A New Month, A New Line-Up

Sony has officially revealed the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for November 2025, and it’s shaping up to be a strong mix of charm, chaos, and competition. From feline adventures in neon-lit alleys to high-octane rally racing and absurd physics-based battles, there’s something for everyone.

Starting Tuesday, November 4, PlayStation Plus members can download Stray, EA Sports WRC 24, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS) across PS4 and PS5. The titles will remain available until December 1, 2025.

If you haven’t yet claimed Alan Wake 2, Goat Simulator 3, or Cocoon from October’s line-up, you’ve got until November 3 to add them to your library.

Stray – A Cat’s Tale in a Cyberpunk World

(PS4, PS5)

Once again, the beloved orange cat takes centre stage. Stray, developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, is a third-person adventure that lets players explore a decaying cybercity through the eyes of a stray cat.

Lost, alone, and searching for a way home, the cat must navigate neon-drenched streets filled with robots, strange creatures, and hidden mysteries. Along the way, your drone companion B-12 helps translate robot chatter, open doors, and fend off lurking threats.

What made Stray a global hit back in 2022 wasn’t just its premise but its emotional storytelling and atmospheric world. Inspired by Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City, every alleyway and neon sign feels alive. Critics praised its heartfelt narrative, intricate art design, and evocative soundtrack, earning it the Best Independent Game award at The Game Awards 2022 and multiple BAFTA nominations.

For anyone who missed this modern indie classic, its inclusion in November’s PS Plus line-up is the perfect excuse to finally play one of gaming’s most talked-about adventures.

EA Sports WRC 24 – Master the Rally Stage

(PS5)

From the developers behind the Dirt Rally series, EA Sports WRC 24 puts players behind the wheel of the official FIA World Rally Championship. Built on over 25 years of Codemasters’ rally heritage, this entry is the most authentic rally simulation yet.

Featuring cars and drivers from the WRC, WRC2, and Junior WRC categories of the 2024 season, players can tear through over 200 stages across 18 real-world rallies, with new locations like Latvia and Poland joining the roster.

The game includes several modes for both newcomers and veterans:

• Career Mode for full-season progression
• Builder Mode to create your dream rally car
• Moments Mode recreating historic WRC highlights
• Multiplayer for cross-platform racing up to 32 players

With realistic handling, dynamic weather, and terrain systems that demand precision, WRC 24 rewards skill and consistency. While it had some technical hiccups at launch, updates have improved stability, making this one of the best rally experiences available on console.

For motorsport enthusiasts, it’s a must-play addition to the November line-up.

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator – Pure, Wobbly Chaos

(PS4, PS5)

If you prefer something lighter (and wobblier), Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (TABS) delivers endless laughs. Developed by Landfall Games, this physics-based strategy title lets you create hilariously chaotic battles between red and blue armies composed of the most bizarre units imaginable.

From ancient warriors to fantasy creatures, over 100 units across 14 factions are available, including vikings, samurai, knights, skeletons, and more. You can also build your own fighters using the Unit Creator or challenge friends in online multiplayer.

Each clash unfolds with absurd, unpredictable physics as units tumble, flail, and flop their way to victory. The result is less a serious strategy game and more a sandbox of pure comedy and creativity.

TABS has been praised for its humour, replayability, and accessible design, building a dedicated community since its full release in 2021. Whether you want to pit cavemen against tanks or watch woolly mammoths fly into the air, the fun never stops.

Last Call for October’s Games

Before November’s trio arrives, make sure to grab Alan Wake 2, Goat Simulator 3, and Cocoon before they leave the service on November 3.

Image Credit: Sony

PlayStation Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium members can download all three November games from November 4 to December 1, 2025.

A Balanced Line-Up for Every Player

Sony’s November PS Plus selection is impressively diverse. Stray offers heartfelt exploration, EA Sports WRC 24 fuels adrenaline junkies, and TABS delivers unfiltered fun. Whether you’re looking for an emotional journey, a competitive challenge, or a good laugh, this month’s lineup ensures your PlayStation library is anything but dull.

The post PlayStation Plus November Line-Up Brings Stray, EA Sports WRC 24, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Counter-Strike 2’s latest community addition, Transit, has been removed from official matchmaking after sparking a wave of controversy involving a racial slur, crypto advertisements, and potential copyright violations. What started as an exciting new map quickly turned into one of the biggest embarrassments Valve has faced since CS2’s release.

The map, created by a team of four Russian and one Ukrainian developer, was added to the game on October 2 and pulled just two days later without warning. Initially, players noticed Transit had quietly disappeared from the rotation, leading to speculation online. Soon after, it’s confirmed that the map’s files included a racial slur hidden in its code, references to a real cryptocurrency project, and assets that might have breached copyright.

UPDATE: This is no longer a ‘rumor’, and it looks like the map also included adverts for some crypto project as well as an alleged Ponzi scheme 💀

Safe to say this one won’t be coming back https://t.co/8Y2bunlrEu

— Ozzny (@Ozzny_CS2) October 4, 2025

If you missed it, Valve had just refreshed the game earlier this month with new content and visual updates, introducing four new maps and a handful of gameplay tweaks in the CS2 October Update Adds Four New Maps, Fresh Cosmetics and Gameplay Tweaks. The addition of Transit was part of that same wave of community-driven content, which now makes its removal even more surprising.

