PlayStation Plus gave members the chance to vote for one of the free games featured in September’s line-up of downloadable titles – and the stunning Grow Home trumped Armello and Zombie Vikings to take the top spot!
Voters who really, really wanted to get their hands on Armello or Zombie Vikings (surely, one of the best-titled games ever) for free can take comfort in PS Plus’s special offer: members can get a 30% discount on both games between September 1st and 15th.
As well as Grow Home, gamers can choose from an impressive range of free titles, covering the gamut of playing styles, from adorable platformers to driving-based goodness. Let’s take a closer look!
Grow Home (PS4)
This looks ideal for gamers hungry for something a little different. Grow Home tells the tale of BUD (Botanical Utility Droid), sent on a quest to find a new species of flora to oxygenate his home-world: when he discovers the Star Plant, he then has to grow it to maturity, harvesting the seeds it produces along the way – nurturing it will create a huge two-kilometre-high bridge spanning the ground to his space-ship.
During his adventure, BUD will need to explore floating islands, meet unusual animals, and find strange plants. As the Star Plant is an organic being, helping it to grow and take its proper form is key – the shape itself is all down to the player to decide. BUD can pull, push, and grab objects to move around the various environments; he can also climb, adding verticality to the exploration. As the Star Plant grows, BUD can use teleportation pads, bouncing leaves, leaf gliders, and flower parachutes to move around with ease.
This is a gorgeous game, with an adorable hero, accessible gameplay, and a unique concept.
Super Time Force Ultra (PS4, PS Vita)
This is a side-scrolling shooter based around the Super Time Force: a time-travelling military group aiming to make the present better by visiting various past eras, such as the middle ages, prehistoric times, and the future.
One major gameplay feature is the ability to rewind the timestream once the player’s character dies: this then lets you go back to a previous character’s run, or restart on a new one. Players are given 30 lives to make their way through the levels – the action is kinetic, frenetic, and not for the faint-hearted. With more than 16 different characters, 6 stages, and a huge range of powers and/or weapons, the original version of Super Time Force offered plenty of diversity and replay value – and Ultra offers even more.
While the original game featured plenty of content, Super Time Force Ultra (cheekily abbreviated to STFU) has more than 50 mission levels and special guest characters (from such games as Team Fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead).
Xeodrifter (PS4, PS Vita)
Xeodrifter is a 2D platformer featuring retro 8-bit-style graphics, built as an homage to the classic games of the 80s: developed by Renegade Kids, this follows an astronaut whose ship is damaged by an asteroid. In order to repair his vehicle, our hero needs to venture to four nearby planets – each one of these has a different look & feel: they can be visited in any order the player decides, but access to certain new areas can only be attained using specific power-ups. Taking inspiration from the beloved Metroid series, this gives gamers some old-school fun, and is jam-packed with 8-bit charm players of all ages will fall for.
Twisted Metal (PS3)
As a reboot of the franchise, Twisted Metal is based around vehicular combat, offering plenty of multiplayer fun for up to 4 people on split-screen, and 16 online. Featuring different arcs based around various characters, Twisted Metal’s plot features Sweet Tooth, a clown-themed killer, Daniel Grimm, Dollface, and the Preacher.
Gameplay is fast-paced, filled with all kinds of bizarre, over-the-top stunts, providing all the fun & weirdness the series became known for. Various modes – such as Nuke Mode (in which players on different factions must work together to launch a nuclear missile) – are included, for added versatility and longevity.
Teslagrad (PS4, PS3)
This 2D side-scrolling puzzle-platform game is based around magnetism & assorted electromagnetic powers: players must use these to make their way through Tesla Tower. Featuring platforming, limited combat, and puzzling, this puts players in the role of a young boy caught up in an ancient conspiracy.
Teslagrad features stunning hard-drawn artwork, sweet music, and challenging puzzles – along with Xeodrifter and Grow Home, this offers players a fun, nostalgic adventure in the tradition of classic games.
La-Mulana EX (PS Vita)
PlayStation Plus has given gamers another title influenced by old-school classics in La-Mulana EX. As a remake of the original game – La-Mulana, released in 2005 – this promises to provide more direction to help gamers overcome its many challenges, but should still give players plenty to sink their teeth into.
Built as a tribute to the uber-hard games of the past – in which difficulty levels were somewhat unforgiving and precision was key – La-Mulana EX puts players in control of a hat-wearing explorer as he makes his way through various environments. Puzzles must be solved, monsters must be overcome, and trial-and-error features fairly heavily. As a gamer in need of a title with added challenge, La-Mulana EX may be just what you’re looking for!
All of these titles will be available to PS Plus members from the first Tuesday of September.
Which ones are you most excited about? Let us know!
