PlayStation Plus July 2018: 'Heavy Rain,' 'Absolver' Headline Free Games List

Another month is about to start, which means PlayStation players are about to get a handful of free games, provided they subscribe to PlayStation Plus. Each month, PlayStation gives out six free games across three different platforms to PS Plus members. Since June is almost over, Sony just announced the July 2018 lineup.

The official list of games can be found over on the PlayStation Blog. It includes two PS4 games, two PS3 games, and two PlayStation Vita games, as always. Headlining the July lineup are “Heavy Rain” and “Absolver.”

Originally released as a PS3 exclusive in 2010, “Heavy Rain” was remastered for PS4 in 2016. It is an interactive murder mystery in which players try to navigate a serial killer case from the perspectives of four different playable characters, whose fates intertwine throughout the narrative.

One of the big hooks for “Heavy Rain” is that if the player fails and a character dies during an action sequence, the story keeps going. There are numerous branches for the plot, meaning it is unlikely that two players will see things play out in the exact same way. It was made by Quantic Dream, the same studio that made the recently released “Detroit: Become Human.”

The next free PS4 game is “Absolver,” originally released in 2017. In “Absolver” players navigate a mostly hostile world as a customizable martial artist, fighting both computer-controlled characters and other players in certain online areas. Players can completely customize their character’s fighting style, acquiring new moves and building custom combos through the game’s deep combat system.

Finally, as a bonus, “Call of Duty: Black Ops III” is still free for PS Plus members until July 11. PS3 owners get “Rayman 3 HD” and “Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess” in July. Vita owners, on the other hand, get “Space Overlords” and “Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma.”

PS Plus costs $60 per year and is a requirement to play PS4 games against other players online. The service being a barrier to online play and offering several free games per month has led to a steady increase in subscribers over the years. Revenue generated by the service is one of many reasons why the PlayStation division of Sony has been doing well financially.