PlayStation Plus December 2024 Update

Every month, PlayStation adds a new roster of games to its PlayStation Plus service. This month offered EA’s It Takes Two, real-time combat shooter Aliens: Dark Descent, and the monster-collecting indie gem Temtem for Essential members.

However, the Extra and Premium Tiers offer some genuine surprises. From going undefeatable with the blue blur to finishing off the legendary adventures of a stealthy raccoon, there is something for everyone to celebrate the holiday season.

PlayStation Plus Extra Titles

Headlining this final batch of 2024 PS Plus Extra titles is a supersonic surprise. To celebrate the Blue Blur’s successful 2024 with the insane marketing beats of Sonic 3 (2024) and Sonic X Shadow Generations, comes 2022’s Sonic Frontiers. The title will be playable for both PlayStation 4 and 5 owners.

I have shared my praise and criticisms about Sonic Frontiers and even broken down its amazing musical score. But to keep it brief, it’s an experience, while not perfect, that anyone interested in the Sonic series cannot skip out on.

Another major inclusion is Square Enix’s Forespoken, which received updates to run at a smoother 60FPS on PS5 following its release. Indie platformer F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch, co-op adventure Biped, preistoric simulator Jurassic World Evolution 2, and both episodes of Coffee Talk join the Extra tier as well, being playable on both PS4 and PS5.

Even titles originally released on Game Pass a few years ago join PS Plus Extra this month, such as the creative indie puzzle title PHOGS. The overall game line-up is solid, filled with smaller experiences and larger adventures gamers can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate over the holiday season.

PlayStation Plus Premium – PS VR2

The PS VR 2 title for this month is Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, which the PlayStation Blog describes with the following;

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge is a VR FPS experience where you step into the role of a Droid Repair Technician. After an emergency crash landing, you’ll embark on thrilling missions in the Batuu wilds, confront the Guavian Death Gang, infiltrate a First Order facility and journey through different eras of the galaxy. Become a Jedi in the Temple of Darkness, train with your padawan in The Sacred Garden, or even take on a bounty as assassin droid IG-88 in The Bounty of Boggs Triff… all in your own unforgettable Star Wars story.

For PS VR2 owners, giving them a good Star Wars experience to end the year off. And reflecting on the entire PS VR2 offerings that came to PS Plus Premium throughout 2024, a nice selection is present.

A major issue for the platform, was the price point and the lack of support for PS VR1 titles, making the initial investment in PS VR2 a hard pill to swallow. Having a sizable selection for new PS VR2 owners to jump right into, was one of the better decisions PlayStation made in 2024.

PS Plus Premium – Classic Line-Up

Growing up with PlayStation as a child, my fondest memories were on the PS2 and PS3. And games I loved on those platforms, were the platforming trilogies of Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper, and Jak and Daxter.

And two of those three trilogies are playable on PlayStation 4 and 5, thanks to this latest PS Plus Premium update. Joining the already released Sly Cooper & The Thievius Raccoonus, both Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves can be played now on the latest PlayStation platforms.

Even the Jak and Daxter series is getting some love. The original Jak & Daxter is receiving an updated release, supporting the current PlayStation 2 emulator on PS4 and PS5. This means that features like rewinding, save states, improved upscaling, and a new trophy list are now added to the game.

Unlike the other Extra and Premium offerings, these three games are currently accessible to all Premium members on PS4 and PS5 right now. They are also sold stand-alone as well, costing $9.99 per game. I can’t wait to dive into the Sly trilogy once more.

Closing Thoughts on PlayStation Plus in 2024

While I don’t use PlayStation Plus often, the offerings in 2024 have been great. Many great games have come to the service throughout the year and PlayStation finally investing in legacy support for its classic titles on PS2 was one of my highlights in 2024.

It was a key reason I got my Series X before getting a PS5, seeing Microsoft genuinely care about persevering, or at the very least, making access to Original Xbox and 360 titles easier for a new generation. Microsoft ending the program always frustrated me, so PlayStation picking up the torch and using an updated PS2 emulator to get their gems on PS5 is awesome.

And with the recent PS Portal update, making any PS5 game coming to PS Plus Premium playable on the cloud without owning a physical PS5, makes the service even better. A collection of modern and classic games, playable completely over the cloud, gives an otherwise lackluster accessory something worth considering for PlayStation owners.

But did any of you leverage PlayStation Plus this year? And what games do you want to see them add to the service? Let us know in the comments below!