As of today, there is a wealth of optionsin the PS Plus Catalog,PlayStation’s flagship subscription service and a rival to the frankly far superior Xbox Game Pass. However, when you have this much variety, that means that some games will offer distinctly different experiences from others.
10 Most Disappointing PS Plus Monthly Games Ever
Even though they were free, we all still felt that we had been shortchanged.
Some will offer narrative-driven and somber affairs. Others might offer mechanicallycomplex and challenging adventuresthat will have you tearing your hair out, and some games might be made for the express reason of triggering some deep, forgotten memories and nostalgia.
But, we want to focus on the games that have such an incredibly addictive gameplay loop that they are damn-near impossible to set down. Games that sink their hooks in and don’t let go until you roll the credits and get the dopamine that comes with a job well done.
If you’re looking for something that you can play in short bursts, this list might not be for you, as you may end up playing these games until the sun comes up. You have been warned.
There’s A Badeline In All Of Us
Even if you cast your mind back to the era where arcade machines were the primary way to get your gaming fix,the humble 2D platformerwas as much of a goliath in gaming as it is today, and they were just as addictive as they are now. Albeit with the added caveat that the machine would eat your quarters every time you failed.
The luxury of Celeste is that you get your hands on an 8-bit-inspired 2D platformer with a focus on tight platforming, mastering mechanics, and delivering a surprisingly heartfelt story along the way as you clamber to the top of Celeste Mountain.
What makes it so addictive is akin to what makes equally successful indie platformer Super Meat Boy so successful.You’ll die a lot, but if you do the game drops you back into the action in a split second, never letting you linger on errors or get frustrated.
Combine that with a stunning chiptune soundtrack, expert-level design, and great accessibility features that will allow just about anyone to find their difficulty sweet spot, and you have a game that will keep you enthralled until you reach the summit.
9Dave The Diver
Dive Into Adventure, Literally
Dave the Diver
From one indie icon to another, we have a game that allows you to find out if it’s better down where it’s wetter as you take control of Dave, a humble diver by day, and restaurant manager by night.
What’s odd about placing Dave the Diver on this list is that the game actually has a definitive start and end, despite feeling for all the while like an endless’one more day' loop game. So, in short, you get the best of both worlds.
You have the addictive loop of diving for fish to stock your restaurant and then serving them up later that night. But, you also have a wealth of fun NPCs to meet and help, and lots of mini-games and side content to engage with, which keeps things feeling fresh.
It’s a thirty-hour experience, give or take. But it’s one that you will blitz through as it’s devilishly addictive with all-killer, no filler content. So, harpoon at the ready and dive in!
8Death Stranding
Post-Apocalyptic Amazon Driver
Death Stranding
I’ve largely avoided games that have a strong narrative presence on this list, as that sort of thing can often get in the way of an addictive gameplay loop and disrupt the pacing and flow state players enter. However, I’ll make the exception for Death Stranding.
Seeing as the much-anticipated sequel is now in the hands of gamers, it seems only right to give the original its flowers as a masterful, experimental game that offers gameplaythat is boring in the best way possible.
On paper, all you’re doing is taking packages from one place to another, but the methodical and meditative process of doing this without losing all your packages in a hard tumble is weirdly engrossing.
It’s a game that is immersive thanks to its ability to give you all the tools needed to do a clear and arduous task well, and the story that accompanies this is typically Kojima, if that’s your thing. It’s not a game for everyone, but it’s a game that everyone should try at least once.
Endless Bloodletting
No matter how addicting a game is, there is usually a natural stopping point every now and again where there is a lull in action, allowing you to wrap up loose ends and call it a day.
You’ll find no such moment in DOOM, as this game is keen to embrace the power of forward momentum, forcing the player to stay on the front foot, ripping and tearing to stay alive when faced with the fiercest demons hell has to offer.
With constant visceral action, cathartic FPS combat, and surprisingly tight platforming, you may enter a flow state with ease in this reboot of theclassic FPS shooter series, and while you could stop at the end of a level, we can almost guarantee you won’t.
It’s this high-octane and insatiable need for violence that this game instills that has made modern DOOM games so addictive, and this one is a great place for newbies to start.
6Hotline Miami
Everyone Has Their Vice
Hotline Miami
If you liked the non-stop violence of DOOM, but also want the instant retry catharsis of Celeste, then we have the game that fits in the middle of that very specific Venn Diagram perfectly.
Hotline Miami is like a top-down DOOM in a lot of ways, as players will need to use weapons and the environment of each level to their advantage to clear the stage in a visceral and gory fashion. Speed is essential, and unlike the DOOM guy, this time you’re just as flimsy as the enemies are.
You’ll try and fail a lot with each stage, as each one is set up like a puzzle to solve, and you’ll need to find the gory choreography that leads to success through trial and error. But the process of finding that perfect run is a blast.
