As
we
tumble
toward
the
end
of
June
like
a
runaway
haybale
barrelling
down
the
hill
of
inevitability,
PlayStation
has
announced
the
next
batch
of
PlayStation
Plus
Essential
titles
that
you
can
claim
as
part
of
your
subscription.
July’s
offering
is
strong
in
my
opinion,
and
is
headlined
by
a
Microsoft-owned
title.
What
a
crazy
world
we
live
in,
eh?

Diablo
4
(PS5,
PS4)

Yup,
July’s
big
game
is
a
first-party
title
from
Microsoft,
although
in
fairness
it
actually
released
a
few
months
before
Microsoft’s
purchase
of
Activision-Blizzard
was
completed.

Jokes
aside,
Diablo
4
is
a
game
I’ve
been
meaning
to
get
around
to
play
and
just…haven’t.

Undoubtedly,
the
hope
behind
this
release
is
that
everyone
who
grabs
the
game
for
free
will
be
tempted
to
spend
some
money
on
microtransactions
and
expansions.

Here’s
the
blurb:

“Diablo
IV
is
the
next-gen
action
RPG
experience
with
endless
evil
to
slaughter,
countless
abilities
to
master,
nightmarish
Dungeons
and
legendary
loot.
Embark
on
the
campaign
solo
or
with
friends
(2
player
local
or
up
to
4
players
online),
meeting
memorable
characters
throughout
a
beautifully
dark
open
world
and
a
gripping
story.
Dive
into
an
expansive
End
Game
where
players
can
meet
in
towns
to
trade,
team
up
to
battle
larger-than-life
World
Bosses,
unlock
robust
character
and
loot
customization,
and
uncover
tons
more
action-packed
activities
to
explore
with
cross-play
and
cross-progression
on
all
available
platforms.”

The
King
of
Fighters
XV
(PS5,
PS4)

Another
strong
entry
for
me,
purely
because
I
have
no
experience
with
the
franchise.
My
fighting
skills
are
about
as
impressive
as
a
chihuahua’s
bark,
hence
why
I
usually
stick
to
Mortal
Kombat.

“Since
its
debut
in
1994,
the
KoF
fighting
game
series
has
featured
iconic
characters
and
a
unique
battle
system.
Now
the
most
epic
dream
match
in
KOF
history
is
about
to
begin!
Inheriting
the
series’
traditional
3-on-3
team
battle
setup,
KoF
XV
features
39
characters
(mixing
classic
fighters,
revived
combatants
and
new
warriors),
a
new
combat
system
and
rollback
netcode
to
reduce
lag
in
online
matches.
There
are
also
a
variety
of
battle
options
that
allow
you
to
choose
how
you
want
to
play.
The
PlayStation
Plus
launch
also
includes
the
“Classic
Leona”
DLC
costume,
letting
you
change
Leona’s
costume
to
her
KoF
‘96
look.”

Jusant
(PS5)

Alright,
I
admit
that
I
had
to
go
and
look
this
one
up.
I
forgot
all
about
Jusant,
so
this
is
a
great
excuse
for
me
to
expand
my
horizons.

“Jusant
is
an
action-puzzle
climbing
game
and
a
meditative
journey
to
the
top
of
a
tall
tower.
Challenge
yourself
at
your
own
pace,
explore
different
paths,
and
unravel
the
secrets
from
a
bygone
civilization.
Master
your
climbing
tools
and
watch
your
stamina
meter
to
successfully
navigate
this
mysterious
and
changing
tower.
As
you
go
higher
and
hone
your
skills,
you’ll
have
to
figure
out
how
best
to
use
the
tools
at
your
disposal
to
get
to
where
you
want
to
go.
Explore
alternative
paths
to
find
clues
about
what
happened
here.”