PlayStation Plus Free Games for December 2018: A Comprehensive Guide to the Monthly Lineup

The PlayStation Plus service for December 2018 offered a diverse selection of free titles for subscribers, spanning multiple gaming platforms including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. The lineup, which became available on the first Tuesday of the month, December 4, 2018, and remained accessible until January 1, 2019, featured a mix of genres designed to appeal to a wide range of gaming preferences. The offerings included sci-fi horror, vehicular combat, space shooters, visual novels, and puzzle simulations. Subscribers were required to maintain an active PlayStation Plus membership to access and download these games at no additional cost. Once added to their library during the promotional period, users retained access to the titles as long as their subscription remained active.

The headlining titles for the PlayStation 4 were Soma and Onrush. Soma is a sci-fi horror game set in an underwater research facility, focusing on atmospheric tension and narrative depth rather than traditional combat. It was described as an intelligent game that provokes thought and contemplation, distinguishing itself from titles that rely primarily on jump scares. Onrush is an online team-based vehicular combat and racing game that emphasizes speed, takedowns, and teamwork over simply finishing first. It incorporates mechanics inspired by titles like Burnout and Overwatch, offering a high-tempo, arcade-style experience focused on fun and spectacle.

For the PlayStation 3, the free games included Steredenn and SteinsGate. Steredenn is a frenetic space shooter featuring pixelated graphics, procedurally generated levels, and massive boss battles against space pirates. SteinsGate is a visual novel centered on time travel, following a group of teenage scientists who discover a method to send messages to the past, altering the future. The PlayStation Vita lineup consisted of Papers, Please and Iconoclasts. Papers, Please is a dystopian puzzle simulation game where players assume the role of a border crossing immigration officer in the fictional country of Arstotzka, tasked with identifying smugglers, spies, and terrorists among travelers. Iconoclasts is a 2D action platformer with gameplay similar to Metroid, featuring environmental puzzles and combat against tyranny. Notably, Iconoclasts was also available as a cross-buy title, meaning PlayStation 4 owners could download it for free as well.

Regarding trophy availability, reports indicated that only Onrush and SteinsGate featured Platinum trophies. SteinsGate was identified as the easier of the two to complete, requiring approximately five hours with the aid of a guide and text-skipping features. The availability of these games was part of the standard monthly cycle for PlayStation Plus subscribers, who pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee to access online multiplayer and receive a selection of free games each month. The November 2018 games remained available for a limited period into early December, allowing subscribers to claim titles such as Yakuza Kiwami, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, and Jackbox Party Pack 2 before they were replaced by the December lineup.

Game Details and Descriptions

PlayStation 4 Titles

The PlayStation 4 selection for December 2018 provided two distinct experiences: one focused on horror and the other on racing and combat.

Soma
- Genre: Sci-fi Survival Horror
- Setting: A remote underwater research facility.
- Premise: Players explore a seemingly deserted facility to uncover the fate of its human and AI inhabitants. The narrative explores themes of consciousness and identity as machines begin to develop their own personalities.
- Gameplay Style: The game emphasizes atmospheric exploration, puzzle-solving, and psychological tension. It avoids traditional combat and jump-scare reliance, focusing instead on immersive storytelling and an intelligent plot that encourages players to think and contemplate complex ideas. It is characterized by free-flowing cutscenes and a lack of distractive combat, allowing for uninterrupted exploration and narrative progression.
Onrush
- Genre: Online Team Vehicular Combat/Racing
- Setting: High-speed off-road tracks.
- Premise: An adrenaline-fueled arcade racing game that prioritizes speed, takedowns, and team-based objectives over finishing first.
- Gameplay Style: Players use off-road vehicles such as buggies and motorcycles to engage in high-octane vehicular mayhem. The game features mechanics influenced by Burnout's takedown system and Overwatch's hero abilities, creating a bold and refreshing twist on the racing genre. It is designed to be fast-paced, focusing on fun, excitement, and spectacular moments.

