June 2025 PS Plus Free Games: A Retrospective Look at a Transitional Month

A new month on the PlayStation Plus calendar always brings a fresh wave of anticipation and, let's be honest, a fair bit of armchair quarterbacking from the community. Looking back to the pivotal summer of 2022, the June lineup served as a fascinating snapshot of Sony's service in flux. The transition from May's offerings—FIFA 22, Curse of the Dead Gods, and Tribes of Midgard—to the June 2022 slate felt less like a graceful pivot and more like switching from a finely tuned orchestra to a garage band still working out the kinks. This particular month was a curious beast, arriving just days before the seismic shift that would redefine the service for years to come.

The June 2022 Trinity: Hits, Misses, and Maybes

The core trio for June 2022 was God of War (2018), Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker, and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. On paper, it seemed like Sony was throwing a Hail Mary pass: one universally acclaimed heavyweight accompanied by two niche multiplayer contenders. The reception was... mixed, to put it mildly.

• God of War (PS4): The undeniable crown jewel. Kratos's Nordic saga was already a modern classic, a masterpiece of narrative and combat. However, its inclusion felt like offering a five-star meal to someone who'd already eaten at the buffet. It was part of the PS Plus Collection for PS5 owners, and was poised to be a cornerstone of the incoming higher subscription tiers. For PS4-only Essential subscribers, it was a genuine gift. For others, it was like finding a duplicate of your favorite limited-edition vinyl—great to have, but not exactly novel.

• Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker (PS4): This arena fighter stumbled out of the gate with a lukewarm critical reception (a Top Critic Average of 64 on OpenCritic). For fans, it was a chance to live out ninja fantasies, but for the general player, it often felt as coordinated as a toddler's first attempt at patty-cake.

• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (PS4/PS5): The underdog with a heart of gold. Launching without voice acting, it was the silent film version of a platform fighter. However, a timely patch added voices, items, and polish, transforming it from a barebones clone into a more vibrant, chaotic party experience. Its journey was like watching a scrappy indie band finally get a decent sound system.

The Elephant in the Room: The Tiered Relaunch

This lineup cannot be viewed in a vacuum. It was the calm before the storm, the final monthly drop before PS Plus Extra and Premium launched on June 13, 2022. The Essential tier (the classic PS Plus) was about to become just one floor in a new gaming skyscraper. This context made the June games feel like a transitional placeholder. Sony had also hinted that the Essential tier would revert to offering two games monthly, making this trio a potential last hurrah for the three-game format many had grown accustomed to.

The Legacy of June 2022

From our 2025 vantage point, this month is a fascinating historical artifact. It represents the end of an era for PS Plus and the hesitant first step into a subscription-based future. The library revealed for the new Extra and Premium tiers promised hundreds of games, making the debate over three monthly titles feel almost quaint.

Final Verdict Table

In hindsight, the June 2022 PS Plus lineup was less about the games themselves and more about symbolism. It was a service in mid-transformation, offering one last nostalgic grab-bag before opening the floodgates to a vast new ocean of content. While the month's direct offerings were a mixed bag—a legendary title paired with games that felt like appetizers for a soon-to-arrive feast—it successfully marked the turning of a major page in PlayStation's history. 🎮✨