PlayStation Plus Essential Games for October 2025, Explained

by

The PlayStation Plus Essential games for October 2025 don’t quite match the spooky spirit of the season. Instead of a collection of scary games to get players in the Halloween mood, the lineup is led by the horror title Alan Wake 2, a critically acclaimed game from 2023. Joining it are the quirky comedy game Goat Simulator 3 and the challenging puzzle game Cocoon. These three games are very different from each other, which is a common trait among PlayStation Plus Essential lineups.

Here’s a look at the three PlayStation Plus Essential games for October 2025. Subscribers can access them from October 7th until November 3rd.

1) Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake 2 is the eagerly awaited follow-up to the popular 2010 action horror game. Critics loved it, giving it an average score of 89.

Although the previous game wasn’t strictly a horror title, this 2023 sequel leans heavily into frightening imagery, making it a much darker and more disturbing experience. Players take on the role of Alan Wake as he descends into a terrifying and twisted mental state, with his surroundings changing as his sanity declines. You control Alan for roughly half of the game; the other half puts you in the shoes of Saga, an FBI agent. Saga’s gameplay feels like a procedural, X-Files-inspired drama as she investigates a strange and unsettling mystery, but the overall tone remains consistent between the two storylines.

Although Alan Wake 2 is mainly a horror game, its scares don’t feel as carefully designed as those in many other recent titles. It frequently uses quick, startling jump scares – the kind you might have seen in a chain email video from 2002 – and these happen so often they become repetitive and boring. Even when you directly face enemies, the experience isn’t great, as the game’s slow controls can leave you vulnerable to unfair attacks. Fast-moving enemies highlight how awkward and difficult it is to control Alan and Saga, which is particularly annoying.

The way Alan Wake 2 plays isn’t its biggest strength; most of the praise it receives focuses on its unusual, dreamlike atmosphere, reminiscent of David Lynch. Alan Wake 2 is a truly bizarre game, filled with live-action sequences and moments where it directly acknowledges the player (and Alan himself), constantly keeping you on edge. It’s full of unexpected twists and turns, leading to some of the most unforgettable scenes in gaming recently, like the viral musical number that was a highlight of the 2023 Game Awards. While it isn’t always logical, it consistently attempts bold ideas that are often impressive.

Alan Wake 2 has been significantly updated since its release. Updates included a photo mode, compatibility with the PS5 Pro, and numerous accessibility options such as unlimited ammunition and invincibility. Players also gained access to a Nightmare difficulty setting, gameplay adjustments for better balance, increased manual save slots, and the ability to select specific chapters. The intense full-screen horror effects could now be toned down, and a New Game Plus mode was added. This New Game Plus isn’t standard, however; it features expanded story content, an alternate ending, and extra manuscript pages to discover.

So, Alan Wake 2 doesn’t just end with the main game – there’s a season pass with two really cool expansions. The first one, The Lake House, lets you play as Agent Estevez in a story that feels connected to the world of Control. Then there’s Night Springs, which is like an anthology series with three different episodes, each starring a new character. And get this – one of those characters is actually Control’s main character, Jesse Faden! It’s a pretty neat way to expand the universe.

2) Cocoon

Cocoon is a highly-regarded puzzle game created by Geometric Interactive, a studio founded by developers who previously worked at Playdead (Limbo, Inside). The game was very well-received by critics and currently has an average score of 87.

Cocoon shares similarities with games like Limbo and Inside only in terms of its exceptional quality, polished presentation, and appealing visual style; otherwise, it’s quite different from those darker, more ominous games. In Cocoon, players solve ingenious puzzles by moving between different worlds, which are visualized as small spheres. Success in Cocoon relies on jumping between these spheres and approaching challenges with creative thinking, and each solution feels incredibly satisfying. The game achieves this with a simple yet brilliant design that subtly guides players toward answers without giving them away. This results in a perfectly balanced difficulty – it’s challenging without being frustrating, and never feels too easy – and the experience ends before it overstays its welcome.

Cocoon offers a simple, polished, and seamless gameplay experience; however, this focus meant there wasn’t much opportunity for additions after its initial release. In contrast to many games today, it didn’t get any significant updates or downloadable content you had to pay for.

3) Goat Simulator 3

Goat Simulator 3 is a funny, open-world game and a continuation of the popular 2014 game. Critics gave the sequel generally positive feedback, with an average rating of 72.

Similar to the original, Goat Simulator 3 is essentially one big joke, letting players roam a large world filled with strange and random missions. These missions usually involve jumping, headbutting objects, or simply causing trouble. The game is full of nods to other games like P.T. and Wolfenstein 3D, and it’s constantly presenting new, silly things to do and play with. While not every joke lands, and some gags can get old, the game isn’t trying to be serious or thought-provoking. Instead, it’s meant to be a constant stream of lighthearted distractions, which is even more fun when playing with friends.

Following its release in February 2024, Coffee Stain North continued to support Goat Simulator 3 with several additions. Players received a few free updates introducing new cosmetic items, special birthday-themed events, and improvements to gameplay, such as the ability to save preferred equipment combinations.

There are also four premium DLC packs, and they’re all parodies of different things. One features goats with magical abilities, playfully imitating the world of Harry Potter. Another has superpowered goats that satirize comic book superheroes, and the pack included in the deluxe edition includes goats and references to the original game. However, the fourth DLC is the most significant – it’s a more substantial expansion with an entirely new world, plus more cosmetic items and playable goats. This larger expansion is a humorous take on the recent trend of multiverse stories that have become popular in many forms of entertainment over the last few years. It’s a really fun addition!

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

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/free-sci-fi-game-praised-by-playstation-plus-subscribers-as-beautiful-and-captivating/embed/#

Read More

2025-09-30 16:15