PS Plus Essential's January 2025 PS5, PS4 Games Available to Download

It’s one of those months when I wonder if adding the games to my list is worth it.

Does it just add stress subconsciously because even though I think I will never play them, they are there to potentially be played, thus increasing my backlog of games.

If I don’t download them, will I regret not adding these to my collection, thus making me more stressed than if I just downloaded them?

Is this monthly dilemma slowly driving me insane?

@Kienda If such issues can make you go insane then you have some more serious problems.

@N0CYmr0k of that there is no doubt.

Might play them for playstation points 😂

@Kienda I always add them to my library and then forget about them until I want to play them lol.

@Kienda

Just play what you really want to play. It's not a job, it's a party!

Not even worth adding to the list

@Jswift56 What I do start them check the phone app once added quit the game and delete the trophy list

I ain't even bothering to add SS to my list it's a piece of crap

Stanley Parable for me, thanks!

All three added but I’m probably gonna only play NFS and Stanley.

Thank you for the notification

I used to be picky about which of the PS+ games I claimed and added to my library but then I had a couple times when I later regretted not adding something. You never know when your preferences might change or someone else in your household may want to try a game, so now I just automatically add all the PS+ essential games to my library. Future me might want to try it years from now. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The only downside is that my digital library is enormous and full of things I will never play, but I can’t predict which of the games might randomly scratch an itch down the road.

I usually add them all unless there is something I think i will never play. One thing I do though which may come across as a bit weird is I often add a certain amount to the library or hide from the library etc to make the list of games more tidy and even numbered, it is a OCD thing incase anyone was wondering 😂

I tend to add them all, it doesn't bother me if I'll never play them. I like being able to scroll through and track the different changes and additions in the Plus+ library. Unless I actually download them then it's just a small tile of cover art in a sea of cover art. I'm more OCD about actual physical game collections, books etc, I have to look at those every day. I only see that games library when I choose a game/finish it/delete it/then move to the next one.

@Kienda whatever makes you more stressed, do that!

@Th3solution if your library is big and you like organising things. You could always make different named groups for your games. Like “potential games” “might play when bored” lol

Is SS gonna get taken offline before I ever even find the enthusisam, or curiosity, to play it? Probably. Somewhat tempted to not download it just to show my disdain...

@PushDiagonal Yeah, I have done a little of that. I have a couple groups, one of which is “Games On Deck” to be played soon. It helps to trim a library of 400+ down to just 15-20 which are my focus for now. Unfortunately it means that sometimes one of them will fall through the cracks and I forget it’s in my library until I think about it. Like Days Gone, or Rollerdrome, or the Mafia games… 😅 I keep wanting to try these but they haven’t made the cut yet to be in my high priority grouping. But Mafia 3 would be an example of a game that I had no interest in way back when it was given away on PS+, but now they’ve also given us Mafia 1 and Mafia 2 and there’s a fourth game coming out soon and so I actually would like to go back and play all of them. So I’m glad I claimed them all along the way.

But yeah, organizing the library is not very elegant and it would be good if Sony had a way to organize our digital library better. Sometimes I forget if I even have a game and can’t remember if it was a PS+ game in the past and so I either have to scroll through dozens of games trying to find it, or just search from the whole store and see if the indicator shows I already own it or if it prompts me to buy it. It’s not impossible, but it is mildly annoying. 😄

@Kienda Add Stanley Parable at the least.

It is VERY much worth your time.

@J2theEzzo They added an offline mode, so when the servers inevitably go away the game will still be playable.

I always add them all.
It used to be out of habit, in a "it's included, might as well" kind of way, but now, even if I know I'd never want to actually play any of them, there's always the chance that they'll one day be included in a PS Stars campaign that gives coins (or at the very least, a collectible). I'm always happy to discover I have at least one of the titles to complete a campaign in the library.

@dskatter Well that is good of them, at least. Though I feel like it's the kind of game I'd ideally play online with a mate, to escape some of the drudgery - but then, our limited time is probably better spent elsewhere, anyway! 🤷‍♂️

@PushDiagonal thankfully I have a wife to help me with the everyday stressful stuff like deciding where to eat, what to wear, or anything related to thinking and making choices in life.

But when it comes to gaming I have every console and a gaming PC and she just says, “play what you want.”

Somehow your recommendation to add to the stress has actually left me feeling less stressed. I will download and partway play all of them and increase my gaming backlog.

Your guidance is appreciated.

@dskatter thanks for the tip. I will try it out.

@Kienda just use the “add to library” option (something I wish Xbox would add). Whenever you get a lull in games then you always have them as an option.

I'll take NfS. I remember getting Hot Pursuit with my 360 back in the day, and playing the hell out of it. Might be fun to revisit.
Already have Stanley Parable.
Suicide Squad I'll just leave where it is. Thanks, but no thanks.

@dskatter I've downloaded the stanley parable upon your rather enthusiastic recommendation so I'll give it a go later..got the flu at the moment so something different and more sedate might perk me up a bit 👍

@StrickenBiged nfs is a brilliant outrun style game with cops..immense fun.

@Northern_munkey I hope you enjoy it! The humor is right up my alley, just make sure you try all the paths. You will encounter very, very interesting things.

The Stanley Parable is great, NFS is old and meh, SS isn't even worth adding to the library.... I've seen worse months but having SS in this month makes it so bad

Just played Stanley Parable with several endings. It’s really a funny piece of art, self-reflective in telling about the nature of video games, and telling about the nature of man.

Play it!

I'm going to try that Suicide Squad game and probably add the other games to my library I'm not complaining about games I'm not spending a dime for

can't wait for Stanley!

Had played SS previously and traded it in after the Joker season. Downloaded it today, played it for about 10 minutes. Yep, still sucks. Deleted it again.

Went with an open mind and gave Suicide Squad a chance. Needless to say, it wasn't for me. It may be a decent game, but I didn't enjoy it at all.

@Northern_munkey Oh, don't worry, I remember how much fun Hot Pursuit was. I don't know Outrun, but I recall greatly enjoying NfS:HP on 360 and the incredible cop-chases I would find myself in.

@StrickenBiged I love it..add me on psn if you fancy some time trial battles 👍

Got stanley parable and nfs hot pursuit remastered, I'm not downloading suicide squad though, lol.

@N0CYmr0k id argue if that's a genuine concern for them causing them then they possibly have a very cosy life with no real problems 🤣🙈🤣