Couple this with the pulsing electro soundtrack that blares in the background, and the surreal ’80s vibes on offer, and you have something that is so eye-catching and so violent that it’s just about impossible to look away.
5Moonlighter
A Little Retail Therapy
Moonlighter
Whether it’s a farming simulator that has you endlessly giving gifts to locals, or a roguelike that will have you hacking and slashing until your thumbs get sore, it almost feels like we have exhausted the ‘one more day’ loop for new ideas. But, in a sea of copycats and uninspired titles, Moonlighter feels like something wholly different.
This is because, while the game is a hack-and-slash roguelike at heart, it doubles this familiar setup with a more novel merchant simulator mechanic, effectively splitting your role within the game in two.
One moment you’ll be hunting for relics and taking on gargantuan bosses, and then the next, you’ll be back at your store trying to establish what the optimal price is to sell something new and shiny.
Thanks to this dual approach, just when one aspect of the game threatens to become stale, the other takes over and keeps things interesting and exciting.So, considering Moonlighter 2 isn’t far away, it’s an ideal time to hop into the original.
4Remnant 2
A Less Sadistic Soulslike
Fextralife Wiki
It might be surprising that we’re including a Souls-like title as an addictive experience, mainly because these games tend to give you ample reason to toss your controller and rage-quit. However, Remnant 2 is an exception to the rule.
I won’t lie, the game does still have a bit of typical Soulslike bite to it. But, compared to the others out there, this game definitely offers easier gameplay overall, gives players a lot more tools for success, and makes the process easier if you play in co-op.
After all, this is a Soulslike with guns, meaning you have a lot more options when it comes to taking down foes other than hiding behind a shield or dodge-rolling into oblivion. So, if you’re a third-person shooter fan, you’ll feel right at home here.
Plus, with the procedurally generated worlds on offer and a co-op-focused setup, there is a lot of replay value to be had. Essentially, it’s a rare Soulslike that you’ll enjoy throughout rather than just when you take down a mammoth boss, and that, to me, is a perfect recipe for an addictive gaming experience.
Space Invaders' Spiritual Successor
In the first of two back-to-back games inspired by arcade classics, let’s talk about Space Invaders.
There was something deeply addictive about manning your little turret at the bottom of the screen and clearing lines upon lines of descending alien invaders. A simple premise, but a game that was pretty difficult to become truly good at.
Well, Resogun takes this simple premise, this core format, and dials everything up to eleven. In this game, you’ll fly around a cylindrical screen, ridding the level of the pixel-alien peril while avoiding the endless barrage of bullets on screen that would lead to your demise.
It’s a natural extension of what Space Invaders once offered, but in this instance, there are millions of things happening on screen at once, the action is hectic, and the sound and visuals make it feel like you’re at a laser light show.
It’s a modern bullet hell classic with its roots in the past, and if you’re someone who spent an eternity mastering your Space Invader skills, this may be the modern spiritual successor that threatens to steal all your free time from here on out.
2Tetris Effect: Connected
Improving On A Classic
Tetris Effect: Connected
Some games are so well-made that, even decades later, the formula remains unchanged mainly as there’s simply nothing that can be done to improve on perfection. Super Mario Bros is an example, Pac-Man is an example, but arguably, Tetris is the best example of all.
The falling Tetrimino puzzle has remained a consistently popular game for decades, and this is because the simple, addictive, and deceptively challenging format is timeless. But, Tetris Effect: Connected is an example of a skilled developer taking what works and adding some modern tweaks.
The classic Tetris formula remains intact, but the game also offers a lot of cool infrastructure for multiplayer and online gameplay, some minor tweaks to gameplay, such as the innovative Zone mechanic, and of course, a much larger focus on visuals and sound, to the point that you’re able to even play in VR.
It’s a revamped classic that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but still manages to improve on what was already excellent. It’s the definitive way to play Tetris today, so put your Game Boys away and try this one instead.
1Blue Prince
Blue Prince
If you’re looking for something that is fresh out of the oven, that offers an addictive experience that can rival just about any game on the market right now, look no further than Blue Prince.
Blue Prince is a roguelike, which all but guarantees potential for a ruthlessly addictive experience, but Blue Princeis a very unique roguelike compared to its many hack-and-slash contemporaries.
Instead, Blue Prince will have you place rooms, solve puzzles to carve out new paths, and, if I do say so myself, will have you crafting conspiracy theories that will have your head in a spin.
There’s nothing quite like Blue Prince, and that’s about the biggest compliment I can pay this title, as in a sea of Roguelikes and Indies, it stands out in the best way possible.
It’s a game that demands your full attention, and perhaps a pen and paper. But if you give yourself fully to this one, it will pay you back in kind with an addictive game that is very difficult to put down.
