MONTH OF E3 2017
With June upon us, we are officially nearing the middle of the year. Not only that, but E3 will be here in a matter of days. Both Microsoft and Sony will get on stage in LA and tell gamers why they are the best company in the industry. But before any of that, both companies have offered free games to subscribers of their online services.
As gamers, we know to never turn down free games, but which company offers the best lineup? The games from both companies are quite good this month, offering diversity and quality in spades. Once again it is time to determine who is giving you the best bang for your buck.
PLAYSTATION INSTANT GAMES COLLECTION
Here are the PlayStation games for June and their original prices:
PS4
- Killing Floor ($53.49)
- Life is Strange ($19.99)
PS3
- WRC 5: World Rally Championship ($39.99)
- Abyss Odyssey ($14.99)
- Neon Chrome ($19.99)
- Spy Chameleon ($4.99)
The two games available for PS4 subscribers fall on two completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Killing Floor 2 is a Left 4 Dead-like co-operative zombie game where players work together to gun down hordes of undead horrors. Gameplay is wave-based, with the game getting progressively difficult as you work your way through the undead apocalypse.
Life is Strange is a fantastic adventure game. The story revolves around a young high-school girl who discovers she has the ability to rewind time. As she reconnects with an old friend and learns of a murder mystery that has taken place in the small town where she attends school, she must use this power to alter events and solve difficult situations.
On the PS3 side of things, WRC 5 is great for racing fans who like to drift through the dirt and take tight corners. It still looks and runs great, offering a nice distraction for those still on the platform. Abyss Odyssey is the other title PS3 players can get their hands on. It’s a side-scrolling action-RPG with plenty of unique enemies, fantastic style, and fun and engaging combat. It’s a game that might have slipped past some players, so why not jump in now?
Last but not least are the PS Vita titles, both of which can be played on PS4 as well thanks to crossbuy. Neon Chrome is a top down shooter with plenty of flashy style that is easy to jump into. Spy Chameleon is the second game up for grabs. Also an isometric action game, you play as a Chameleon who uses his color changing abilities to sneak his way through a series of challenging levels. Both are unique indie games with interesting styles.
All in all, the month of June will see you saving $154. This comes with six games for those who own all three platforms and four for those who just own a PS4, Nonetheless, it’s still a great deal.
XBOX GAMES WITH GOLD
Here are the Xbox games for June and their original prices:
Xbox One
- Speed Runners ($14.99)
- Watch Dogs ($29.99)
- Free multiplayer content for Phantom Dust
Xbox 360 (also available on Xbox One via Backwards Compatibility)
- Assassin’s Creed III ($19.99) June 1st – June 15th
- Dragon Age Origins ($14.99) June 16 – June 30th
This month’s lineup of Games with Gold titles has some heavy hitters lined up. Xbox Live Gold subscribers playing on Xbox One can download SpeedRunners, a multiplayer running game with an intriguing competitive element. The goal is to reach the finish line before everyone else, but you don’t have to be nice about it. Using a grappling hook and an ability unique to each character, you can obstruct your opponents’ progress, keeping them from reaching the end and trying to net yourself a win.
The first Watch Dogs isn’t a fantastic game, but it isn’t a bad one by any measure. The ability to hack into cameras and observe your surroundings made stealth combat much more engaging. It’s actually much more fun to sneak around and quietly dispatch enemies that crouch behind cover and fire off dozens of rounds. At the end of the day it’s a fun open world game with enough unique activities to keep you engaged.
On the Xbox 360 side of things, this month brings Assassin’s Creed III and Dragon Age Origins. Assassin’s Creed III isn’t the strongest entry in the series but its unique setting and protagonist set it apart from previous games. The Frontier is a fun locale to explore, filled with trees snow, and groups of bandits to pick off. It isn’t as lush as pre-release materials claimed, but it’s a nice change of pace.
Dragon Age Origins, on the other hand, is a stellar RPG. The combat is methodical and deliberately paced with several unique races and classes to choose from. It isn’t the prettiest game ever made but the world and narrative more than makeup for that.
When all is said and done, you’ll save $80 this month, more than making up for the $60 you spent on your Xbox Live Gold subscription.
MORE TO COME
As the year reaches its halfway mark, PlayStation takes the savings crown. With $154 of savings compared to the $80 offered by Microsoft, Sony not only offers more games but also a better deal. It’s a good time to be a PlayStation fan, and with E3 just around the corner, plenty of high-profile games will likely make their way onto the free list next month. For now, we still have plenty of free games to sink our teeth into as the summer slump sets in and game releases begin to dry up as the weather grows warmer. At least we still have the beginning of every month to look forward to.
About the author
