PS Plus November: Sony Bounces Back With 5 Free Games After October Letdown
A discounted AAA for under $10, three remastered PS1/PS2 classics, and a deckbuilder nobody saw coming with an 87 on Metacritic. The PS Plus lineup for November 2026 hides its best surprises for those willing to look past the obvious picks.
Every month, it’s the same ritual: Sony drops its PS Plus selection, and subscribers instantly size up the value. November 2026 is no exception, with Dead Island 2, Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered, and Monster Train 2 all available from November 3 to 30. But after October’s much-criticized lineup, it’s time to shake up the usual pecking order between these three titles.
Image credit: Sony
Monster Train 2: the roguelike deckbuilder that outshines the rest (87 on Metacritic)
This might be the name you don’t recognize, but it’s the one with the highest critical score of the bunch. Monster Train 2, which hit PS5 last year, boasts an 87/100 on Metacritic—a score many AAA games would kill for. The premise: you command clans forged from unlikely alliances between fallen angels and demons, all aboard trains built to reclaim Paradise from the Titans. Yes, the pitch is every bit as wild as it sounds.
The gameplay revolves around five unique clans, each with their own strengths and playstyles, plus a three-tiered vertical defense system that forces you to rethink your strategy every run. Recruiting units, upgrading cards, constant experimentation—the depth is brutal, and replayability is nearly endless. If you’ve ever fallen for Slay the Spire or the first Monster Train, this sequel is a no-brainer. For everyone else, it’s the perfect chance to dive into a genre that only needs a PS Plus Essential subscription to shine.
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered: three classics to prep for the 2027 remake
Three games for zero dollars? Hard to pass up. Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered bundles the saga’s “Darkness Trilogy”: The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and the infamous The Angel of Darkness. These three chapters cover Lara Croft’s PS1-to-PS2 transition, with labyrinthine levels, fiendish puzzles, and a much darker vibe than the early entries.
The big draw here: you can switch at any time between the original polygonal graphics and the remastered version. One button, and you’re traveling from 1999 to 2026. The timing isn’t random—with a full remake of the very first Tomb Raider set for early 2027, Sony is giving subscribers the perfect nostalgic springboard to dive back into Lara’s world before her big comeback.
Dead Island 2: November’s AAA, but not necessarily the best deal
Dead Island 2 is Sony’s headline pick, and on paper, it makes sense: it’s the only AAA in the trio. Released three years ago, this first-person RPG drops you into a zombie-ravaged Los Angeles—rebranded as HELL-A. Melee combat is deliberately brutal and satisfying, with a wild arsenal of improvised weapons to slice, smash, and creatively dismember the undead. You can enjoy it solo or in co-op with up to three players, which is a solid draw for anyone after a shared experience.
The catch? Value for money. Dead Island 2 has been on sale for under $10 so often that most interested players probably already snagged it. For those who missed out, it’s a solid pick. But with PS Plus recently stepping up to compete with Game Pass, making a regularly discounted title the main attraction feels a bit underwhelming.
All told, five games join PS Plus Essential from November 3 to 30—three bundles, but five playable titles thanks to the Tomb Raider collection. After previous months that left part of the community disappointed, this lineup is a definite step up. Now we’ll see if December, usually more generous with the holidays approaching, keeps the momentum going.
