While we’re smack-dab in the middle of the holiday season, we thought we’d drop in and deliver some new content for PlayStation Plus members. Don’t forget that you still have time to make Plus a great stocking stuffer for the PlayStation gamers in your life. You can buy online, get the voucher code, and then give that voucher code to your friends and family.
Now, to business! Plus members will be getting the wonderfully hilarious 8-bit styling of Retro City Rampage free, as well as extra savings on the continuation of the PSN Holiday Sale.
Important note: We’ll be updating the PlayStation Store today (Monday, 12/24) due to the Christmas holiday. Therefore, this Plus update will be live later today when the update has published.
Don’t have PlayStation Plus? Go to the PlayStation Store on your PS3 or PS Vita or click here to get access.
December 24th PlayStation Plus Update
Retro City Rampage (PS3 and PS Vita)
Free for Plus members
PSN Holiday Essentials Sale (Week 2)
Various discounts for Plus members
|
Game |
Normal Price |
PSN Sale Price |
Plus Sale Price |
|
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Galaga Legions DX |
$9.99 |
$6.99 |
$4.90 |
|
Mortal Kombat |
$29.99 |
$20.99 |
$14.70 |
|
Duke Nukem Forever |
$19.99 |
$13.99 |
$9.80 |
|
Simpsons The Arcade Game |
$9.99 |
$6.99 |
$4.90 |
|
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational Vita |
$17.99 |
$12.49 |
$8.74 |
|
Mafia II |
$19.99 |
$13.99 |
$9.80 |
|
Killzone 3 Multiplayer |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Unit 13 |
$26.99 |
$18.49 |
$12.94 |
|
Journey |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Papo & Yo |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.35 |
|
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection PS3 |
$39.99 |
$24.49 |
$17.14 |
|
Metal Gear Solid :3 Snake Eater – HD Edition PS3 |
$14.99 |
$10.49 |
$7.34 |
|
Starhawk |
$39.99 |
$27.99 |
$19.60 |
[poll id=”29″]
We’ll be back next week with more Plus goodness, but make sure you make your voice heard in the comments below, and also make sure to vote in the polls. Please remember that while we closely look at the results from polls, they are but one of many factors we use when deciding how we move forward or make any changes, if any are made. You can also delve into the PlayStation Community Forums in the PS Plus space to chat more about Plus, find other like-minded gamers, and make friends! Thanks, and see you in the comments.
Personally, I think this is an average update.
Back in the 80’s and 90’s, we didn’t have access to so much info on games, so we’d play random games without knowing much about them. Kinda like right now with PS Plus, except there’s a higher percentage of quality, because they’re being chosen by people that know which ones are good.
As an old school gamer, I love many types of games no matter which generation they come from, as well indie games. Retro City Rampage is right up my alley. I was going to get it on the PC this week, but because of this update, I’ll play it on my PS3 and Vita instead.
Finally…
There is too much emphasis on the word ‘great’ here it seems. What do you want Morgan to do? Say “well, the PS plus update will be mediocore or decent next time. Come back next week and check it out guys!!!” The expectations are too high for some. Sony can’t just keep pumping out the actual ‘great’ stuff every single week. One thing I learned from gaming is to not get caught up in the hype.
I hardly ever read Morgan’s comments, so I didn’t know he made comments about EU updates. I also don’t know how good their updates are, because I just don’t care. In the end, all that matters is if I got my money’s worth. So far, I have. I will be renewing my PS Plus subscription later.
Happy holidays.
@ mcbuttz78. While I agree with you that Two Worlds 2 GOTY at that price is a heck of a deal, it still has the problem with the Defence DLC. Theres no way to access it anywhere in game. I got this game a few months ago when it was on sale for $10 and it had that problem then and it still does now. For anyone who paid the Plus price for it or even $10, not being able to play the Defence DLC isn’t really a big deal but think of the people who paid full price before the sale.
Nicce 3 out of my 4 games I’ve been waiting to try are either discounted or free. That is retro city, journey, papo and yo, and now I need limbo to be free or discounted soon! Good week for me :)
dear lord more people complaining about this game…I seriously should stop looking here.
