Out of all the things that has varied wildly in 2021, few can top PlayStation Plus. We saw some great initial offerings, including Final Fantasy VII Remake, but later offerings have left players underwhelmed. However, as the year ends, one of the choices has players upset.
PlayStation Plus Games for December 2021
This month players can download Lego DC Super-Villains, Mortal Shell for PlayStation 4 and Godfall on either platform. While it’s not clear if Mortal Shell will support the free upgrade offered to previous buyers, something that has historically gone either way, Godfall has players questioning the choice.
Similar to Knack and Killzone: Shadow Fall, players expected Godfall to eventually land on PlayStation Plus. Early rumors revealed Godfall would be included and they would offer both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, with some referring to it as “Godfall: Challenger Edition.”
It was hard to figure out what exactly challenger edition meant. Previous major updates have resulted in subtitles like this, including Primal and the current Lightbringer, resulting in many hopeful it would be something major to go with their ongoing efforts to course correct. Others speculated a reduced version, similar to Driveclub PS+ Edition or Uncharted 3’s single player being offered, but couldn’t pinpoint where the lines were. Now that the PlayStation Blog post is out, the latter is confirmed, with the official description below.
Godfall is a looter-slasher set in a bright fantasy universe filled with heroic knights and arcane magic. Embark on adventure in a fantasy action RPG that utilizes high-impact third-person melee combat to engage players as they hunt for loot, don legendary armor sets and defeat vicious enemies. The Challenger Edition focuses on three unique modes: Lightbringer, Dreamstones, and the Ascended Tower of Trials. All three are endgame-level content, but you’ll be immediately equipped with a spread of deadly weapons and skill points, letting you team up with up to two other players* in co-op. Perfect your build and smash your enemies. Challenger Edition’s endgame co-op is compatible with all upgraded editions of Godfall & supports cross-gen play. Godfall: Challenger Edition players can upgrade at any time to the Deluxe Edition gaining access to both Godfall and Fire & Darkness campaigns.
PlayStation Blog
Another PlayStation Blog post furthers this with some additional information on what exactly players can expect:
Instantly boost your player level to max level
All players have the option to immediately jump to Player Level 50, which comes with a plethora of skill points and a spread of deadly weapons for your Valorplates.
Dive straight into the endgame
Use your max level Valorplate to challenge Godfall’s three endgame modes:
Lightbringer, a battle against an all-consuming darkness that threatens to snuff out all light from the realms of Aperion. Players willing to persevere through selected banes will receive increasingly greater rewards – and face ever more challenging hordes until the blighted Heart of Darkness is banished in an epic final battle.
Dreamstones, engage in randomized encounters by reliving the memories of Orin and gain unique rewards each time you play. The curses bestowed on the aptly named Cursed Loot tier can be lifted by completing challenges in Dreamstones.
Ascended Tower of Trials, put your skills to the test in an ever more challenging climb to the top of the tower gaining boons and facing fierce bosses along the way in the pursuit of juicy loot drops.
PlayStation Blog
The new version will also be given to existing owners, unlocking new content to enjoy.
Quest system introduces new Challenges and Legendary rewards
The adventure doesn’t stop once you’ve faced Macros! All players will have access to the new Quests; an endless array of unique challenges that reward dedicated Valorians with legendary loot.
All Challenger features are available to existing Godfall players in addition to Challenger Edition owners.
PlayStation Blog
What makes this choice confusing isn’t the idea of getting lesser or different versions for PlayStation Plus, but rather, it’s hard to see people investing in the “full” game. Two of the most criticized elements in Godfall was the lackluster story, which only improves slightly in Fire & Darkness, and Dreamstones simply being story stages with modifiers. So with it basically just being a little more exploration and an explanation of what is going on, it seems like an unappealing choice. One that many players have already noted and expressed frustration over.
While we will likely not see any changes when Godfall: Challenger Edition and the other PlayStation Plus games release on Dec. 7, it will be interesting to see how things go.
