PlayStation Plus Is Getting Some Great New Games In May
PS Plus May lineup
Sony has announced the May 2025 lineup for PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers. Three new games have been revealed. All three will be available next Tuesday, May 6th.
Two out of the three of these are excellent additions to PS Plus, while the third has dinosaurs and is therefore instantly worthwhile, even if its review scores aren't as stellar as the first two. Let's take a look at all three.
This is the worst-reviewed game of the three, but it's also still in Early Access. If you enjoy multiplayer survival games this might be your cup of tea, especially since it takes place on a primal planet filled with massive dinosaurs. The game supports public online multiplayer for up to 70 players, private-session multiplayer for up to 8 players, and local split-screen for 2 players, which gives you lots of options. The biggest complaint from gamers is that the game feels like little more than a minor upgrade to its predecessor Ark Survival Evolved, with lots of new performance issues dragging it down. But free is free!
If you like the dark and gritty Warhammer 40k universe and are also a fan of retro DOOM-like shooters, please download and play this marvelous, high-octane FPS. Lovely retro graphics and plenty of blood and gore make this a real treat. It has a 'Very Positive' review score on Steam and for good reason. This is a classic 'boomer shooter' as the kids say.
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I should have had this on my predictions list, but it never really occurred to me as a possible PS Plus title, mainly because I didn't even realize this was out on consoles. Balatro is a 'roguelike deckbuilding poker game' which is a great summary but still doesn't really explain just how fascinating and addictive this little card game is. You basically play a very different version of poker, but with lots of special cards that give you extra abilities. This has an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' user review rating on Steam and was on a lot of Best Of lists and a real GOTY contender in 2024. Genuinely a unique and fun game that everyone should play.
And that's it for the Essential lineup. Sony will announce the rest of its May lineup early next month.
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Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Going bananas: Why Savannah Bananas tickets cost more than a Dodgers-Yankees rematch
In a region where baseball is king, the long-awaited rematch of last year's World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees is unfolding. Ohtani. Judge. Two of the game's best, facing off once more. But just down the 5 Freeway in Anaheim, the home of Disney, the hottest ticket in baseball this weekend belongs to a stilted pitcher, juggling infielders and a yellow-suited, top hat-wearing carnival barker. For back-to-back nights, more than 45,000 fans packed the Big A to see the Savannah Bananas — a team born from a small-time collegiate summer team that became a tour de force that has forever changed baseball. It was one stop during the Bananas' most audacious barnstorming effort since their baseball traveling show hit the road just a few years ago. These tickets were only available through a lottery — reserved months in advance. And when they went on sale, all were gone in an instant. The only way in was through the resale market, where just hours before first pitch on Friday, the lowest price (fees and taxes included) for a pair of tickets on StubHub was $209.52. Meanwhile, two lowest price StuHub tickets for the Dodgers versus Yankees game were available for $171.72. All for the sake of 'Banana Ball.' This baseball game is a ballyhoo. One rooted in the thrills, energy and pageantry of early 20th-century carnivals, but with a 21st-century twist — the atmosphere of a TikTok reel brought to life. It's the showmanship of Ringling Brothers Circus combined with the athletic flair of the Harlem Globetrotters. But above all, it's a brand built on Walt Disney's blueprint— not just to entertain, but to make the audience feel. 'When you look at all the touch points — the joy, the fun, the dancing, the celebrating — and think about all the different stages, just like Walt, we think about all the stages: from the parking lot to the plaza, to the upper deck, to the dugouts,' said Bananas owner Jesse Cole, the man in the top hat. 'How do we make someone feel something?' Instead of lounging in a cushy, air-conditioned owner's suite, Cole is in the dugout hours before showtime — a Disney-like archetype, his energy as vibrant as his layered, all-yellow suit, braving the afternoon heat. 