It's PS Plus Essential update day for active subscribers, bringing another three monthly PS5, PS4 games to members. It is another good month, with brand new title Foamstars added to the roster along with Rollerdrome and Steelrising. You can download the games now if you're situated in Europe, and USA readers will gain access later on in the day.
As always, we polled the Push Square audience on their thoughts concerning the February 2024 line-up, and the results weren't as positive as you might expect despite the evident quality on show. Just 17 per cent of responders said they're at least a bit happy with the selection, while 47 per cent returned a "it's a crap selection" vote. Still, the PS5, PS4 games you're getting here are undoubtedly good.
What title are you looking forward to trying first? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments 25
Will be downloading Foamstars and Rollerdrome tonight after work, quite looking forward to both games.
If "it's a crap selection" translates to "I already have it or I'm not interested", then yes, almost every month would be that for me. That said, personally, I cannot think of a single month where I thought that the value proposition was off, even back when they only bundled in "cAlCuLaToR gAmEs". You're getting three games for the price of a lunch. The only time where I could see myself voting for crap selection would be if they only included games like My Name is Mayo or Jumping Taco.
Don't forget "Fall Guys icons" pack too in case you play that.
Steelrising is great, even if you are not into soulslike games... I played the trial and I liked it.
Claim the 'Icons Pack' and receive:
I’m really surprised people think this is a poor selection. I could see myself trying all of these at some point. Granted, Foamstars would only be out of sheer curiosity, as I don’t really think it’s my cup o’ tea. But I think it’s a great PS+ game.
Steelrising and Rollerdrome are games I had my eye on but never quite pulled the trigger on purchasing. That’s the ideal type of PS+ game, in my book. I’m particularly excited to try Rollerdrome, as it looks like a great palate cleanser between larger story driven games.
Steelrising is a good pick for me because I own the disc. I can leave that sealed now, trade it in maybe. Still hooked on LAD so IDK when I'll get to it.
Pretty rubbish imo. Foamstars I'll play out of curiosity, but none of them are games I would want to play otherwise, just kinda feel like I should at least try one of them considering I'm paying for the subscription.
Still don't know why they tried to claim the price increase was to help improve PS+. It was clearly just so Sony could get more money from consumers.
And I'm sorry, but why does Push Square essentially ignore what PS fans are saying? You've essentially said in your article "PS users don't think they are good games, but we do so let's just ignore what the users are saying". Neither Nintendo Life nor Pure Xbox ignores their users so much just so they can be overly positive about Nintendo or Xbox but this site does this so often.
I’ll try Steelrising eventually I think. Looks kinda like Lies of P
@lightningbolt79 Maybe its because this site recognises that 'cool to be Meh' posters like yourself make up a relitively small fraction of their readership and an even smaller fraction of those who use the service?
They dont review based on your opinion, so why should they evaluate the quality of titles on this service based on the mouthy minority who go out of their way to skew such results?
If you dont value their editorial independance, then simply go elsewhere.
Rollerdrome has been on my watchlist for a while so happy to pick that up. As for the people who voted it a crap selection... Well it's probably a bit late for me to start worrying about what the majority thinks.
Happy gaming peeps.
@lightningbolt79 Push Square staff gave Rollerdrome an 8/10 and Steelrising a 7/10 (which reads like an 8 if they’ve fixed some of the technical glitches at launch), and have given a fairly positive preview impression of Foamstars. So it’s natural they’ll call the month “good”, but the article was clear to report the reader poll felt differently. And the article title isn’t misrepresenting anything — it is blatantly generic (even with a classic play on words for one of the games in the sub-title) So, I’m not sure they’re ignoring anything. It’s pretty clearly acknowledged about the reader’s disappointment, despite it being at odds with the staff’s feelings.
@Th3solution Thanks for brining clarity to the discussion.
I will definitely download all 3 games.im excited to play rollerdrome.its been on my list of games to play for a while now.word up son
Had my eyes on Rollerdrome for a while but could never quite bring myself to take the plunge, and Steel Rising looks half decent, so all in all not a bad month really!
Wonder how many people are still using ps plus essential tier like me and complain about the bad games being offered every month compared to the people who pay for extra and premium. They probably get the better games
Happy to play Rollerdome having tried the demo for ten mins. WIll give Foamstars a try if there is some sort of mode I can play offline against my kids (doubt there is) but otherwise not interested if online multiplayer only, and the other game I couldn't care less about.
Any early impressions on Foamstars are the servers holding up? I remember fall guys releasing on ps plus at the servers couldnt cope
@Titntin they literally quoted a survey response. Much of their readership feels "meh" about this.
