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Our monthly update on new games being added to PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass and other subscription services.
Editors’ Pick
The following hand-picked games are either part of a subscription services at the time this articles gets published or were made available recently.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
(Available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass from October 25th, 2024; Author: Patrick)
In the first-person shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, the terrorist organization Pantheon acquires the biological weapon “The Cradle” in 1991 and it is your job as ex-CIA agent William “Case” Calderon, with Rogue Black Ops group leader and franchise veteran Frank Woods, ex-Marine Troy Marshall, infiltration and assassination specialist Sevati “Sev” Dumas and Black Ops Cold War’s villain Russell Adler, to stop the bad guys in their tracks. The story is once again spectacularly staged and full of surprising twists in pre-rendered cutscenes and in-game graphics. If you want to find out more about the characters’ backgrounds, you can chat with each of them between missions in an mansion in Bulgaria which serves as a hideout to the group. You can also spend the money collected in missions on upgrades in the training area, at the gear station and at the weapon bank, and also, after a series of puzzles that serve as a tutorial, find a safe with cash and a weapon for multiplayer, which we haven’t tried yet. The upgrades include the ability to receive a short-term health boost from kills, to be able to reload more quickly or to carry more pieces of armor. We select the next mission on the noticeboard or tackle a previous assignment again.
There are a total of eleven missions available that can be completed in eight to eleven hours. For example, we sneak through the old town of the fictional Mediterranean city-state of Avalon, get up to mischief in a casino, infiltrate a research facility full of zombies and creepy dolls, sabotage a Soviet military base in freezing temperatures and destroy SCUD missile sites in Iraq. While some levels are linear as in previous titles, in other places, such as in Iraq, we have a lot of freedom of movement and many optional objectives such as supply drops and enemy outposts. In the snow-covered Soviet military base we are spoiled for choice as to whether we should let the local staff work for us with cunning conversations or if we want to plant the explosives ourselves. We fend off waves of enemies, sneak through heavily secured areas and engage in mini-games such as hacking computer terminals, picking locks with the help of black light and lockpicks or match radio waves. Both the artificial intelligence (AI) of the allies and the opponents are not always up to snuff. Oftentimes friendlies run into our line of fire without even looking at the incoming Juggernauts. Sometimes enemies just don’t notice you, even though you’re crouching right in front of them. The game allows for different play styles, as you can often reach your goal by sneaking as well as by shooting your way through. By switching the perspective such as at the casino the action stays engaging. We would’ve liked to see other larger areas like in Iraq or smaller complexes like the fundraising gala and we would’ve been happy to do without the usual narrow exploding hallways. As is typical for the series, the gunplay is spot on, but the equipment wheel is a bit fiddly to use. The ability to equip two potentially deadly gadgets such as grenades and C4 explosives at the same time is missing. At the push of a button we can use a mortar, have a stealth bomber attack or order an airstrike. While we do control the latter two after firing, controlling them with a mouse isn’t exactly precise. The grappling hook is an interesting idea in some boss fights, but it is used far too rarely in the game.
While the game features spectacular visual effects (that volumetric smoke), detailed facial animations that are convincing even in the optional dialogues in hiding, smooth animations, and sharp textures, the brilliant soundscape features authentic weapon and ambient sounds and the orchestral soundtrack supports the cinematic action on screen. The English voices are convincing. Technically, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is currently in a less than ideal state. The game runs can hold a relatively steady 60 frames-per-second with our Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070-powered system in 1440p with the DLSS profile “DLAA”, though “Quality” (see screenshots) and “Balanced” run with over 100 fps a lot better, although the image sometimes looks significantly blurred and the response time is noticeably increased. Until DLSS support has been optimized, you can also switch to the upscaler Fidelity DX CAS for a sharper image with similar performance. Five crashes disrupted our run somewhat, but luckily the game often saves automatically.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a competent first-person shooter and offers the usual spectacularly staged popcorn action, which alternates with stealth passages and areas with greater freedom of play. The pacing and level design in particular are well done in this entry, although the hideout could’ve been used for more than a couple of talks and a single secret. The story keeps us hooked until the end thanks to numerous twists and turns and even if the game goes off in different directions during the hallucinogen-influenced sequences, you shouldn’t expect too much depth. While the first-person-shooter’s campaign is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (PC and console), PC Game Pass and the old Xbox Game Pass for Console (no new memberships available), it can’t be accessed via the newly added Xbox Game Pass Standard. Multiplayer and Zombie modes are reserved for Ultimate and PC subscriptions and those with the old Console sub can play them as well once they add a Core plan.