For those who do not know, RCR is amazing, it is one of the best open world games out recently I have played. Basically it’s like the original grand Theft Auto mixed with a lot of nods to retro games (and Back to the Future XD) , and the mechanics of modern GTA. Honestly, if you like open world games and retro games, it is a must download. This..honestly is the best update I have seen this month on PS+. The discounts are really good too (I wish I had about a hundred bucks in my PSN wallet for them) . I don’t know why people are saying this is disappointed, apparently haven’t played it. If you HAVE played it and still don’t like it, sorry for the assumption, but based on what I’ve seen, chances are people saying a game sucks haven’t played it. However, as I said, if you have played it, and still don’t like it, I respect your opinion, but if you haven’t played it, download it, and try it, who knows, you may like it.
While this is a nice Christmas present, I wish it would have been Batman Arkham City (GOTY or not), BUT this is a satisfying update for me, nice work Morgan.
All I can say is that when my plus runs out I am not signing up again. These lousy deals are not enough to keep me paying. I know the explanation is that subs are not as high in EU so the deals are better but I think you should be worried about KEEPING the subs you have in NA.
#254 yeah I agree with that. I keep seeing games that I really don’t play being offered. I can keep subscribing to play the few plus games I like, but there comes a point where I could have just bought those games rather than paying a monthly fee. I know there are many gamers who like different genres. Sony should mix up the genres a bit more. Most of the offerings have been fighting games, which are games I would look at once and never play again. Maybe 3 games out of 2012 I have actually liked and played. Borderlands, Bioshock 2, and Lara Croft dungeon crawler. Starhawk campaign was good, but very, very short, and left me wanting more. Sony, I bet people will gobble up campaign DLCs like candy if it had any (hint hint)
@Morgan, first off, Happy Holidays!
As I said earlier, I’m perfectly fine with Retro City Rampage as the freebie, so thank you for that. You’ll never be able to please everyone, so I hope you don’t take all the negative feedback personally. The complainers will always be the loudest – that’s just the way of the Internet.
All that being said, for next week’s update, I know you promised one more PS+ IGC Vita addition. I’m sure it’s already picked out since you plan it ahead of time, but it would be really nice if it was an actual Vita-exclusive, not a game that’s available for both Vita and PS3. If Sony wants increased Vita sales, start offering some cool Vita-exclusives as IGC and current PS+ subscribers that use it for PS3 maybe more likely to buy a Vita.
LBP Vita would be the obvious choice (esp. since you have LBP2 as an IGC staple for PS3), but I’d understand if it’s a bit too soon for that. But even a game like Escape Plan or Little Deviants would be great…games that have gotten mixed reviews but at least show off some unique things about what the system can accomplish with a little creativity.
strange, mortal kombat is in the game list ps plus in ps vita store, when no discount
is that leaked mortal combat gonna be free next week ?
I understand why everybody is complaining, but seriously guys, you’re getting games for free. Saying that EU gets this or that is not going to change anything, if you’re dissatisfied with a product, don’t purchase it. I enjoy what PS+ is offering, no complaints from me….except that maybe there should have been something better than RCR (not that there’s anything wrong with RCR, I’ve really been enjoying it) because it’s the holiday’s. Maybe tomorrow there will be a surprise?
I’m kicking myself because I paid full price for Journey 2-3 days ago. I should have known that was going to happen.
Morgan, for what it’s worth I’d be more interested in seeing continued PS+ discounts (50% or greater) on a variety of games than older free retail games in the future. As it was originally envisioned , PS+ was a gateway to experiencing the best of the PSN, and the discounts go a long way in helping gamers get the most bang for their buck, as well as providing them actual ownership to the purchased content.
As for the instant games collection, I want to propose one idea for future consideration. Perhaps sometime in the near future you guys could run a promotion where one game in the instant games collection could be chosen by the PS+ member. Of course you could add provisions to this (limit the value to $10 or $15), but doing this gives the member more freedom to find a game suitable to his/her tastes and provides more value to the membership (and perhaps fewer complaints too!).
Also, is there any way to receive more discounts for DLC in the future? I was looking at a post for Xbox360’s Christmas deals this year, and there’s quite a bit of DLC to be had. How great would it be if you could somehow pull off a 50% off of ALL DLC for PS+ members for a week or so? Think about how much DLC could/would be sold! For other PS+ gamers reading this, what do you think about this?
