Now that April is in full swing, Sony and Microsoft are gearing up for the PlayStation Plus and Games with Gold releases.
The next PS Plus free games line-up includes PlayStation exclusive Days Gone, as well as Zombie Army 4. That’s on top of Oddworld Soulstorm, which is free to subscribers on the day of launch.
The free PS4 and PS5 games will be available to download on the morning of April 6.
Xbox Games with Gold subscribers, on the other hand, can pick up four new games in April – two of which are out now.
The headline new game is Vikings: Wolves of Midgard for Xbox One, which is available from April 1 until end of play on April 30.
It will be joined by Capcom’s Xbox 360 release Dark Void, which is free from April 1 until midnight on April 15.
The free games line-up will be updated on April 16, when Xbox One release Truck Racing Championship joins the service, alongside Hard Corps: Uprising.
With the next batch of games announced and ready to go, let’s pit Sony against Microsoft in the battle between PS Plus and Games with Gold.
The headline new PlayStation Plus game is Oddworld Soulstorm on PS5: “Oddworld: Soulstorm continues Abe’s evolutionary story,” reads the official Oddworld Soulstorm description.
“You will learn that revolutions start small, but real and lasting change requires the power of many and the power of hope. And that opposing forces will use every means at their well-funded disposal, from propaganda to brute force, to beat back even the smallest uprising.”
Days Gone, on the other hand, is an open-world action game set in the American Midwest. The twist, however, is that the world is overrun by zombies.
“Ride into a desperate, dog-eat-dog open world of the Pacific Northwest as drifter and bounty hunter, Deacon St. John. Risk the threats of the broken road on the back of your trusty bike as you face swarms of mindless feral Freakers – and equally terrifying humans.”
Finally, Zombie Army 4 is an entertaining shooter from UK studio Rebellion: “Hitler’s hordes are back for more in this spine-chilling shooter from the makers of Sniper Elite 4.
“Abominable occult enemies, epic weapons and a harrowing new campaign for 1-4 players await in 1940s Europe, as you fight to save humankind from undead Armageddon.
“Continue the alternate history of Zombie Army Trilogy in huge new levels, and uncover a sinister plan that takes the Survivor Brigade across Italy and beyond.”
Over on Xbox, Vikings: Wolves of Midgard kicks things off on Xbox One, followed by Truck Racing Championship: “Journey to the shores of Midgard, a world based on mythology with a fantasy twist. Join a notorious band of Viking warriors and take up the fight against the fearsome Jotan and the beasts of Ragnarok.
“Master mighty weapons including sword and shield, two-handed hammers, axes, and bows, and vanquish the fiendish creatures of Fimbulwinter which threatens to end all life.”
Truck Racing Championship, meanwhile, features 45 vehicles across 14 circuits: “Take the wheel behind giant 5-ton, 1,000 horsepower semi-trucks in a completely new racing experience. Featuring all the unique challenges of the European Truck Racing Championship, drive 45 different vehicles in 14 worldwide circuits.
“Consider the weight of the truck when cornering, monitor tire wear, and find the best tactics to win the race.”
Two Xbox 360 games are also included, beginning with Dark Void, followed by Hard Corps: Uprising.
“Step into the Void, a sinister parallel world full of hostile aliens and deep mystery. Dark Void showcases powerful weapons, where a combination of ground-based combat and jetpack powered dogfights bring a thrilling dynamic.”
Unfortunately for Microsoft, Sony has once again delivered another fantastic line-up of free games.
While Oddworld: Soulstorm is yet to be released – and therefore hasn’t been rated – there’s no reason to suspect that it won’t be a corker.
Days Gone, meanwhile, isn’t up to the same high standard as other PlayStation exclusive, but it’s still a very good game. Zombie Army 4 Dead War is another enormously entertaining game, especially in multiplayer.
With the exception of the excellent Hard Corps Uprising, the Xbox Games with Gold releases are all pretty low-key and underwhelming.
Indeed, it’s another easy victory for Sony, which continues its trend for excellent PS Plus releases.