PS Plus to get superb PS5 RPG with 87% on Metacritic

New batch of games coming to PS Plus Extra and Premium

Tales of Arise on new background
(Image credit: Bandai Namco / Freepix)
Quick Summary

PS Plus Extra and Premium members get a great selection of PS5 and PS4 games later this month, with Tales of Arise being joined by Need for Speed Unbound and Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition will also be available to PS5 owners.

The latest batch of games coming to the PlayStation Plus game catalogue includes a Japanese action RPG that scored very highly when it was originally reviewed.

Bandai Namco's Tales of Arise will be available from 20 February 2024 to PS Plus Extra and Premium members, and it currently scores an impressive 87% on Metacritic. It's joined by several excellent AAA titles too, with Assassin's Creed Valhalla also being added to the service, plus Need for Speed Unbound and The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition.

The latter two will be for PlayStation 5 owners only, while the others can also be download by members still on PS4. But it is Tales of Arise that steals the show, as it combines classic JRPG story progression with a neat combat engine.

It's remarkably the 17th game in the Tales series, which stretches back to 1995's Tales of Phantasia, originally released for the PSOne. In fact, a couple of other former entries will also be available from 20 February – Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Vesperia – albeit to PS Plus Premium subscribers exclusively.

Arise ups the ante when it comes to gameplay though, with the series' battle engine tweaked for a more modern feel. And while there's no multiplayer support this time around, there's great interaction between different characters during fights that makes it feel like your party is more alive.

Also being added to the catalogue available to PS Plus Extra and Premium members are Lego Worlds, Lego Jurassic World, Roguebook, Rogue Lords, and Tales of Zestria (yet another in the Tales series).

How much is PS Plus and what do you get?

PS Plus membership is split into three tiers, with Essential, Extra and Premium, but only the latter two gives you access to the ever changing library of games to download or stream.

PS Plus Extra costs £10.99 / $14.99 a month and includes the same benefits as Essential membership (online play, discounts and a handful of free games), but also you to download and play games from the main library of 300+ titles.

PS Plus Premium is more expensive, at £13.49 / $17.99 a month, but adds cloud streaming and an extended library of classic and retro games.

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Rik Henderson
News Editor

Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.

Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.