And so begins the first PlayStation Plus PS5 monthly freebie for owners (or soon-to-be owners) with the upcoming "whimsical first-person adventure" Bugsnax for PlayStation 5 on November 12. It joins Middle-earth: Shadow of War and Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition for PlayStation 4 which arrive on PS Plus November 3.

Here's the charming Bugsnax trailer.



And the skinny on next month's offerings.

Bugsnax (PS5 Version)

The very first PS5 game to join PlayStation Plus is Young Horses’ ultra-charming, whimsical first-person adventure Bugsnax! Play an investigative journalist who has set out to explore Snaktooth Island, home to legendary half-bug half-snack creatures, Bugsnax. Discover, hunt and capture all 100 critters while also tracking down and reuniting the island’s inhabitants.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War (PS4 Game)

Set between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Middle-earth: Shadow of War beckons you once more into JRR Tolkien’s iconic world of wizards, orcs and elves. Go behind enemy lines to forge the army, conquer Fortresses and dominate Mordor from within. Experience how the Nemesis System creates unique personal stories with every enemy and follower, and confront the full power of the Dark Lord Sauron and his Ringwraiths in this epic new story of Middle-earth.

Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition (PS4 Game)

In Team Cherry’s engrossing 2D explorative platformer, descend into a sprawling underground world of Hollownest to battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs. Unlock new skills and tailor your power sets to fit your playstyle to help you explore twisting caverns, ancient cities and deadly wastes. Uncover a kingdom’s ancient history, taking on epic bosses that’ll challenge your combat and platforming skills as you strive to solve the mysteries buried at its heart.

Next month also sees the arrival of the PlayStation Plus Collection a curated list of PS4 titles that on PS5 will feature faster loading times and improved or more stable frame-rates. It's a great little selection and something that in many ways feels like an answer to Xbox Game Pass and its massive library being synonymous with the console. And on that note it's interesting to see soon-to-be Microsoft first-party title Fallout 4 in the list.

From Worldwide Studios:

• Bloodborne
  
• Days Gone
  
• Detroit: Become Human
  
• God of War
  
• Infamous Second Son
  
• Ratchet and Clank
  
• The Last Guardian
  
• The Last of Us Remastered
  
• Until Dawn
  
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

From our third-party publishers and developers:

• Batman: Arkham Knight
  
• Battlefield 1
  
• Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition
  
• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
  
• Fallout 4
  
• Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition
  
• Monster Hunter: World
  
• Mortal Kombat X
  
• Persona 5
  
• Resident Evil 7 biohazard