Playstation Network
BEST PLAYSTATION PLUS FREEBIES OF 2018
Best things in life are FREE.
by Oscar Portillo / Felipe Parada
It's that time again, the time where we look back fondly at some of the best games of 2018. 2018’s PlayStation library was chock full of Game of the Year Nominees like God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man and many more. Let’s not forget that 2018’s PlayStation Plus Library was absolutely insane with blockbuster games like Bloodborne, Ratchet & Clank, Mad Max, XCOM 2, Call of Duty Black Ops 3.
A total of 76 games were given out in 2018 with the total cost coming in at $1508.74. We would have to say this year had one of the better lineups. It’s going to be hard to pick our favorite but as PlayStation Plus subscribers we will look back on the Best PlayStation Freebies of 2018.
Oscar Portillo
5. Burley Men at Sea
This is more of an experience then a game. It stars three Burley seamen with a minimalist design. It has charm, wit and a sense of humor that hits right. Play times are short, about ten minutes. With several branching paths, that are fun and really sparks some emotions. I did not think I would like this game as much as I did.
4. Uncanny Valley
Uncanny Valley is a spooky game that should be tried. It is a pix-elated game and that adds to the unique flavor here. You are a night watch man in charge of keeping a pilot light on until the robotics facility gets bought. You can collect audio tapes and play arcade machines. The second half of the game goes into survival horror, but in 8 bit.
3. Friday the 13th: The Game
For Halloween we got Friday the 13th. And what an experience this game is. Online only, you need to team up with fellow counselors and try to escape camp Crystal Lake and not get murdered by Jason. One random player is Jason while everyone else are the counselors. Jason has special abilities, while the counselors have to team up and escape either by boat, car.
2. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
I was really surprised when this game showed up in January of 2018. Kicking off 2018 with a bang. And a trend that would continue throughout the year. Big budget games showing up on PS Plus. Simply put if you liked Deus Ex: Human Revolution. You will like Mankind Divided.
1. Bloodborne
Bloodborne in my opinion is still the best game on the PlayStation 4. I'll even go as far as say that it's the best game of this generation. I picked up Bloodborne when it first came out in 2015. I am glad it got a breath of new life when the game was released as part of PlayStation Plus. Beginners should beware, it has a steep learning curve. But once you get the hang of it. The combat is so rewarding. I will also recommend the DLC as it has some of the best weapons in the game.
Honorable Mention: Q*bert Rebooted - It's Q*bert enough said!
Felipe Parada
5. Uncanny Valley
With games like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, God of War Remastered still on the list, why would I put a game like Uncanny Valley among-st the best? It’s just a really, really bizarre game that needs to be played. I wrote a review on it which you can read here.
In a nutshell it's an odd experience that needs to be played multiple times in order to appreciate its “Uncanny-ness.” That’s literally the first message you are given when you boot up the game. One part The Shining and one part Five Nights at Freddy's, Uncanny Valley is very little on story but makes up for it in atmosphere and exploration. For this reason alone you should at least try it.
4. Yakuza Kiwami
This game made the list because of shock factor alone. The Yakuza Series is finally starting to gain traction in the west due to the incredibly received Yakuza 0. When I found out that Yakuza Kiwami was coming as part of the free PlayStation Plus games of November, I fell out of my chair. Seriously I was leaning back and I fell out of my chair. Sadly enough, I’ve never played a Yakuza game till Yakuza 0 and it was so worth the wait.
Taking place after the events of Yakuza 0, you continue the adventure of Yakuza lieutenant Kazuma Kiryu as he takes the blame for a crime his friend committed. Bolstering the same game engine from Yakuza 6, the remake of the original Yakuza looks better than ever. I'm looking forward to reliving one of the best game franchises developed by SEGA.
3. Bloodborne
So I bought Bloodborne when it released back in 2015, so why am I including this in my list? Well, to those who didn't pick it up initially, this is the best deal you'll get. We actually went back to play Bloodborne when this was announced.
Upon revisiting Yharnam we realized one thing, Bloodborne is one of those games you either love or hate. I hated the fact I loved this game so much. This game will forever remain on my Hard Drive no matter how little room I have. Once you thought you had the enemies figured out, you were kindly reminded that you still had a got to learn.
The fact that there was no mini-map and no objective markers made exploration an absolute delight. You never knew what you were going to find. I actually got lost various times in the forbidden forest, and I'd do it all over again. DEATH TO FATHER GASCOIGNE!
2. Batman: The Telltale Series
This game really took me by surprise. I always knew that Telltale Games (R.I.P) could produce really good story driven games but Batman: The Telltale Series really took storytelling to the next level. I wrote a review of the first episode which you can read here. Who knew that playing as Batman and Bruce Wayne could deliver in a multitude of ways.
And that’s the thing. We are so used to playing as the caped crusader that we forget how important Bruce Wayne is. The real question that needs to be asked is, Can Bruce Wayne save Gotham City? Considering that this game was FREE made the experience that much sweeter.
1. Ratchet & Clank
I can't begin to say how much I loved this game. I loved it so much that I wrote an article on Insomniac Games design formula. This was my real first venture into the Ratchet & Clank franchise and I couldn't have chosen a better place to start. I wasn't aware that this this installment was a reboot of the original Ratchet & Clank.
This game had it all, tight shooting mechanics, brilliant platforming, amazing visuals and a story that went out of their way to break the 4th wall. Insomniac really knows how to make games and it shows with Ratchet & Clank. I'll go as far as putting this in the category of “Best PlayStation 4 Games.”
Honorable Mention: Mafia 3
What was your favorite 2018 PSN Freebie? Let us know in the comments below.