December 2016's Free PlayStation Plus and Xbox Games With Gold

By: Max Cannon

Every month Sony and Microsoft release a slew of "free" games on their respective platforms if you are already paying for an online subscription for either company. You don't need the newest console to take part either as both PlayStation Plus and Xbox's Games With Gold offer games on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (and even PlayStation Vita.)

The New Games of PlayStation Plus

Starting Tuesday, December 6th you can get these upcoming games for free if you have a PlayStation Plus subscription.

• Invisible, Inc. (PlayStation 4)
• Stories: Path of Destinies (PlayStation 4)
• Hyper Void (PlayStation 3)
• Tiny Troopers Joint Ops (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita)
• Color Guardians (PlayStation Vita - Crossbuy with PlayStation 4)
• VVVVVV (PlayStation Vita)

If you like indie games that no one has ever heard of, then oh man is it your month on PlayStation Plus.

Invisible Inc is a grid based stealth game with an art style reminiscent of PlayStation 4's transistor. The game is about making moves, planning strategy, and getting in and out as quietly as possible. The game received some high scores upon its original release last year, around the high 8's. Despite it's incredibly generic name, Stories: Path of Destinies was a reasonably well received game from the very few sources that actually reviewed the game. The art style is stand out, alongside some cool topdown sword fighting. A good game for PlayStation Plus that would've otherwise been skipped by most. 

Hyper Void is a pretty run-of-the-mill space shooter that just seems to be some PlayStation 3 filler. Tiny Troopers Joint Ops is a topdown shooter that looks more like a poor man's Dead Nation. It combines both games in the Tiny Troopers series and throws in a zombie mode. VVVVVV is a challenging platformer designed like an old school Atari game, while the game may not be as old as the games that inspired it it's been about 6 years since its original release.

The New Games of Xbox's Games With Gold

Starting on Thursday, December 1^st you can look forward to the first wave of games on Xbox One and Xbox 360, if you have a Gold subscription on Xbox.

• Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition (Xbox One)
• Outland (Xbox 360 & Backwards Compatible on Xbox One)

The second wave of games begins on Friday, December 16^th.

• Outlast (Xbox One)
• Burnout: Paradise (Xbox 360 & Backwards Compatible on Xbox One)

I had to do some research on almost every single PlayStation Plus game this month, but I'm very familiar with every game of Xbox's because 75% of them were free on PlayStation Plus at some point - and I love each of these games. Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is the updated version of the PS3/360 game that takes players to an open world version of Hong Kong, a great game with some fun car combat, decent fighting, and a cool lead character. Outlast is one of my favorite horror games of all time and was my most anticipated launch title on PlayStation 4. I love this game and if you haven't played it before I really suggest you play it now. 

Outland is a game developed by Housemarque, the team that developed Resogun, Aliennation, and Dead Nation, it's a rad little Metroidvania style side scroller. While Burnout: Paradise is an open world driving game about crashing your car and pulling off huge stunts. It was one of my favorite games of last gen on the Xbox 360 and I spent hours and hours playing it at friends' houses. 

My Winner This Month:

Though PlayStation Plus has had almost all of these games before I've gotta give it to Xbox this month. Each of the games offered through Games With Gold are games that accompany fond memories along with it. While PlayStation's lineup may be good, or may not be, these games are what defines indie! I'll be sure to try everything out, but I'm very excited to return to Xbox's lineup. 

Have Your Say!

Will you be picking up any of these games? Are you an Xbox or PlayStation person? Comment below!