This month marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of PlayStation Plus on PS3, ushering in paid multiplayer services and monthly downloadable games for subscribers. To celebrate, July 2020’s offerings are as strong as last month, with NBA 2K20 and Rise of the Tomb Raider headlining. Additionally, Sony is releasing a free theme on PS Store later this week and will host a free online multiplayer weekend from July 4 12:01 AM to July 5 11:59PM local time, which will allow you to try out online multiplayer without a subscription.
Rise of the Tomb Raider initially launched as a timed-exclusive on Xbox One but came to PS4 a year afterwards as the 20th Anniversary Celebration with additional content. It’s the second in Crystal Dynamic’s reboot trilogy, picking up with Lara Croft as she becomes more comfortable with her tomb-raiding adventures. Taking place in a snowy Siberia, the game manages to still look striking today and is fondly remembered as the strongest of the three in the series.
NBA 2K20 is the most recent installment in the annual basketball series, which makes it a strong addition to the lineup given that we’re still a few months out from its replacement. NBA 2K20 did get harsh criticism at launch for its reliance on microtransactions and how deeply the permeate the game, but the core of the basketball action on court remains as gripping as ever.
Erica is the third offering for PS Plus in July and shouldn’t be overlooked. Originally designed around Sony’s PlayLink (which would allow players to control games with their smartphones, like the Jackbox Party Packs), Erica is a narrative adventure game that plays more like a film with minor interaction from the player. It’s a gripping story regardless, with a haunting soundtrack to boot.
