What a month August has been! Between all the Gamescom announcements and big releases like Metal Gear Solid Delta and Mafia: The Old Country, we’ve all been quite busy. But as August wraps up and we look ahead, September might even be more stacked with great experiences for PS5 players. We’re talking about Borderlands 4, Silent Hill f, and the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong. Now that we’re so close to the start of the big fall releases, it makes the wait all the more unbearable. I don’t know what you have planned for this weekend already, but playing any one of these games, courtesy of PS Plus, will easily elevate it from good to great.
Dead Island 2
I wanted to throw one of the older Borderlands games up this weekend, or even Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, but those are all sadly absent from the PS Plus library. So, I came up with the next best thing: Dead Island 2. While stylistically very different, there isn’t much of a thematic dichotomy. Both are satirical explorations of their respective worlds and circumstances, all wrapped up in first-person RPG action. They even share similar open-hub design sensibilities. In the case of Dead Island 2, you pick a character to explore a zombie-infested LA while doing quests, collecting weapons, and leveling up skills. It’s brutal, bloody fun, especially if you play co-op with friends, and is similar but different enough from Borderlands that you won’t get burnt out.
Dead Island 2 is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Siren
After the amazing Silent Hill 2 remake, I have never been more excited for a new entry in the series since the original 2. Granted, this is a new entry from a different team so who knows how it will play out. But while we wait, I think everyone should go back to Siren. This was the next project from the original writer and director of the original Silent Hill. But he didn’t just create a new Silent Hill game with a different name. Siren is a horror title, no doubt, but wildly different from any other. The game is broken up into stages across various parts of a village called Hanuda, with each one taking place at a different time and with multiple characters that eventually weave together. The standout mechanic is being able to see through the eyes of enemies stalking you, leading to some of the most terrifying moments in gaming. I won’t lie; the game is clunky. That’s the cost of ambition, though, and this game has that in spades.
Siren is available now on PS5.
Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition
It’s finally happening. Silksong is real and will be out on September 4 after years of waiting. The only game that could possibly fill the void until it comes out it, well, Hollow Knight. If you somehow don’t already own the game, or are one of the 7 people out there who somehow haven’t played the original, PS Plus will let you experience the most recent version of the acclaimed Metroidvania. There’s nothing left I can say about this game that hasn’t already been said more eloquently, and I already see the Steam numbers showing this game’s population exploding in anticipation of the sequel. Now’s the time for a replay, or to finally get it off your backlog so you can be ready for the sequel in just a few days.
Hollow Knight is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.
