To celebrate the end of 2023 and ring in the new year, Sony kicked off a massive holiday sale on its PlayStation Store, discounting well over 4,000 games and pieces of DLC.
The full list is impressive, containing some of Sony’s own first-party titles and some of 2023’s biggest hitters. We’ve scoured through the whole thing to narrow down 20 of the best games included in the sale, but that still left a number of great games worth checking out. So, feel free to take a browse through Sony’s store yourself.
In the meantime, here are our own picks for what you should check out over the holiday period. Be sure to snap them up ASAP because the sale is scheduled to end on Jan. 17, with some games exiting the sale earlier than that.
Alan Wake 2: $47.99 (20% off)
After The Game Awards 2023, there are bound to be some of you who are more interested in checking Alan Wake 2 out than before. This thing was nominated for eight awards and won three of them, including Best Narrative. It may not be particularly scary for something billed as a survival horror, but this long-awaited sequel to the 2010 original proved to be worth the wait. It’s especially worth playing now that its The Final Draft update is available.
Baldur’s Gate 3: $62.99 (10% off)
How could we not recommend Game of the Year winner Baldur’s Gate 3? Recreating the experience of playing Dungeons & Dragons in video game form is no small feat, but Larian Studios pulled it off with aplomb. That pricing may still be rather steep but Baldur’s Gate 3 more than justifies it. This game is stacked with so much content, and post-launch updates have only improved the experience with additional content and gameplay tweaks.
Cocoon: $19.99 (20% off)
If you’re in the mood for something short and sweet and are a puzzle game fan, Cocoon may be exactly what you’re looking for. Directed by Jeppe Carlsen, who worked as a designer on other acclaimed puzzle games like Limbo and Inside, you play as a beetle who can hop between different worlds inside of orbs while using those same orbs to solve puzzles. It’s a novel idea and one that helped Cocoon win Best Debut Indie Game at this year’s The Game Awards.
Cyberpunk 2077: $29.99 (40% off)
It’s been over three years since Cyberpunk 2077‘s frankly disastrous launch and, while we should never forget it, it’s widely agreed CD Projekt Red’s action RPG is well worth playing nowadays. Numerous updates have fixed its most egregious bugs, leaving behind the rich role-playing experience it was always meant to be. If you find yourself loving this game, its Phantom Liberty DLC expansion is included in the sale too for $25.49.
Elden Ring: $35.99 (40% off)
If you’ve been meaning to get round to playing last year’s Game of the Year winner, now is the next best chance to do so. Elden Ring‘s extremely high difficulty may be off-putting to some, but there’s a reason this attracted so many newcomers to the Soulslike genre popularized by developer FromSoftware. The challenge only makes victory sweeter and there are plenty of experts willing to lend a helping hand when you need it. That DLC expansion can’t come any sooner.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade: $15.19 (62% off)
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second installment in Square Enix’s big remake project for Final Fantasy 7, will be launching on Feb. 29 so you only have so much time to catch up. For a price like that, there’s little reason not to check out Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which successfully modernizes the original game (well, part of it anyway) while both paying tribute and weaving its own narrative. Be sure to grab the Intergrade version since it comes bundled with a sweet DLC side story too.
Final Fantasy 16: $41.99 (40% off)
Okay, one more Final Fantasy game. The newest mainline entry may have perturbed some for ditching turn-based combat for real-time action, but that real-time action is solid, flashy, and very fun. This is wrapped up in some stunningly impressive visuals and a fantastic soundtrack (one that won Best Score & Music at The Game Awards) though your mileage may vary on the characters and story. It also just got a DLC expansion, Echoes of the Fallen, that’s only $10, with a second on the way.
God of War Ragnarök: $29.99 (50% off)
It may have lost to Elden Ring at last year’s Game Awards but, to many, God of War Ragnarök was and is deserving of a 10/10 score. Some may argue it’s too similar to its predecessor and lacking in new ideas, but the last game was amazing too so you can’t go wrong with more of it. Aside from its gripping action gameplay, this conclusion to the Norse saga also continues to develop Kratos’ character in interesting ways, especially after the free Valhalla DLC that came out recently.
Grand Theft Auto 5: Premium Edition: $14.99 (50% off)
If you don’t understand why people were losing their minds over Grand Theft Auto 6 and its reveal trailer, maybe you should check out Grand Theft Auto 5 and see what all the fuss is about. For a game all about committing heists, it’s appropriate that GTA 5 is a steal nowadays, with its highlights including its detailed open world of Los Santos, its three playable protagonists, and its wide variety of missions and activities.