'Nonstop,' Cole said, describing Banana Ball in a nutshell. Refusing to sit, not wanting to lose an ounce of edge, he added, 'It's all about energy. We want to give people energy, delivering it every second, from the moment we open the gates at two o'clock until the last fan leaves at 11.' While gates opened at 2 p.m., fans began arriving as early as 11 a.m. — clamoring for a shot at Banana-themed merchandise, many leaving the team tents with bags in both hands. In the parking lot, two young boys passed the time playing catch, gloves in hand. As the afternoon wore on and the temperature climbed to 91 degrees, crowds trudged through the heat, some seeking refuge beneath the oversized Angels helmets at the stadium entrance, all for a chance to meet their favorite Banana Ballers. At the pregame plaza party, fans collected autographs, posed for photos and presented handmade gifts to players. When the gates opened, the LaCaze family pointed out their 9-year-old daughter's favorite player, David 'DR' Meadows. Decked out in her signed Meadows jersey, Carrigan LaCaze ran into his arms, with glove and oversized baseball clutched tightly and began speaking with him as if they were old friends. 'I ran to DR, and we started hugging and just started talking for a while because I missed him,' Carrigan LaCaze said. 'Tomorrow is actually one year on the dot since I met him.' A Christmas road trip planned around the holidays, the family of four traveled across three states from their home in Alexandria, La., to Anaheim for two reasons: to visit Disneyland and see the Bananas. It was their second game — the family first saw the Bananas in the club's hometown of Savannah, Ga., when Carrigan, who is battling cystic fibrosis, was granted a Make-A-Wish experience so meaningful it was a no-brainer to relive it. 'It's great,' her father, Pierre LaCaze, said of the player interactions. 'We've gotten to keep track with some of them during the course of the year. We come back, we see them again. You know they're truly about the fans.' The Bananas don't sell tickets. They sell connections, moments and memories. For Cole, meetings are a constant brainstorming session on how to keep fans engaged and interacting. That's how he measures success. He says when the focus shifts to transactions, the game begins to lose its meaning. 'Our success is not judged by revenue,' Cole said. 'It's not judged by sales. It's judged by the moments we create.' But the numbers don't lie. The last time the Bananas came to Southern California, they played in front of 5,000 fans at LoanMart Field in Rancho Cucamonga in 2023 — a far cry from now selling out 18 major league ballparks and three football stadiums with capacities over 70,000. Attendance has soared year after year. Last season, the Bananas drew one million fans. This year, that number is expected to double, with more than three million people on the waitlist for their ticket lottery. Every game since February has sold out and every date in June and July is as well. Michael and Melinda Schulteis, a husband and wife from Mission Viejo, were there the last time the Bananas came to town. When they heard the team was returning, they knew they couldn't miss it. 'The intimate atmosphere at the last event was great,' Melinda Schulteis said. 'But I'm curious, because they do such a good job putting on events, what touches are they going to add to still keep it close and intimate and give us another great experience?' As the Bananas' success and reach have grown, spilling out from cozy minor league parks into stadiums not built for intimacy, the games still feel like family gatherings. Whether serenading players with stadium anthems like Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer' or the waving of phone lights to Coldplay's 'Yellow,' the crowd moves in sync, no matter the tune. While they're a privately owned team and don't disclose revenue figures, they've confirmed generating millions. Much like their box office appeal, their social media reach extends into the millions as well. Their antics — choreographed dances, lip-synced walk-ups, backflip outfield catches — have attracted nearly 10 million followers on TikTok, almost double the combined total of the Dodgers and Angels. That viral mastery, and the parasocial bonds it fosters, is part of what makes every game feel tight-knit. With his glove by his side, hoping to catch a foul ball for an out — one of the many offbeat rules of Banana Ball — Michael Schulties was disappointed he missed his favorite player, RobertAnthony Cruz, whom he first discovered on social media through his baseball coaching channel, better known as 'Coach RAC.' Cruz, who drew the longest meet-and-greet line, is a former minor leaguer in the Nationals' farm system and a local — born just an hour away in Fontana. The game was a homecoming for Cruz, who joined the Bananas in 2023. With more than 70 family members and friends in attendance — and even more social media direct messages asking for tickets — playing in big league stadiums has become a dream come true, especially for a former minor leaguer whose baseball ambitions nearly died when he never got the call to the show. Behind all the gimmicks, wackiness and absurdity, the roster is still filled with ballplayers — many of them with unrealized MLB dreams — now finding a second life through Banana Ball. And for Cruz, it's the happiest he's ever been in the sport. 'I never would have imagined playing in this capacity,' Cruz said. 'Banana Ball didn't even exist when I was pursuing my dream of professional baseball. To be here, to see a sold-out crowd at a stadium that I went to growing up all the time, it's very special.' As the team travels the nation, sold-out crowds and newfound stardom have become the norm for Cruz. 