A few months after its announcement, the new PlayStation Plus is available in Spain (since June 23, 2022) on PS4 and PS5. We can see this new PS Plus service as Sony's response to Microsoft and its Xbox Game Pass. From now on, there is no longer just one subscription formula, but three! There is still the basic formula at the usual price which allows you to play online and download the few free games of the month (in July 2022 for example, it is possible to download Crash Bandicoot 4 It's About Time, The Dark Pictures Man of Medan and Arcadegeddon) at no additional cost.
Those who expect more can now opt for the “Extra” and “Premium” subscriptions which have advantages that can weigh in the balance. Here is a summary of the advantages of each of the formulas offered by PlayStation.
→ PlayStation Plus Essential subscription:
- It allows you to play online.
- Games to download every month.
- Possibility to use the game in sharing
- Additional discounts on purchases for subscribers.
- Ability to use cloud saves.
★ Price displayed = 8.99 € for one month, 24.99 € for three months and 59.99 € for one year.
→ PlayStation Plus Extra subscription:
- The same benefits as PlayStation Plus Essential.
- Provides access to a catalog of over 400 PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games available for download.
★ Price displayed = 13.99 € for one month, 39.99 € for three months and 99.99 € for twelve months.
→ Abonnement PlayStation Plus Premium :
- The same benefits as PlayStation Plus Extra.
- PS1, PS2 and PSP games available for download.
- Ability to play streaming games (with internet connection without downloading the game).
- Limited time access to trial versions of games (the latest releases).
★ Listed price = €16.99 for one month, €49.99 for three months, €119.99 for twelve months.
We had the opportunity to discover the different advantages of the Premium formula of the new PlayStation Plus. Here's an overview of the service and the things to remember about it.
PlayStation Plus Extra / Premium – should you fall for the new subscriptions:
The Premium tier actually unifies PS Plus and the older PS Now. This level has the advantage of offering a library of retro games in addition. If you're in your thirties (and over) or you're curious to discover the legacy of all those games that made the heyday of PlayStation several decades ago, this formula is ideal since it allows you to replay classics released on old PlayStation consoles (PS1, PS2, PS3, PSP) directly on a PS4 or PS5 console.
Unfortunately, at the launch of the service, the number of games is quite limited, the catalog needs to expand to become really interesting. If you count a good bunch of PS3 games (around 1 only available via streaming), there are only a handful of PS2, PS28 and PSP titles available for download (around XNUMX classics at launch). Note, however, that these classics now offer trophies. If you've always dreamed of completing the first Wild Arms by unlocking trophies, it's possible!
The idea of being able to stream games like watching a Netflix series is interesting, but in reality, it doesn't work very well. The streaming quality is quite questionable and latency can be felt. If you have a poor internet connection at home, needless to say, game streaming is not the option to consider. The game will work, but quite often you will see a warning message on the screen telling you that the connection is not very stable and that you should make regular saves to anticipate a possible wild disconnection...
For our part, we tested the game in streaming with Final Fantasy 12 (the PS4 version) and Batman Arkham Asylum. For the first, there is a timeout that is felt each time you press a button on the controller, for the second it responded better, but with the warning message of a poor connection which was displayed permanently . In both cases, the display resolution was low with visual artifacts that could appear. Fortunately, you can download the games directly to the storage when your internet connection is not strong enough to be able to enjoy them in the best possible conditions. Please note, PS3 games are only available in streaming, it is not possible to download them directly to the console's storage medium.
On the side of the PS4 & PS5 games catalog, there is still plenty to do! Many of the big releases of recent years are available for download. We find Returnal, Red Dead Redemption 2, the latest Spider-Man games, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and many others, there is really something for everyone.
If you are the type to buy a game in the month, we strongly advise you to go for the "Extra" formula which is currently the most profitable since it gives access to a catalog of 400 games and more. The "retro games" part of the Premium offer is still in its infancy, it may be necessary to wait for the catalog to fill up a little more for it to become much more interesting.
While it is obvious that this new service seeks to compete with the Game Pass, Sony does not seem to be planning "for the time being" to offer its "AAA" exclusives as soon as they are launched on the PS Plus Premium, which ultimately makes it a service quite different from Microsoft. But given the catalog for its debut, the new PlayStation Plus seems set for a promising future and we are sure that the formula will be enriched over time so that all players find themselves in it. At present, it seems more judicious to us to move towards the extra offer.