Finally, for those of us who are rabid gamers and support the developers through early purchases, could there be future consideration for those gamers to receive partial credit (or possibly alternate choices) for those games that are offered free of charge through PS+ so soon after release? As others have posted, your free game choices could potentially backfire on future game releases as PS+ members refrain from purchasing them in hope/fear of getting them sooner than later. Creating an option that continues to incentivize day one support for indie and small-time developers is important, and creating such alternative rewards would go a long way in fostering goodwill with the PS+ member base.
Thanks for listening and happy holidays!
@141: lol, no I don’t.
According to different people on this site, I’m a fanboy and defender of everything Sony does. To others (like you), all I ever do is complain.
People see what they want to see, and they don’t see everything anyway. Only I see everything I type out online, so what people like yourself say about me hardly matters. So think what you want. :D
This seems to be a good game :D
But it’s Xmas! We want more!
Guys I downloaded the PSN and the VITA version of Retro but BOTH are for the Vita version! Ima try downloading the demo see if I have that fully unlocked after my Walking Dead espiodes finish.
Merry Christmas guys!!! Any hint on what’s coming next week???
Nothing for me this week…..
@258 Playstation Plus subscribers do not get free games.We pay for a service and this service allows us discounts,cloud save storage,and access to games they allow us to “have” for the duration of our subscription.Most aren’t asking for brand new AAA games but for equal distribution of the “free games” with the obvious exceptions of region restricted games.I for one am enjoying retro city rampage so it wasn’t a horrible game offering this week for me.As a paying customer any Plus subscriber has every right to voice their opinions in a reasonable manner so that the company providing the service can use their complaints as constructive feedback to help improve the service over time (hopefully).
Retro City Rampage?! You guys rock my socks! You just made the rest of my year and then some! Thanks a million and merry Christmas!
We will be getting Chronovolt next week in the IGC:
“The game (Chronovolt) and the first DLC will be available in the US in the 31st of December. The game will be free for PS+ subscribers.”
Source: http://www.psnstores.com/2012/12/vita-developer-interview-chronovolt/
Metacritic rating of 40; no positive reviews.
Source: http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-vita/chronovolt
sorry ps plus is disappointing America, my retro games console is more than 8 bits.
i paid 5$ for Two Worlds 2 … what a freaking waste of 5 bucks. it was sooo confusing and i constantly did not know where to go next. well thats my own fault for buying it and not knowing anything about it just because it was dirt cheap at the time. R.I.P 5$
Almost bought Retro City Rampage a couple weeks ago, glad I didn’t now
@PrimeroIncognito don’t you have a life or something? It’s really pathetic how you come on here every week to whine about what other people post, especially since you aren’t even a plus subscriber.
please sony .. we want the drop price for little big planet again .. pleaseeeeeeee pleaseeeeeee sony for the ps vita !!
Morgan dont listen to the whinners i am really happy with my ps+ sub and I plan on renewing it once it expires thanx for all the goodies the blog puts on, and for the whinners complaining about Europe having the best stuff move to Europe.
@269
really? you’ve never played the original NES, or the Atari? What type of retro system did you play?
Not hating or anything, some may not have gotten to play them, BUT Retro is classified as anything that has been discontinued (like most 8-16 bit consoles) things like the original Playstation, the original Xbox, and the Nintendo GameCube are not retro, well..technically they are, but they’re not what most gamers refer to as “retro”
@270 pain of sparrow. its open world rpg.. you can what you want when you want its actual world lol.. Not that hard to master . nice learn how break down skills and what they do its quite easy..You actually dont have to buy anything inthe game like other games do you create everything your self and your starting equiptment can 10 times stronger than anything that your character can buy in the game,
I killed 3 orc with 1 arrow shot. you can craft your weapon to your personal liking that also to shoot fire arrows like they do in rambo. I would suggest going online a writting down the postions and skill edits
So, the PS Plus store lists MK at full price (no discount), and EU gets it for free…is this a glitch, or some sadistic holiday sale joke?
@251 its in the online multiplayer part. its 5 new maps and mp mode. i hate to spill it but its a castle defense mission.. you will need a team maybe 2 people your self and friend. and goodluck.
Ho, Ho, hold the phone…
I am on board with everyone else – the Plus Updates this month are so very disappointing I too am thinking of letting my Plus Subscription expire. Bioshock2 is 2 years old and is only $6 in store while RCR is an 8 bit game that sells for roughly the same price and only appeals to certain gamers.
