Which PS Plus Essential August 2023 Games Are Worth Playing?

PlayStation Plus Essential’s August 2023 games have come out, and each one has something different to offer. One is a sports game, the second is a Zelda-like dungeon crawler, and the last game is, well, almost every kind of game. Here’s what players can expect from PGA Tour 2K23, Death’s Door, and Dreams.

Is PGA Tour 2K23 worth it for non-golf fans?

PGA Tour 2K23 is the only title of the three where the name gives all of it away. It’s a golf game in 2K’s line of sports games where players hit a little white ball with a metal club. Its course designer and character customization are two aspects it has over EA’s golf game, but 2K23 is an iterative sequel that lacks that special extra sauce for those who don’t already love golf. It also received an average score of 77 on OpenCritic and likely won’t break out of its niche, but it should serve that niche relatively well.

The Platinum trophy also doesn’t appear to be too difficult, as long as player are willing to put in around 20 hours.

What is Death’s Door?

Death’s Door is like a mix of the older The Legend of Zelda games with a touch of Dark Souls. It was beloved when it launched and garnered an average score of 88. This title doesn’t break ground in any one area, but was applauded for its general cute yet grim vibe and presentation that stars a crow reaping souls as a part of its nine-to-five job. There aren’t many puzzles and combat is rather simplistic (and occasionally sticky), so that lack of depth might turn some off. However, despite having clear influences, its atmosphere is still unique enough to somewhat make up for its mechanical shortcomings.

Snatching the Platinum is a different tale since it will take two runs for most. One run will require that players find everything and unlock all of it secrets, while the second one keeps the player from using any melee weapon aside from a measly umbrella. It will take some patience, but this Platinum will take most around 15 to 20 hours.

Is Dreams still worth redeeming?

Media Molecule is pulling support for Dreams, but its servers will stay on for the foreseeable future, so it is absolutely still worth redeeming. Dreams was almost universally praised when it launched, which helped it achieve an average score of 90. Players and critics adored the open canvas it gave creators and the sheer amount of games it let players partake in. Media Molecule has only made it better since launch, as it has added PSVR support, numerous quality-of-life changes, and many creation tools.

While some may find the spectacle overwhelming, there are so many games and experiences to choose from, making it one impressive (if sometimes disposable) sampling platter. Even lightly sifting through some of the trending or highlight tabs can be a trip because of the staggering variety there is on display. Seeing the creativity of the community after a few years with the tools makes it easy to wonder why Sony waited so long to put it on PlayStation Plus and open it up to a wider audience. As noted by PushSquare, the launch on Plus brought many into the game, which is a little strange since it won’t get additional updates from Media Molecule. Regardless, it’s unique and anything else on the system.

The Platinum is going to take people some time to get, though. There are multiple quests to go through, tutorials to complete, and experience bars to fill, which might take around 50 or so hours, if not more given the grind needed to hit level 30.