Playstation Plus New Free Game Is One Of 2023's Best-Rated Titles

PlayStation has announced that one of the best games of 2023 is coming to PS Plus.

It’s not always the case when we’ve felt impressed with new additions to Sony’s PlayStation Plus subscription service. But it’s fair to say that the PS Plus Essential games for October 2025 includes at least one absolute banger.

During an action-packed State of Play event, we not only got to see the first gameplay for Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Wolverine, but it was also announced that Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II Remastered is coming to PlayStation Plus tomorrow.

As for the games announced for the PlayStation Plus Essential tier for next month, it includes the hyper-realistic Goat Simulator 3, Cocoon (not the movie about the grannies living forever) and the highlight of the trio, Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake 2.

Your first look at October's PlayStation Plus Monthly Games:

➕ Alan Wake II
➕ Goat Simulator 3
➕ Cocoon pic.twitter.com/2mokQF9GWy

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 25, 2025

2023 was one of the best years for video game releases in a long time, with not only Alan Wake 2, but also the Resident Evil 4 remake, Baldur’s Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and more.

So the fact that Alan Wake 2 managed to make a name for itself in 2023 is a testament to how great this game is, despite its unit sales not reflecting the lovely craftsmanship of Remedy Entertainment.

On the aggregate website Metacritic, Alan Wake 2 scored a very respectable 89 from critics and 8.5 from users.

In my review, I said: “Alan Wake 2 is another crown jewel in Remedy Entertainment’s library and a sequel that will delight fans. That being said, let’s just hope we’re not waiting as long for the next game.”

What I will say about Alan Wake 2 is that, as much as I love it, the plot is bonkers, and if you’re not familiar with the first game, it can get a bit difficult to get caught up and follow some storytelling beats in the game.

Sure, it’s not essential, but if you’re able to pick up Alan Wake Remastered in a sale, I’d highly recommend it, especially as it's a great game in its own right. It’s often discounted on multiple platforms, so keep tabs on that.

Alan Wake 2, Goat Simulator 3 and Cocoon will all arrive on PlayStation Plus Essential on Tuesday, 7 October 2025. What’s more, unlike the Extra and Premium tiers, which have rotated libraries, Essential games will always remain accessible with an active subscription.

Alan Wake 2 is also available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.