Monthly update
It’s easy to lose track of new games being added to the countless subscription services. Catch the latest titles below. All information is subject to change. We try to update this post as soon as new titles get announced.
PlayStation Plus Essential
€8.99/£6.99/$9.99 per month. Included in PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium. Playable on PlayStation 5/PlayStation 4. Available from October 1st – November 4th, 2024.
- Dead Space (PS5)
- Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! (PS5, PS4)
- WWE 2K24 (PS5, PS4)
PlayStation Plus Extra
€13.99/£10.99/$14.99 US-Dollar per month. Includes Ubisoft+ Classics and is included in PlayStation Plus Premium. Playable on PlayStation 5/PlayStation 4. Available from October 15th, 2024.
- Dead Island 2 (PS5, PS4)
- Firefighting Simulator The Squad (PS5, PS4)
- Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (PS5, PS4)
- Gris (PS5, PS4)
- Overpass 2 (PS5)
- Return to Monkey Island (PS5)
- The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me (PS5, PS4)
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands (PS4)
- Tour de France 2023 (PS5, PS4)
- Two Point Campus (PS5, PS4)
The following titles will leave PlayStation Plus Extra on October 15th, 2024:
- Dragon Quest Builders (PS4)
- Dragon Quest Builders 2 (PS4)
- Dragon Quest Heroes (PS4)
- Dragon Quest Heroes II: Explorer’s Edition (PS4)
- Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition (PS4)
- Gotham Knights (PS5)
- Gungrave GORE (PS5, PS4)
- LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4)
- R-Type Dimensions (PS4)
- The Evil Within (PS4)
- Toukiden: Kiwami (PS4)
- Ultra Street Fighter IV (PS4)
PlayStation Plus Premium
€16.99/£13.49/$17.99 per month. Includes Ubisoft+ Classics and PlayStation Plus Extra. Playable on PlayStation 5/PlayStation 4. Available from September 17th, 2024.
- Dino Crisis (PS5, PS4; ursprünglich für PS1)
- R-Type Dimensions EX (PS4)
- Siren (PS5, PS4; ursprünglich für PS2)
- The Last Clockwinder (PS5 – PS VR2 erforderlich)
Xbox Game Pass Core
€6.99/£6.99/$9.99 per month. Playable on Xbox Series/One.
This post will be updated if and once the games coming to and leaving Xbox Game Pass Core have been announced.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
PC Game Pass: €11.99/£9.99/$11.99 per month, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Xbox + PC Game Pass + EA Play): €17.99/£14.99/$19.99 per month, Xbox Game Pass Standard (Console): €12.99/£10.99/$14.99, Xbox Game Pass (discontinued – no new subs possible): €10.99/£9.99/$10.99 per month. Playable on Xbox Series/One.
- MLB The Show 24 (Console) – October 2nd, 2024
- Open Roads (Console) – October 2nd, 2024
- Sifu (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 2nd, 2024
- Mad Streets (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 7th, 2024
- Inscryption (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 10th, 2024
- South Park: The Fractured but Whole (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 16th, 2024
- Core Keeper (Console) – October 17th, 2024
- Donut County (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 17th, 2024
- MechWarrior 5: Clans (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – October 17th, 2024
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 25th, 2024
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Cloud) – October 25th, 2024
- Call of Duty: Warzone (Cloud) – October 25th, 2024
- Ashen (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 29th, 2024
- Dead Island 2 (PC) – October 31st, 2024
The following titles will leave Xbox Game Pass Ultimate:
- Dyson Sphere Program (PC) – October 15th, 2024
- Everspace 2 (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 15th, 2024
- From Space (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 15th, 2024
- F1 Manager 2023 (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 15th, 2024
- Scorn (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 15th, 2024
- Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 31st, 2024
- Headbangers (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 31st, 2024
- Inkulinati (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 31st, 2024
- Lonely Mountain’s Downhill (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 31st, 2024
- Mineko’s Night Market (Cloud, Console, PC) – October 31st, 2024
Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online: €3.99/£3.49/$3.99 per month or €19.99/17.99/$19.99 per year. Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack: €39.99/£34.99/$49.99 per year. Available from October 11th, 2024.
- Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
- F-Zero Climax (GBA) – October 11th, 2024
- F-Zero – GP Legend (GBA) – October 11th, 2024
- Banjo-Tooie (N64) – October 25th, 2024
- Shadow Man (N64 Mature) – October 29th, 2024
- Turok 2: Seeds of Evil (N64 Mature) – October 29th, 2024
EA Play
EA Play (Included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate): €5.99/£5.99/$5.99 per month, available on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One. EA Play Pro: €16.99/£16.99/$16.99, available on PC.
- EA Play Pro
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard – EA Play Pro Edition (PC) – October 31st, 2024
Ubisoft+
Ubisoft+ Premium: €17.99/£14.99/$17.99, available on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Amazon Luna. Ubisoft+ Classics (included in PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium): €7.99/£6.99/$7.99, available on PC, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
This post will be updated if and once the games coming to and leaving Ubisoft+ have been announced.
Humble Choice
€9.99/£8.99/$11.99 per month. Available on PC from October 1st – November 4th, 2024.
- Dome Keeper
- Jack Move
- Jusant
- McPixel 3
- Persona 5 Strikers
- Remnant II
- Remnant Records
- Station to Station
Prime Gaming
€8.99/£8.99/$14.99 per month. Available on PC.
- Hive Jump 2: Survivors [GOG Code] – October 1st, 2024
- Scarf [Amazon Games App] – October 1st, 2024
- Tomb Raider: Legend [GOG Code] – October 1st, 2024
- The Eternal Cylinder [Epic Games Store] – October 1st, 2024
- Spirit of the North [Epic Games Store] – October 1st, 2024
- No Straight Roads [Epic Games Store] – October 1st, 2024
- BioShock Remastered [GOG Code] – October 1st, 2024
- Doom Eternal [PC via Microsoft Store Code] – October 1st, 2024
- DreadOut 2 [Amazon Games App] – October 1st, 2024
- Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed – Ecto Edition [Epic Games Store] – October 1st, 2024
- Priest Simulator: Vampire Show [Epic Games Store] – October 1st, 2024
- The Gap [Amazon Games App] – October 1st, 2024
- Mystery Box: Hidden Secrets [Legacy Games Code] – October 17th, 2024
- Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness [Amazon Games App] – October 17th, 2024
- Through the Darkest of Times [Amazon Games App] – October 17th, 2024
- Killing Floor 2 [Epic Games Store] – October 17th, 2024
- Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol [Amazon Games App] – October 17th, 2024
- Pumpkin Jack [GOG Code] – October 24th, 2024
- The Gunk [GOG Code] – October 24th, 2024
- Stasis: Bone Totem [Epic Games Store] – October 24th, 2024
- Gargoyles Remastered [Amazon Games App] – October 24th, 2024
- Monster Train [GOG Code] – October 24th, 2024
- Morbid: The Seven Acolytes [Epic Games Store] – October 24th, 2024
- A Plague Tale: Innocence [GOG Code] – October 31st, 2024
- Death’s Door [Epic Games Store] – October 31st, 2024
- Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare – Collector’s Edition [Amazon Games App] – October 31st, 2024
- Scorn [GOG Code] – October 31st, 2024
- Coromon [GOG Code] – October 31st, 202
Updates
October 30th, 2024 – Nintendo Switch Online
Xbox and PlayStation provided us with access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PlayStation Plus Premium.