Hades: $14.99 (40% off)
Perhaps the first game people think of when discussing the roguelike genre, Hades is beloved for a lot of reasons: its moreish gameplay loop as protagonist Zagreus tries to escape the Underworld, its fast-paced and challenging combat, its narrative and depiction of the Greek gods, and its incredibly attractive cast. Seriously, why is everyone in this game so hot? Even with a sequel on the horizon, Hades is still worth checking out and dedicating hours upon hours to.
Kingdom Hearts All-In-One Package: $39.99 (60% off)
It may not contain every game in the series, but this package is the perfect introductory point for new fans, collecting the entire original Kingdom Hearts saga from the original 2002 game to Kingdom Hearts 3. For less than the price of a modern AAA game, you’re getting multiple full-scale action RPGs stuffed to the brim with satisfying, flashy combat and fun Disney fan service.
Lies of P: $47.99 (20% off)
This South Korean-made Soulslike may not quite be of the same caliber as FromSoftware’s work, but if Elden Ring‘s high fantasy aesthetic doesn’t appeal to you, how about a dark, steampunk retelling of Pinocchio? It’s probably the closest thing there’ll be to a Bloodborne 2 and offers an intriguing and grim narrative alongside its tense action and varied weapon customization.
Lost Judgment Digital Ultimate Edition: $22.49 (75% off)
RGG Studio may be better known for the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, but this sequel to spin-off game Judgment is arguably the studio’s best work. Not only does it boast some of the best beat ’em up action in all of RGG’s games, but it comes with a fantastic and hard hitting story about the psychological effects of bullying, how people define justice, and what can be done when the system meant to help people fails. Be sure to get the Ultimate Edition since it includes the equally incredible The Kaito Files DLC.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: $14.99 (75% off)
None of Insomniac Games’ Spider-Man titles are included in the sale unfortunately, but if you’re hankering for some Marvel action, Guardians of the Galaxy comes highly recommended. Developed by Eidos-Montréal (the studio behind Deus Ex: Human Revolution), what shines the most about this game is the writing, with an incredible lineup of characters and a story that, for all its space opera bluster, is about grief and how we cope with it. The action’s fairly solid too, enhanced by an impeccable soundtrack of original rock songs and licensed music.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Legendary Edition: $29.99 (70% off)
Just like Guardians of the Galaxy, Midnight Suns is another gem of a superhero game that sadly underperformed. It may come from XCOM studio Firaxis, but Midnight Suns‘ card-based take on the strategy genre is far more beginner friendly while also offering an optional level of intense challenge for genre experts. The story’s nothing to write home about, but the interactions between the various heroes and your own custom character more than make up for it. The Legendary Edition also comes with extra skins and the season pass.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition: $5.99 (90% off)
Easily one of the best deals on the whole list, Mass Effect Legendary Edition bundles together the original trilogy of BioWare’s epic sci-fi RPG series, remastered and optimized for current consoles. It also includes all the DLC and is the perfect way to experience the story from start to finish, with your choices having ramifications all the way through. Completing the saga will be a time sink but with the next Mass Effect still lacking a launch date, you’ve got plenty of time for a full playthrough, maybe even two.
Resident Evil 4: $29.99 (50% off)
Many felt the original Resident Evil 4 didn’t need a remake and that any attempt would fail to match its legacy. Yet Capcom achieved the impossible; this remake is not only just as good as the original, but it might even be better. This modernized Resident Evil 4 simultaneously retains the tight and tense gunplay and campy tone of the original while updating certain elements and the story for modern tastes. It’s a perfect blend and one that near enough everyone should check out.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition: $7.99 (80% off)
If Starfield left you feeling cold, why not experience the last large-scale single-player RPG Bethesda put out? Everyone jokes about Skyrim‘s multiple re-releases, but there’s a reason Bethesda kept pumping out new versions for 10 years. With an expansive open world and multiple play styles to experiment with, it’s easy to overlook whatever foibles the game suffers from, including the typical Bethesda bugs. You can even upgrade to the Anniversary Edition for $9.99 instead of the usual $19.99.
Untitled Goose Game: $9.99 (50% off)
This list is filled with massive action games and RPGs so let’s shift focus to something small and simple but no less deserving of being included alongside industry giants. Blending puzzle solving and stealth gameplay, Untitled Goose Game is all about being a horrible goose intent on making the local villagers’ lives miserable. It’s cathartic, funny, and perfect for a quiet afternoon.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon: $14.99 (75% off)
With Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth almost here, there’s no better time to play the previous RPG, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and see how the legend of Ichiban Kasuga began. Even after completing the main story, there is a copious amount of side quests and minigames to lose time to. Not to mention a plot filled with memorable characters and emotional moments of friendship between Kasuga and his party. It’s a perfect jumping on point for newcomers to the series and maybe it’ll convince you to explore the franchise’s backlog too.
Published: Dec 20, 2023 11:45 am