The first PlayStation Plus Essential lineup of 2023 has been formally unveiled. Subscribers of every tier of the service will be getting Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Fallout 76, and Axiom Verge 2. This trio of games will be available from January 3 to February 6.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the biggest title of the bunch, and subscribers get access to both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions. This well-received action adventure breathed life into Star Wars games after many were disappointed by Electronic Arts’ most recent titles in the galaxy far, far away. This is just in time for the sequel, too, which is slated to release on March 15, 2023.
Fallen Order‘s PS4 port received an update that boosted its resolution and frame rate when played on a PS5 through backwards compatibility, giving users the ability to run it at around 1200p at 60 frames per second. However, a full native PS5 port was released shortly after, which gives users an option to run the game at 4K at 30 frames per second or 1440p at 60 frames per second. Loading times were also vastly improved on PS5. PS4 players can even import their save to the PS5 version to automatically pop almost all of their earned trophies.
Fallout 76 is the other AAA game on the list. This online PS4 RPG released in rough shape in 2018, but Bethesda Softworks has gradually updated it over the years to add more content and bug fixes. The game is also currently in the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog.
Axiom Verge 2 is the final game for PS4 and PS5 subscribers for the month. This search action platformer sequel was not quite as highly regarded as its sequel (the original sits at an 85 on OpenCritic while the sequel is at a 78), but some still regarded it as a decent experience in an increasingly crowded genre.
This lineup was leaked early, as reported on by Video Games Chronicle. Dealabs user billbil-kun listed the three games last week and was correct on every count, which is often the case. The PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium January 2023 lineups, on the other hand, will be revealed soon, according to Sony.