PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Games Win January?

SONY PS PLUS

PS PLUS VS. XBOX GAMES WITH GOLD: WHICH FREE GAMES WIN January?

Sony is kicking off 2018 with a PS Plus free game lineup that makes a serious impression. The big headline is Deus Ex Mankind Divided, the sequel title to Human Revolution from Eidos Montreal. Although it never quite reached the dizzying heights of its predecessor, Mankind Divided is still a deft combination of eerie cyberpunk and a superb stealth mechanics. Fan-favorite Adam Jensen returns as the main protagonist, this time as an Interpol agent based in future Prague, Czech Republic. The game earned critical acclaim for its polished gameplay and excellent world-building. Don’t miss out on this one.

Telltale’s Batman comprises the second game for December, and it’s one of the better stories the developer has crafted over the past few years. It ends up being a refreshingly inventive take on what is at this point fairly well-trodden ground. Notably, players spend a good deal of time both as Bruce Wayne, not just the Dark Knight, but the game gives you the option of which persona you’d prefer to tackle pivotal story moments as.

Over on PS3, Sacred 3 and The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 are the month’s two free games. Neither of these titles are especially highly regarded, but they offer two very different sorts of experiences. Sacred 3 is a competent if somewhat flawed brawler with RPG elements, but its co-op play is decent enough that it’s worth the download to enjoy with a buddy. The Book of Unwritten Tales 2, on the other hand, is a point and click adventure game that has earned praise for its tongue-in-cheek dialogue and self-aware fantasy narrative.

Both of January’s PS Vita games are Cross Buy with PS4, so you won’t need Sony’s portable console to enjoy Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness and Uncanny Valley. Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness is a visual novel, held in fairly high regard for a plot full of twists and turns, depicting an interesting cast of characters. Uncanny Valley is an indie horror adventure game that employs survival and packed with tricky puzzles. 

Xbox Games with Gold

PS Plus vs. Xbox Games with Gold: Which Free Games Win January?

Microsoft’s Games with Gold enter 2018 with its own offering of AAA titles. Zombi, originally a Wii U launch title by Ubisoft, later remastered for Xbox One, is a first-person survival horror game that is well worth trying its interesting permadeath mechanic. Despite combat that feels somewhat antiquated and rudimentary in comparison with other popular titles in the (crowded) genre, Zombi’s inventive way in which it handles death, and plenty of exploration and meaningful NPC interactions still make for an entertaining experience.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III is also available for Xbox One players this month. The third installment of the action-RPG received mixed reviews when it launched in back in 2015, with many feeling that it followed the beats of its predecessor a little too closely. Even still, if you’re a fan of the Van Helsing franchise and an avid RPG gamer, you’re still likely to enjoy this one.

Tomb Raider Underworld and Army of Two make their way to Xbox 360’s Games with Gold lineup in January. Underworld might not quite have the polish of the latest Lara Croft adventures, but it’s still a challenging puzzle platformer with enjoyable gameplay, even if its camera sometimes gets in the way of the action. Army of Two packs the sort of engaging co-op campaign that we haven’t seen in gaming for quite some time. For those excited about the Hazelight’s upcoming A Way Out, Army of Two is a throwback to previous successful local multiplayer efforts.

Who Wins?

PS Plus vs. Xbox Games with Gold: Which Free Games Win January?

We’re happy to see both Sony and Microsoft’s online services starting 2018 on the right note, bringing us quality titles from renowned developers. But there’s no doubt that Sony’s PS Plus has the edge this month. Deus Ex Mankind Divided is the sort of big scoop that we saw glimpses of last year from PS Plus, with the likes of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Adam Jensen’s crusade against the illuminati is of a quality that is a cut above the likes of Zombi and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III. In fact, even its second offering, Telltale’s Batman Season One is arguably a more appealing prospect than either of those two games, given the popularity of the franchise.

In regards to the other titles, Microsoft probably has Sony beat for last generation offerings this month. Tomb Raider Underworld and Army of Two will likely appeal to a broader audience than the PS3’s equivalent free games. As with most recent Games with Gold Xbox 360 titles, the fact that they can be played on Xbox One via backwards compatibility is also handy. But considering that Sony’s two PS Vita offerings are Cross Buy with PS4, both services are offering four playable games on current generation this month. And this double offering from PS Plus also makes up for the lack of PSVR title in January.

In the end, Sony draws first blood in 2018 by stacking its best offerings where it matters the most: on current generation systems.