How cheap is Sony going to get with these NA Plus offers next year; are you going to offer us Scott Pilgrim for the 16th time and claim it’s for those 3 people that might have missed it? lol
@ mcbuttz78 I know what the Defence DLC is and where it’s suppose to be in game the problem is it’s not there. It’s not just me either i’ve visited other websites with people saying the same thing. If you have the digital version of Two Worlds 2 GOTY then the Defence DLC isn’t anywhere in game. If you have actually found it in game then please give me the steps to find it and i’ll gladly say I was wrong. Also the Defence DLC is separate from the DLC MP maps. The DLC MP maps are part of the game download the Defence DLC is a separate download from the main game but it comes with the game when you purchase it. The DLC MP maps are all under adventure after the last non DLC map.
mcbuttz78 hmmm well i just may give it another chance. i never played part one so the story is something i dont understand one bit. i dont understand how the spells work or even make them or anything. maybe im its because im nottt familiar with RPG games at alllll. just couldnt resist the price. il give it another go maybe my mind will change after i start understanding it. though i tried for 3 hours before deleting it completely. il see
@280 lol.. when you 1st start the game they show how to play.. Also it like a geek game, rpgs have a learning curve which means your going learn , but you customize your layouts of choice, and how you want to play.. it not that hard. I have maybe 5 hr in and Im lvl 21. Im a archer/ swords man. But remember 1 thing dont destroy the mage staff the guy give you for free. its used to make magic. Somehow i destroyed it make a bow and arrow band. :(. just stck with the potion you level up really fast it almost like steroids. I was killingg uys with one blow. after reading how mix stuff
I didnt play part one either. but heard they re did the system of combat every thing is much smoother. stealing is best way to play. If go to other side and fight rhino its pretty fun.
@279 i have the disk version. Velvet was limted edition in stores and expansion are expensive . . but i would contact support from them, defender is very fun when have you team of friends playing online. 2people is fun as well.
http://www.twoworlds2.com/de/support.html
copy paste^^. it has number and all that jazz.. Me personally I pause the actual game in xmb and do the dlc 1st and then dl the game for every game i buy . I never had problem that way. I fthat doesnt help find amod on playstaion forum and request your issue to moragan or sid .
happy gaming
Was totally going to nab Retro City Rampage with any PSN cards I got for the holidays. Then I log on after 3 days of parties and I find that they’ve already put it in my PS+ stocking. Merry Christmas to me (and to all of you!!) :-P
@ 279 just go to the two world 2 web site and go to support. they number to call or you find mod ps underground froums and ask them to send your complaint to morgan or sid.
@ Morgan Haro, I loved this item, b ut, I had a question. If possible, could you give my thanks and appreciation to Dais Kawaguchi, for the awesomeness that is TOKYO JUNGLE? I purchased the game, without thinking about it (clicked checkout, when I was gonna back out, and it autoadded funds to my wallet) and I absolutely love it. Best accident of my life. The game is simply amazing, and the way that you unlock animals keeps me playing forever. I also love the japanese business man as a character. My only regret is that I missed the PS+ free DLC for the game. I tried to post on his last Tokyo Jungle post on PS Blog, but it’s locked.
I’d very much appreciate if you could just let him know, I’ve got my eye out for his future projects after this one.
@Morgan Haro
I work at a video game store, and, although I am not allowed to say which, as it may be taken that I am giving an opinion for said company, which I am not, I must admit, that playstation plus does indeed pay for itself everymonth. Resident Evil 5 gold is still 24.99 dollars. that pays for more than 4 months of Playstation plus. in fact, going by the ratio of 17.99 for 3 months, ps+ is 6 dollars a month, or 72 a year. and that’s at its most expensive. resident evil 5 gold, nearly pays for 4 months. Retro City Rampage is 15 on the marketplace. Another 2 months, rounding down. combined those 2 games pay for 6 months of PS+. Infamous 2, at this point in time, costs 19.99. Another 3 months. Bioshock 2 costs 9.99. Another month. and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade edition is 19.99 on disc. another 3 months. So those games, all priced in used condition, you get new, with all online passes needed, and more, for 50 dollars a year. that’s almost a 100 dollar value in what I listed alone.
