Does For Honor come with PS Plus?
No, For Honor does not automatically come included with a standard PlayStation Plus subscription. You need to purchase the game separately in order to permanently own it and play without an active PS Plus membership. However, For Honor has been temporarily available in the past as a free monthly PlayStation Plus game for subscribers to claim for a limited time.
Brief History of For Honor‘s Availability on PS Plus
For Honor was first released by Ubisoft on February 14, 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It is a competitive third-person melee fighting game set in a medieval fantasy setting. Players can control warriors of the Knight, Viking, Samurai, and Wu Lin factions.
The game was initially met with a positive critical reception, praising its innovative "Art of Battle" combat system and multiplayer modes. However, during its first year issues like server connectivity and balance led to a drop off in the player base. Ubisoft continued long-term support with new heroes, maps, and dedicated servers.
In July 2022, nearly 5 and half years after launch, For Honor was finally offered as a free PlayStation Plus monthly game. It was available to claim for free from July 28 to August 3 exclusively for PS Plus members on both PS4 and PS5. This was likely done by Ubisoft to boost player count and renew interest.
Once claimed, PS Plus subscribers could permanently keep For Honor in their game library. This gave new players a chance to see why For Honor has maintained a passionate player base half a decade after release. Even after the claim period ended, existing owners could continue playing as long as they maintained an active PS Plus membership.
Editions of For Honor
There are currently 3 main editions of For Honor available for purchase:
Standard Edition – The base version of the game with access to original launch heroes and all maps added up until Marching Fire expansion in 2018.
Marching Fire Edition – Includes the base game, Marching Fire expansion content, and 1-month Champion status which grants XP and loot boosts.
Complete Edition – Contains the base game plus all post-launch heroes, maps, modes and Marching Fire expansion. Best value overall.
The Starter Edition is NOT recommended, as it restricts hero options unless you unlock them separately.
Here is a comparison table showing hero access differences:
| Edition | Base Heroes | Post-Launch Heroes | Total Heroes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Marching Fire | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| Complete | 12 | 18 | 30 |
| Starter | 3 | 0 | 3 |
As of February 2023, the Complete Edition frequently goes on sale for $20-30 and is the best option for new players looking to get the full For Honor experience. It‘s also included in Ubisoft‘s subscription service Ubisoft+.
Multiplayer and Split-Screen
For Honor is primarily focused on online multiplayer PVP and PVE modes. Team modes like Dominion have been the most popular, where you capture zones and defeat opposing player-controlled heroes.
There is no local multiplayer or split-screen option on any platform. You cannot play co-op or versus with a friend on the same console. The only multiplayer is through online matchmaking and connecting to Ubisoft‘s servers.
The only exception is the limited PVE co-op story campaign, which allows 2-player online co-op only. So a friend can join your campaign session remotely via online invite, but not locally.
Cross-Play Between PS4 and PS5
Yes, For Honor offers full cross-generation cross-play support. Players on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 can matchmake and play together in PVP and co-op modes.
Your progression and unlocks carry over between generations too when upgrading to PS5, thanks to Ubisoft account linking. So you can switch back and forth while retaining everything.
Cross-play is limited to within the same console family though. There is no cross-platform play between PlayStation and other platforms like Xbox or PC. The matchmaking pools are separated.
Internet Connection and PS Plus Required
It‘s important to note that For Honor requires an internet connection and active PS Plus membership even for single player modes. There is no offline option.
This online requirement is because all progress, customization unlocks, player data, and microtransactions are saved on Ubisoft‘s servers. So the game needs constant connectivity to access that linked data.
The only real exception is Practice mode against AI bots, which can be played offline. But this does not save any progress or rewards.
PS4 and PS5 Download Sizes
On PlayStation 4, the initial install size for For Honor is around 31GB. With all the patches, updates, and expansions over the years, the total size now exceeds 35GB as of early 2023.
The PS5 version with enhanced textures and assets comes in at around 38GB. Next-gen optimizations allow for shorter loading times as well.
Make sure you have sufficient storage space free before downloading, and allow extra buffer room for future updates. Having the game installed on an SSD is also recommended for optimal performance.
The Verdict on For Honor in 2024
While For Honor‘s player base isn‘t as massive as during its launch year, it still retains a very passionate community after 6 years. The unique combat system offers gameplay you won‘t find anywhere else.
For medieval melee combat fans, For Honor is easily one of the best options available – especially at a discounted price. The Complete Edition provides hundreds of hours of content for less than $30 on sale.
Just keep in mind the always online requirements. But if you have an active PS Plus membership anyway, it‘s definitely worth experiencing For Honor‘s thrilling multiplayer battles.
