An Unmissable Trip to a Terrifying Theme Park: Why Crow Country is a PS Plus Must-Play

In a month filled with blockbuster titles and highly anticipated releases, the true gem of the PlayStation Plus catalog for September 2025 is a small, brilliant, and deeply unsettling horror game from indie developer SFB Games. Crow Country, a masterful throwback to the survival horror classics of the PlayStation 1 era, has arrived on the service and is an absolute must-play for fans of the genre. With its low-poly aesthetic, inventive puzzles, and a unique atmosphere that is both charming and chilling, the game is not just a nostalgic rehash; it’s a modern masterpiece that understands what makes the classic horror titles so special.

A Loving Homage, Not a Lazy Rip-Off

From the moment you start Crow Country, its inspirations are clear. The game is a love letter to the ’90s horror boom, particularly the original Resident Evil and Silent Hill games. You play as Mara Forest, an investigator who ventures into the abandoned Crow Country theme park, a place that mysteriously closed two years ago. The goal is to solve the disappearance of the park’s owner, Edward Crow, and to uncover the dark secrets that lie beneath the surface. The game adopts the fixed camera angles, clunky-but-charming combat, and an inventory system that will be instantly familiar to anyone who played those classic titles. However, Crow Country is not just a hollow imitation. The developers have added a wealth of modern quality-of-life features that streamline the experience, such as a more intuitive control scheme (though you can opt for the classic “tank controls” if you choose) and a detailed, in-game map that marks unlocked doors and important items. This thoughtful design removes the frustrating elements of retro games while retaining the core, nostalgic feel. The result is a game that feels both new and familiar, a perfect blend of old and new.

Puzzles, Atmosphere, and The Perfect Amount of Tension

What truly sets Crow Country apart is its focus on puzzles and atmosphere. The game is a tightly-paced, six-to-seven-hour experience that is more about exploration and solving intricate brain-teasers than it is about combat. The puzzles are a highlight, ranging from the simple to the fiendishly clever. You’ll spend most of your time meticulously exploring the eerily quiet theme park, finding keys, and solving environmental riddles that are deeply satisfying to crack. The game’s atmosphere is also a triumph. The developers have used the low-poly aesthetic to their advantage, with the chunky visuals and grainy filters creating a sense of unease and dread that is more effective than many high-fidelity horror games. The sound design is also a masterpiece, with the ambient soundtrack and subtle sound effects keeping you on edge throughout your journey. The horror elements are present, with some genuinely creepy enemy designs and moments of tension, but the game is more interested in a slow burn of psychological terror than in cheap jump scares. This makes the game more accessible to a wider audience, with an “Exploration Mode” that removes all combat for players who just want to experience the story and puzzles.

A Certified Hit, Now Free on PS Plus

Since its release in May 2024, Crow Country has been a critical darling, earning an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam with a user score of 98%. On Metacritic, it holds a “Generally Favorable” score of 84, with critics praising its smart design and confident execution. Many have compared it to other standout indie horror games like Signalis, cementing its place as one of the best horror titles of 2024. The game’s arrival on PlayStation Plus gives it a massive new audience, a chance for millions of players to experience a game that truly understands and honors the history of the genre. It’s a game that is a clear example of how a passionate development team can take a retro concept and make something that feels fresh, modern, and genuinely brilliant. If you have a PlayStation Plus subscription and a love for classic horror, do yourself a favor and download this game. It’s a journey well worth taking.

What do you think? Are you a fan of the retro horror aesthetic, or do you prefer modern, more realistic horror games?