PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Games Are Better? (September 2018)

PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Are Better in September 2018?

Sony PS Plus

Over the first half of this generation, a narrative that Sony needed to step up its free content on PS Plus grew. Sony has since responded in a big way, and that narrative has slowly changed: after titles like Metal Gear Solid V, Bloodborne, Max Max, and more, we’ve suddenly all expecting high-quality content each month. The past few months haven’t quite matched those lofty heights, but for September, Sony’s really pulled one out of the bag. Just in time for the game’s latest expansion, Forsaken, Destiny 2 is available for free PS Plus subscribers.

But that’s not the only boon for subscribers to the service. After Kratos’ triumphant return earlier this year, God of War 3 Remastered is also a PS4 freebie, which will appeal to anybody that hasn’t quite gotten over their lust for pulverizing mythological Gods.

PS4 really gets a smorgasbord of content this month thanks to the cross-buy functionality. That’s because, although Another World – 20th Anniversary Edition, QUBE Director’s Cut, and Foul Play comprise the free games for PS3 and PS Vita this month, you can also play them on your PS4. Here They Lie comes free to PSVR, though you can still play it on PS4 without the peripheral. That means a whopping total of six free PS4 games to take advantage of in September.

Elsewhere, Sparkle 2 also makes its way to PS Vita. And if you’re into PlayLink games, Knowledge is Power is also free.

PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Are Better in September 2018?

Xbox Games with Gold

Thanks to backward compatibility, the Xbox One also receives all the free games available via Xbox Games with Gold in September. Unfortunately, they aren’t quite of the same caliber. The headline Xbox One freebie this month is Prison Architect, a penitentiary construction game that boasts plenty of depth and personality, and was certainly well enough received critically when it launched back in 2015. There’s also Livelock, a top-down shooter that packs frantic action and addictive gameplay, which can be enjoyed either solo or co-operatively.

Elsewhere, Lego Star Wars III comes to both systems, and it’s typical of the series: a well-written, charming adaptation of the iconic franchise that will surprise you with just how entertaining it is.

Retro gamers will appreciate the inclusion of Sega Vintage Collection: Monster World to this month’s lineup, which bundles together three Wonder Boy games: Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Monster World) (arcade version), Wonder Boy in Monster World (Wonder Boy V: Monster World III) (Sega Mega Drive), and Monster World IV (Sega Mega Drive).

PS Plus vs. Xbox Games With Gold: Which Free Are Better in September 2018?

Who Wins?

The outcome of this month shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody —Sony’s one-two punch of Destiny 2 and God of War 3 Remastered certainly trumps Games with Gold in September. It seems that Sony’s decision to ally itself with Activision and Destiny has ultimately paid off big time for owners of Sony’s console, both with respect to the bonus content on offer through the game’s lifecycle and now this latest offering for anybody that hasn’t yet picked it up. What’s super impressive about PS Plus’s line-up in particular, however, is that the second game is a headline in itself. God of War 3 Remastered is an excellent game and one that is obviously super relevant off the back of this year’s superb sequel.

In all honesty, Xbox Games with Gold’s September line-up actually does find a good balance between different genres, games that appeal to a multitude of age groups and will satisfy those after some multiplayer/co-operative action. However, overall, it’s clear that there’s a bit of a gulf in quality between the two services this month.

One has to wonder whether the continuation of excellent games making their way to Game Pass is likely to affect the freebies given away via Games with Gold moving forward. After all, you’d have to think that Microsoft probably would prefer you pay another $10 per month and take advantage of its enormous collection of titles over there rather than rely on games fed to you via Games with Gold. Just a hunch, of course, but Sony’s PS Plus is really its big chance each month to impress upon its customers how much they value user experience, whereas Microsoft has introduced all sorts of quality of life console improvements that sort of ease the pressure on Games with Gold. Between backward compatibility and Game Pass, you’re getting access to a library of content Sony simply doesn’t offer.