylish encounters. This Remastered edition includes all three DLC chapters, remodeled character faces, ray-traced reflections, and near-instant loading.

With Marvel’s Wolverine set to release later this year, newcomers will want to check the game that effectively kickstarted the whole Marvel superhero video games craze before exploring what else is on the market.

God of War Ragnarök

If there’s one thing Santa Monica Studio has proven it does well, it’s reboots, sequels, and reboot sequels. Now, the sequel to the reboot sequel of the 2018 title, God of War, proves that the studio can do sequels to reboot sequels just as well.

Now, enough of the sequel talk. God of War Ragnarök somehow matched its predecessor’s quality while delivering a 40+ hour epic. It expands the combat with new weapon options and realm-hopping adventures, but it’s the emotional payoff of Kratos and Atreus’s relationship that elevates this beyond the usual game. Added to the catalog in January 2025, this Game of the Year contender has stood as one of the best PlayStation Plus games ever and is a must-play for anyone who hasn’t experienced Sony’s crowning achievement of the PS5 generation so far.

The Last of Us Part II

Naughty Dog’s most ambitious and divisive game sparked endless debate, but critics overwhelmingly praised its technical achievements and bold storytelling choices. The combat feels weighty and desperate, Seattle’s overgrown environments showcase stunning art direction, and the narrative demands engagement rather than passive consumption. Play it before the inevitable Part III announcement.

Demon’s Souls

Bluepoint Games rebuilt FromSoftware’s genre-defining classic from the ground up, creating the PS5’s most visually stunning launch title. The Tower of Latria remains one of gaming’s most atmospheric locations, and the brutal difficulty that birthed the Soulslike genre feels perfectly preserved. This is where it all started for the genre that pretty much defined most of the PS4 generation. Now experience gaming history with modern polish and finesse.

Bloodborne

Bloodborne isn’t just one of the best PlayStation Plus games. It’s one of the best games. Period.

FrmSoftware traded medieval fantasy for Victorian gothic horror, creating what many consider their finest work. The trick weapons transform mid-combo for devastating variety, while Yharnam’s interconnected streets hide secrets that players are still discovering years later. The aggressive rally system rewards offense over defense, making this the most visceral game in its unforgiving genre.

This 2015 title is essential for anyone with a custom PS5 controller built for demanding action games.

Shadow of the Colossus (2018 Remake)

Blepoint’s first PS4 remake transformed the PS2 classic into something breathtaking while preserving its melancholy atmosphere. Sixteen colossi await across a forbidden land, each functioning as a moving puzzle-boss hybrid. The emotional weight of what you’re doing becomes heavier with each victory in what can only be described as a design choice that remains unmatched even to this day.

Dave the Diver

One of the newest entries on this list, Dave the Diver blends fishing simulation, restaurant management, and surprisingly deep combat into an addictive loop. By day, you dive for ingredients; by night, you run a sushi restaurant. The charming pixel art, constant unlocks, and absurd story beats kept players hooked throughout 2023 and 2024.

This criminally underrated title is proof that hybrid genres with strong execution can compete with established franchises.

Honorable Mentions

Eight new games join the catalog on January 20, 2026.

While only one cracked the all-time top 10, several deserve attention, namely:

• Resident Evil Village – Capcom’s survival horror arrives precisely one month before Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27. That’s intentional timing and a great excuse to experience Ethan Winters’ terrifying journey through a gothic European village filled with werewolf-like creatures and the internet’s favorite tall vampire lady, Lady Dimitrescu.
• Darkest Dungeon II – Rd Hook Studios’ sequel transforms the original’s dungeon-crawling format into a desperate stagecoach journey through apocalyptic wastelands. The “relationship system” means heroes can become friends, lovers, or bitter rivals based on their choices.

PS Plus Premium: Classic Racing and Platforming Excellence

Premium subscribers get access to the Classics Catalog featuring PS1, PS2, and PSP titles enhanced with modern quality-of-life features like rewind, quick saves, and custom video filters.

