PlayStation Plus has come a very long way since first launching in 2010 as Sony‘s premium online gaming service. From an initial couple million subscribers to over 45 million today, it has evolved dramatically across three major iterations. I still vividly remember upgrading to PS Plus back on my trusty PlayStation 3 precisely a decade ago. Little did I know how much incredible value I was signing up for down the road.
Now firmly in its third generation with the rollout of the PlayStation 5 console, PlayStation Plus has stratified into three flexible tiers aimed at all types of gamers:
| Tier | Price | Main Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $9.99 per month | Online multiplayer, monthly games, exclusive discounts |
| Extra | $14.99 per month | Essential benefits + game catalog of 400+ PS4/PS5 downloads |
| Premium | $17.99 per month | Extra benefits + 340+ classic PS1/PS2/PSP games to stream or download |
Sony continues to masterfully evolve PlayStation Plus to drive immense value across a variety of gaming wants and needs. As an experienced and opinionated gamer since the days of Spyro the Dragon and Crash Bandicoot on the original PlayStation, I feel uniquely qualified to spotlight the stellar PS Plus lineup for September 2022.
Let‘s analyze what‘s new and help you, the reader, determine the right PlayStation Plus investment for your household.
Need for Speed Comes in Hot, While Toem Looks to Win Over Hearts
Kicking things off with September‘s monthly PlayStation Plus games available to all Essential tier subscribers and up, Need for Speed Heat stands out as a highlight for racing fans. The Need for Speed franchise holds a special nostalgic place in my gaming history, bringing youthful memories of exhilarating cop chases in souped-up cars across sprawling urban landscapes.
Developed by Ghost Games and Criterion Games (of Burnout fame), Need for Speed Heat continues the arcade-style open world racing action NFS is known for. Let‘s examine some of the technical and gameplay details:
- Powered by the Frostbite 3 game engine, allowing complex visual effects and physics along with dynamic environments
- City of Palm City to explore, spanning lakes, farms, mountains along with urban locations
- Customizable protagonist and lineup of 89 cars from 33 manufacturers like Ferrari, Porsche and BMW
- Distinct daytime sanctioned competition vs illegal nighttime street racing
- Intense police chases with increasing heat level, damage effects and police tactics
- Multiplayer support for online drifting and racing with friends
Reviewers praised Need for Speed Heat‘s return to a gritty street racing-focused narrative and strong post-launch support from the developers. It acquitted itself well among 2019‘s crowded lineup of AAA racing titles like Forza Horizon 4 and F1 2019.
Given the massive success of the Need for Speed film way back in 2014, raking in over $200 million worldwide, I‘m hopeful this PS Plus appearance drives more interest in greenlighting a sequel!
Shifting gears to a completely different genre, thePuzzle AdventureToem is included here as a PlayStation 5 console exclusive. Let‘s learn more:
- Hand-drawn black & white art style with fun animations
- Relaxed gameplay focused on using camera perspective to solve puzzles on a magical journey
- Wide variety of charming characters and landscapes to discover
- Acclaimed as an excellent "feel-good" game for players of any skill level
- Additional challenges and photo filters encourage replayability
Toem has been widely praised for its innocent charm, beautiful aesthetics and uplifting adventure. It‘s wonderful to see the creativity of smaller independent developers like Something We Made get promoted to a wide audience through platforms like PlayStation Plus!
Not every gamer may appreciate Toem‘s more casual and laidback pace compared to heart-pumping action titles. But its whimsical originality ultimately won over reviewers and players looking for a relaxing palate cleanser. For PS5 owners, it‘s certainly worth experiencing Toem‘s screeshot-worthy sights when it joins the Instant Game Collection in September.
Rounding out September‘s monthly games, Granblue Fantasy: Versus also joins the lineup as a colorful anime-inspired fighting game sure to find an audience based on the popularity of other Arc System Works hits like Dragon Ball FighterZ and Guilty Gear Strive. While I‘m personally more excited for Need for Speed Heat and Toem this month, Variety is the spice of life!
Extra and Premium Libraries Explode With New Blockbusters
Beyond the monthly games, an underrated yet incredible perk of upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium is getting access to a Netflix-style catalog of on-demand PS4 and PS5 games. This already robust game catalog expands by over 10 smash hits in September 2022.
For action RPG fans, a genuine blockbuster being added is Assassin‘s Creed Origins. Set in majestic ancient Egypt, Origins earned rave reviews for its rich historical detail, gorgeously recreated landmarks and cities, diverse side quests and meaningful gameplay improvements to the iconic parkour navigation and stealth combat.