The racial slur hidden in the code

According to reports, one of the map’s Easter eggs involved collecting missing-cat posters scattered around the environment. Completing the challenge triggered a hidden script named “N*a_cat”**, a reference buried in the map’s logic files that players could only see using console commands.

One of the map’s creators, Maxim “Rikuda”, later admitted responsibility, explaining that the name came from a meme he had used jokingly while developing the map. “It was a stupid mistake,” he said on Telegram. “I forgot to rename it before release. It wasn’t meant to offend anyone, but it’s still my fault.”

Rikuda also claimed Valve didn’t contact the developers before pulling Transit, unlike other map makers who were recently asked to remove QR codes from their creations.

Copyright concerns and meme references

Beyond the naming controversy, players pointed out that Transit contained questionable visual assets. Posters on the map featured a cat strongly resembling the main character from the hit indie game Stray, raising copyright concerns.

Image Credit: Gabe Follower

Meanwhile, one building appeared to parody the lair of Dr. Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb, further muddying the waters.

Developer g3om, another member of the team, publicly distanced himself from the incident, telling CS2 UA that the project “included many inappropriate references” added by others. “Now I know for sure that you shouldn’t work with just anyone,” he said.

Hidden crypto promotion

The scandal deepened when screenshots showed a building in Transit displaying the logo of an actual cryptocurrency project. While some claimed it was a meme coin from the Russian community, others, including Ozzny, noted that the coin existed and had real value. “Safe to say this one won’t be coming back,” he posted on X.

The coin exists tho and it has value so can’t really shill it and call it a “joke” 😅 pic.twitter.com/uTRE9FMo5I

— Ozzny (@Ozzny_CS2) October 4, 2025

Valve has not commented on the crypto link, but fans quickly speculated that promoting even a “joke” coin crossed a line, especially in an official map pool.

Community reaction

Players flooded social media with disbelief, memes, and disappointment. Some mocked the situation:

“Bro, it’s 2025. You’re telling me shady crypto projects, Ponzi schemes, and racial slurs aren’t okay? I thought this was America,” joked one user.

Others criticised Valve for a lack of oversight:

“This €16 billion company just uploads maps from the Workshop without checking them.”

Meanwhile, fans who enjoyed the map’s gameplay were simply frustrated. “Nooo, I had loads of fun playing this map,” one player wrote. “Just change the name and bring it back.”

A lesson for Valve and the community

Despite the chaos, Transit was well-received from a gameplay standpoint. Many praised its urban Vietnamese setting and the unique mechanic of a moving train that could kill players mid-round. But the controversy overshadowed all that.

The Transit incident highlights the risks of integrating community-made content too quickly. While Valve’s Workshop program helps new creators shine, this scandal shows the need for tighter review before maps are pushed to the official servers.

For now, Transit remains available in the Steam Workshop, but it’s unlikely to return to matchmaking anytime soon. What could’ve been a standout community success will instead be remembered as one of the most controversial moments in Counter-Strike history.

The post CS2 Transit Map Removed After Racial Slur, Crypto Ads, and Copyright Scandal appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Stray, a game about a cat separated from its pack and suddenly finding itself in an unfamiliar world.

A dystopian cyberpunk environment where, it seems, all humans have abandoned.

As you explore you’ll come across obstacles and puzzles that you’ll need to get both your head around and the very agile feline.

Soon enough you make a friend, B12 (a nod to the game’s developers).After you help him to back in to a body he becomes your only friend in this city of danger and curiosities.

Communities of Robots can also be of assistance, or hindrance and throughout the darker areas of the city there are strange little blobby creatures called Zurks that love the taste of kitten.

B12 will translate things for you, has handy tools and also collect bits you’ll need to get through an environment or immediate task. But B12’s battery doesn’t last too long, so he will recharge within the backpack you have strapped on.

There’s an RPG element to Stray too. Items that you collect are stored within your backpack and B12 will help you use them.

In kind you’ll help B12 gain back his memories.

In Stray, your ultimate goal is to escape the city and get back to the ‘outside’.But it is a perilous journey for a lone moggy and the saying that curiosity killed the cat can be true within this game.

Environments are extremely well done, lit by flickering long forgotten neon signs, rubbish strewn about the streets and plenty of stuff to knock over. A mention of the soundtrack as well, which perfectly sets the mood of the world you’re in.

The way forward is most often the way up and over or around, or even under.

You’ll also get to do normal cat stuff. Claw at furniture and rugs, find a soft spot to have a nap and so on.

Currently an exclusive release on PlayStation 4 / 5 and free-to-play if you’re a PS Plus subscriber. This is not the first time that PlayStation has placed us gamers in to the four legs of a character. Remember ‘A Dog’s Life’ which was a PlayStation 2 exclusive back in 2003?

Stray is essentially a puzzle game, it’s free roam but within the confines of the city, and there are always a few side paths to explore.

It is a game that locks you in to it, getting yourself to the next Chackpoint, then the next… then before you know it you’ve been playing for hours.

It’s cute but gritty and it’s definitely something different that PlayStation gamers need to check out now.

The post Stray (PlayStation 5) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.