Sony has just announced its suite of free PlayStation Plus games for October. Starting Tuesday, October 2, Plus subscribers will be able to get their hands on two unique PlayStation 4 games: Laser League and Friday the 13th: The Game.
PlayStation 3 users aren't being left out in the cold yet, with Master Reboot and The Bridge coming to lovers of Sony's last-gen console. Meanwhile, fans of the underappreciated Vita handheld will get to play Rocketbirds 2: Evolution and 2064: Read Only Memories. Outside of the normal monthly rotation, there are still free games available for Plus users: the VR title, Here They Lie, and the PlayLink trivia game, Knowledge is Power.
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Finally, Plus owners will have exclusive access to the Blueshift Pack for H1Z1, which offers some fun bonuses for fans of the free-to-play battle royale title. Plus remains a great investment for fans of PlayStation, and these games offer dozens of hours of enjoyment for many different flavors of gamer.
Friday the 13th: The Game
The future of Friday the 13th: The Game has been in flux ever since a lawsuit over rights and ownership of the property the cancellation of planned future DLC, including content based on Jason X. However, it seems all is not forsaken at Camp Crystal Lake. Original developers IllFonic have been taken off the game, and a new team, Black Tower Games, is taking over to oversee its future, whatever that may be.
Perhaps this behind-the-scenes drama may have deterred new players from taking a chance on the game, which is why releasing it on PS Plus feels like a perfect idea. Friday the 13: The Game is an asymmetrical multiplayer title with teams of easily disposed camp counselors taking on the primal, savage, unstoppable force that is Jason Voorhees.
While the game launched in a somewhat crippled state, with more lag, bugs, and glitches than are acceptable, numerous post-release patches really helped fix things up, and the fandom agrees that the game is finally living up to its potential as the ultimate slasher movie simulator.
Laser League
This trippy 3v3 laser combat game comes from Roll7, the developers behind the acclaimed skateboarding series, OlliOlli. With a visual look inspired by Tron, or a classic Atari game brought to life with modern, HD visuals, and impressive lighting effects.
Laser League has all the makings of being the next cult multiplayer hit, as well as the ambition to be the next e-sports sensation. Following in the footsteps of Rocket League, Laser League is making its PlayStation debut on PlayStation Plus, hoping that players will take a chance on its esoteric premise and get hooked by its strategic and chaotic gameplay.
PS3 Games
On PS3, Master Reboot and The Bridge offer two very different takes on the puzzle genre. Master Reboot is a first person exploration game involving the investigation of memories through a computer program, not entirely unlike the recently-released PS4 game, Transference.
The visual style and gameplay mechanics of The Bridge are clearly inspired by the work of artist M.C. Escher. His surreal and mathematically precise art have confused and inspired audiences for generations. The stages change depending on the player's perspective, and every wall can be traversed. It's a bit mind-warping, but in a good way, and the story's trail of breadcrumbs is just as compelling as the gravity-defying puzzle-platforming itself.
Vita Games
The PlayStation Vita may be all but dead and buried, but there's still plenty of joy to be found in the nifty little device. Rocketbirds 2: Evolution continues where the first game left off, following Hardboiled Chicken as he fights evil penguins and space owls. It's jolly fun, but with tight, side scrolling gameplay and a vibrant art style.
2064: Read Only Memories is inspired by classic adventure games like Snatcher and Secret of Monkey Island. Its point-and-click interface and pixel graphics are charming and old-fashioned, and the cyberpunk sci-fi story is as compelling as it is optimistic about a progressive and inclusive future.
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What do you think of this month's PS Plus games? Will you be playing any of these during breaks from Red Dead Redemption II and Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII? Sound off in the comments!