Europe: PS+ April 2014

Aw yeah! The PlayStation Plus line-up for April has been announced, one of my favourite times of the month. As always, you will be getting five free games if you are a member of PlayStation Plus. Many of last month’s games will be leaving the Instant Game Collection, so be sure to pick up Tomb Raider and the other games if you haven’t done that yet. Alright, so what’s in store for you this month and is it just as good as the previous months?

Mercenary Kings (PS4)

We haven’t seen any triple A games so far for the PlayStation 4, but the console hasn’t been out for that long. First up is Mercenary Kings for the PlayStation 4, an 8-bit indie shooter that should give you the retro feel, yet the game runs very smooth and this makes it very pleasant to look at. If you are up some arcade shooter action, you are in luck with this month’s free game. The game also features multiplayer, which is almost mandatory in shooters nowadays.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (PS3)Most soccer fans around the world have probably played both a FIFA or PES game once, but the majority of the people that I know choose to play FIFA. If you are one of those people, you can give PES another go (for free) now. PES 2014 promised more ball control and better gameplay, yet it fails to deliver. Artificial Intelligence still is one of the weakest points of the game, and it just doesn’t stand up to it’s competitor FIFA.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3 & PS Vita)You might remember Sly Cooper back from the PlayStation 2, as that is where the game made its first appearance. This cell-shaded platformer game takes you back in time: re-live your youth by playing this game and actual time-travelling in the game. Time travelling? Yep Sly Cooper has to travel back in time and do what he’s good at: stealing shinies! Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time also supports Cross Buy, Cross Play and Cross Save, so you do not have to worry about missing any action if you have a PS Vita.

Hotline Miami (PS3 & PS Vita)

Have you ever watched the movie Drive? Did you enjoy it? If you did, you will most likely enjoy Hotline Miami as well. This 2D indie game has everything that you can wish for in an indie game, except if you don’t really .. like blood and violence (you should probably skip this game in that case, just saying). Hotline Miami has an amazing soundtrack and an awesome 80’s feel, mix this together with top-down 2D action and you have one of the best indie games out there. The game also has Cross Buy enabled, so you can play it on both your PS3 and PS Vita.

MotoGP 13

Another racing game is added to the list of PlayStation Plus games, and this motor racing game delivers what it should: a good motor racing experience. It definitely isn’t the easier racing game out there and you really need to practice if you want to be able to ride on the faster bikes. If you are into motor bikes, you will most likely enjoy this game. If you aren’t a real fan of motor racing, you might find the game a bit too hard, but you can always try it out of course.

Be sure to pick up the games that are leaving the Instant Game Collection of PlayStation Plus before the 2nd of April:

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition (PS4)
Tomb Raider (PS3)
Borderlands 2 (PS3)
Pixeljunk Monsters Ultimate HD (PS Vita)

Smart As (PS Vita)

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Europe: PS+ March 2014

It’s a another beautiful month for PlayStation Plus subscribers, since Sony is once again being really generous this month with the games that you will be getting with your PlayStation Plus subscription. Sony is giving PlayStation Plus subscribers five games this month: one for the PS4, two for the PS3 and also two games for the PS Vita.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition (PS4)
Do you like shooting zombi-.. Okay, that is a silly question, since everyone loves shooting zombies (or hacking them in pieces with an axe or a machete). Dead Nation is a top-down zombie survival shooter that can be played locally and online with two players. Purchase new weapons with the money that you earn by shooting zombies, doesn’t that just sound delightful?

Tomb Raider (PS3)

This is last year’s reboot of the popular Tomb Raider franchise, and the game starts the story from scratch: you are a young Lara Croft that has to survive on a mysterious island. If you enjoyed the Uncharted games, you will probably have no problem to play this game as it has a lot of similarities.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (PS3)

The other game for the PS3 this month is Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. In this story based adventure game you take control of two brothers, who will move simultaneously and have to solve puzzles. The game has received multiple prices, such as Best Xbox Game of 2013 (it competed with games such as GTA V and Tomb Raider - so yes, it is a pretty good game).

Pixeljunk Monsters Ultimate HD (PS Vita)

This Tower Defense game gives you all the content from the original PS3 game and HD levels from the PSP version. Constructing towers in the beautifully cartoon world of Pixeljunk is definitely not a punishment, so pick this up as soon as you can.

Smart As (PS Vita)

Are you a genius and do you sometimes feel like you want to show it to the world? Or do you want to become one? Smart As is the perfect game for you in that case! This brain-training PS Vita only title is made to be played once a day so you can make yourself a bit smarter every day. The game consists of 20 individual mini games with 4 different difficulty levels.

The games will be entering the PlayStation Store on the 5th of March, and it will replace five other games. So if you haven’t added any of the following games yet from previous months yet, be sure to download them before the 5th of March. Adding games to your PlayStation Plus library is also possible through the PlayStation Store website now, no need to turn on your PlayStation device for it!