PlayStation 3 Titles

The PlayStation 3 library offered a space shooter and a visual novel, catering to fans of retro action and narrative-driven experiences.

Steredenn (Steredenn: Classic)
- Genre: Space Shooter / Arcade Action
- Visuals: Described as "big beautiful pixels," indicating a retro, pixel-art aesthetic.
- Premise: Players pilot a ship to survive chaotic combat against dreadful space pirates in a never-ending fight for survival.
- Gameplay Style: A frenetic and chaotic shooter featuring procedurally generated levels, ensuring a different experience with each playthrough. The game includes massive boss battles and is characterized by its intense, arcade-style action.
SteinsGate (Steins;Gate)
- Genre: Visual Novel / Time Travel
- Setting: A modern urban environment.
- Premise: The story follows a group of teenage scientists who discover a method to alter the past by sending messages through time, inevitably affecting the future and leading to mind-bending consequences.
- Gameplay Style: As a visual novel, the primary interaction involves reading text and making choices that influence the story's direction. It is an anime-style narrative experience that relies on its plot and character development.

PlayStation Vita Titles

The handheld selection included a unique simulation game and a Metroidvania-style platformer, both of which were accessible to other platform owners under specific conditions.

Papers, Please
- Genre: Puzzle Simulation / Dystopian Fiction
- Setting: The border crossing of Grestin between the fictional countries of Arstotzka and Kolechia.
- Premise: Players assume the role of an immigration inspector responsible for controlling the flow of people entering Arstotzka. Among the thousands of immigrants and visitors are hidden threats such as smugglers, spies, and terrorists.
- Gameplay Style: The core gameplay involves checking documents, verifying information, and making decisions under pressure. It is a narrative-driven game that explores themes of bureaucracy, morality, and state control.
Iconoclasts
- Genre: 2D Action Platformer / Metroidvania
- Premise: Players control the character Robin, who fights against tyranny through a side-scrolling indie adventure.
- Gameplay Style: The game features combat against enemies and the resolution of environmental puzzles. Its gameplay is frequently compared to the classic Metroid series due to its exploration and ability-gated progression. A significant feature is its cross-buy status, which allowed players who downloaded it on PlayStation Vita to also access it on PlayStation 4, and vice versa, at no extra cost.

Availability and Access

The free PlayStation Plus games for December 2018 were available for download starting Tuesday, December 4, 2018. The specific release time followed the standard PlayStation Store update schedule, which typically occurs in the afternoon in the UK and rolls out to other regions throughout the day. The promotional window for these titles closed on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, after which a new lineup for January replaced them. To claim the games, subscribers needed to navigate to the PlayStation Plus section of the PlayStation Store on their respective consoles or via a web browser and add the titles to their game library.

It was noted that the November 2018 games remained available for a short overlap period in early December, giving subscribers a final opportunity to claim titles such as Yakuza Kiwami, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, and Jackbox Party Pack 2 before they were removed from the monthly rotation. The cost of a PlayStation Plus subscription at the time was presented as £6.99 per month, £19.99 per quarter, or £49.99 per year, though these prices were listed in UK currency. The service provides subscribers with a curated selection of games each month, which become permanently accessible to their library as long as the subscription is active. The December 2018 selection was widely regarded as a strong offering, mixing high-profile releases with critically acclaimed indie titles across multiple genres.

Conclusion

The PlayStation Plus free games for December 2018 provided substantial value and variety to subscribers, featuring a well-rounded selection of titles across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. The lineup was headlined by the atmospheric sci-fi horror game Soma and the team-based vehicular combat racer Onrush for PS4 owners. PlayStation 3 users received the chaotic space shooter Steredenn and the time-travel visual novel SteinsGate, while Vita owners could enjoy the dystopian simulation Papers, Please and the Metroidvania-style platformer Iconoclasts, the latter of which also offered cross-buy benefits for PS4 users. With a redemption window extending from December 4, 2018, to January 1, 2019, the service offered a diverse array of gaming experiences, from intense horror and high-speed action to thoughtful narrative and puzzle-solving, ensuring there was something for a wide range of player interests.