'I'm not surprised by anything anymore,' Cruz said. 'If you told me that we're playing on the moon next year, I'd be like, 'All right, cool. Let me know when and where, and I'll be there' … I wouldn't be surprised if this thing continues to grow at an unprecedented rate.' Despite their growing success, the Bananas' brand of baseball remains polarizing — an easy target for detractors of zaniness, gatekeepers of fun and opponents of pizzazz who either don't understand it or refuse to see its appeal. 'Anybody that criticizes this, we're not for them,' Cole said. 'There's tradition in baseball, perfect. They've got Major League Baseball. … For people that want to come out and have fun, not take themselves too seriously and see something they've never seen before — and hopefully see the greatest show in sports — we built something for you.' The formula works. And again, the numbers don't lie. Yes, the Savannah Bananas' brand of baseball is far too outlandish ever to be compared to the major leagues — from flaming baseballs, rump-shaking umps and dress rehearsals. That's the point. It all feels like something conjured from the wildest dreams of the late Bill Veeck's imagination found a home, in a good way. With many of the Banana Ball's 11 rules — like an automatic strike when hitters step out of the box or ejecting bunting hitters because bunting 'sucks' — are grounded in some sports-based logic, the innovations remain sacrilegious to baseball purists. But for a fleeting moment in December, Major League Baseball and Banana Ball were almost linked. In Banana Ball, the Golden Batter rule allows teams, once per game, to send their best hitter to the plate regardless of where they fall in the batting order. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred caused a stir when he floated a potential seismic rule by floating, making an offhand comment about the golden batter rule. Manfred later clarified it was merely 'a very preliminary conversation' among members of the league's competition committee and had not been formally discussed by the full ownership group. A far-fetched idea, but Manfred has ushered in sweeping changes, from the widely praised pitch clock to the more contentious extra-inning 'ghost runner.' 'Anything that's best for the fans, I'm all in,' Cole said of its potential. 'I know Major League Baseball won't do it because of traditions, but ... we've had a lot of fun doing it.' But MLB would be behind the Bananas, who already introduced their version of the rule last season with a typical flair and showmanship. Their spin on it is a batter summoned from the dugout wearing a James Brown-esque cape and a gleaming golden helmet — an honor that went to Joe Lytle, who came to bat in the top of the ninth for the Bananas' Anaheim opponent, the Firefighters. Ultimately, in a game where the score isn't the end-all, be-all — but the fun is — the Bananas beat the Firefighters 5–2. Like any other Bananas game, the festivities took center stage. It began with the 'First Peel,' a signature ceremony in which a young fan bites into a banana to declare whether it's good or bad — setting the tone for the night. Heisman Trophy winner and USC legend Matt Leinart threw out the ceremonial first spiral (because, of course, he did). And in true fashion, Angels World Series MVP Troy Glaus made a surprise cameo as a pinch hitter. But what was more important was the trip to Anaheim, a fitting one for Cole and Co. The team that opened its season lip-syncing 'Be Our Guest' from the Disney classic 'Beauty and the Beast' — and its owner, cut from the same theatrical cloth as Disney — were celebrated a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth — Disneyland. Greeted by fans in yellow gear, Cole's creation — the Bananas — marched in step down Main Street U.S.A., alongside Walt's own — Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck. 'When I walked underneath the castle and over the bridge and in front of thousands of people, they were all there for us,' Cole said. 'Then I look and see Walt's statue, holding the hand of Mickey, and I see that and I'm like, 'This is special.'' It was a full-circle moment for Cole, who became 'immersed in the magic' after his first trip to Disney World as a kid — and who now says, 'In a perfect world, I'd play catch with Walt on Main Street.' Serendipity. 'For me, that was an emotional moment — to know that we have worked so hard to create something that means something to people, that they come from all over the country just for a chance to see us,' Cole added.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Elden Ring Nightreign's Massive Steam Launch Tarnished by 'Mixed' User Reviews Over Lack of Duos Co-Op, Voice Chat
