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‘Yakuza 5’ and ‘Rebel Galaxy’ among the free PlayStation Plus games in August

By Gabe Gurwin July 27, 2016

PlayStation Plus Free PS4 Games Lineup August 2016

PlayStation Plus offered excellent games across all three of Sony’s platforms in July, including Saints Row: Gat out of Hell and Furi, and it looks like August will be no different. Though it relies a little more heavily on indie games than we’ve come to expect, there’s something for everyone next month.

Tricky Towers, an all-new puzzle game from developer WeirdBeard, is the first freebie you’ll be getting on PlayStation 4. The Tetris-like competitive multiplayer game supports both local and online multiplayer and bears some resemblance to Super Famicon’s Tetris Battle Gaiden. PlayStation 4 owners will also get Rebel Galaxy, a space combat game that IGN praised for its combat system and “vast explorable galaxy.”

On PlayStation 3, subscribers will receive Yakuza 5. The open-world crime game was originally released in Japan nearly four years ago, but just saw a Western release in December. It should be the perfect appetizer for Yakuza 0, which will be hitting both North America and Europe in January. Neon spaceship shooter Retro/Grade will also be free on the system all month.

Vita owners will be getting another free PSP game this month: Patapon 3. The action-rhythm title was released in 2011 — shortly before the Vita’s launch — and received lukewarm reviews, with criticism directed at its repetition and difficulty. Ultratron, which will also be available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, is the Vita’s other free game in August and continues the month’s spaceship-heavy theme. Drawing clear inspiration from classic arcade shooters, the game’s aesthetic mixes retro visuals with crisp, quick gameplay.

While not the best month we’ve seen from PlayStation Plus, the service continues to offer a wide variety of games that fans might otherwise not take for a spin. Given the number of PSP games coming to the Vita recently, however, we have to wonder if Sony plans to offer more Vita-exclusive games through the program in the future.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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