• Headliner: Obsidian’s first-person RPG Avowed makes its PlayStation 5 debut on February 17th.
  • Subscription Win: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 leads a massive PS Plus Extra/Premium update on February 17th.
  • Indie Variety: A dense week for niche hits, ranging from the "living elevator" horror of KLETKA to the tactical stealth of Styx: Blades of Greed.
  • Retro & Remasters: Prize Fighter: Heavyweight Edition and Ys X: Proud Nordics offer a blend of FMV nostalgia and modern JRPG action.

The Big League: Avowed and Spider-Man 2

We’re finally in the thick of the 2025 release calendar, and the February 17th slot is looking like a heavyweight champion. The clear standout is Avowed. Obsidian Entertainment is bringing their RPG expertise to the world of Eora, and we’re expecting that signature deep storytelling they nailed in Pillars of Eternity. It’s a first-person fantasy action-RPG that puts the developer's award-winning pedigree front and center.

For those of us keeping a close eye on subscription value, the PS Plus Extra update on the same day is a game-changer. Landing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on the service is a huge get for anyone who hasn't swung through Insomniac's expanded New York yet. It's the crown jewel in a batch that includes high-quality titles like Neva, Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, and the Monster Hunter Stories collection.

Strategic Depth and Mid-Air Chaos

February 17th - 18th

Beyond the blockbusters, Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot looks like a high-octane palette cleanser. It’s a stylish action shooter where you’re literally thrown out of a plane. The devs are promising "finger blasting" and dragons—our take? It’s the kind of "try to look cool" chaos we need between 40-hour RPG sessions.

On the 18th, things get weird in the best way possible. KLETKA tasks you with descending a "Gigastructure" in an elevator that you have to feed with fuel and flesh to keep from being eaten alive. It sounds like a stressful, claustrophobic loop that horror fans will eat up. Meanwhile, Trekkies get Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown, a survival strategy game that puts the fate of the iconic crew in your hands. Resource management in the Delta Quadrant? Sign us up.

Mid-Week Grind: Stealth, Cards, and Dystopia

February 19th

Wednesday is absolutely packed. The stealth veteran in us is most excited for Styx: Blades of Greed. Playing as a caustic, quartz-addicted goblin is always a blast, and the focus on pure stealth is a breath of fresh air in a market saturated with "action-stealth" hybrids.

We’re also looking at:

  • Showgunners: A dystopian reality show strategy game where you navigate lethal traps for revenge. Think Running Man but with more tactical layers.
  • Death Howl: A dark, 25+ hour journey featuring card-based combat and 160+ cards to min-max your build.
  • Soulslinger: Envoy of Death: A fast-paced shooter set in Limbo where you’re taking on a "criminal cartel of the afterlife."

JRPG Polish and Heavyweight Hits

February 20th

To round out the week, Ys X: Proud Nordics brings Adol Christin’s latest adventure to the Obelia Gulf. The addition of a time-trial dungeon in Muspelheim and QoL improvements makes this the definitive way to play the newest entry in this legendary franchise. For the old-school crowd, Prize Fighter: Heavyweight Edition brings back the Digital Pictures classic, remastered for modern hardware. It’s a ringside seat to a style of FMV gaming we don't see much of anymore.

Full PS Plus Extra/Premium Additions (Feb 17th)

Our analysis shows this is one of the strongest mid-month updates in recent memory. If you’re a subscriber, your backlog just got significantly more interesting:

  • Marvel's Spider-Man 2
  • Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown
  • Neva
  • Season: A Letter to the Future
  • Monster Hunter Stories 1 & 2
  • Venba
  • Echoes of the End: Enhanced Edition
  • Rugby 25
  • Disney Pixar WALL-E (Premium Only)