PS Plus August 2025: Lies of P, DayZ, My Hero One’s Justice 2

Sony’s PS Plus August 2025 picks range over repetition: a measured soulslike, a grueling survival sandbox and an anime arena fighter with massive, gaudy supers. If your backlog is groaning already, fair enough — but this threesome might still lure you in. All three games released on August 5 and are available to add to your library until September 1, 2025. Once claimed, they're yours to play as long as you have a PS Plus sub active.

How long do you have to cash them in?

Between August 5 and September 1, 2025. After that, the slate rotates. Basic, and yet so easy to forget — I say as one who is the “I’ll do it later” type.

P-Lies (PS5/PS4): Sharp parries in sharp atmosphere

If you want precision-tuned action RPGing, Lies of P is the pick. It riffs on the Pinocchio myth, but the vibe is less cozy bedtime story than plague-ridden clockwork gothic. That’s all down to timing and nerve in combat: perfect guards, stamina management (time your attacks wrong, make the third swing of your combo too lengthy and whack – out goes your stamina-with-fists), learning boss habits without panicking on their last 10%. You can combine blades and handles to create your own move sets, though, and (on top of this) its gadgets are a handful of Legion Arm items that grapple, blast or otherwise tip a fight in your favor — just enough spice to keep encounters fresh.

Who it’s for: people who like controlled difficulties, and paying off with “okay, I finally manage,” kind sentiment.

One small caveat: the learning curve can be a bitch. If a boss walls your for rozmats trying an alternative route, and path would seem to do you more good than headbutting the dl same boss fight for an hour.

DayZ (PS4): Ruthless survival, unforgettable stories In the five years since DayZ raised the profile of ‘ultra-hardcore open-world survival’ games, titles like Ark: Survival Evolved and Rust have pushed it out of the limelight.

It’s DayZ hard mode this month. You start with next to nothing, and the game kindly wishes you good luck: The elements of hunger, thirst, temperature, infectious disease and — of course — your fellow players await you. Encounters feel like coin flips you’re desperate to weight in your favor: a cautious exchange at a water pump, a mad dash across an open field as the rain showers down, a discreet detour upon spotting movement by the treeline. There’s very little hand-holding, which you might get exactly what you want — or not.

Who it’s for: fans of emergent story who enjoy planning routes, studying maps and placing greater value on a can opener than a shiny rifle.

Note: pace is slow on purpose. If you require nonstop action, this will probably be unforgiving. If you want stakes, it sings.

My Hero One’s Justice 2 (PS4): Flashy, friendly and furious

Not every anime fighter has to be homework. My Hero One’s Justice 2 keeps things decipherable: Big bold Quirk abilities, assists which help you extend combos or yeah, let you get out of jail free and movement that encourages quick scrambles rather than frame-perfect lab time. It’s at its greatest, though, when you lean into a character’s psychology (rushdown brawlers, zoning specialists, tricksters that lay traps) and play to that strength.

Who it’s for: fans of the series; people who are looking for a small, approachable arena brawler.

Heads-up, that like most older fighting games speed in online matchmaking seems to be dependent on region and time of play. Local vs. is still a blast.

How to claim your August games

On PS5/PS4, launch the PlayStation Plus hub.

Navigate to Monthly Games and choose Lies of P, DayZ, and My Hero One’s Justice 2.

Select Add to Library (or Download). You will have until Sept. 1, 2025.

Extra/Premium this month (in addition to Monthly Games)

PS Plus Extra or Premium August Game Catalog refresh brings in Mortal Kombat 1, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, Earth Defense Force 6 and Sword of the Sea day-one launch on August 19 If you’re on PS Plus Extra or Premium the game lineup for August includes some fantastic blockbuster hits! Premium Classics welcomes Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis to the party. Availability may vary by region, so think of this more as a probable than a definitive roster.

So … which one do you download first?

Best single-player bet: Lies of P. It’s slick, it’s gloomy and has a pay-off for players who can afford the time to play it through slowly.

For high-stakes stories: DayZ. Not friendly, though, but unforgettable when it clicks.

For short sessions: My Hero One’s Justice 2. Simple to pick up, loud in a good way.

Quick tips

Claim first, decide later. You can always download another day.

For Lies of P: perfect guarding will save you; swap in a different blade/handle combo if a boss feels insurmountable.

For DayZ: water, food, bandages. Gear later. Learn a safe town-to-town route.

For My Hero’s Justice 2: choose one bread-and-butter combo, and a basic anti-air — solid is often better than fancy.

Common mistakes (and fixes)

Wait till the last day to claim → Set a phone reminder right now.

But do we “force” an individual approach on a whole “meta”? → these three reward different moods; play the one that matches yours today.

Turn off then shadows ingame>utils >graphics>shadows Texture Quality: Low Ignoring settings → turn up music and sfx in fighters/survival for keys reacting to hue/dcents etc.. -pays to listen.

Fast facts

Claim date: August 5–September 1, 2025

Platforms: PS5/PS4 (varies by game)

Play types: methodical boss study, frantic survival panic, casual powerhouse smackdowns

Time to fun: minutes with fighter, an hour for DayZ (when you know what you are doing), variable for Lies of P

Should you download all three?

If you have the storage space, do! — Different night, different vibe. If space is at a premium then pick up Lies of P now, hold on to My Hero for bite-sized play sessions and come back around to DayZ when the mood strikes for slow-burn drama. And whatever you do, don’t blow the September 1 deadline.