June’s PS Plus Update Has a Huge Problem

PlayStation just announced their brand-new game catalog update for June, bringing a fresh batch of titles to PS Plus Extra and Premium.

Image Credit — PS Blog

Now, being completely real with you right from the jump, I think it’s just an okay month overall. It’s definitely not a legendary lineup, but let me help you find the diamonds in the rough here so you can have a good time with your subscription this month.

There is a lot to get through, and Sony is actually rolling these out on some pretty random, staggered days throughout June. And as always, to save you scrolling through the menus, I’ll be giving you my absolute number one top pick — the specific game you need to jump into first — at the very end.

Let’s dive straight in.

If you prefer watching rather than reading and want to see the full breakdown with gameplay footage, the video version is live on my YouTube channel right here.

[embed]Video Credit — Pure PSX YouTube Channel

Sonic X Shadow Generations (PS5, PS4)

Image Credit — PS Blog

Available right now if you are in the US or the UK, we have Sonic X Shadow Generations. I actually owned the original version of this game all the way back on the Xbox 360, and I absolutely loved it — it’s just a fantastic Sonic title.

But seeing this updated version running on the PS5? The visuals completely pop. The gameplay of Green Hill Zone literally jumps off the screen, it’s so vivid. On top of the remaster, you’re getting a brand-new standalone campaign centered entirely on Shadow, who is just a brilliant character to play as.

As a massive Sega kid myself — my first ever console was the Sega Master System 2, and I grew up rinsing Sonic, Sonic 2, and Sonic Chaos — I am incredibly hyped for this. It’s going to be an absolute blast. It’s a great addition to the service. And I’ve got to ask — how many of you were Sega kids back in the day before they bowed out of the hardware market? Let me know your Sega memories in the comments!

Final Fantasy XVI (PS5)

Image Credit — PS Blog

Dropping globally on June 16, we have Final Fantasy XVI. This is a massive action RPG, but it completely trades away the series’ traditional turn-based mechanics for a much darker, gritty color palette.

If I’m being completely transparent, the normal exploration and step-by-step gameplay doesn’t really pop when you compare it to something like Final Fantasy VII Remake. I played the demo when it launched, and for me, it was just… okay. It didn’t completely blow me away.

However, where this game absolutely does pop is in its jaw-dropping, colossal boss battles. They look utterly insane, and on the PS5, the scale of these fights is stunning. If you are into big, spectacle-driven action, this is right up your street. The RPG systems are a bit shallow and the pacing can drag, but with its incredible soundtrack and those cinematic boss fights, it’s a strong experience to blast through. Quick tip though: if you’re completely new to the franchise, go play Final Fantasy VII Remake first. It is spectacular.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance (PS5, PS4)

Image Credit — PS Blog

Moving to June 23, we’ve got Kingdom Come: Deliverance. This is a massive, story-driven open-world RPG set in the Holy Roman Empire, where you’re trying to avenge your parents’ death.

It’s a game I’ve actually never played myself, but looking at it, it does seem pretty interesting. This is basically the next-gen upgraded version of the original 2018 game, packing proper graphical updates like 4K resolution, an improved framerate, and high-res textures. Compared to the original version, it’s a looker.

Honestly, it doesn’t really look like my jam, so I’ll probably give it a miss. But it might be right up your street. It’s got a seriously immersive story and the side quests are supposed to be great. The combat looks like it can be a bit hit-or-miss — some people love the realism, others find it clunky. Just a heads up though, the game is still a little bit chunky and has some bugs, so keep that in mind before jumping in.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure (PS5)

Image Credit — PS Blog

Arriving on that exact same day, June 23, we have Life is Strange: Double Exposure. Now, keeping it completely real, I’ve actually never played a single game in this franchise. I’m pretty sure I own one or two of them from free giveaways on Epic Games, but I’ve just never pulled the trigger.

That said, this looks like a great entry point. If you like cinematic narrative adventures, it looks like a reasonably solid one to check out. I love these kinds of games because they’re slower-paced — perfect for chilling out on the sofa and relaxing before bed. The visuals look really nice, and your choices completely impact how the story pans out, which I love. It sounds like it has a few flaws and maybe isn’t quite as highly rated as the original games, but for a nice, chilled-out mystery, definitely keep an eye on it.

Farming Simulator 25 (PS5)

If you have always dreamed of working on a farm, Farming Simulator 25 has got you covered when it drops on June 30. I haven’t played this exact entry, but I did play one of the older games back in the day, and the very first thing that jumped out to me here is just how much better the visuals look now. It looks clean.

If you want to fully manage a farm right down to jumping into the tractor for day-to-day running, this is the one. It’s introducing completely new environments across East Asia, North America, and Central Europe, plus new stuff like rice and spinach farming. You get access to over 400 authentic machines from top brands, and because of the upgraded physics, it’s a very chilled-out experience. You could easily lose hours just relaxing on the couch building up your farming empire.

