Every Monthly Game Added To PS Plus

Sony launched the new era of PlayStation Plus in June 2022, combining the previous version with PS Now. Although the latter subscription service was around for a fairly long time, PS Now struggled to get over its early negative reputation, so a revamp was needed to wipe the slate clean.

PS Plus is split into three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. Essential unlocks PlayStation’s online features along with providing a couple of free monthly games. Along with Essential’s offerings, Extra grants access to hundreds of PS5 and PS4 games; meanwhile, Premium extends the lineup to include older consoles. Each month, Sony adds a bunch of new PS Plus games to each tier, including first-party exclusives, third-party juggernauts, and indie darlings. Some months are better than others, but they all tend to include a couple of standouts. What are all the monthly games that have been added to PS Plus?

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Current Free Games On PS Plus Essential: September 2023

• Available from September 4, 2023

Considering its reveal coincided with an annual price increase that garnered a fair amount of backlash, PS Plus Essential’s September 2023 lineup is somewhat lacking, at least in terms of bona fide greats. The month’s headline act is also its most divisive: Saints Row. Released in 2022, Volition’s reboot garnered a decidedly mixed reception due to its characters, writing, and outdated open-world design. There is still some fun to be had with the title, and it is worth a download while it is free with PS Plus, but players should temper expectations to an extent.

The other two releases are also fairly polarizing, although if they do click with someone, they can provide a lot of hours of entertainment. Black Desert is an MMORPG known for its real-time combat system that leans into hack and slash territory. The game has enjoyed a long and fruitful run, generally maintaining a positive reputation despite earning criticism for its grind-heavy gameplay loop. MMORPGs require huge commitments that not everyone can or wants to make, but Black Desert is fun enough to at least warrant a look.

Generation Zero is another open-world game that debuted to a less-than-stellar reception. In 2019, the survival mecha title was eviscerated by critics, and that version of the game was difficult to recommend. Jump forward a few years later and Generation Zero has improved quite a bit, both technically and in terms of content. While perhaps not brilliant, it is now a respectable entry in the oversaturated open-world sphere.

All Monthly Games That Were Free On PS Plus Essential

• 1- Month Price: $9.99
• 3-Month Price: $24.99
• 12-Month Price: $79.99

Formerly known as just PS Plus, Essential is the minimum required to play online multiplayer on the PS5 or PS4. Every month, the tier rotates a couple of new free PS Plus games. While these titles are only available to purchase for roughly a month, anyone who picks them up can continue to play them after that point as long as they have an active subscription.

• 1-Month Price: $14.99
• 3-Month Price: $39.99
• 12-Month Price: $134.99

PS Plus Extra is the first tier that includes a catalog featuring hundreds of games. Extra focuses exclusively on PS5 and PS4 titles, with each month expanding the existing library with roughly 15 to 20 new additions. Unlike Essential, PS Plus Extra’s games are available indefinitely, although some could be removed after spending a few months on the service. Since the service’s launch, this tier’s monthly lineup has gradually started to include more PS5 releases.

The August 15, 2023 lineup was notable for its inclusion of two day-one releases, with both Moving Out 2 and Sea of Stars launching directly on Sony’s service. Although they are small-ish projects in the grand scheme of things, both titles have garnered a fair amount of attention since they are sequels or prequels of popular titles. Moving Out is a respected physics-focused co-op game that has enjoyed quite a bit of success since its 2020 launch. Meanwhile, Sea of Stars takes place prior to the events of 2018’s The Messenger, a well-received action-platformer. The 2023 release is a turn-based RPG that takes inspiration from the genre’s classic projects, particularly the SNES era.

For September 2023, PS Plus Extra opted to focus primarily on Japanese role-playing games, announcing a handful of notable names. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is probably the month’s biggest title since the franchise has been fairly mainstream since Automata, and Replicant is an impressive game in its own right. PS Plus Extra is also welcoming the two most recent Star Ocean games, both of which garnered mixed receptions. Integrity and Faithlessness is generally regarded as the weakest game in the series, although its combat system is decent. Its successor, The Divine Force, is a step in the right direction. That said, September 2023’s best games are arguably from the same developer: Vanillaware. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Odin Sphere Leifthrasir are both ambitious and creative games, and the company’s Dragon’s Crown Pro is also part of the Premium tier.

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All Classic Games That Were Added To PS Plus Premium

• 1-Month Price: $17.99/month
• 3-Month Price: $49.99
• 12-Month Price: $159.99

PS Plus Premium includes everything available on Sony’s service. Along with Essential and Extra’s games and benefits, this tier includes a classic catalog of PS3, PS1, PS1, and PSP games, along with some PS4 remasters. Premium’s monthly additions have been inconsistent so far, and it is not unusual for a month to go by with barely any classic additions to the tier.

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