December means a lot of things to a lot of people but to a gamer it means time. Time to play the games you’ve bought and haven’t been able to start, time to complete the ones that you did, and time to sleep late because you were up all night playing.
Sony’s PlayStation Plus service doesn’t make using that time any easier, though, as there are always at least a few titles that add themselves to the pile of titles you want to play before the festive season ends. Whether you’re keen on playing dress-up as Death in Darksiders 2 or jumping out of your seat in Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, here is what PlayStation Plus has to offer in December 2017. Until Dawn and That’s You are available now, the rest of the list goes up on 4 December
FREE ON PLAYSTATION PLUS IN DECEMBER
Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition (PS4)
Become Death himself in Darksiders II, which gets a nice HD facelift over the original PS3 edition. The frenetic hack-and-slash action takes place in an enormous, Zelda-like world filled with dungeons and puzzles to solve. This’ll be a nice primer before next year’s Darksiders III.
Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of the Legendary Legends (PS4)
The PlayStation 4 doesn’t have Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros, of course, nor does it have Sony’s own PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale from a few years back. But it does have this licensed Kung Fu Panda game, which is more or less Smash Bros. with less interesting characters. Well, it is free…
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (PSVR)
We really dug the survival horror thrills of the original Until Dawn, but Rush of Blood is something else entirely: it’s a PlayStation VR-exclusive rail shooter, in which you’ll blast freaky foes while on a rollercoaster-like track.
That’s You (PS4)
Here’s something different: you’ll need a smartphone or tablet to play That’s You, which is the first of Sony’s PlayLink titles. With a touch device as your controller, you can play this irreverent party game, which has you doodle, answer questions, snap photos, and more.
XBlaze Lost: Memories (PS3)
If you love the BlazBlue fighting games enough to also love their world without all the fighting, then check out XBlaze Lost: Memories for PS3. It’s a visual novel set in the same universe, and if that doesn’t sound super-duper niche, then we don’t know what does.
Syberia Collection (PS3)
Got an itch for classic point-and-click-style adventure games? Syberia Collection pulls together a pair of early-aughts mystery games, which were pretty well-reviewed on PC more than a decade ago, but we can’t vouch for their appeal after all this time.
Forma.8 (Vita/PS4)
Playable on both Vita and PS4, Forma.8 is a pretty cool-looking indie game about a stranded space probe on an alien planet. In a very Metroid/Castlevania-like fashion, you’ll need to explore the cavernous terrain and deal with threats as they emerge.
Wanted Corp. (Vita)
Less cool-looking, admittedly, is Wanted Corp. This top-down action/shooter game was largely overlooked when it first released years ago, and the few reviews out there suggest it’s very generic and simplistic. But if you really need something to play on Vita, it is free.
STILL AVAILABLE UNTIL 4 DECEMBER
Worms Battlegrounds (PS4)
Team17’s classic artillery game gets a fresh coat of paint with Worms Battlegrounds, which finds you controlling groups of the creepy crawlers as they try to blast the hell out of each other. Multiplayer is the main focus, but Battlegrounds also has a solo campaign included.
Bound (PS4)
Bound is certainly a one-of-a-kind experience: the lead character is a ballet-dancing princess who beautifully prances through surreal platforming challenges. It’s gorgeous and even PlayStation VR-compatible, although also a bit awkward to actually control.
R-Type Dimensions (PS3)
R-Type is one of the great side-scrolling arcade shooters, and now you can get both R-Type and R-Type II in one PS3-playable package for free this month. The graphics are a bit spruced up, but the old-school challenge and appeal remains intact.
Rag Doll Kung Fu (PS3)
This goofy arena fighter lets you choose an exaggerated, action figure-esque martial arts fighter and throw down in four-player battles, with DualShock 3 motion controls used to help you pack an extra punch.
Dungeon Punks (Vita/PS4)
Dungeon Punks is an under-the-radar fantasy brawler that lets you team up to bash through waves of enemies in a game inspired by old-school arcade hits. This one’s playable on both PlayStation Vita and PS4.
Broken Sword 5 – The Serpent’s Curse (Vita)
Looking for a bit of on-the-go adventure? Broken Sword 5 – The Serpent’s Curse collects both episodes of the game in a single Vita bundle, as you attempt to track down a stolen painting amidst a much larger criminal conspiracy.