On its PlayStation Blog, Sony has announced the games that will be available free of charge for PS Plus subscribers in April 2022. TECHBOOK has checked what the new titles are good for.
PlayStation Plus will launch in April 2022 with three games. Those who have a PS Plus subscription can download the titles free of charge from April 5th.
The free PlayStation Plus games in April 2022
PS Plus subscribers can look forward to three titles in April. But what good are the games? TECHBOOK has summarized reviews and player ratings.
Hood: Outlaws & Legends (PS4 + PS5)
Rival gangs of thieves clash for valuable loot in this online multiplayer game from Sumo Digital and Focus Home Interactive. Players can choose between four characters: Robin Hood equipped with a bow and arrow, his lover Marianne armed with a crossbow, Little John swinging a hammer and of course Brother Tuck, who is very defensive in the game with a flail. Collaboration is key in this action-packed co-op game.
Critics praise the creative basic setting and the atmosphere of the game. The balance between PvP and PvE elements and the sophisticated character mechanics are also well received. There are deductions for a lack of versatility and the monotony that eventually sets in. Anyone who has understood the mechanics from the ground up can still get cool skins in the thief shop; the game doesn’t have much more to offer so far. The meta score of 62 points reflects this.
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SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated (PS4)
The original of this platformer game was released in 2003 and since then it has garnered many fans. The 2020 remake by Purple Lamp Studios leaves the story of the (spoiler alert) robot army that wants to steal the legendary burger recipe from Bikini Bottom largely untouched. In any case, it is much more important which jumping skills Spongebob and his friends bring with them, because the entire game world can only be explored in cooperation. But new in the remake: the horde multiplayer mode.
The rehydrated version of the classic was well received by critics and players alike. The game world is varied and offers entertaining fun. Fans of the original get their money’s worth, as do newcomers; the graphic processing is generally considered successful. However, it is seen critically that there is no variance in the degree of difficulty. In general, too little has been changed in the template to offer real innovations. Although there is only a meta score of 62 points, the players rate the remake much more positively with 8.9 out of 10 points.
Slay the Spire (PS4)
with “Slay the Spire” one of the most successful roguelike titles of recent years comes to PlayStation Plus for free. In the card-based indie game from Mega Crit Games you fight your way through a varied dungeon with one of three warriors from room to room. In the turn-based skirmishes, it is then a question of playing your cards cleverly. The equipment collected per level also plays an important RPG-typical role on the way to the final boss.
This genre mix is generally well received. The current meta score of 89 proves that. The great fun and the challenging levels are particularly praised. The three fundamentally different characters, each requiring a very different approach, are positively emphasized, as are the umpteen possible combinations within a deck of cards. On the other hand, the graphics and animation and the practically non-existent story are less convincing.
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These games were free with PlayStation Plus in March
PlayStation Plus was also well positioned in March, with some really well-known titles. These can still be downloaded up to and including April 4th.
Ark: Survival Evolved (PS4)
This online multiplayer game is all about fighting for your own survival on a mysterious island. Because the island is populated by primeval – and deadly – dinosaurs, which must either be killed or tamed. Gathering resources and building shelters are also part of the survival aspect of the game. To survive against the dinosaurs, players can also build and upgrade weapons. You also have a choice: do you ally with the other stranded players or attack them to get their equipment?
Critics praise the game for its dense atmosphere, beautiful graphics and unique setting. However, there are penalties for the immature mechanics, too many game elements, all of which are only half finished, and a lot of bugs. That’s why there is only a mediocre Metacritic score of 69. The players are also annoyed by the optimization problems and many bugs, which is why the user score is even worse at 5.9 points.
Team Sonic Racing (PS4)
A classic arcade style kart racing game featuring the “Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing‘ series revived. In multiplayer mode, you can compete against friends on different slopes. You can also team up to share power-ups or boosts. Well-known characters from the Sonic franchise are available in three different classes to choose from. Players can unlock vehicle upgrades to customize their driving style.
With a Metacritic score of 72, “Team Sonic Racing“ Received average to good reviews. The game gets praise for its cooperative mechanics and fun races. However, some reviewers criticize the relatively limited game content, which offers too little variety in the long run. The player ratings are even slightly better, with a score of 7.4 points. Here, too, many write that the game would benefit from more variety, but that the team mechanics themselves lead to exciting races.
Ghost Runner (PS5)
Not for the faint-hearted: quick reflexes and timing are everything in this mixture of slasher and parkour platformer. In the cyberpunk megacity of Dharma Tower, climb from platform to platform armed with katana to defeat the tyrannical Keymaster. From the ego perspective, maximum concentration is required, because in “Ghostrunner‘ every hit is deadly.
The game has received good reviews from critics, which can be seen from the Metacritic score of 78. The tenor: as soon as you have overcome the entry hurdle of the brutal game mechanics, rewards “Ghostrunner‘ with adrenaline rushes. The reviewers also highlight the improved graphics of the PS5 version. The user score is slightly lower at 7.3. This could also be explained by the fact that the level of difficulty causes frustration for many players.
Ghost of Tsushima: Legends (PS4 + PS5)
“Ghost of Tsushima: Legends‘ is a cooperative multiplayer game released as an independent spin-off of the main game ‘Ghost of Tsushima“ acts. The game is inspired by Japanese folklore and mythology. This is already evident in the four character classes Samurai, Ronin, Hunter and Assassin. Players can fight together in four different game modes. For example in story mode, survival or matches with two against two players.
The game has not received enough reviews for a Metacritic score for either PS4 or PS5. The two available reviews state “Ghost of Tsushima: Legends“ but very good ratings with 90 and 95 points. They highlight the excellent mechanics and unique aesthetics that give the game great replay value.
PlayStation Plus Collection free for PS5 customers
Since the PlayStation 5 has been available since the end of 2020, the PS Plus games currently on offer also apply to the new console. But Sony goes one step further and gives all PS5 buyers the Plus Collection with a total of 20 games, including some hits.
The collection is intended to provide a basis for owners of the new console, for which there are not many new titles yet. The games are available for free download and can be played as long as PS Plus is subscribed.
Here is the full list of all 20 games in the collection
- Bloodborne
- Days Gone
- Detroit: Become Human
- God of War
- Infamous Second Son
- Ratchet and Clank
- The Last Guardian
- The Last of Us Remastered
- Until Dawn
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- battle field 1
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition
- Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy
- Fallout 4
- Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition
- Monster Hunter: World
- Mortal Kombat X
- persona 5
- Resident evil 7 biohazard