PlayStation Plus Essential Games for May 2026, Explained

by

May 2026’s PlayStation Plus Essential games are a bit different from usual. Most months offer a variety of game types, but May features two games heavily inspired by the challenging ‘Souls-like’ genre, known for games from FromSoftware. While not common, both games were generally well-received, though one is more popular than the other. The full lineup includes Wuchang: Fallen Features, Nine Sols, and EA FC 26.

Okay, so here’s the deal with the free games coming to PlayStation Plus this month. They’re letting Essential subscribers grab three different games, and you’ll have from May 5th until June 1st to add them to your library. I’m definitely checking these out!

3) Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is an action role-playing game that takes a lot of inspiration from the original Dark Souls, but with quicker combat and a setting rooted in Chinese mythology. It generally received positive reviews, averaging a score of 76.

It’s clear that Wuchang was heavily inspired by Dark Souls, and this goes beyond just sharing the same genre. The game’s intricate and complex level design specifically recalls the feel of the classic 2011 title. It’s intentionally disorienting at first, but cleverly loops back on itself, avoiding the linear paths common in many similar games. The combat is fast-paced and focuses on skillful play, though occasionally it becomes overly challenging, particularly in some of the boss fights which feature unexpectedly steep difficulty curves.

Since its release, Wuchang has received many updates, but it’s not entirely clear if these changes have made the game better overall. While developer Leenzee has addressed some of the biggest problems players experienced at launch – like being repeatedly attacked after being knocked down – and even added some free items, the impact isn’t straightforward. For example, the animation for getting up is now quicker and offers more protection, reducing frustrating situations where players were easily comboed.

The game now includes helpful features like the ability to start directly at a boss, saving players from having to repeat sections after dying. Several changes have been made to improve the game’s pace, including a faster healing animation that can be interrupted with a dodge and quicker elevators. The number of landmines has been reduced, and traps deal less damage, making the game less punishing overall, though traps can still be frustrating.

Leenzee improved how the game plays, but its approach to storytelling has been inconsistent, with frequent updates. Player feedback, especially from China, led to a change where bosses now just become ‘exhausted’ instead of dying, which doesn’t fit the game’s story and feels like a response to criticism. They’ve also made some enemies that used to attack now friendly and unkillable.

Wuchang differs from many similar games in that it doesn’t have traditional downloadable content. Instead, players can purchase the Deluxe Edition upgrade for $9.99, which includes nine character costumes, eight new weapons, and an item to improve skills.

2) Nine Sols

Nine Sols is a challenging action platformer in the style of Soulslike games, but it focuses more on precise timing and blocking, similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Critics generally liked it, giving it an average score of 86.

Red Candle Games’ new game, Nine Sols, is a departure from their previous horror titles, Detention and Devotion, but maintains their high quality and benefits from a larger budget. Nine Sols offers fun and fluid movement abilities, but its combat system truly shines. Comparisons to Sekiro are accurate, as the game features responsive and smooth controls. It’s a challenging game that requires precision, but it’s rewarding because it emphasizes player skill, especially during intense boss battles.

Beyond its strong gameplay, Nine Sols features a surprisingly thoughtful and complex story. Similar to games like Detention and Devotion, it tackles mature themes, which is unexpected given its vibrant visuals. The narrative isn’t essential to the game’s success, as the gameplay is already excellent, but it elevates Nine Sols and sets it apart from other games in the genre.

After releasing Nine Sols, Red Candle continued to update the game, primarily fixing bugs. These fixes were often included when the game was later released on consoles. The console versions also featured a boss replay mode. Following each port of the game to a new platform, the studio added a significant feature: options for players with colorblindness.

1) EA Sports FC 26

Okay, so EA Sports FC 26 is pretty much what you’d expect – a soccer game. I’ve been checking out reviews, and it seems like most people think it’s pretty good, averaging around an 80 out of 100.

While FC 26 doesn’t reinvent soccer, it builds on the familiar formula in a smart way. The game now offers two main styles: Competitive, which is fast-paced and traditional, and Authentic, which is slower and more realistic. This allows a wider range of players to enjoy the game. Alongside this core change, FC 26 features improvements to tackling, dribbling, and goalkeeper intelligence, enhancing the overall experience.

Compared to other games in the series, FC 26 stands out for its aggressive attempts to get players to spend money. It launched with a season pass, restricts access to certain players unless you pay, and frequently encourages in-game purchases. This approach, treating a sports game like a free-to-play casino, is disappointing and doesn’t seem to be improving.

Man, they’ve really been working on FC 26 since it came out! A lot of the changes are small tweaks – things like how often wingers make runs into the box, or making sure center backs don’t wander too wide when marking attackers. You probably wouldn’t even notice some of them. But the big thing is, they’re actually listening to what fans want this time around. They’re trying to avoid making changes people hate, unlike what happened with FC 25 – they seem to be learning from those mistakes.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/feature/this-new-playstation-plus-soulslike-is-finally-worth-playing-after-years-of-updates/embed/#

Read More

2026-05-03 20:41