Blades of Fire (PS5)

Image Credit — PS Blog

This one only launched back in May 2025, and it is a very good-looking game. If you’re into a visceral experience, there looks to be plenty of blood, gore, and intense violence here, meaning you can properly chop bad guys to bits. It got pretty mixed reviews and wasn’t a massive hit commercially, but that’s the beauty of PS Plus — you can check it out for free. The combat looks a bit basic, and you shouldn’t go in expecting a God of War Ragnarok level of story, but as a simple, fun action game for a change of pace? It looks like a blast.

Black Desert (PS5)

Image Credit — PS Blog

The final addition to the Extra tier on June 30 is Black Desert. I’m pretty sure I jumped into this on PC at some point, made my character, walked around for a bit, and then just never went back. But since then, they’ve done a whole bunch of updates to make it a lot more friendly for newbies, which is great because this game can be notoriously tough to get into.

This is the actual next-gen build for the PS5, featuring cross-play with Xbox and 60 FPS performance, so it looks very clean. Now, these massive “forever games” aren’t usually my jam, and I usually have an easy excuse to avoid them — like not wanting to hog the telly. But now that it’s readily accessible on console, maybe it’s a sign I need to finally check it out. The combat looks incredibly fun, and there is a ridiculous amount of content from fishing to full online siege wars. One thing to keep in mind: PC is still technically the flagship version and gets updates first, but having it drop on PS Plus should give the console servers a fantastic population boost.

(Quick Heads Up: If you’re thinking about upgrading to Premium to play the next game on this list, or if your subscription is expiring soon, make sure to look for cheap PlayStation wallet top-ups online to save some cash and support Pure PSX in the process!)

The Premium Tier Problem

Gitaroo Man (PS5, PS4)

Image Credit — PS Blog

Finally, for the Premium members on June 16, we have the return of the PS2 era rhythm classic: Gitaroo Man.

Let’s be totally honest — this rhythm game actually looks like a lot of fun. It has those classic PlayStation 2 visuals which I absolutely love. The colors are so saturated and it just completely pops off the screen. However, keep in mind that it is an incredibly fast-paced game where you need to hit precise inputs to match the rhythm. If you have even a tiny bit of display or audio lag on your setup, it’s going to make things way more difficult, so you might be much better off playing this one with a highly responsive, direct connection.

And look, let’s be real about Premium for a second — Sony really needs to up their game here. When you look at the massive library of classic games they have access to, and we get Gitaroo Man? One single game this month that a lot of people haven’t even heard of? Come on. With the price we are paying for Premium, there has got to be more value than this. Personally, I wish Sony would get their finger out and figure out how to let us stream all the amazing PS3 games properly. Being able to play MotorStorm would be absolute bliss. Or give us Wipeout 2097 from the PS1! Let me know what classic games you are still waiting for below.

My TopPick to Play First

Image Credit — PS Blog

So, that is the full lineup hitting the service throughout June. But as promised, if you want to save yourself some time and figure out exactly what to play first… there can only be one choice for me this month.

My absolute number one top pick is Sonic X Shadow Generations.

The game looks fantastic, and since I loved the original, I know this is going to be even better on the PS5. But also, 2026 is actually the 35th anniversary of the entire Sonic the Hedgehog series, commemorating 35 years since the original game dropped back in 1991.

And look, the nostalgia factor for me here is off the charts. Sonic was one of my first ever gaming heroes growing up as a kid. I used to run around in Sonic t-shirts, I literally used to spike my hair up to look like him, I watched the cartoons, and I collected the magazines.

But even if you discount all of my personal childhood nostalgia, I guarantee that if you jump into this game, it is going to put a massive smile on your face and you are going to have a brilliant time. No nostalgia required. Trust me on this one, download it today.

Speaking of massive games coming to PlayStation, the recent State of Play event just completely blew the doors off with some incredible announcements. We finally got a massive look at Wolverine, which honestly isn’t even my number one most anticipated game from the entire show.

If you want to see which surprise title completely stole the spotlight and check out my full top five ranked games from the event, check out the full video breakdown over on Pure PSX right here:

[embed]Video Credit — Pure PSX YouTube Channel

If you want to keep up with all the latest PlayStation news, updates, and monthly game drops, grab a coffee and check out the newest episode of the **Gaming Coffee Club Podcast**. We cover everything from PS Plus to Portal updates, with plenty of honest chat (and caffeine) along the way.

🎧 Watch or listen here on YouTube

☕ Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music — just search Gaming Coffee Club.

And of course, I’d love to know — which game are you most excited to jump into this month?

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