Playstation Plus has had a great 2014 with excellent offerings on the Playstation 4, Playstation Vita and the ageing Playstation 3. In total the service has provided roughly an astounding $1349 worth of titles in just 12 months which is a very impressive feat. Since all of the Playstation Plus games for 2014 have been released it is time to look back and see which titles stood out the most:
(The rules for the list are simple; if a game came onto the Playstation Plus service in either North America or Europe in 2014 it is eligible to be a part of the top ten Playstation Plus titles of 2014.)
10: Outlast (PS4 February)
Outlast is hands-down the scariest title the Instant Games Collection has ever given us. The sound, the lighting and lack of any weapons makes creeping around the psychiatric hospital extremely intense. Everyone in the hospital is completely insane and out to get you. There are a plethora of jump scares to keep gamers on the edge of their seats in addition to a number of mysteries which keeps people coming back for more. While it may not be for everyone, Outlast is a great horror game which is worthy of your attention, just make sure you bring a spare change of underwear though.
9: Injustice: Gods Among Us- Ultimate Edition (PS4 December)
The only thing possibly more daunting than Outlast is Superman turning evil. Injustice tells the story of the Justice League gone rogue, taking political power for themselves and dictating who lives and who dies. The gameplay is very similar to Mortal Kombat therefore there is plenty of fun to be had after the credits roll. Unfortunately the game is not cross-buy but the PS4 version does come with all of the DLC including Scropion, Martian Manhunter and Arrow from his excellent TV show.
8: Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time (PS3/ VITA June)
After several years on a hiatus Sly Cooper and the gang have provided us one more remarkable adventure. The villains are great, the maps are great and the gameplay has enough variety to give any other platformer a run for its money. The game is one of the best titles available on the PS Vita with its colourful cast of characters including the returning Bentley, Carmelita and the MURRAY himself. Thankfully the game is also cross-buy so if you have a PS3 you can enjoy Sly’s adventure on the big screen.
7: Unit 13 (Vita March)
Unit 13 is quite possibly the most underrated game on the Playstation Vita. Zipper Interactive’s final game is an amazing third-person shooter which boosts incredible visuals and solid gameplay. There is plenty of depth to the missions as it is up to you if you want to take a stealthy approach or go in guns-blazing. When it comes to shooters on the Vita, Unit 13 is right up there with Killzone Mercenary.
6: DMC: Devil May Cry (PS3 January)
The Devil May Cry franchise is known for its fast gameplay, stylistic cut-scenes and extremely long combos. DMC does not disappoint providing a wealth of weapons to dispatch of foes in extremely painful ways. While Dante’s hair is not as white as most people want it to be, DMC is certainly of the same calibre of the PS2 classics. Besides any game that lets you punch Bill o’Reilly in the face is guaranteed to make the list.
5: Tomb Raider (PS3 March)
Just like Dante, Lara Croft’s reboot also managed to get on the Instant Games Collection. Tomb Raider is loved by critics and for good reason; it is very easily the best game in the franchise. Tomb Raider is about as close as we will get to an Arrow video game; it tells the story of a young adult trapped on an island and forced to use various primitive weaponry such as a bow to fend of enemies, some of which even have superhuman abilities. While there is no Deathstroke Tomb Raider is certainly worth downloading.
4: Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3/ VITA September)
Super Smash Bros Playstation is an awesome fighting game playable on both the PS3 and Vita. If you are a Playstation fan than this game has been a very long time coming. Just the idea of characters such as Ratchet and Jak duking it out is extremely cool so this game is definitely worth clearing some Hard Drive space for. The gameplay is tight and the special moves are among the best in fighting games. There is no other title which is more suited to the Instant Games Collection than Battle Royale and that is why it has to be on the list.
3: Bioshock Infinite (PS3 February)
Bioshock Infinite is considered by many to be the one of the greatest games of the past generation. With the unique setting of Colombia, gamers were truly on cloud nine while playing this incredible title. The combat is intense and satisfying while the characters like the hardened Booker DeWitt and the lovely Elizabeth were something to marvel at. Bioshock Infinite is quite simply an experience like none other.
2: Batman Arkham Asylum (PS3 October)
Batman Arkham Asylum was probably the most influential game of the last generation; this is because many other games quite blatantly stole the free-combat system which Rocksteady popularized. Sleeping Dogs, Assassin’s Creed, Uncharted, Remember Me, even Spiderman have all taken the initial blueprints to what Arkham Asylum introduced. Other things such as detective vision have also spread through the gaming world like a virus. For those two reasons alone Batman deserves another spot on the list, oh and I should probably mention that there is an amazing story, great voice-acting, cool ending and much, much more.
1: Hotline Miami (PS4/PS3/VITA April)
It is funny to think that with all the big blockbuster titles that dazzle us with amazing visuals and expensive motion capture that a 2D title which looks like it was made in 1997 is the top Playstation Plus title for 2014. Hotline Miami is a top down beat-them-up which hosts numerous weapons and numerous foes to dispatch of. The gameplay is fasted pace and relentlessly difficult. Hotline Miami boosts arguably the greatest soundtrack of the past ten years with mesmerizing songs which I still listen to today. Whether you are playing it on the PS3, PS4 or VITA, you cannot go wrong with Hotline Miami.
Well that’s just one possible top ten Playstation Plus list. Which games would make your list? Let everyone know in the comments below.