Hello fellow PlayStation enthusiast! As your resident PlayStation expert and gaming industry analyst, I‘m thrilled to reveal November 2022‘s PlayStation Plus lineup. This month‘s offering of Nioh 2, Heavenly Bodies, and the Lego Harry Potter Collection brings compelling and diverse titles that all PlayStation owners can enjoy.
In this comprehensive guide, you‘ll find everything you need to know about these free games, as well as the overall value PlayStation Plus provides. Let‘s dive into the details!
An Essential Subscription for PlayStation Gamers
First, a quick background on the PlayStation Plus service itself. Since launching in 2010 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Plus has evolved into an essential part of the PlayStation ecosystem, providing subscribers with monthly free games, online multiplayer access, exclusive discounts, and additional member benefits.
PlayStation Plus has seen immense growth over the past decade, amassing over 47 million global subscribers as of Sony‘s latest earnings report. The service now offers three flexible membership tiers – Essential, Extra, and Premium – catering to every type of PlayStation gamer.
| Tier | Price | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $9.99/month | 2 monthly downloadable games, online multiplayer access, exclusive discounts, cloud saves |
| Extra | $14.99/month | All Essential benefits + Game Catalog with 400+ titles |
| Premium | $17.99/month | All Extra benefits + 340+ additional games from PS1, PS2, PSP |
When compared to competitors like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus stands out by bundling online multiplayer access with a Netflix-style catalog of hits from the PlayStation library. This provides incredible value, with subscribed members spending 30% more on average compared to non-members.
Sony continues updating PlayStation Plus every month with new games across all three tiers. So what exciting additions are in store for November 2022?
November 2022‘s Featured PlayStation Plus Games
This month, PlayStation Plus includes three stellar titles across different genres and audiences:
Nioh 2 – Hardcore Action RPG Brilliance
Nioh 2 is the long-awaited sequel to 2017‘s smash hit Nioh. This brutal action RPG transports you to 16th century Japan as a supernatural half-human, half-Yokai warrior. With deep RPG systems, a vast arsenal of melee weapons and magical powers, incredibly challenging enemies, and an epic storyline spanning dozens of hours – Nioh 2 perfects the Souls-like formula popularized by the Dark Souls franchise.
Since launch, Nioh 2 has garnered widespread critical acclaim, including:
- 88 OpenCritic Score
- 8.5/10 GameInformer
- 5/5 USGamer – "Exemplary sequel…one of the best action games ever made"
If you crave demanding-yet-rewarding combat, or are a fan of historically-inspired dark fantasy worlds, Nioh 2 stands among PlayStation‘s best exclusives. Prepare to lose dozens of hours to this supremely polished and content-rich action-RPG gem!
Heavenly Bodies – A Hallucinatory Physics Adventure
For a completely different experience, Heavenly Bodies transports you aboard a slowly decaying space station. As a clumsy astronaut under zero gravity conditions, you must carefully jettison yourself around each area to repair critical damage…without fatally crashing into walls or floating away into the abyss of space!
This ingenious indie release blends realistic physics, razor-sharp controls, and laugh-out-loud dark humor into a one-of-a-kind adventure. Critics and gamers worldwide have praised Heavenly Bodies since its launch:
- 83 OpenCritic Score
- 8/10 Gamespot – "An absolute joy when you get in the groove"
- 92% Overwhelmingly Positive Steam reviews
If you enjoy experimental indies like Portal or Return of the Obra Dinn, Heavenly Bodies‘ gravity-defying challenges will suck you in and refuse to let go. Get ready for perhaps PlayStation Plus‘ most mind-bending release ever!
Lego Harry Potter Collection – Magical Nostalgia for All Ages
Finally, November‘s PlayStation Plus selection caps things off with Lego Harry Potter Collection. Spanning the entire Wizarding World saga from The Sorcerer‘s Stone to The Deathly Hallows, the collection bundles Lego-fied versions of both iconic book series into one magical package.
Lego Harry Potter Collection enchants with its humorous hijinks, charming dialogue, and approachable gameplay – perfect for younger audiences. But even veteran fans will delight at revisiting Hogwarts and reliving the most memorable story beats. With dozens of unlockable characters, hidden areas to discover at Hogwarts, and local co-op support, the replayability runs deep despite the family-friendly veneer.
There‘s a reason the Lego Harry Potter games remain beloved and are still well-populated today online. Don‘t miss the chance to accio this timeless two-for-one PlayStation classic into your library!
How Does This Measure Up Against Previous Months?
Compared to other months, I would grade November 2022 as a solid B+ offering. While not featuring AAA heavy-hitters like the Grand Theft Auto series, the quality and diversity across genres make up for it. Nioh 2 alone stands with 2018‘s God of War as one of PlayStation‘s best exclusives of the generation.
Looking back, the breakout hits over 2022 so far have included:
- February – UFC 4, Planet Coaster: Console Edition, Tiny Tina‘s Assault on Dragon Keep
- August – Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 and 2 Remastered, Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- October – Injustice 2, Hot Wheels Unleashed
Any month featuring polished first-party experiences like Demon‘s Souls, Concrete Genie, or Shadow of the Colossus has proven immensely popular as well.
So how do this month‘s titles compare? While perhaps not on the level of recent fan favorites like Ghost of Tsushima or The Last of Us, Nioh 2 appeals heavily to the hardcore PlayStation community. Heavenly Bodies likewise caters perfectly to supporters of bold, artistic indies. And no family-friendly offering has matched the mainstream magic of Lego Harry Potter collection before.
November 2022 may not be PlayStation Plus‘ greatest month ever on paper, but the breadth of high quality options still outclasses most previous offerings. All subscribers have fantastic adventures to embark on!
The Value of PlayStation Plus Keeps Getting Stronger
While the monthly games understandably grab all the headlines, the underlying value of a PlayStation Plus membership can‘t be overstated. Let‘s analyze the math:
At just $9.99 monthly, PlayStation Plus Essential pays for itself quickly via:
- Access to 24+ new, marquee titles yearly
- 50% additional discounts during seasonal/holiday sales
- Cloud backup support avoiding lost save files
- Required for online multiplayer across popular releases
Meanwhile, PlayStation Plus Extra grants you access to the 400+ strong games catalog for just $5 more a month. This Netflix-style library features smash hits like Marvel‘s Spiderman, Red Dead Redemption 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and NBA 2K22.
Considering the catalog alone holds over $4,000 in value based on typical launch prices, PlayStation Plus Extra‘s savings potential is astronomical. And that‘s before accounting for exclusive subscriber discounts of up to 75% on even more titles!
For hardcore players building up a PlayStation library, no better deal exists than the all-you-can-play Extra tier backed by marquee monthly game drops. Based solely on cost versus typical market rates, PlayStation Plus provides no less than 10X returns on your membership investment. Sign up today!
The Verdict: Another Must-Have Month for Subscribers
While we await potential surprise catalog additions, PlayStation Plus‘ November 2022 lineup already includes three stellar, highly compelling games across distinct genres and audiences. From Nioh 2‘s brutal challenges to Heavenly Body‘s hallucinatory physics to Lego Harry Potter‘s magical adventures, every kind of gamer wins big this month.
Add in the continually expanding catalog, exclusive discounts, and money saved avoiding full-price purchases, and the numerical value of a PlayStation Plus membership speaks for itself. Simply put, PlayStation Plus remains the subscription service delivering the content PlayStation fans crave at an affordable cost.
Treat yourself or your loved ones this holiday season by signing up to experience PlayStation Plus for yourself today. Thanks for reading and happy gaming! Please reach out with any other questions.
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