Elden Ring Nightreign has enjoyed a massive launch on Steam, but the excitement was tarnished by a 'mixed' user review rating. FromSoftware's co-op spin-off saw an incredible 313,593 peak concurrent users on Steam overnight, enough to make Elden Ring Nightreign one of the most-played games on Valve's platform. But it also came with a number of negative reviews (67% of the reviews are positive so far), most of which point out Elden Ring Nightreign's lack of duos, or two-player co-op, and voice chat. Elden Ring Nightreign drops players into the shifting lands of Limveld, exploring and fighting for survival either solo or in groups of three. There is no way to play two-player co-op. As explained in IGN's Elden Ring Nightreign review: "Let's get the most important caveat out of the way first: if you are hoping to tackle Nightreign entirely solo, and are anything less than a hardcore Elden Ring player that actively seeks out ways to make that already difficult game even more challenging, Nightreign isn't for you. Yes, there is technically a single-player option, but it is so poorly balanced that I would be shocked if it isn't patched and adjusted within the first month of release. And this is coming from someone who lives and breathes these types of games." We've got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all the eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you're wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters. In IGN's interview with Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki, the Nightreign lead developer discussed the choice to lean on solos and trios as the core experience options. When asked why there's no option for a pair of players to drop in together without a matchmade third player, Ishizaki said it was overlooked. "The simple answer is that this is simply something that was overlooked during development as just a two-player option, so we're very sorry about that," said Ishizaki. "As we said before, we set out to make this a multiplayer co-op game for three players, balanced for three players, so that was the main focus and it's at the core of Nightreign. "Of course, I myself as a player understand that and often want times where I'm just playing myself, so this is something that we considered from the start," Ishizaki continued. "And so we did put a lot of effort into creating this experience that was playable for solo players in as much as the rules and new systems allowed. So in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well." This means that if you're playing with just your favorite duos partner, you have to accept a random third into your game. Playing trios is very much what Elden Ring Nightreign is built some players are unhappy with the situation. 'Elden Ring co-op, but not really,' reads one negative Steam review. 'You need three people, two isn't allowed. And why? Because. How can something like this happen? I'm deeply disappointed and thought about a refund.' 'No duo option, had random people join to just run off and do their own thing,' reads another negative review. 'Let me duo with my mate…' 'If you don't have two other friends to play with in voice chat, don't waste your time,' another negative review said. 'Game is Elden Ring, but 3p, and the solo queue is abysmal (queuing up to play with randoms). Without VC it's super hard to coordinate where to go, where chests/consumables are, trying to drop items for teammates, etc. Even though I really love Elden Ring and roguelites in general as well as Nightreign's syle of gameplay, I wouldn't see myself ever playing this game again without friends in VC, or if 1p experience wasn't as hard as a 'level 1 Elden Ring any% speedrun.' 'I think no matter how good you are at the game, it doesn't matter if you're bad at teamwork, especially in an environment where communicating is close to nonexistent (pins in a punishing fast-paced PvE game isn't it lol).' The voice chat issue keeps cropping up. Here's another negative review: 'Impossible to make progress without voice chat. If you have three friends you can talk to and play regularly, you will have a great time, the connection is smooth, the map is full of events and the game loop is very interesting. 'However I am a 41-year-old man and I don't have friends to regularly play this with, let alone two others (you need three people to go in as a team, two won't work either). 'Even if they bring voice chat in the game (I'm not sure how there isn't one at the moment) you won't really enjoy this as much as if you were trying to fight with buddies, as your responsiveness with randoms will affect how you feel about your game a lot. 'Playing it solo queue with randoms is hard, it's hard to communicate, it's hard to share items, it's hard to discuss tactics or decide on the next area to farm, it's just hard. 'TL;DR, if you don't have two more friends you can group up with regularly, it's not fun.' As Ishizaki suggested in our interview, duos is something FromSoftware may add to Elden Ring Nightreign in the future. Until then, you're faced with solo or three-player only. Ahead of the launch of Elden Ring Nightreign, FromSoftware warned PC gamers that they may experience framerate drops if they're using "the latest graphics cards." In a vague note to fans included with Elden Ring Nightreigh's day-one patch notes, FromSoftware said it was investigating the cause, and suggested those affected drop the graphics settings down from the default "High" to "Medium" or "Low" and lowering the screen resolution, as well as installing the latest drivers for your graphics card. Check out these crucial Elden Ring Nightreign tips and tricks we put together from the network test — and keep an eye on the IGN Nightreign wiki for plenty more guides when the game launches. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ or confidentially at wyp100@
