Every now and then it is good to follow trends in gaming. While a top selling game doesn’t always indicate a top quality game, sometimes people are purchasing them for a reason. Last months playstation Network top downloads has The Walking Dead at the top of the list. And for good reason. The storyline is intriguing and the price is affordable.

PSN has introduced more and more full game downloads over the past few months. This month they introduced 12 full games on Playstation Plus, advertising it as “Your instant Game Collection”. But, as last month’s Top 20 games list indicates, people still prefer to keep their major releases on disc, and smaller stuff for download.

The afore mentioned Walking Dead tops the list with the first episode. They should be number one (or at least in the top five) for the rest of the summer, as new episodes become available.

PixelJunk games also saw a big jump in downloads. Three of them made it into the top 20. Anytime PSN puts something on sale, it sees a resurgence in downloads. For a short time, Playstation sold some of the games in the series for $1.

For the Playstation Vita, Mortal Kombat saw the most downloads. That is to be expected. It is probably the best game available for Vita right now. Today’s release of the hotly anticipated Gravity Rush will probably put that game at the top of the download charts for the month of June.

Top 20 PSN and PS3 Full Games

1. 1. The Walking Dead – This story-driven series highlights player choice and lasting consequence.
2. 2. Journey
3. 3. PixelJunk Shooter
4. 4. I Am Alive
5. 5. Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II
6. 6. NBA JAM: On Fire Edition
7. 7. Grand Theft Auto IV Digital
8. 8. inFAMOUS Festival of Blood
9. 9. Datura – PSN exclusive Datura breaks new ground for its immersive use of PlayStation Move.
10. 10. PixelJunk Eden
11. 11. PixelJunk Monsters
12. 12. Flower – Thatgamecompany got a big spike thanks to a sale in May….and Journey.
13. 13. PixelJunk Racers 2nd Lap
14. 14. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
15. 15. Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
16. 16. Dead Rising 2 Off The Record – The latest addition to the PS3 Full Game library.
17. 17. Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale
18. 18. Castle Crashers
19. 19. Gotham City Impostors
20. 20. Fight Night Champion

Top 10 PS Vita Games

1. 1. Mortal Kombat – This almost pixel-perfect translation of the PS3 original resulted in a wonderfully playable PS Vita fighter…and the top slot on the PSN sales charts.
2. 2. Table Top Tanks
3. 3. Escape Plan
4. 4. The Pinball Arcade
5. 5. Resistance: Burning Skies
6. 6. Plants vs. Zombies
7. 7. Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
8. 8. Pure Chess
9. 9. Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention
10. 10. Unit 13

Top 5 PS3 Add-Ons

1. 1. FIFA Soccer 12 – Premium Gold Jumbo
2. 2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Collection 1
3. 3. Mass Effect 3 – Premium Spectre Pack
4. 4. FIFA Soccer 12 – Premium Gold Pack
5. 5. MLB 12 The Show – Road to the Show Training Points (6,000)

Top 5 PSone Classics

1. 1. The Legend of Dragoon – It takes a classic JRPG to unseat other classic JRPGS.
2. 2. Final Fantasy VII
3. 3. Final Fantasy IX
4. 4. Resident Evil 2
5. 5. Final Fantasy VIII

Top 5 PS2 Classics

1. 1. Max Payne – Fueled by the anticipation for Max Payne 3, this PS2 Classic got a new lease on life in May.
2. 2. Need for Speed Most Wanted
3. 3. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES
4. 4. Red Faction
5. 5. Red Faction 2

Top 5 PSP Games

1. 1. God of War: Ghost of Sparta – With God of War: Ascension’s E3 showing stirring up anticipation over Kratos’s origin story, it’s no surprise to see this PSP prequel resurface in the top slot.
2. 2. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
3. 3. Dissidia 012[duodecim] Final Fantasy
4. 4. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
5. 5. NBA 2K12 PSP

One disturbing entry is the Mass Effect 3 Premium Spectre pack into the top five game-add-ons. Adding on maps and a large chunk of content as an add-on is one thing. When you actually have to pay to progress through the game and get better equipment, you are just playing into EA’s hands. I can’t believe consumers are falling for it.

[source: Playstation blog]