Jack and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

Naughty Dog’s PS2 masterpiece revolutionized 3D platforming with completely seamless open-world exploration with zero loading screens, no level transitions, just one interconnected adventure. The dynamic between silent hero Jak and wisecracking ottsel Daxter delivers constant charm, while the gameplay balances combat, exploration, and environmental puzzles with precision that still feels modern. Essential gaming history.

Sly 2: Band of Thieves

The pinnacle of Sucker Punch’s stealth-platformer trilogy expanded the original’s pure platforming into mission-based heist gameplay that predated Assassin’s Creed. Three playable characters, from the acrobatic Sly to the hacker Bentley, and powerhouse Murray, offer distinct playstyles within interconnected hub worlds filled with guards to avoid and objectives to complete. The cel-shaded art style has aged remarkably compared to contemporaries.

Ridge Racer

The PSP’s launch title proved handheld gaming could deliver console-quality experiences. Twenty-four circuits from classic Ridge Racer entries showcase drift-based arcade racing at its purest. The iconic techno soundtrack remains legendary, and the accessible handling made this one of the best pure arcade racers of its era. A time capsule from Sony’s portable golden age.

The Legend of Dragoon

Despite modest critical reception at launch, this PS1 JRPG commands a passionate cult following for its innovative “Addition” timing-based combat and Dragoon transformations. The 50+ hour adventure told across four discs (yes, that many) delivers classic JRPG storytelling with unique mechanics that modern titles have yet to match.

Resident Evil: Director’s Cut

Resident Evil: Director’s Cut holds special significance as a PS Plus Premium exclusive. You can’t purchase it as a standalone title, and you can only access it through the Premium tier. This survival horror pioneer single-handedly popularized the genre.

Ape Escape

Ape History made history as the first PlayStation game to require the DualShock controller, using both analog sticks for movement and gadget control simultaneously. Its innovative control scheme and whimsical charm earned it classic status and spawned a beloved franchise that, surprisingly enough, hasn’t had a modern follow-up, remake, or reboot attempt.

God of War HD and God of War II HD

Santa Monica Studio’s first two God of War games are so good that we have no choice but to lump them together. The HD remasters of the PS2 originals need no introduction. They’re the games that established the franchise that would later win Game of the Year honors in 2018. More than that, the pair showcases Sony’s commitment to preserving its action-adventure heritage.

Tekken 3

Tekken 3 is fighting game perfection. It’s widely considered among the greatest games ever made and might be the peak of the franchise, establishing Bandai Namco’s flagship fighting game series as the icon that it is today. The game features enhanced PS1 emulation with modern conveniences like rewind functionality and save states

Games Leaving PS Plus on January 20, 2026

These aren’t the best PlayStation Plus games, but we do recommend downloading or at least playing through them before they leave the Extra/Premium catalog:

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Arguably, the most painful departure. This Kiryu-focused action-RPG bridges the gap between Yakuza 6 and Infinite Wealth with an emotionally devastating story about sacrifice and identity. Play this before Infinite Wealth for maximum emotional impact.

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Annapurna Interactive’s critically acclaimed rhythm-action experience features a phenomenal synthpop soundtrack and visually stunning levels lasting under two hours. Many outlets dubbed this their pick of the year back in 2019 when it first came out.

How to Enjoy the Best PlayStation Plus Games

If you’re experiencing drift issues or want enhanced performance for competitive play, consider upgrading your controller setup. Modern Hall Effect joysticks prevent drift entirely while improving precision. Check out our PS5 controller repair services if your current DualSense isn’t keeping up with your backlog. You might even want to consider getting a custom PS5 controller with back buttons and enhanced triggers, which can provide the edge needed to conquer these challenging experiences.

Ultimately, January 2026 delivers one of the strongest PS Plus months in recent memory. It’s not often that it introduces one of the best PlayStation Plus games, along with potential contenders.

For more PlayStation coverage, check out our guides on the best PS5 games, free PS5 games, and understanding PS Plus tiers.