PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Games Are Better (January 2019)?
Sony PS Plus
Not since the first SSX have we been treated to a snowboarding game that packs the same innovation and quality as Steep. If you haven’t already played it, Ubisoft’s extreme snowboarding game headlines this month’s PS Plus “free” games.
Here’s what we said about Steep in our own review:
“The developers deserve credit for trying something different instead of just being another SSX clone. If you are willing to fully embrace and appreciate what makes Steep unique, namely its take on group play, the ability to create your own authentic looking videos, and freedom to explore a mountain at your own pace, your trip to the Alps will have been one worth taking.
Portal Knights is your second PS4 title this month, a builder/adventure game that marries Minecraft-like sandbox play to a charming adventure story. While it doesn’t quite pack the wonder and awe of the genre-leader that it’s inspired by, Portal Knights is a super relaxed, pleasant sort of experience that’s both visually appealing to behold and entertaining to play.
Elsewhere on the service, subscribers can download Zone of the Enders HD Edition and Amplitude on PS3.
The first is a compilation of two mech games that many veteran gamers will have fond memories of, even if they are a little dated by today’s standards. The latter is a polished rhythm game in which you play as a sort of laser-shooting ship that blasts nodes on a track, which represents the beat of the music. Both are solid games, albeit not must-plays.
As for Sony’s handheld console, the Vita gets Fallen Legion: Flames of the Rebellion (also available on PS4 via cross-buy) and Super Mutant Alien Assault. One is an RPG, one is a platformer, and neither of them is particularly good.
I had hoped that Sony would ramp up the PS3 and Vita games as we move closer to the platforms being dropped in from the service in March, but January is among the weaker months we’ve seen recently.
- Steep (PS4)
- Portal Knights (PS4)
- Zone of the Enders HD Edition (PS3)
- Amplitude (PS3)
- Fallen Legion: Flames of the Rebellion (PS Vita & PS4)
- Super Mutant Alien Assault (PS Vita)
As a reminder, you can still download December’s PS Plus Games if you haven’t already.
