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The last weekend of the month is always a bit of an awkward spot. While most of us will be diving deep into Monster Hunter Wilds, the rest of us are in a bit of a holding pattern until the next set of PlayStation Plus games hit the service on Tuesday. We already know what those will be, but you will still need some games to play over the weekend. March itself isn’t as packed with massive upcoming PS5 games besides Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, so this is the perfect time to check out some of the amazing games on Plus that you might not have given a shot when first released.
Session: Skate Sim
Activision has been teasing a Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3+4 reveal for months now, but we will finally learn what exactly is happening with this franchise on March 4 when the countdown timer ticks down. Ratings and leaks have all but confirmed it will be what we all expect, but if you want to get your skateboarding fix early, Session: Skate Sim is your best option on Plus without any Tony Hawk games on the service. As the name suggests, this is more of a skating sim than an arcade game like Tony Hawk, but still a cool take on the game that plays like one of those old ’90s skateboarding videos using a low-angle, fish-eye lens perspective. There are no goals or objectives so the amount of fun you get out of it is completely up to you.
Session: Skate Sim is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
Returnal
Housemarque’s next game, Saros, was revealed earlier this month and is poised to be the spiritual successor to Returnal. While it had its small issues and rough edges at launch, it is now a fantastic example of what a big-budget roguelike should be. The movement and controls are smooth and fluid, and each gun feels great thanks to smart haptic integration. If you already played the game near launch and haven’t gone back, the new co-op mode alone is worth jumping back into for a new challenge.
Returnal is available now on PS5 and PC.
Jeanne d’Arc
Not enough love was given to Jeanne d’Arc when it was released on PSP or came to the Premium catalog, but now is the perfect time to fix that. This is one of the most overlooked tactics games that loosely retells the historic story of Joan of Arc in 15th-century France. Turn-based battles are intense and require a strategic eye to overcome. It uses a familiar rock-paper-scissors-style affinity system for each unit’s strengths and weaknesses which makes proper planning and placement all the more important. Any tactics fan who missed out on this game will be pleasantly surprised by how polished this game is.
Jeanne d’Arc is available now on PSP, PS4, and PS5.