Rollerdrome should not be ignored. It’s a cross between Tony Hawk Skater and the Max Payne games. Addictive and rewarding so anyone saying that it’s crap clearly haven’t got the cojones to try things first before passing judgement
I don’t remember the last time I downloaded and played a PS Plus monthly game, but I always add them to my library. Foamstars has my attention, however.
@lightningbolt79 ..and its a well known fact that the people most likely to bother replying to a survey are those who have an axe to grind. Even I didnt take the survey this month and I do normally..
I don’t own any of these. I will add them all to my library, and I don’t think I will ever think of them again. If that’s not worth a “meh,” what is?
Why does anyone’s lack of interest in this month’s offering provoke anger from others? I’m glad you’re all excited to play these games. Actually, that’s not true—I don’t care that you’re excited. Why do you care that others aren’t?
Had my eye on Rollerdrome for quite a while but never pulled the trigger on it. As soon as I’m done w Jedi Survivor that’s what I’ll be playing next.
As for Steelrising, I 100%’d that a while back but I will say to anyone on the fence about it, it’s a fantastic game and one of the better Soulslikes out there. DLC is worth picking up too.
Honestly don’t get the ppl that think this month is a crap selection. Sure, to each their own / no accounting for taste, but this is one of the better months I’ve seen in some time. Sony has stepped it up this year, as last month was pretty good too.
I honestly never really complain about the games we get… but I was really hoping to get a win and actually be excited to get a game I would enjoy.. and once again let down.
I don’t want to offend anyone about these games. But I will say they’re 100% not worth even putting in my library. Getting pretty let down this past couple months on games… can’t please everyone - but damn.
Not a great month for me personally. I played Rollerdrome on GamePass and it was quite fun. I already own Steel Rising on PS5, and it is a really solid souls-like (not too far behind Lies of P). Not interested in FoamStars, but still wouldn’t consider it a “crap month” for most people.
There is variety and curiosity and with PS+ that's something..... I don't use the subscription but some people are getting something out of it or they aren't.
'Poll says this but we see quality' I'm sorry can't not laugh so hard. I may be particular on games and by that I mean niche games not AAA, but I mean Steelrising is fine but not Spider's best, Foamstars is a disappointment in concepts it's so bland and forgettable, while Rollerdrome is a fair game I think of it's type. Again not something I know enough about and if multiplayer I'm not going to have much to say.
So sorry Push Square staff but I don't think the games are that good this month while Indies I'd say yeah that's good (more so if I know them) and people would go eh no good AAA (sure ignore them) or that genre/themes/other appeal or some valid points to be made with better games.
I am open minded but that's the thing as modern gaming has such boring done to death mechanics/modes and in terms of visuals or artstyles vary of being pretty good to generic. I don't give modern games praise when I can research old games 'I've never heard of even' and have more fun with their fresh ideas. Tell me why I shouldn't be more particular about modern gaming sucking so hard.
Foamstars isn't a Splatoon clone but the thing is Splatoon is so much better in character moveset alone, platforming/obstacle courses and whatever translates in the multiplayer of 2 & 3 I don't know about can only go off 1 and the campaigns of 1 & 2, I can't help but prefer it and I'm not a Nintendo fan. I'm a multiplat user that has gone third party with PS/Xbox over the years to buy up Nintendo/PS consoles I never owned that's how little I care for my PS4/Xbox One let alone current gen. Until the next Asobi or Media Molecule games come out that is.
While Foamstars I do because I thought it had a good amount of 'potential' but it's wastes it's time being boring because I've played better and I know better game mechanics/mode ideas that's how boring the game is to me that I can make my own and have more fun.
We all have our preferences but as a gameplay focused I'm always in the minority anyways as my tastes for gameplay are very particular so I'll not always see eye to eye with people and that's fine more power to their preferences of gameplay or themes/story/graphics/dialogue/etc.
But even if they aren't for me they offer something for different people. Foamstars to me is wasted potential as even with a live stream I still am not impressed by the lacking modes, still weak mechanics of foam and the hub for socialising while a bit PS Home like is still just who cares worthy. The game is boring and bland.
Steelrising is fine for a Soulslike. Not my thing but I think it's an interesting spin on a Soulslike even if I think Spiders have made better games.
Rollerdrome I know the least about but it's fine I guess for what it does.
I have a backlog full of things to play PS4/Xbox One/Switch or older gen consoles. I'm good. I never see value in PS+/Gamepass and I get the games when they are $20-30 and they end up on go on PS+/Gamepass anyway. So do I really care to pay $20-30 nope. At least I can get them physical, play them whenever if I hate them or not. Not deal with a subscription I'll never use and only use for the games which as Deluxe/Premium isn't that appealing of titles yet, Extra I have all the games I want out of it anyway and Essential is 3 games and online I'll never use no thanks.
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