You can have a damn good time on the PS4 without spending a dime thanks to a number of free-to-play games populating the PSN store. Some of these free offerings rival what you’d expect out of a full-fledged $US60 ($80) game, if not surpass them. Here are our picks for the most worthwhile F2P PS4 games.
Fortnite
After being stuck in development hell, Fortnite has become one of the hottest games of the year – and with good reason. While the main zombie tower-defence mode costs money, Fortnite is worth downloading for the free Battle Royale mode.
Many folks felt sceptical about BR’s obvious Battlegrounds inspiration, but the game has blossomed into an excellent standalone experience. Yes, you spawn on an island where you desperately scrounge for weapons and resources in the hopes of surviving against 99 other players, but Fortnite has added its own twists to the formula.
You can craft shelter or ridiculous contraptions. You can vault into the air with launch pads to reach new areas or get the drop on unsuspecting enemies. You can craft yourself a bush to hide in, which can lead to all sorts of absurd hijinks. And now there’s a wild new 50 vs 50 mode.
Throughout all of these additions, Epic Games has also continually shown that they are listening to their playerbase when considering balance and bug fixes, all while being communicative about the changes. Fortnite’s happy-go-lucky vibe, coupled with a healthy, growing player base, make worth playing.
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/12/fortnite-battle-royales-new-50-vs-50-mode-is-awesome/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/qmln9d4dgdbmjrgudac3.png” title=”Fortnite Battle Royale’s New 50 Vs 50 Mode Is Awesome” excerpt=”Fortnite Battle Royale just got a 50 vs. 50 mode that’s everything I ever wanted a neighbourhood game of Cops and Robbers to be. It encourages a hive-mind approach to a battle royale game that works surprisingly well.”]
Gwent
Hearthstone launched a renaissance in digital card games, but few have truly broken away from the Magic: The Gathering mould that inspired it. Gwent has, though.
In the Witcher 3 mini-game turned standalone card game, each match plays out across three rounds and a battlefield of six rows. You trade turns with an opponent placing placing cards in a race to see who can rack up more points.
Some cards, like the titular witcher himself, boost your score, while others produce weather effects or unleash spells that hurt your opponents. With hundreds of different cards and five factions to choose from, the game facilitates many different play styles, all brought to life through gorgeous art and fully-voiced one-liners.
Though officially the game is still in beta, in practice it’s balanced and polished enough for prime time. While you can pay for new packs of cards if you want, using the ones the game gives you to start with and grinding for more from there is a completely feasible and satisfying way to build out a collection
-Ethan Gach
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/11/gwent-has-spent-the-whole-last-year-getting-good/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/piu7xyq0sh6ytnokfr3f.png” title=”Gwent Has Spent The Whole Last Year Getting Good” excerpt=”The studio behind The Witcher series announced its spin-off card game Gwent back at E3 2016. Over a year later the game still isn’t officially out yet, though CD Projekt Red clams it will launch before the end of 2017. During that time it’s grown into something special, so I’m here to say, if you still had any reservations about giving the game a shot, it’s time to set them aside.”]
Brawlhalla
Platform fighter Brawlhalla isn’t Super Smash Bros., but it scratches the same itch.
Players face off on platforms with original fighters, like the cyberpunk gunslinger Barraza or the undead warrior Nix.
Anyone who has the muscle memory for Super Smash Bros. can pick up Brawlhalla without much difficulty, but the game is welcoming enough for newbies to jump in too. Instead of each character boasting its own moveset, fighters battle with weapons like axes or scythes. There aren’t over-complicated maps.
Also, spiking opponents is super easy and, since players can jump three times, a lot of the fighting happens off-stage — techniques usually reserved for seasoned Smash players. For $0, anybody can compete locally or online with a rotating roster of six characters.
– Cecilia D’Anastasio
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/10/brawlhalla-the-kotaku-review/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/exhnhnxjbhyj4op3wix1.jpg” title=”Brawlhalla: The Kotaku Review” excerpt=”Brawlhalla Brawlhalla is a rebellious platform fighter born of a genre dominated by exactly one game. Unlike that game, it didn’t have 15 years of loveable Nintendo characters to work with, or four iterations’ worth of fans. Instead, Brawlhalla is weird. It’s got a fighter made out of the stars and galaxies of space who battles with a rocket lance, and a mode specifically for throwing snowballs. It’s a serious fighting game for the platform brawler fans who want something fresh and, simultaneously, a crisp and welcoming introduction for gamers who haven’t yet dipped their toes into the genre.”]
Let It Die
Strap up, because this is a Goichi Suda game. Let It Die is a strange dungeon crawler full of personality, blood, and a skateboarding skeleton. But don’t let the pop aesthetic fool you.
Let It Die is a brutal game with roguelike elements in which you traverse a monster-infested dungeon. Every life begins with you more or less naked and vulnerable, but as you progress, kill enemies and find random loot, you steadily become a more capable fighter. The trick is that you can lose it all in an instant, only to have to start over and climb through the ranks once again.