List of games leaving the PlayStation:

- Outlast (or Sound Shapes if Outlast wasn't available in your country)

- Metro Last Light

- Dynasty Warriors Next

- Guacamelee!

- ModNation Racers Road Trip

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Europe: PS+ November

It’s that time of the month again: the games that will be free to download for PlayStation Plus members have been announced. Normally as a PlayStation Plus member you would get three PlayStation 3 games, but this month you will (only) get two games. Don’t get frustrated yet, since there is some good news: a free game every month for the PlayStation 4. The first game that will be free to download for PS+ members that are getting a PlayStation 4 is the game Drive Club.

Below is a list of the games that will be free to download starting October 23rd.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3) Ready for some real action on your screen? In that case you shouldn't be  skipping this game this month. It definitely isn't a game you would expect from the Metal Gear franchise, and Revengeance gives the player a whole new experience. If you are a fan of the franchise, you should definitely give this refreshing game a chance.

Remember Me (PS3) While most critics did not like this game and the metascore is pretty low as well, a lot of people are still eager to try it out. The game takes place in the year 2084 and in this time personal memories no longer belong just to yourself. They are now being sold, traded, gifted and stolen. In the game you play Nilin, a memory huntress that escaped from jail. With the help of her only friend she tries to recover her identity.

Oddworld Stranger's Wrath (PS Vita) In the HD remake of this classic game, you take the role of a mysterious bounty hunter. For unknown reasons, you are trying to collect enough money for a surgery that he needs to survive. The game combines first-person shooting with platforming and puzzling, a silly but surprisingly awesome trio. The original game got praised a lot, and the remake of the game makes sure that the game still feels up-to-date (for all the graphics lovers out there).

Motorstorm RC (PS Vita)
If you own a PlayStation you have probably ever heard of the Motorstorm games. Motorstorm RC is a racing game just like the other games in the series, but there is something that makes it different: radio-controlled cars. Instead of the original games, this game is played from a somewhat top-down angled camera, which doesn't disturb the gameplay. The game features 16 different tracks and 24 different cars, and the game has little to no loading time. Spin-offs of big games don't have to necessarily be bad, and Motorstorm RC proves this. 

With PlayStation Plus becoming mandatory for online multiplayer on the PlayStation 4, it is obvious that a lot of new people will become PlayStation Plus members. Will this affect the games that are free every month in a good or a bad way, or will nothing change? With Drive Club being the first free game for PlayStation Plus members with a PlayStation 4 it is looking good so far, so let's hope that the future has a lot more cool stuff in store for us!

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Europe: PS+ October 2013

PlayStation has announced the games that will be free to download for PlayStation Plus members in October. Just like the past few months the selected titles this month are pretty amazing. Assassin's Creed III was last month's big free game, and this month you will be getting another amazing title that was one of the biggest games of 2012. As always, you will be getting three games for the PlayStation 3 and two for the PlayStation Vita.

Far Cry 3Big chance that you remember this awesome game from last year, and the time has come to play it if you didn't already. In Far Cry 3 you take the role of Jason Brody, whose tropical holiday with his friends turns into a horrifying disaster when they get stranded on an island that is getting terrorized by pirate and slave trader Vaas. Do you have the will to survive on the massive open-world island and rescue your friends, or is certain doom awaiting you?

Dragon's Dogma: Dark ArisenDark Arisen is the re-release of the action-adventure RPG Dragon's Dogma. The re-release features a lot of new content for the game, as well as a few changes. In this open-world fantasy game you will be fighting against huge monsters, as well as exploring caves and castles. If you feel like playing a good RPG, you should definitely check out this one.

Giana Sisters: Twisted DreamsIf you are old enough you might remember a game called The Great Giana Sisters, a game that was released for the Commodore all the way back in 1987. Twisted Dreams is the successor to that game, and in this beautiful fantasy platformer you are set out to save your sister, who has been abducted by a Giant Dragon. It doesn't get more old school than that!

Street Fighter X Tekken (PS Vita)

One of this month's games for the Vita is a fighting game. In Street Fighter X Tekken a lot of the Tekken characters will be stepping into the world and 2D style of Street Fighter. Can a person wish for more? Well, you certainly can since you get a lot more in the Vita version than the PS3 version, such as: 12 DLC characters for free and over 35 alternative costumes. Pretty good!

Touch My Katamari (PS Vita)

This was one of the launch games for the PS Vita, and the objective is pretty simple: roll the ball, also known as the Katamari. The ball has to grow in size and reach certain spots. A simple game that some people will definitely enjoy.

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PlayStation TV and new PS Vita

In a press conference in Japan, the homeland of Sony, the Vita TV and a new version of the PlayStation Vita have been announced. While the new version of the PS Vita is an upgrade or a downgrade (depends on how you look at it), the Vita TV is really an entirely new device. But first things first: what’s up with the new PS Vita?

