Featured Image Credit: Konami
Topics: PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Free Games
The PlayStation Store isn’t updated with quite as many new free games as, say, PC storefront Steam, but that’s not to say that it isn’t hiding some gems.
And before you roll your eyes, we’re not talking about the likes of Fortnite, Marvel Rivals, or any other title that immediately springs to mind at the mere mention of ‘free-to-play’.
The PlayStation Store is also home to a number of free-to-play titles that may not yet have surfaced on your radar from both AAA and indie developers.
Here are seven free games you shouldn’t be overlooking, two of which only recently dropped.
Developed and published by Netmarble, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is an open-world RPG set within the universe of The Seven Deadly Sins anime.
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It landed in March and allows players to step into the shoes of Prince Tristan of Liones in the sprawling world of Britannia.
Players will build a roster of heroes, fight formidable monsters, and uncover ancient secrets as they attempt to put a stop to a deadly threat.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin offers a brand-new original story so you don’t actually need to have watched the anime.
If you want to avoid microtransactions, there’s some unfortunate grind involved but The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is well-worth a download just to get a taste of its open-world.
Released by Konami, eBaseball: PRO SPIRIT is arguably the most niche game featured on this list but it is the second of our two new arrivals.
Unsurprisingly, it grants players access to a virtual version of baseball created in Unreal Engine that Konami refers to as a “next-generation visual experience”.
You can build a team made up of your favourite players and compete online in tournaments or exhibition matches.
The PC version is sitting at ‘Mostly Positive’ on Steam with players praising the fluid gameplay.
The only caveat to eBaseball: PRO SPIRIT is that there’s currently no single-player campaign.
Palia is a cosy life sim from Singularity 6 Corporation that’s always left me a tad perplexed.
It hasn’t witnessed quite the same level of success as Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, or Pokémon Pokopia, but it quite comfortably occupies a position just below those market leaders.
And yet, despite Palia’s success, it’s vastly underrated and perhaps remains unknown to many gamers.
Palia is set in a world where humans were once believed to have been extinct until, of course, they return.
Players play such a human, establishing a new cosy life complete with your own homestead and land.
You’ll partake in all of the usual cosy fare - crafting, cooking, and exploring - all while unravelling the mystery pertaining to why humans disappeared in the first place.
It’s a charming game that you can return to in between larger plays, plus it remains well supported by developers.
You’ll likely have heard of Journey considering it’s largely considered to be one of the greatest games of all-time.
What you may not be familiar with is thatgamecompany’s free open-world adventure, Sky: Children of the Light.
In the main campaign, players focus on restoring light within a fallen kingdom or there’s an option to buddy-up in the online multiplayer mode - and it’s there that thatgamecompany’s formula shines.
As is the case within Journey, Sky: Children of the Light is filled with moments of poignancy as players accept wordless help from one another.
In the years since launch, developers have added new regions, characters, and features in an experience that they hope allows players to “meaningfully connect with one another”. That’s reason enough alone to try it out.
Silent Hill: The Short Message may belong to a behemoth of a franchise, but this lesser known free entry has somewhat faded into oblivion.
Launched in early 2024, Silent Hill: The Short Message landed ahead of Silent Hill 2 Remake and Silent Hill f, two recent entries that easily brought Silent Hill back into the forefront of gaming.
As such, the audience just wasn’t quite there for it at launch, not in the way that it is now with those latter two projects having pulled in thousands of new Silent Hill fans.
With a runtime of only around two hours, The Short Message charts the experiences of a teenage girl based in Germany who receives strange text messages from a deceased friend.
It deals with themes of bullying, social media, and suicide so it certainly isn’t a lighthearted play, but it’s a great example of Konami’s penchant for tackling important themes via the genre of horror.
Developed by Hypergryph and published by Grphline, Arknights: Endfield is one for those who have previously enjoyed the likes of Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, and Wuthering Waves.
Instead of opting for a fantasy feel though, Arknights: Endfield is infused with cyberpunk elements, referring to itself as a 3D industrial RPG.
Players assume the role of an Endministrator working for Endfield Industries which is dedicated to rebuilding civilisation on the crumbling planet of Talos-II.
It boasts a semi open-world you can explore as you engage in your fair share of base-building but worry not, as there’s combat too.
That’s party-based with players controlling a four-person team.
The term ‘friendslop’ feels a tad dismissive, but if you want something with the same appeal as Peak or Among Us, you might want to try Catch Me If You Can.
Think of this title as a low-budget opportunity to have a laugh with friends.
Published by 4 Gladiators, this is a four-player co-op title where you’ll join forces to journey across dimensions in pursuit of a fugitive cat.
There are no fancy gimmicks. You’ll need a keen eye and patience, but hijinks will undoubtedly ensue if you gather the right gang of buddies.
While this list is entirely absent of demos, the PlayStation Store’s free demo library is still well worth a peruse, granting players access to some of the most highly anticipated upcoming games.
The PlayStation Store is updated with demos far more often than it receives full-blown free-to-play titles.
In recent memory, free samples of Nioh 3, Damon and Baby, Reanimal, Under The Island, and Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly have all been dropped.