Sony has announced the games coming to Playstation Plus in June. It’s a diverse line-up that shows how broad the games landscape is today. It includes perhaps the top sports game on the market today, a frightening survival horror nightmare, a quiet family drama more powerful than most action games, and the first portable version of one of Sony’s biggest action franchises. If you’re a PS Plus member, and are wondering what you should download to your Playstation 3, Playstation 4 or Vita in June, here are our recommendations. These will all be available for subscribers on June 7.
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6. Little Deviants (Vita): This is basically just a hardware demo for the Vita. Its minigames show you how to use the various touchscreens and cameras attached to Sony's handheld, along with the built-in motion controls and some augmented reality business. It doesn't have much use for anybody already familiar with the Vita, being neither cute nor fun enough for repeated play.
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5. God of War: Chains of Olympus (Vita): The first God of War game for a handheld, Chains of Olympus was eventually released for console in a couple of different God of War anthologies. PS Plus members will only be able to download the game for the Vita, though. It's a God of War game, for better or worse (worse, mostly), but with the outsized scope of the boss battles and other set-pieces reduced by the limitations of a handheld.
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4. Echochrome (PS3): This stylish puzzle game has a great black and white aesthetic but isn't always that fun to play. Inspired by the art of MC Escher, you have to turn and tilt optical illusions to open up a pathway for your character to walk upon. It's a cool idea that's initially exciting but gradually turns dull and repetitive as you realize there aren't many other tricks up the game's sleeves.
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3. Siren: Blood Curse (PS3): This survival horror game was an early experiment in releasing a full-sized console game exclusively as a digital download. That might have limited its audience back in 2008, but now most people who play games should have no problem getting this on their system. It's worth the download, too, if you like this kind of game; it's stressful and atmospheric, with an episodic structure that adds to the chills and a few unique spins on stealth.
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2. NBA 2K16 (PS4): The occasional spotty server problem can't diminish what is otherwise another fantastic basketball game from 2K Sports. The NBA 2K series has long done a great job of recreating the depth and complexity of the NBA and how it's broadcast, while still keeping the core game accessible for anybody who just wants to pick up a controller and toss a few bricks. NBA 2K16 capably continues that tradition.
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1. Gone Home (PS4): Our favorite game of 2013 remains a touchstone today. It's a mystery about real people living real lives that uses the language and rhythm of videogames to show how reality can be more powerful than any fantasy. It's not the first game of this type, but it's still one of the best.