If you manage to get far enough, you’ll have to face off against your own frenzied corpse – that is, assuming the corpses of other players don’t snuff you out first.
Paladins
The best way to think about Paladins is that it’s a shooter similar to Overwatch, but with more of a MOBA bent.
You can expect similar character types, except here, once you pick a champion, you can’t change it. Each champion has a card loadout that influences abilities, and as you progress through a match, you gain currency to further upgrade your skills.
You’ll still be capturing points and moving the payload, but Paladins offers more control over how you play than games like Overwatch.
Warframe
What started as a nondescript free-to-play shooter several years ago has managed to become one of the most engrossing multiplayer grindfests around. Warframe‘s central campaign stretches across tons of different planets and missions that all combine to make a wonky space odyssey that’s irresistibly weird, like if Terry Gilliam directed a Destiny game.
There’s an army of cyborg clones, mega corporations, infected mutants, and mechanical aliens, all of whom you’ll shoot, stab, or zap with space magic. Every mission (and you will play hundreds of them) is ultimately in the pursuit of collecting materials and loot for crafting ever more badass weapons.
Fortunately, the game’s parkour element and fluid combat keep most of it from become too monotonous.
This year, Warframe also added the Plains of Eidolon, a big open world area where you can fish, mine, and hunt alongside other players in addition to all the usual “go kill that dude for a reward” stuff. If you ever got trapped on a desert island, this would be the game to have with you.
-Ethan Gach
Comments
18 responses to “Six Free PS4 Games Worth Playing”
Solid picks, though I’d probably replace Paladins with a generic: “Any fuckin’ MOBA, they’re all the same.” Smite, Paragon, whatever. If you HAVE to have a MOBA in there, anyway. I would’ve put Skyforge in there or something as better value for time.
I downloaded Fortnite on a whim and have been really enjoying it. It still feels early, but its a lot of fun. And the PVE element is going F2P next year as well.
Let It Die is surprisingly generous with its free stuff. I’ve played for a long while and I’m probably 50% through the main game content. It’s a little grindy, but that’s kind of what you get in those kind of games, free to play or not. I’ve never felt compelled to spend money. It would make life easier, but I’ve never felt like i need to.
It does have a bit of a stunlock problem, but other than that, it’s a goofy diablo/darksouls hybrid that works surprisingly well.
I’d toss in a few MMO’s as well, they’re usually pretty consistent these days. MMO of choice this week for me is Neverwinter, which I criminally underplayed when I first looked at it.
Would have also tossed in Marvel Heroes, but well… you know…
Do you need a playstation plus membership, or are they actually free?
If you do, then you may as well list all the Triple-A titles you get each month with the membership.
They are free, no subscription required. I have 234 hours notched up on Warframe, about 100 in Skyforge & just started playing Fortnite BR recently. I haven’t rejoined PS Plus since June this year.
“Throughout all of these additions, Epic Games has also continually shown that they are listening to their playerbase when considering balance and bug fixes, all while being communicative about the changes.”
Sorry Patrica, but this isn’t even close. As a early backer for a PvE only game, I can tell you they have been almost the opposite of your statement.
Misinformation is not a good article.
Still a fun game though.
Are you talking about the overall Fortnite game, or the battle royale aspect?
They can be both listen and not listen at the same time, and many commentators seem to agree that there is plenty of positive action in the free game at least.
If all someone plays is the Battle Royale, and that part of the game is getting attention needed to balance it, then the lack of support for the other parts of the game isn’t an issue for them.
That doesn’t mean they get a free pass for ignoring the paid content, but it does mean that in the context of the free content its accurate.
Given the story is about free games, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I think that’s what the author was going for.
@grunt is correct. The thing that’s been frustrating the hell out of early-backer PVEers like myself in Fortnite is precisely the fact that they’ve proven they can be responsive and communicative… but apparently only when it comes to fucking PVP.
By contrast, the PVE team seems to have entirely fucking given up, seemingly resentful of the fact that they’re not working on something fun and popular and full of shiny-new positivity like the PVP. Instead, us PVEers are grumbling about old bugs they STILL haven’t fixed and all the other chores they don’t wanna do or talk about because they’re fucking sick of it.
Sounds like anyone who’s ever brought a Starbreeze /Overkill product on console, Doesn’t matter if you brought Payday 2 on old consoles then on the new consoles, You can suffer says the evil overlords, In this scenario, Pc is pvp & consoles are PvE.
My favorite F2P on PS4 remains World of Tanks. Although they sell “premium” tanks, games are not decided by premiums as you can compete perfectly well with the free tanks. That said, most months there will be a premium tank on offer via completion of a (time consuming) mission. Ultimately there’s something satisfying (and deeply meaningful) about the simplicity of tank on tank battles… isn’t it just a reflection on life?
I do not have PS+ and am playing Fortnite on PS4.
As a recent convert to Warframe on PC. I cannot reccomend the game enough. Its a highly grindy game. But the combat and movements is just godlike and makes you feel like a space ninja with god powers.
Well worth a download.