(continued)
(continued)
In fact, just the Vita downloads last month alone more than pay for one subscription of the game. All prices are used, prices, where applicable.
Gravity Rush: 34.99
Uncharted: Golden Abyss: 34.99
Wipeout 2048: 17.99
Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions 9.99 (if you even have a psp still)
Jet Set Radio 9.99 (Free from the day it was released on vita)
Mutant Blobs Attack 7.99
So from launch day of Vita PS+ value was 115.99 almost 100 dollars more than a three month subscription. And As I stated before, plus is approximately 8 dollars a month, so basically, buy mutant blobs, get so much more free. you’re making a profit of 107.99 on vita alone, seeing all of the games that came out the first month, not including this months, (since it’s technically a PS3 title that plays on Vita.)
(continued)
@ mcbuttz78 I actually sent a message to Morgan about this last week. He never replied. Now don’t get me wrong I like this game, i’m not trying to complain just to complain. I just wanna know what the heck is wrong with this dlc and if anyone else is having this problem. I appreciate you responding to my post and trying to help mcbuttz78, thanks.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW there is no absolute wait to explain this garbage…. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. I rather relive gta and gta II then to even start on this game, Not worth my time, fortunately I picked up a couple of new games to keep me entertained for a while
@LokiLullaby it doesnt pay off if most of the people already have it, and really, RCR is 15? WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW that needs to be digitally burned alive and never to see the light again. 15? this is what like 60 mb, it should be counted for a mini and be 2 dollars if that. I wouldn’t even pay a penny for this to keep.
My personal opinion, RCR blows. I’m no stranger to 8 bit gaming, mind you. I can fondly recall plaing River Raid, Joust, Pitfall, Frogger, Defender, etc. Unfortunately, this game is neither of them, and I get the game for what it’s worth, a guys personal homage’ to an era. However, this isnt what I expected to receive when I bought a plus membership. To me, this game is freeware. I’m campaigning for a few RPG’s, of which there have been none, and coincidentally, I enjoy fighting games, as much as the next guy, but how many do I really need? There has been alot of them on plus, give it a break, already. So, once again, nothing for me this week. and on a side note, in regards to “LokiLullaby’s” comments, you’re comparing apples to oranges, PS+ is a subscription service, when that subscription ends, so does your access to the games. Your case would only be plausible and valid, if and only if, we owned the games, outright, which we dont. I really hope the next update is better than this….SERIOUSLY.
No discount on Big Sky Inifinity?
@288 anytime. I searched it out online and i dont know.maybe it a mission you play in mp. But if get a chance go the website and call support.
geez you people are a bunch of spoiled little cry babies… oh and criticizing somebody for there errors is pretty petty… you people should just be happy with what you get… be happy that you get anything for free or discounted unlike the people who have microsoft live.. i for one am happy. least the guys at sony arent a bunch of jews like mr. gates and his people.
@DonkeyDungSwilla
Wow you’re so totally rad. I wish I could be as cool as you.
@ Elvick
“Only I see everything I type out online”
That doesn’t make sense. Anything you put online is available for the whole world to see.
And we already know that people label others “fanboy” over the slightest expression of interest in something, so that point is irrelevant.
However, what is true is your recent complaining about this voluntary program that Sony didn’t force or trick you into, yapping about Loco Roco over and over again, whining about Vita memory card prices even though Sony will drop the price as soon as they ARE ABLE TO, and the worst one I remember was your ridiculous rant about the design of the slim PS3. A few “lines” on the top apparently made the thing hideous, and not worthy of entering your household. That’s hilarious. Are you really that petty? Is that all it takes? What a joke.
@death_by_wabbit
Oh no, it’s the old “you’re not even a Plus subscriber” excuse…
BORING.
Hey, is that $4.17 a month still eating you alive, or have you gotten it under control yet? Remember, I told you I can get you some help to manage your finances if it feels like too much of a burden…
Anyway, I think Plus is a great program. But if you really must know, the only thing that has kept me from subscribing is the lack of an option to purchase a game that’s been offered for free, without having to let the subscription expire. As soon as that option is implemented, I’d subscribe right away. I think it’s nearly worth the price for the cloud storage alone, and the numerous discounts are great too, of course, but I like a little more flexibility with purchasing options. That’s all.