Welcome to our September selection of games on the PlayStation Subscription Service. For this month, we have selected a theme of Kids. Although this a very vague and open-ended Theme to select we feel it’s necessary, to focus not just on limitation of age restriction, for this reason, we want to shine some light on the games that children can play and some of the hidden gems that might be being overlooked. Games like Ratchet and Clank, Dark Chronicle, or even Sly might be adequate games for the younger audience with the Ages the games are aimed at, however, this month we aim to dedicate to the Back-to-Schoolers. We will also be Dividing the games into Pegi Age restriction to better illustrate the age banding on video games. Here are the Best Games on PlayStation Premium and Extra of September 2023.
3+ Age Range
Bugsnax
Probably the strangest conceptualized Idea on our selection this month, Bugsnax is a cross between, at first glance, what was brought out of the movie “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” and Pokemon. Honestly, it’s a little bit of a strange concept to get your head around but the idea is that if you mash Bugs with Food this is the outcome the developers at Young Horses Games came up with, and considering they gave us Octodad this doesn’t seem too far away from their expertise.
Overall the game is way too confusing at times to get your head around, with everything going on but the gist of it is that these creatures known as Grumpuses are inhabitants on the island that the game progresses on, however, they are not the original inhabitants. That honour is held by these Bugsnax which resemble that of the living food from Cloudy with A Chance Of Meatballs 2. On the island, the Grumpuses argue constantly when together, and while this is going on a far darker conspiracy unfolds in the darkness.
Developed by Young Horses studio and released in 2020 on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 this strange and fun game is a bizarre mix of enjoyment. Personally, if you like Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs or the Second Film you should love this.
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Although an old game and well before our age bands selection for gamers now, Jak & Daxter is a classic that we had to recommend. So most people who would be familiar with this would now be in their 20s or older from when this was released, thanks to Sony it has been brought to the PS4 so a new generation can enjoy the tale of Jak & Daxter.
The story takes place in a distant and fantastical place where the world revolves around a substance known as Eco. At the very beginning of the game, the duo go and explore Misty Island which is off-limits and Daxter ends up falling in a vat of Dark Eco which changes him into a small orange weasel-like creature. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much for his attitude and throughout the game, he is one of the things that makes it so entertaining, but considering Jak is the strong silent type Daxter does way more than he needs to. Throughout their adventure, they overcome trials and tribulations in order to obtain their desired goal and meet with the Dark Eco Sage.
Developed by Naughty Dog and released in 2001 on the PS2, this timeless classic really needs the experience to be believed.
7+ Age Range
Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures
What can we say about Hotel Transylvania Scary-Tale Adventures, other than wow what a mouthful?, couldn’t they get a shorter title? We all know what Hotel Transylvania is about, Count Dracula runs a hotel for monsters and a Human stumbles in, eventually marrying Mavis, Dracula’s Daughter, and Dennis comes along. But what is this game about? Starting in the Lobby of the Hotel Dacula is telling tales to Dennis and Winnie the Werewolf.
Instantly you can assess that from the names and corresponding renditions of the stories it is likely to be a comical, Fantastical, even semi-Spooky Fairy Tale, that we all know. Let’s face it “Cave of Treasure“, and with the image, kind of puts us in mind of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, whereas “Little Red Riding… Boo!“, well, do we really have to explain it?
Developed by Drakhar Studios and published by Outright Games in 2022, this spooky take on some classically known fairy tales is pretty interesting and just what we needed for the build-up to October. Seeing a game that is loosely based on a now well-known film franchise is also nice as most games are clones of the films in one format or another, this gives us a nice take to enjoy with beloved characters, fantastic Fairy Tales and spooky settings.
Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
A Captain missing his crew, A curse that needs breaking, Evil Pirates from the Depth, and a Legend looking for a fabled treasure. Set sail for the High Seas with Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and a whole host of characters across 4 films in the Pirates Of The Caribbean, LEGO style. Experience Four of the films reimagined in LEGO, and with all its comedy.
Although this is pretty old now and doesn’t actually contain any spoken words, it is still a good entry into the LEGO series of games. In addition to this, you don’t get just one story, you get a grand total of 4, spread out over 20 missions, and an open HUB World to explore. What more could you ask for? Pirates, Hours of fun, and all wrapped up in LEGO there is not much of a downside, and let’s face it LEGO games are really rather creative, and fun. There are even 79 characters who you can enjoy playing within the game, some unlocked through story progression and some found and purchased in the world. LEGO games are always full of things to do, however out of the older LEGO games Pirates Of The Caribbean is an interesting one. It is not only so different from the Superhero and Magic based ones until this point, but it is also one of the last ones to have the Character Formula that was in place. The formula we are referring to is one where each character served a purpose in the game, so Female characters can jump high and Davy Jones and his Crew are the only ones to be able to use Barnical points.
Developed by Traveller’s Tales, a subsidiary of TT Games, and released in 2011. This take on the well-known Pirate film series starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush was an inspiring adventure even back at release. Where other takes on a Video Game Adaptation didn’t quite go down so well, this being a LEGO game might have had a certain pull for more than just a younger audience wanting to live the life of a Pirate.
12+ Age Range
It Takes Two
Enter into a world of strange creations and magical interests, where everyday objects are alive and help to tell a story. It Takes Two is from the masterminds behind A Way Out, and like that, this is a Coop adventure, and can not be played Solo. Even if you are playing with a friend over the internet you have a Split Screen making this adventure pretty interesting.
The premise of the game is bringing the two hero characters, Cody and May, back together and fixing their relationship. Although this sounds pretty basic and wouldn’t work as a game, the way that the team over at Hazelight handles the concept is really rather impressive. The worlds are another incredible part of the game, taking the characters from the shed, where their adventure in their new bodies begins, all the way to the Attic where they reconnect and the adventure concludes, in between, heading into the Garden and hunting down infected Plants, taking on an overly protective Space Ape and even exploring a winter wonderland in a Snowglobe.
Developed by EA Game’s Hazelight Studio, and released in 2021 this magical adventure is really one to be experienced. While it doesn’t look much at a glance, to this author’s surprise it was remarkable with how good it actually was. It goes from strength to strength with its Narrative storytelling and its constant reiteration of Cooperative Collaboration, between not just the characters, but the 2 gamers. Looking at it after completing the game, you can see the over-arching formula that was developed, implemented, and impressively presented within Hazelight’s first game, A Way Out. The way Josef Fares has once again, not just with A Way Out, but with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons as well, managed a repeatable formula showing the direction that the games he works on are pushed in a set direction and even the simplest of concepts can be pushed well beyond the limits.
If you enjoyed this article and want to discover more must-play games, be sure to check out our other game lists. With a variety of game genres and platforms to choose from, you’re sure to find your next favorite game. Keep your gaming experience exciting and fresh by exploring our selection of games to play.
