The Monthly Grab Bag is a small look at the month’s free games available on PlayStation Plus, Games with Gold and various other platforms that put out freebies on occasion. Consider this your point of call if you need a gaming fix but funds are tight.
Monthly Grab Bag – March 2015
Playstation
6 new games this month and there are some real crackers. The pick of the bunch being a tie between CounterSpy (on all PlayStation systems) and OlliOlli 2 (on Vita and PS4).
CounterSpy is a cracking “Metroidvaina” title set in a fictional cold war where player takes the role of a super spy as he seeks to prevent nuclear war. The gameplay is pitch perfect mixing spy elements with the genre perfectly. It also works beautifully on the Vita making it an ideal game on the go.
OlliOlli 2 is the sequel to one of the most rage inducing, yet entertaining, games in recent memory. This skateboard game has more than a few shades of the Trials franchise in it’s DNA and it certainly scratches that “Perfect Run” itch.
Other games this month include the HD release of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee on PS4, The excellent war story of Valiant Hearts on PS4,the not quite so good Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishment and finally the interesting and confronting look at alcoholism and child abuse in the daring Papa Y Yo.
Xbox Games With Gold
3 absolutely smashing games this month. The first is Rayman Legends on the Xbox One. In this writer’s humble opinion 2D platforming hasn’t been done better than this wonderful game from Ubisoft. It oozes character and charm that hides the fiendishly difficult and entertaining gameplay. Don’t be put off by the cartooony exterior this is no walk in the park
Next we have Tomb Raider which is available for the first half of the month on 360. This smashing reboot took more than a few lessons from the Uncharted series but coupled it with a cracking story and much more realistic and vulnerable Lara Croft. A truly entertaining game.
Finally for the second half of March on 360 we have Bioshock Infinite. This game split some critics but for mine it was one of the best games in recent memory. The world of Columbia, the story and the characters were all top notch. Not to mention the head scratching yet thoroughly satisfying ending. If you haven’t played it now is the perfect time.
Origin On the House
PC gamers certainly don’t miss out this month with EA offering the 1993 version of Syndicate through it’s Origin platform for nothing. This classic strategy game has very little to do with the recent FPS remake and it is closer to something like X-com in terms of gameplay. A true classic that will run on any computer on the planet. Forget the old blocky graphics this is a timeless game that can be enjoyed by all.