Reviewers praised the strong writing and emotional gravitas of main characters Bayek and Aya, lending a refreshing degree of humanity. It also makes great use of modern RPG mechanics with custom gear loadouts, abilities trees and even instantiated loot drops.
As the game which reinvorgated the Assassin‘s Creed franchise with ambitious scope and technical prowess thanks to the latest iteration of Ubisoft‘s proprietary AnvilNext game engine, AC Origins is an engrossing odyssey no PS Plus subscriber should miss.
For those who enjoy manipulating intricate game systems, Watch Dogs 2 brings a prime open world hacking playground. Building upon the strong foundation of Chicago‘s central operating system in the original Watch Dogs, you‘re let loose in a thriving rendition of San Francisco.
Your protagonist, Marcus Holloway, joins the subversive hacker group Dedsec to gang up against shady corporations and government surveillance overreach. Gameplay is centered around using hacking to control drones, robots, urban infrastructure and digital systems to aid your fight.
Critics widely agreed it improved upon the original‘s weaker narrative elements with more likable personalities and a timely, relevant cyberpunk premise critiquing the power of data privacy, algorithms and automation. It was also praised for letting players express creativity planning maneuvers with the versatile hacking toolkit.
And I‘d be remiss without mentioning the additions of renowned sim racing title Monster Energy Supercross 5 and the breakout indie painting adventure Chicory: A Colorful Tale. Truly something for everyone coming to PlayStation Plus Extra!
Tons more games join the ranks which I‘d need multiple blog posts to fully cover individually. But suffice to say, the value keeps expanding greatly for Extra and Premium subscribers.
Turn Back the Clock With PlayStation Classics
For the nostalgic among us who cherish the days of PlayStation 1, the introduction of the PlayStation Plus Premium tier grants access to over 300 classic titles via streaming and download. It‘s like stepping into a digital museum, with so many iconic masterpieces from my childhood now at my fingertips!
The highlights this month are additions to the revered Sly Cooper series of heist platformers developed by Sucker Punch Productions. Specifically:
- The Sly Collection (bundling the first three Sly games from PS2)
- Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
- Companion app Bentley‘s Hackpack
Joining venerable raccoon thief Sly Cooper and his merry cast are other PS2 big hitters like crime thriller Syphon Filter 2 along with PSP mini-game compendium Toy Story 3. For 10 minutes or 10 hours of play, the ability to revisit this living history is an underrated feature.
Now if only Insomniac would allow Sony to grant access to the holy trinity of Spyro the Dragon PS1 games… But alas, likely a pipe dream due to complex licensing issues nowadays!
Divining The Best PlayStation Plus Tier – Budget vs. Value Scale
We‘ve covered quite a spread of gaming goodness slated for PlayStation Plus across the Essential, Extra and Premium tiers this September 2022. But which to actually subscribe to? Let‘s weigh the options against a series of frequent use cases:
Casual Gamers
For those who predominantly enjoy singleplayer narrative games, dabble in the occasional multiplayer hit like Call of Duty or FIFA for social play, and appreciate trying out new indie hidden gems.
- PlayStation Plus Essential most likely fits here if budget it tight. $9.99 per month grants reliable online access, monthly games and exclusive member discounts. But you will miss out on the huge back catalog offered by higher tiers.
Core Gamers
For seasoned console gamers that devour AAA blockbusters yearly across a dozen titles or more spanning shooters to open world RPGs. You‘re also likely still actively playing PS4 games regularly even after buying a PS5.
- PlayStation Plus Extra is the sweet spot at $14.99 monthly. You still get online play, monthly games and deals. But the 400+ game catalog lets you access a stellar and expanding lineup of hits once locked behind the $60-$70 premium purchase price. Deathloop, Ghost of Tsushima, Demon‘s Souls and many more.
Retro Enthusiasts
You hold fond nostalgia for PlayStation exclusives through the years and seminal entries across genres. Gaming history matters to you.
- Shell out for PlayStation Plus Premium at $17.99 per month. Everything in Extra, plus access to revisit over 300 classics. Metal Gear Solid, Ape Escape, Siphon Filter – they‘ll transport you back through decades of entertainment milestones.
Ultimately everyone‘s gaming time, financials and interests falls at a different point across this relative scale. Thankfully Sony continues evolving PlayStation Plus to hit the right chord for all types of players. I‘m thrilled to see the service not only sustaining, but importantly enhancing a platform I‘ve cherished across console generations.
Let me know which new PlayStation Plus games or features you‘re most excited to experience in the comments below! Perhaps you‘ll discover your next emotional journey.
