Sony PS Plus
PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Games Win June
It’s another really strong showing from Sony again this month with its PS Plus free game selection. The brilliant turn-based strategy game XCOM 2 headlines the offering on PS4, and if you’ve never tried a game from this revered series, we very much recommend you pop this one in your library. With its focus on variety and replayability, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Enemy Unknown improves on its predecessor in almost every way. The same exceptional tactical combat has added depth, the map design is superb, and there’s a solid narrative that keeps you invested. You could easily lose hundreds of hours in XCOM 2.
The second PS4 title is also a critically well-received title. Trials Fusion is an enduro motocross game that is among the best in the series, and even if you’re not interested in motorbiking, you’ll absolutely love this unique spin on what is essentially a hybrid action-puzzle-platform experience. It’s demanding and requires careful precision, but it’s also thrilling and entertaining to play regardless of your experience in the genre. Everything feels super tight and precise, and with dozens of challenging tracks that beg you to keep re-running them to best your high score, there’s almost endless replayability.
Elsewhere, users of Sony’s last generation machine can enjoy Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, a third-person tactical shooter that has a reasonably solid single-player campaign to enjoy as well as some fun co-op. There’s also Zombie Driver HD Complete Edition if you’re in the mood to plow through hordes of undead from the comfort of a moving vehicle. Zombie Driver HD never really gets a great deal more complicated than smashing into zombies and buildings, and using score points to upgrade your vehicle and do it all over again, but it’s dumb, gory fun that’s entertaining enough.
Fans of the Vita can look forward to Squares, a puzzle reflex game, and Atomic Ninjas, a downloadable title from Grip Games that sees you and up to three other ninjas do battle in various arenas. Neither of these titles can be played on PS4 or PS3 via cross-buy this time around, sadly. And there isn’t a new free VR experience to be had in June.
Xbox Games with Gold
PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Games Win May?
June sees the Assassin’s Creed: Chronicles spin-off headline Microsoft’s Games with Gold offering. The Russian entry to the series continues the 2.5D side-scrolling stealth action that you’ll be familiar with if you’ve played one previously. Don’t expect the epic scale or solid storytelling of mainline Assassin’s Creed games here, but it’s a fun enough distraction to play, especially if you’re invested in the lore of the Assassin’s Creed story. You can access the game from June 1-30.
The other free offering on Xbox One this month is the Smite Gold Bundle, which essentially packs in the extra content you’d normally pay extra for in the free game (Smite is a free-to-play game). This includes 20 more gods than the free base experience and other items such as skins. It’s free on Xbox One June 16-July 15. If you haven’t tried out this MOBA, it’s one of the better DOTA 2/League of Legends alternatives out there, and certainly the best of the bunch available on console.
Sega’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a pretty solid arcade racer that’s free over on Xbox 360 this month. You can access the game during the first half of June. After that, the charming adventure game Lego Indiana Jones 2: The New Adventures is available in the latter half of the month. If you’ve not got your 360 still plugged in, though, fear not: both games are available on Xbox One via backward compatibility.
Who Wins?
PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Games Win June?
Where other months have either been pretty fiercely contested but ultimately decided quite clearly by one great game, June is a bit of a no-brainer. Sony easily wins this month by including two critically-acclaimed current generation titles. XCOM 2, in particular, is a must-play game, and for anybody that’s never dipped their toes into this sometimes daunting tactical-RPG genre, now is the time to see whether it’s for you. And trust us when we say that Trials is super compelling! You might not think it’s down your alley but you’d be surprised how entertaining this is to jump into for quick play sessions.
What’s nice about this month’s PS Plus offering is that it’s a chance to sample two games of a very decent pedigree that are outside the typically popular genres. It’s a line-up that’ll suit gamers with alternate gaming interests outside the mainstream, and it’s a chance for everyone else to see what the fuss is about. Not to mention, both games on PS4 offer hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Microsoft’s Games with Gold line-up is one of the poorest in a long time. The Assassin’s Creed Chronicles saga hasn’t at all been well received in general, and these spin-off games probably shouldn’t be comprising the headline title on Xbox One. Smite is a free-to-play game that can already be picked up and played without purchase, so that’s also a bit of a questionable inclusion.
There’s nothing much separating the previous generation games across both platforms, but there’s more to play on Sony’s service.
