It’s Golden Week, which means a lot of time off for mostly everyone living in Japan, but not much to those of us existing outside of that specific country. Thankfully, Sony has lessened the sting of toiling through another work week by throwing the rest of us poor shmoes a bone. Until May 9, you can save a ton with deals on game made in—wait for it—Japan. You can always check out Sony’s full list of deals, but you can always save yourself some time by checking out our own curated selections.
NieR: Automata Day One Edition – $44.99
NieR: Automata probably shouldn’t have ever happened, but we should all be thankful that it did. This stellar release mixes Platinum Games’ acclaimed combat with an engaging open world, and quickly became one of the biggest surprise hits of 2017. Plus, it offers one of the best, spoiler-laden stories in years, so you’ll definitely want to reach every ending before someone inevitably ruins it all for you.
Final Fantasy XV – $41.99
Setting out to be “a Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers,” Final Fantasy XV exists as a bold attempt to reinvigorate its brand. And though it makes odd choices at times, it’s an absolute blast to play and behold. And it helps that you can sink as much time as you want into it and still walk away satisfied. Rush to the end in 30 hours, or take the more scenic route and spend over 100 soaking it in. No matter what your approach is, you’re sure to enjoy the ride.
Suikoden II – $2.99
If you want to play one of the best 32-bit RPGs ever made, look no further than Suikoden II—and you don’t even need to play the debut first. While it was overlooked upon its original 1999 release, it soon became one of the most beloved RPGs for anyone who could find an all-too-rare copy. Now that it’s available digitally, and for incredibly cheap, you have no reason to pass this amazing RPG by.
Catherine – $6.99
Though Catherine came into being as a test bed for developer Atlus to try their hand at HD development, it ended up being a completely worthwhile game with an absolutely unique premise. It’s part dating sim and part puzzle game, with some supernatural stuff thrown in to make things more interesting. Even if its puzzles don’t pull you in, getting to know the protagonist and his salt-of-the-earth buds over nights of drinking will keep you playing until the resolution.
Steins;Gate – $4.99
Years ago, Steins;Gate made waves for being one of the best traditional visual novels to ever exist. It took its time making the transition to English, but if you have time to stick with an extremely slowly-paced story, you’ll absolutely love it. Lots of stories have covered time travel before, but Steins;Gate takes more of a “hard science” approach in that every angle gets covered in excruciating detail. Just play with a FAQ nearby if you want to see every last ending.
Persona 4 Golden – $11.99
If you’re wondering why everyone was so hyped over Persona 5, Persona 4 is to blame. And the Vita’s Golden edition makes it even better. It’s everything we’ve come to expect from Persona: lovable (and romanceable) characters, addictive day-to-day gameplay, and dungeons that make grinding pay off. You’ve had nine years to catch up with Persona 4, but thankfully this upgraded version of the PS2 classic absolutely holds up.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir – $35.99
Though “Leifthrasir” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, this upgraded version of a previously released PlayStation 2 game stands as an excellent action-RPG. Essentially, this sorta-remake turns the original into everything it was supposed to be, ironing out some of the serious technical problems along the way. These refinements, plus Vanillaware’s decidedly gorgeous 2D graphics make Odin Sphere Leifthrasir for any PS4 owner.
Dragon Quest Builders – $41.99
Dragon Quest Builders could have been an opportunistic attempt to cash in on Minecraft, but thankfully its creators set their sights a bit higher than that. Essentially, Dragon Quest Builders takes the freeform gameplay of Minecraft, gives it more of a structure, and fills it with charming Dragon Quest monsters and characters. Whether or not you’re a stranger to Dragon Quest or Minecraft, Builders stands as an original enough creation to succeed on its own terms.