This month, PlayStation Plus Game Catalog welcomes Final Fantasy XVI, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Life is Strange, Sonic x Shadow Generations, and Blades of Fire. Extra and Premium subscribers can enjoy Square Enix’s 2023 action-RPG without needing to make an extra purchase.
Final Fantasy XVI hit PS5 in June 2023 and made its way to PC in September 2024. It’s now priced at $19.99 on Steam and has earned an 80% positive rating from 15,678 reviews. With a Metacritic score of 88, it’s been one of the best-reviewed entries in the series for years. However, its sales didn’t meet Square Enix’s expectations, as the publisher reported weaker-than-anticipated sales in their 2023 financial updates.
The addition to PS Plus follows a typical trend for Square Enix titles. Reducing direct sales pressure seems to have sped up the game’s availability in Sony’s subscription service. RPG Site confirmed the complete lineup, which also features Warhorse Studios’ Kingdom Come: Deliverance. This game gained a solid reputation for its hardcore simulation gameplay when it launched back in 2018.
Blades of Fire is the newest title in this batch, offering subscribers early access to a game that hasn’t been around for long. Life is Strange complements the narrative adventure offerings, while this month’s lineup leans heavily towards RPG and story-driven experiences. Additionally, Saiga NAK confirmed Sonic x Shadow Generations as part of this wave, bringing in more appeal for action-platformer fans.
If you’re a PS Plus subscriber who hasn’t yet tried Final Fantasy XVI, the catalog addition makes it easier to dive in. The game’s PC port currently shows 848 concurrent players on Steam, which is typical for a single-player title almost two years after its launch.
| Final Fantasy XVI Metacritic Score | 88 |
| Steam Review Score | 80% positive |
| Steam Reviews Total | 15,678 |
| Current Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Current Steam Concurrent Players | 848 |
Community sentiment on Steam has been mixed to negative among recent reviewers, even with the overall score sitting at 80%. One reviewer highlighted the game’s strengths but also expressed some reservations: “To start with some positives, I think this game legitimately has some really fun ‘hype’ moments, and some of the story beats are pretty good in a vacuum. I also think that the combat system is a lot o…” This reflects the divide between the game’s impressive moments and the structural design choices that have faced criticism regarding RPG depth and pacing in an open world.
What To Watch
- Whether the PS Plus catalog addition leads to a noticeable increase in Final Fantasy XVI’s player numbers on Steam, potentially indicating cross-platform discovery effects from the subscription boost.
- How Square Enix adapts commercially. The company is restructuring its release strategy after disappointing sales for several major titles. The placement in PS Plus might influence future day-one or early-window subscription deals.
- Gamereactor’s coverage noted Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s inclusion, which comes ahead of the growing momentum for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. It’s worth watching whether this catalog addition serves as an informal demo for the sequel.
Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is the Reviews and Guides Editor at Explosion.com. With a background in game design studies and 6 years of gaming journalism, Sarah brings technical insight to her reviews and creates comprehensive guides that help players get the most out of their games. She has reviewed over 200 titles across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo platforms. Her current obsessions include FromSoftware titles and indie roguelikes.
