Hey there fellow gamers! A new month has arrived, and you know what that means – a fresh batch of free titles for PlayStation Plus members! 🤩 Sony recently revealed the monthly line-up hitting each subscription tier this August. Let‘s dive in and go hands-on with each one…
There‘s a lot to breakdown this month, so I‘ll be your trusty guide through everything PlayStation Plus has to offer for August 2022 and why you should care!
A Quick PS Plus Explainer
For anyone unfamiliar with the program, PlayStation Plus (aka "PS Plus") is Sony‘s premium online service with a few key perks:
- Online Multiplayer Access – Want to smash your friends in Call of Duty? You‘ll need an active PS Plus membership to play online.
- Exclusive Discounts – Subscribers save up to 60% on digital games in the PlayStation Store.
- Monthly Free Games – This is the big one! Sony grants Plus users a few free game downloads each month. And you keep access as long as your membership stays active.
With the revamp earlier this year, PS Plus now has three tiers offering graduated benefits:
PS Plus Essential ($9.99/month) – The basics like online play, store discounts and around 2 monthly games.
PS Plus Extra ($14.99/month) – Everything in Essential plus access to a 400+ game catalog spanning PS4/5. Decent upgrades come via this middle tier.
PS Plus Premium ($17.99/month) – Going all-in gets you game streaming, libraries of retro classics and time-limited game trials on top of everything else.
Nearly all PlayStation owners will want PS Plus for the online play. But those free monthly games shouldn‘t be overlooked! Even if you only subscribe 1-2 months per year, you can build an awesome instant collection.
Which brings us to August 2022‘s PlayStation Plus monthly games line-up!
Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1 + 2
We‘ll kick things off with a duo of groundbreaking (or rail-grinding) skating classics getting a modern overhaul – Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1 and 2!
[Tony Hawk 1+2 box art]Released back in 1999 & 2000 respectively, these two titles defined extreme sports games as we know them. Their smooth arcade gameplay, outrageous trick combos and rocking soundtracks made THPS an icon. Now developer Vicarious Visions has given the originals a serious visual face-lift for PS4 & PS5 while keeping what made them so damn fun intact!
Both remasters include all the classic maps, pro skaters and modes with enhanced 4K graphics, slick new control options and local + online multiplayer support. For nostalgic fans or new players wanting a break from ultra-realistic sports sims, it‘s a vibrant blast to the past that holds up wonderfully.
Now let‘s dig deeper on what exactly Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1+2 brings to the table…
Gameplay & New Features
TPK 1+2 keeps the gameplay we loved simple – string together combos via tricks and grinds before the timer runs out to rack up high scores. Land enough tricks in one combo and you unlock Specials like the neon-glowing Perfect Balance manual.
[Tony Hawk 1+2 gameplay montage]It‘s an addictive risk-vs-reward loop testing your coordination and reflexes across a sandbox skatepark. This fluidity and freedom of expression are what carved out the niche 20 years ago.
In the remake, Vicarious Visions locked the responsive controls and physics down to feel native on DualShock 4/DualSense gamepads. From nailing a perfect kickflip to bailing hard on a half-pipe, everything is silky smooth and intuitive. Little tweaks like double-tap gestures for special tricks reduce finger strain without compromising the classic movesets.
Now let‘s breakdown some of the remake‘s additions and upgrades:
The Graphics
No longer a blurry mess of pixels and polygons, Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1+2 pops with color in upscaled 4K resolution. Textures are crystal clear and the skater models full of lifelike details. Levels like the Warehouse and School II dazzle with vibrant graffiti art and architectural accents you‘ll appreciate at 60 FPS.
Lighting takes things up another notch, especially cool reflections across the curbs, rails and ramp surfaces you‘ll be grinding. Paired with lens flares and film grain filters, it authentically mimics skate videos of the era.
The Customization
Beyond the graphics, Vicarious Visions expanded customization tenfold. The new Create-A-Skater suite offers hundreds of apparel items and tuning sliders for crafting your ideal boarder. Into streetwear? Go wild dressing them up! Share your unique skater creations online too.
There‘s similar depth for crafting dream parks with over 10,000 objects to place with the new Create-A-Park. Add quarter pipes, fun boxes, statues and other set pieces. Adjust terrain curvature, add decals/graffiti and select mood lighting. Then share online to challenge friends on your personal playground!
The Modes
Of course all the classic game modes return including 2-Minute Run, High Score, Free Skate and multiplayer Versus modes. The remake folds in online matchmaking to compete globally which is a game-changer!
There‘s also all-new additions like Skate Tours that combine points, objectives like specific tricks/gaps and collectibles into larger challenges across whole maps. The degree of content and replayability gets a huge boost.
For leaderboard chasers, the new Stats Tracking menu provides super granular insights on performance. Breakdowns include trick types landed, average combo length, highest single trick score and other benchmarks to quantify your progression. It‘s a stat junkie‘s dream!
Critical & Commercial Performance
Reception-wise, Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1+2 soared beyond expectations in matching the greatness of two landmark originals. Critics praised Vicarious Visions for enhancing these PS1 classics without losing their souls.
The PS5 edition currently holds an 89 Metacritic score with IGN calling it "a stellar remix that makes the classic Tony Hawk games feel new again." For veteran THPS fans, it was a wonderful nostalgia play while still feeling fresh thanks to those additions.
Commercially Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater 1+2 marked the fastest selling title in franchise history. By November 2020, the game had surpassed 2 million copies sold accounting for full game and bundled versions.
It sparked a mainstream skating craze not seen since the mid-2000s demonstrating Tony Hawk‘s eternal appeal.
