The PlayStation Plus Game Catalog has a hidden gem lined up for August

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers are getting Yakuza, Trials of Mana, and more

Sony shared the new games coming to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog in August for Extra and Premium subscribers, and I hope you like Yakuza or are willing to give it a chance. Heavily discounted as they often are, the Yakuza games rule, and Yakuza 0, especially, is an all-time great video game — the kind that will sit with you for years.

It feels strange to call Monopoly Madness a hidden gem, but it is. Take a chance on it.

Here’s the full lineup, which some of you might find disappointing.

New games joining the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog on August 16, 2022

• Bugsnax
• Dead by Daylight
• Metro Exodus
• Monopoly Madness
• Monopoly Plus
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
• Trials of Mana
• UNO
• Yakuza 0
• Yakuza Kiwami
• Yakuza Kiwami 2

It’s going to be interesting to see what a “normal” month ends up being for the PS Plus Game Catalog. Expectations are pretty set for the Essential tier, at this point.

As someone who tries to keep up with most major releases within reason, these games aren’t that fresh — but if you’ve been out of the loop and haven’t played games like Bugsnax, Metro Exodus, or Yakuza 0 yet, then sure, there’s some good stuff to check out.

Trials of Mana is a good pull if you’re down for an RPG remake, and while it’s super under the radar, Monopoly Madness is a surprisingly enjoyable party game.

Weirdly — bafflingly — there’s no word yet about additional classic PS1, PS2, or PSP games joining the PlayStation Plus Premium library in August. After a quiet launch, followed by two lonely classics (No Heroes Allowed! and LocoRoco Midnight Carnival) in July, I’m not feeling optimistic about Sony’s retro releases. There’s so much to pull from!

If you haven’t upgraded, I would easily recommend PlayStation Plus Extra at most — skip Premium until it proves itself. The middle option is the sweet spot with access to the Game Catalog, and while you’re missing out on classics, you aren’t missing that much.