3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (May 23-25)

Nothing beats a long weekend for some guilt-free gaming. Thanks to Memorial Day, a lot of us get an extra day to relax and dive into the best games on PlayStation Plus—which just added a massive lineup. We’ve got dangerous open-world adventures, RPGs, and more to choose from, making this one of the toughest weeks I’ve had narrowing down my picks to just three. But hey, that’s a good problem to have—it means you’ll easily find something you love. Even with a three-day weekend, there’s no time to waste, so here are the three best new PlayStation Plus games you should be playing right now.

Sand Land

Akira Toriyama is best known for creating Dragon Ball, but that wasn’t his only masterpiece. Sand Land was one of his final projects, and it carries his signature style. This open-world RPG puts you in the shoes of Fiend Prince Beelzebub as he searches for the Legendary Spring in the desert world of Sand Land. Don’t expect massive energy blasts or universe-shaking battles here—most of your time will be spent driving and fighting in all kinds of quirky, inventive vehicles. You can even gather resources to build and tweak your own rides. Plus, since the story is relatively short, you can jump right in and follow along without any confusion.

Sand Land is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition

PlayStation fans are still waiting for Stalker 2, but in the meantime, we can prep for its eventual PS5 release with this freshly remastered bundle of the first three games. If you’re new to the series, this is the perfect way to start. The Stalker games drop you into the deadly Zone—an alternate version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone—where survival is brutal and unforgiving. What makes these games special is how dynamic they are—no two players will have the same experience. If you really immerse yourself and roleplay, this survival FPS trilogy might just become your next obsession.

Battle Engine Aquila

If you’ve been following these recommendations, you know I love throwing in a classic whenever I can. This week, there was only one choice—but it instantly caught my attention because it’s one of the few PS2 games I’d never heard of. Battle Engine Aquila is a vehicular combat game where you pilot a massive mech in huge battles. Your Battle Engine can switch between flying and ground modes, trading speed for firepower. You can pick different Engine types for each mission, and since they’re ranked, you’ll want to replay them for a higher score. There’s not much story here—just enjoy the tight combat and old-school novelty.