For PlayStation Plus members, diving into these landmark skating remasters is an absolute must-play! Now who‘s ready to kickflip over chopper gaps with me?? 🛴🤘
[Tony Hawk 1+ 2comparison shots demonstrating new graphics]The visual overhaul truly brings these PS1 classics screaming into modern times! (Source: Destructoid)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
If wild skating hijinks aren‘t your jam, perhaps you‘d fancy engaging in Tokyo‘s seedy criminal underworld? Then Yakuza: Like a Dragon may be more your speed!
[Box art for Yakuza Like a Dragon]This seventh mainline entry in Sega‘s acclaimed Yakuza series transports players into the shoes of new series protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. Recently released from prison, Ichiban returns to find his former yakuza crime family in ruins. The kinetic story spans Tokyo and Isezaki Ijincho as our hero tries reclaiming his honor!
Now you may be asking…what exactly is Yakuza? Well strap in – it‘s a franchise that refuses easy classification!
On the surface, intense drama and street brawling action drives the narrative. But peppered between, wackier antics like befriending a homeless governor, singing karaoke and besting bullies via dance battles frequently steal the spotlight!
And Like a Dragon shakes up the formula further by introducing a full-blown turned-based JRPG combat system with jobs and party members. So trilogy-spanning character arcs somehow find equal footing with persona-invoking pumpkin heads. Yes, it gets pretty wild! 🎃
Let‘s analyze what makes Like a Dragon worthy of any gamer‘s time…
Key Story Notes
As mentioned earlier, leading man duties shift from series regular Kazuma Kiryu to fledgling yakuza Ichiban Kasuga. While Kiryu anchored the previous six main games, his arc felt appropriately conclusive. So this injection of hopeful energy via Ichiban pairs nicely with the gameplay evolution.
Our overly earnest protagonist views yakuza life through a lens of chivalry – like nobly championing the downtrodden. Of course cold reality chews up such optimism, yet he persists. His loyalty and righteousness make Ichiban instantly empathetic.
In traditional Yakuza fashion, the narrative explores heavy themes of family, loyalty and redemption via Japanese crime drama. But a pervasive undercurrent of offbeat humor keeps affairs unexpectedly lighthearted along the journey.
Oh – and potential love interest Saeko has an obsession with beauty pageants! So if you ever wanted a biker gang face-off decided by formal gown walkoffs (which who wouldn‘t??) Like a Dragon has you covered. 👗
The Turn-based Transition
Now regarding THAT genre change – switching the real-time brawling action combat to turn-based was a huge gamble by Sega. But early reception shows it clearly paid off!
When encounters kick off, gameplay shifts into menus for tactical party-based battles. Ichiban‘s job class and varying squadmates with unique skills now influence fights far beyond reflexes and button mashing.
[GIF showcasingtransition from real-time movement to turn-based menu combat]RPG elements get cranked up further with equipment/item crafting essential for survival. Leveling also expands your repertoire of zany special attacks like Breaker Majima armed with traffic cones!
So how did this experimental mashup play out? Critics praised the approaches blending, with GameSpot calling it:
"One of 2020‘s most surprising games…ichiban‘s hopeful presence and the developers‘ ambitious storytelling decisions have made Like a Dragon another terrific entry for the Yakuza series."
Player reception backed those reviews, rocketing Like a Dragon to the most successful Western launch ever for the franchise! Turns out the wacky risk resonated by showcasing incredible creative vision.
For PS Plus members, now is the chance to experience this unique collision of hard drama and absurd humor firsthand! Just mind the rogue chicken chases…🐓
Share Your Thoughts!
Have you played any Yakuza games before? If so, what‘d you think of Like a Dragon shaking up the formula after 6 main entries? I‘m thrilled by the fresh vibe Ichiban brings while keeping Yamaza‘s signature contrast intact!
Let me know which August PS Plus game has YOU most excited in the comments below! I may be partial to the karaoke antics, but wanna hear your takes!
Now then, let‘s roundup everything else PlayStation Plus is bringing to the table this month…
The Rest of the PS Plus Buffet 🍲
August 2022 caps off with one more Essential tier game and a few Extra/Premium catalog surpises:
Little Nightmares joins as another PS4 title focused on creepy puzzle-platforming. Controlling Nine, you‘ll navigate the disturbing world and avoid its lanky inhabitants.Reviews praised the eerie charm and tight controls so horror fans rejoice! 👻
PlayStation Extra and Premium subscribers also gain three modern Yakuza remakes letting them explore the series genesis:
- Yakuza 0 – This prequel details Kiryu‘s early days.
- Yakuza Kiwami – The 2005 original rebuilt from scratch.
- Yakuza Kiwami 2 – Ditto for the acclaimed sequel story.
Plus on August 16th, PS Plus Premium members can try quirky dystopian shooter Rollerdrome free for a limited time!
So between murder mysteries, sick skating lines and hellish nightmares, PlayStation Plus continues the hot streak for August 2022!
[Infographic showcasing all August PS Plus monthly games and catalog additions]Until Next Month…
Whew – we covered a ton of ground on everything PlayStation Plus subscribers are getting this month! I don‘t know about you, but I‘m pumped to help Ichiban-chan take back Tokyo‘s streets via roguelike RPG mechanics! 🤜💥🤛
Let me know which new additions caught your eye in the comments down below. Already claimed them? What is your Favorite so far? I‘m debating if I should grind for gear first or try leading a chicken herd first myself!
And for all your PlayStation analysis needs, keep History Computer pinned! We‘ve stacked guides on ace topics like:
💥 The Best PS5 Real-Time Strategy Games
💥 Must-Play Sandbox Games on PS4
💥 Top Fighting Games on PlayStation 4
Browse anytime for your essential PlayStation coverage – see ya next month! ✌️
