If you’re looking for something to play this weekend, you should try out one of these three underrated games from the PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra game catalog. The first game is an RPG remake from Square Enix that can prepare you for one of August’s biggest game launches. Then there’s an enjoyable racing game from EA that you should check out before it leaves PS Plus next month. Finally, I recommend a remake collection of two cult classic platformers from Bandai Namco Entertainment that are worth your time if you’ve never played them before.
Trials of Mana
Trials of Mana is the 2020 remake of Seiken Densetsu 3, an SNES sequel to Secrets of Mana from the 1990s that never came out in North America. Next month, this long-running RPG series will continue with the release of Visions of Mana, so you should check out this RPG with action elements beforehand so you can understand the foundation upon which Visions of Mana is building. The fact that you can start the game with one of six different protagonists gives it replay value as well. Make sure you play the PS4 version of Trials of Mana through PS Plus Extra before it leaves the service on August 20. It’s also available on PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.
Need for Speed Unbound
Although the Need for Speed franchise is far from the heights of its mid-2000s popularity, the latest entry in the series offered up a good time. Need for Speed Unbound stands out thanks to a more colorful aesthetic and engaging narrative hook that sees players racing to reobtain a car that got stolen from them at the start of the game. Lakeshore City, the game’s Chicago-inspired setting, is a very interesting place to explore and race around as well. You can check out the PS5 version of Need for Speed Unbound through the PS Plus Extra game catalog until August 20. After that, you’ll need to buy the game on PS5 or play it on PC or Xbox Series X/S through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate’s EA Play collection.
Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil are quirky 2D platformers with levels that have quite a bit of 3D depth to them and surprisingly emotional stories. These games were cult classics firmly stuck on the PlayStation, PS2, and Wii for a while. Thankfully, Bandai Namco Entertainment revived the series with the excellent Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series remaster compilation in 2022. The PS4 and PS5 versions of the Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series are available to play with a PS Plus Premium subscription. It’s also available for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
