Next month, PlayStation Plus Essential subscribers will enjoy their first day-one release with Foamstars, a new game from Square Enix. This move marks a significant moment for the PlayStation Plus service, known for offering free games to subscribers each month, as the game will be available for free from February 6 until March 5. After this brief free-to-play period, players can buy it for $30.
Foamstars is an online 4v4 multiplayer shooter that has drawn understandable comparisons to Nintendo’s Splatoon. It features a foam-themed battle arena where players, as Foamstars of varying classes and abilities, compete in a game called Foamsmash. The unique gameplay revolves around coating opponents with foam and using slide-kicks to eliminate them. The foam not only serves as a weapon but also alters the layout of the arena, creating hills and walls for strategic gameplay.
Despite its earlier confirmation that it will focus heavily on AAA titles, Square Enix has promised to support Foamstars with seasonal updates for at least one year, including new characters, maps, modes, and cosmetics. As per the usual MO with live-service games, each season will feature a premium pass priced at $5.99, offering players immediate access to brand new characters and additional cosmetic items.
At launch, Foamstars will offer three multiplayer game modes: Happy Bath Survival, Smash the Star, and the newly introduced Rubber Duck Party. In Rubber Duck Party, teams vie for control of a giant rubber duck, trying to escort it to a goal.
Smash the Star mode focuses on targeting the opposing team’s most successful player, who gains bonuses such as extra health and increased damage output. Happy Bath Survival is a standard mode, and Rubber Duck Party adds the playful objective of controlling a giant rubber duck. The game’s vivid and modern aesthetics, including neon-lit cityscapes and stylish character designs, offer a fresh take on the shooter genre.
Foamstars also includes PvE elements with Foamstar Missions and Squad Missions. These missions involve protecting Bath Vegas from waves of Bubble Beasties, offering players a chance to hone their skills and familiarize themselves with the game’s characters outside of the competitive PvP environment.
The early reveal and subsequent free offering of Foamstars on PlayStation Plus Essential could be a strategic move by Square Enix and Sony to bring more attention to the title, which otherwise might have been overlooked by gamers. This approach has been successful in the past with games like Rocket League and Fall Guys, as well as, more recently, Battlefield 2042 and Evil West, which saw significant player engagement after being offered as free PlayStation Plus games.
Foamstars’ inclusion in the PlayStation Plus lineup signals Sony’s commitment to providing value to its subscribers and highlights the potential for more day-one releases in the future.
In the meantime, subscribers can enjoy January 2024’s PS Plus Essential and PS Plus Extra offerings.