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Elden Ring Nightreign's Toughest Challenge So Far? Finding Friends to Play With
It's early days for Elden Ring Nightreign, but already players have run up against their toughest challenge so far. No, it's not a classic FromSoftware boss, it's the struggle to find friends to play with. Elden Ring Nightreign drops players into the shifting lands of Limveld, exploring and fighting for survival either solo or in groups of three. There is no way to play two-player co-op. We've already reported on Elden Ring Nightreign's 'mixed' Steam user review rating, with most of the complaints revolving around a lack of a duos option as well as no voice chat. Playing Elden Ring Nightreign solo is proving to be a particularly difficult experience. As explained in IGN's Elden Ring Nightreign review: "Let's get the most important caveat out of the way first: if you are hoping to tackle Nightreign entirely solo, and are anything less than a hardcore Elden Ring player that actively seeks out ways to make that already difficult game even more challenging, Nightreign isn't for you. Yes, there is technically a single-player option, but it is so poorly balanced that I would be shocked if it isn't patched and adjusted within the first month of release. And this is coming from someone who lives and breathes these types of games." So, solo players are faced with matchmaking with random players, which itself is presenting problems because of a lack of coordination required to defeat Elden Ring Nightreign's bosses. As a result, players are turning to the Elden Ring community for help. The Elden Ring subreddit, for example, is packed with requests from duos looking for a third player (yes, the community is having fun with this situation). The nightreign sub looking like a threesome sub byu/justhereforstoriesha inEldenring 'There's like a zero % chance I'd find one other person to play with much less two,' said redditor trickponies. 'Is the game even worth it solo?' Players are pointing out that Elden Ring Nightreign does have matchmaking, so you can play trios if you do not have friends to play with. But, as others have countered, playing this game with randoms isn't always the best experience. 'I have seen too many videos on this sub to trust randoms with anything more than the newspaper,' said one player. 'I love you all. But from a distance. My blood pressure can only take so much.' Players are turning to Discords and other online platforms as they hunt for like-minded fans to team up with. Elden Ring Nightreign hasn't even been out 24 hours, but this is proving to be a big hurdle for the community as they work their way through the game. Some Elden Ring fans are even saying they won't buy the game because they don't have any friends to play with. 'Yeah, as disappointing as it is, Imma have to pass on this game, purely because I don't have any friends to play it with and I can't play solo,' said Twinkie454. Others are calling on FromSoftware to rebalance the solo experience so it's more manageable. 'We'll see what FromSoft does to re-balance it, so maybe have some patience,' one person said. And, as you'd expect, some fans are offering to help others out. '.... Did we just become best friends?!' said one Elden Ring player. 'Get the game bestie, I'll see you tomorrow when I get off work!' Despite these issues, Elden Ring Nightreign has enjoyed a massive launch on Steam, with an incredible 313,593 peak concurrent users on Steam overnight. That was enough to make Elden Ring Nightreign one of the most-played games on Valve's platform. And it sounds like FromSoftware may add a duos option at some point in the future. In IGN's interview with Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki, the Nightreign lead developer discussed the choice to lean on solos and trios as the core experience options. When asked why there's no option for a pair of players to drop in together without a matchmade third player, Ishizaki said it was overlooked. "The simple answer is that this is simply something that was overlooked during development as just a two-player option, so we're very sorry about that," said Ishizaki. "As we said before, we set out to make this a multiplayer co-op game for three players, balanced for three players, so that was the main focus and it's at the core of Nightreign. "Of course, I myself as a player understand that and often want times where I'm just playing myself, so this is something that we considered from the start," Ishizaki continued. "And so we did put a lot of effort into creating this experience that was playable for solo players in as much as the rules and new systems allowed. So in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well." We've got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all the eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you're wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ or confidentially at wyp100@
