If you’re still doing most of your gaming on an old PS4 Pro or even a retro-style base model from 2013, then rest assured you’re far from alone. While the PS5 has enjoyed some pretty strong sales, it’s certainly not the case that every PS4 owner has upgraded, and so even though Sony is planning to end official support for the PS4 in 2024 or 2025, it’s still important for third-party developers and publishers to make sure they’re offering their games for the last-gen console as well. Here are some of the best PS4 games to hit Sony’s console in August 2023.
WrestleQuest (August 8th)
If you’re in the market for a cute RPG that celebrates everything campy and glorious about the world of professional wrestling, then WrestleQuest should definitely be on your PlayStation wishlist. Featuring such legends as Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Andre the Giant, and “Macho Man” Randy Savage, this is aiming to be the definitive wrestling RPG; it’s more focused around narrative, stats, and character-building than the big moments in the ring (although those will be important too!).
Moving Out 2 (August 15th)
A sequel to the madcap 2020 party game Moving Out? Count us in! As you might imagine from the name, this game revolves around helping a series of clients empty their home of furniture or move it into a new one. Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that; you and your co-op buddies will contend with a wacky physics engine that’s more interested in creating moments of hilarity than it is in actually helping the move take place. That’s what you signed up for, though, right?
Madden NFL 24 (August 18th)
The Madden series continues in earnest with this newest instalment, which is hitting PS5 and PS4 on August 18th. While many of Madden NFL 24’s biggest innovations over previous games in the series are exclusive to PS5, you’re still in for an excellent and realistic “football” sim if you pick this one up. Just don’t expect EA to have dropped their usual tricks when it comes to trying to squeeze you for extra cash even once you’ve bought the main game.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (August 18th)
We’ll be honest: this one feels like a strange choice for a video game adaptation. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is such an odd movie; it seethes with bleak atmosphere, even though it’s not particularly gory or bloody (trust us – go back and watch it and you’ll see what we mean). Nevertheless, this asymmetrical multiplayer game will give you the chance to inhabit the dusty old houses and basements of the 1974 cult classic, so, uh, enjoy it, we suppose?
Smurfs Kart (August 22nd)
From the sublime to the ridiculous, as they say. Smurfs Kart might be, erm, in a different postcode to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in terms of vibe, but it shares a release month with the aforementioned horror game, so hey, that’s something they have in common. As a kart racer, this one will offer multiplayer thrills aplenty, so get ready to race through some of your favourite Smurfs locations as some of your favourite Smurfs.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (August 25th)
It’s been over ten years since the last mainline Armored Core instalment, so we’re overdue another mecha adventure, and that’s exactly what From Software will be delivering with Armored Core VI. Don’t let the studio name excite you; if this is your first Armored Core game, you’re not going to be getting Dark Souls with mechs. Instead, this is a carefully-considered (if still action-packed) mecha action series with complex and rewarding controls.
Goodbye Volcano High (August 29th)
What would you do if you were playing in a band, trying to navigate adolescent friendships and relationships, and, oh yes, dealing with the impending end of the world? Those are the questions that Goodbye Volcano High will ask, and this narrative adventure promises branching choices, too, so depending on how you guide Fang through their life as a young dinosaur in high school, you’re going to see a different story unfold before you.
Sea of Stars (August 29th)
Chrono Trigger has a lot to answer for. It’s one of the most influential and wide-reaching JRPGs of all time; with an excellent story, a time-warping premise, and some of the greatest music of all time, it’s a high bar to clear. Sabotage Studio isn’t aiming to clear that bar, though, only pay homage to it with Sea of Stars, an upcoming RPG in a similar vein to Square Enix’s all-time great. Expect lots of adventuring through beautiful pixelated locales and plenty of turn-based combat.
Under the Waves (August 29th)
Did you play Abzu and feel like it could have used more, well, realism? Under the Waves might be the game for you. It’s an underwater narrative adventure that revolves around the diver Stan, who’s currently struggling to come to terms with loss and decide what he’s going to do with his life. This is another one of those “location as metaphor” games, so expect to see Stan face off against plenty of underwater weirdness as he grapples with his grief.
Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle (August 29th)
Now here’s a strange little franchise. The Daymare games (for we must now call them that) are essentially homages to the classic period of 90s survival horror, hence the 1994 in this game’s title (and, indeed, the 1998 in its predecessor’s). As such, you can expect claustrophobic settings, plenty of disgusting beasties to slay, and an overarching story that will probably expertly ride the line between silly and tense.