Sony classifies the newer model of the PS Vita as a more casual and easier to use model of the PS Vita. It will also be released in a bunch of colors, instead of the black that we all know from the handheld. But that’s not the only appearance change that the PS Vita has gone through, because the new version will be 20% thinner and about 15% lighter than the older model. But one of the more drastic changes is that Sony replaced the OLED screen with a LCD display. While the battery life has been increased by an hour, some people might dislike the LCD display since the quality of these displays are of lesser quality than OLED screens most of the time. The new PS Vita also has 1 gigabyte of built-in storage, which is not very impressing but still a welcome addition to the handheld.

What a lot of people didn’t see coming is the Vita TV: a console with the size of a smartphonethat you will be able to plug into your TV. It’s comparable with the Ouya, except that this console runs Vita games, but you will also be able to play old PSP and PlayStation One games on it. To control the device you will be making use of the DualShock 3 controller, the controller that is used with the PlayStation 3. The specs of the Vita TV are the same as the PS Vita, but since you will be playing it on a TV the resolution will be upscaled from 966x544 to 720p or 1080p.

But you will be able to use the Vita TV for more than Vita and PS One games: if you own a PlayStation 4 you will be able to stream content to the Vita TV and display everything that is running on the PS4 on the TV that the Vita TV is linked to. What else Sony has planned for the Vita TV isn’t sure yet, but with the launch of the PS4 heading closer there is a big chance we will be hearing more about the Vita TV and it’s functionalities.

The Vita TV will cost around $100 USD and will only be available in Japan at launch. It’s not sure yet if western countries will be getting the Vita TV. A bundle with a DualShock 3 controller and an 8GB Vita memory card will also be sold, which will cost around $150 USD.

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Europe: PS+ September

PlayStation has announced the games that will be free to download for all PlayStation Plus members in September. The games that will be free this month definitely aren’t disappointing titles, and just like always there will be three new PlayStation 3 games and two new Vita games appearing in the PlayStation Plus instant game collection.

Assassin’s Creed III

That’s right, another AAA title this month. You probably know what the game is about, and since the game has been out for almost a year the chances are high that you have already played the game. Assassin’s Creed III will take you to America in the late 18th century, where you will take control of an assassin named Connor. The story of Connor will lead you through the game and you will meet many historic figures from the American history.

Jak and Daxter Trilogy

When you think about Naughty Dog, you might think about the Uncharted series and their latest game The Last of Us. But they have been making great games before they started with their most recent titles as well, and the Jak and Daxter Trilogy proves that. These platform action games can make you feel nostalgic if you have played these games in the past, and if you haven’t ever played them you should definitely give them a try. Note: Not sure if you will get the PS Vita version for free as well.

Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark (PS Vita)*

We haven’t been totally honest about how many Vita games you will be getting this month, since this game is both playable on the PlayStation 3 as it is on the PS Vita. This little 2D platformer will let you put some hours into it, if you don’t get too frustrated of some of the puzzles. While it isn’t the best 2D platformer out there, it’s still enjoyable.

Urban Trial Freestyle (PS Vita)

If you’re into motorbikes, this 2D race-stunting game might be something for you. The graphics of the game are pretty nice, and everything is 3D while the gameplay itself is in 2D. The game might be challenging, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the game.

New Little King’s Story (PS Vita)

The story is simple: a young boy finds a crown, and with that crown come certain powers. This adventure game sets place in a colorful fantasy world, where you will have to fight monsters and giants. You slowly gain more followers that listen to your command and you will have to make sure they will help you defeat your foes. A cute JRPG that will also appeal to kids, but if you dislike games that appear childish then you might want to skip this one.

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PS Vita as a PS4 controller

If you own both a PlayStation 4 and a PlayStation Vita that you will be able to use your Vita as a second controller for the PlayStation 4. This is a great addition if you own both devices, but there is a catch: the developer will have to implement this feature into the game themself, or it won’t work. Sony promises that this will almost be a mandatory requirement for the games on the PlayStation 4, so we are expecting it to be available within most titles for the console and definitely Sony’s own games. Since it depends on the developers, not every game will have this feature.Sony promises that nearly every PlayStation 4 title will have Remote-Play; this means you can use your Vita to play your PlayStation 4 games with your TV being turned off.

Since the layout of the DualShock 4 controller is different than the layout on the Vita, for example the lack of L3/R3 or L2/R2 buttons and I can also imagine it will be hard to use the Vita for games that need to use a camera in order for the game to work properly. Luckily the Vita has the rear touch pad, so it would be possible to assign the missing buttons on the backside of the handheld.

Let’s hope that this feature won’t be forgotten, it will be a nice addition to all the PlayStation Vita owners. Even if you don’t own a PlayStation 4 but you do own a Vita, you could bring your Vita over to a friend to use it as a controller on their console. It could become a very handy feature if it works out and developers don’t forget about it.

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