Yesterday’s PlayStation Plus March 2018 lineup announcement was a pretty major one. Not only did it bring some hefty PS4 exclusives to the table, we also learned that PS3 and PS Vita titles would no longer be included in PS Plus from next year.
The lineup seems pretty good, but exactly how good? We take a closer look at exactly how much quality there is in the PlayStation Plus March 2018 lineup by scouring our reviews and the metacritic scores for each of the games featured.
Bloodborne (PS4)
From Software’s Gothic horror twist on its patented Dark Souls formula was one of the PS4’s first real killer titles. It remains one of the highest rated exclusives for the system with a metacritic of 92.
PlayStation Universe’s Adam Byrne gave Bloodborne 9.5/10, and said of the game,
From Software’s Bloodborne is a triumphant success in what’s arguably been a lackluster generation thus far. It’s taken just over a year for PlayStation 4 to get its first fully fledged must-have title. Thankfully for us, it’s finally arrived. Bloodborne is an undisputed revelation.
Ratchet & Clank (PS4)
Insomniac returned to the franchise that made its name with a semi-reboot/remake of the first game, and boy, was it a good homecoming. It’s one of the most gorgeous titles on PS4 (especially with HDR) and critically-speaking, it performed well with a metacritic average of 85.
Kyle Prahl reviewed the platformer for PlayStation Universe. He handed it an 8.5 score.
Not every part of the Ratchet & Clank formula still shines, but this PS4 reboot is gold. Updated controls are the perfect way to experience bombastic, addictive firefights with awesome weaponry.
Legend of Kay Anniversary (PS3)
Ten years after its original release, Legend of Kay Anniversary is a remastered version of the initial game, with high-resolution textures, new, more detailed character models, modern rendering techniques, and crystal-clear surround sound promise to give this great classic a new shine.
That was the idea anyway. While the PS3 version remains unscored by significant sites, the PS4 version is not exactly viewed as a successful remaster. That version sits on 62 on metacritic.
Mighty No. 9 (PS3 and PS4)
Much has been written about Mighty No. 9. Most of it is not pleasant or kind. It’s at best, a serviceable continuation of Mega Man, but it’s a disappointment for the most part. It achieved a metacritc score of 52 (and a user score of 3.5 too, ouch).
I reviewed Mighty No. 9 on PS4, and had this to say about it.
Mighty No.9 fails to recapture the spark of its Mega Man heritage in any meaningful way. There's not much inherently wrong with how it plays, but it is haphazardly presented and not quite as enjoyable as it could be.
Claire: Extended Cut (PS Vita and PS4)
Claire is a 2D Survival Horror game from 2016 where you play as a young girl searching for her mother in a horrid, dangerous and dark world. It didn’t garner enough reviews to achieve a metacritic average on PS4 or PS Vita, but those reviews that do exist peg it as an above average experience.
Digitally Downloaded praised the game’s storytelling, but bemoaned struggles with the awkward gameplay, handing it a three star review.
Bombing Busters (PS Vita and PS4)
This Bomber-Man styled game has, like Claire, mustered very few reviews, and again like Claire, the ones that are there are not particularly favourable, with no single score going higher than 67. It only managed an average score on one platform (55 for the defunct Wii U).