PlayStation Plus Subscribers Will Be Able to Play Promising RPG for Free at Launch

It pays to be a PlayStation Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium on PS4 and PS5.

PlayStation Plus users subscribed to the Extra and Premium tiers will be able to play one of August's most anticipated games for free from the moment it releases on PS4 and PS5. Unfortunately, if you're just a regular ol' PS Plus Essential subscriber, which the major of PS Plus subscribers are, you will not be getting the RPG for free and will need to pay the normal asking price just like everyone else. As for the mystery game in question, it's Sea of Stars, which is set to release on August 29. 

An indie RPG, Sea of Stars has garnered considerable attention -- as evident by trailers of it surpassing a million views -- partially because it's being made by Sabotage Studio, the team beyond popular indie game The Messenger. The other reason is it looks quite good, and it's going to be included with a PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium subscription when it releases. How long it will be available via certain tiers of PS Plus, remains to be seen. 

"Developed by Sabotage, the studio behind the award-winning The Messenger, Sea of Stars is a turn-based RPG inspired by the classics, chock-full of endearing characters and unrestrained exploration, paying homage to genre's greats while modernizing the overall experience," reads an official pitch of the game. 

The game's official pitch continues: "Sea of Stars' compelling world unites players with Valere and Zale, aspiring youths training to become Solstice Warriors, the land's final line of defense against The Fleshmancer's monstrous creations. A twisting narrative ensures their mission is anything but simple, making for an engrossing, wondrous tale surrounding a world's looming apocalyptic threat."

When Sea of Stars releases, it will also be available via Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PC. How much it will cost, we don't know, as this information has not been disclosed, but we do know it's set to also be included with a subscription to Xbox Game Pass, also right at the moment of release. 

It's worth noting that there is a developing pattern of games being given away via subscriptions on the day one of release not being great. Think of it as the publisher/developer securing the money up front knowing the game isn't good enough to make a huge splash once it's out. However, there are plenty of exceptions to this rule, and Sea of Stars looks like it's going to be the next exception.