PS Now for something completely different
This month’s new PS Now entrants are Persona 5, Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War, and Hollow Knight. The former two are time-limited, the latter is here to stay. It’s a fantastic lineup but raises an awkward question: can we finish Persona 5 before it leaves PS Now on 4 February?
Jess has been playing
Persona 5 for two years, and she still hasn’t finished the Phantom Thieves’ trials of terror inside the Metaverse Palaces.
It’s a challenge you should take on, as Persona 5’s mix of socially aware writing, tactical turn-based combat, and energetic art direction lifts it above the norm. We gave it a perfect
10/10 back in OPM #134, and were as happy hanging out with our Phantom friends making coffee as we were battling the egos of the game’s villainous cast. But seriously, the real challenge will be beating the game by 4 February, when it leaves PS Now – and us wanting more.
This month’s second addition, MiddleEarth: Shadow Of War, is an easier chunk of gaming to digest.
Replaying the Lord Of The Rings spin-off is a unique chance to enjoy it away from the lootbox hysteria that plagued many games back in 2017. Yes, there
are microtransactions but they are easily left behind while you enjoy the spectacle of Monolith’s epic fantasy action roleplayer – and who doesn’t want to take on Sauron’s army of orcs from the back of an angry Fire Graug?
The only new entry this month not to be time-limited is cute metroidvania Hollow
Knight. It’s games like this that prove PS Now’s worth. You might have missed it on release, but here it’s an essential play, and comes at the tap of a button. The Hallownest setting is beautifully drawn but it’s the 2D Dark Souls aspirations that still hold our attention. Perfect.