The standout free PlayStation Plus game this month is actually an Xbox game. Last month, though, it was a day-one PlayStation 5 exclusive game, or at least a console exclusive. For those unfamiliar with the terminology, a “console exclusive” refers to a game only available on one console platform. To this end, it is typically how you refer to a game that is available on one console, as well as on PC. It’s not common for PS Plus day one games to be released, but last month, there were two at once, one of which was quite good.
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The free PlayStation Plus game in question is Sword of the Sea, which is the subject of the top post on the PS Plus Reddit page right now. And this post calls the recent August release “amazing,” praising its length, soundtrack, use of the PS5 DualSense, and more. Adding to this, the post claims they haven’t had this much fun with a game in quite some time.
“Amazing”
“Sword of the Sea is amazing,” reads the title of the post. “I’m so glad I took a chance on this game, I finished it so fast. It had just the right amount of engagement, there was no talking, the soundtrack is great, and the way they utilize the dual sense capabilities is honestly unmatched. I haven’t had this much fun playing a game in so long. I’m so shocked and grateful for PS Plus today!”
Of course, in isolation, this post isn’t that noteworthy, but the point is, it’s not an isolated take. Both the post’s popularity and the comments echoing the sentiment suggest this is a fairly common take.
“Same! Definitely a pleasant surprise,” reads the top comment on the post, for example. “I started thinking it would be a good second game to break things up, but I found I kept wanting to explore the world. Beautiful and relaxing.”
A second comment further adds: “Loved it! Relaxing and beautiful. Every level is more gorgeous than the last.”
About the Game
The new critically-acclaimed PS5 console exclusive game boasts an 88 on Metacritic, and is the 15th highest-rated release of 2025, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that PlayStation Plus subscribers are enjoying it. That said, it is worth noting that it is only included with a PS Plus Extra and a PS Plus Premium subscription, and not a PS Plus Essential subscription.
As for the game itself, it is the junior effort from developer Giant Squad, who previously debuted in 2016 with the release of Abzu and followed this up with The Pathless in 2020. In the atmospheric adventure game, you surf across both waves of sand and glistening waters in an attempt to restore the “lost ocean.” And you do this via a high-speed Hoversword that combines the movement of both skateboarding and snowboarding.
Those on PS Plus interested in checking out this PS5 game for free will need to set aside roughly two to four hours to beat it, though completionists will need closer to 10 hours. That said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over in the ComicBook Forum.
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