With all the excitement surrounding the launches of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S, console gamers might have expected some big changes to both platforms’ subscription-based services, but it seems that it’s still too early for any major changes as most people have not yet been able to get their hands on next-gen consoles. With January 2021’s line-up of free games, it’s apparent that both subscription services plan to continue supporting last-gen consoles for a little while longer.
Here are the free games you can grab on PS Plus and Xbox Games with Gold for January 2021.
PlayStation Plus Free Games for January 2021
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4)
If you snagged Rise of the Tomb Raider back when it was available for free in July 2020’s PS Plus line-up, you’re in for a treat as the biggest and latest entry in the Tomb Raider series, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is on this month’s PS Plus line-up. It’s the last entry in Lara Croft’s origin trilogy, and it features the best and most complex puzzles in all three games. You’ll also be able to tailor your gameplay experience to your preference, with combat, puzzle-solving, and exploration all have independent difficulty settings. Want to breeze through jungles and dungeons as Lara Croft would? You can do that! But you can also take the Dark Souls route and make everything extra hard, because why wouldn’t you?
GreedFall (PS4)
Pirates meet folk horror in this action RPG from Focus Home Interactive, who you might know for their works A Plague Tale: Innocence, Vampyr, and World War Z. In GreedFall, you can become your own nomad with a variety of customization options as well as an upgrade system that lets you decide how you want your character to fight. You can be a fierce shaman whose mastery of magic is second to none or even a stealthy pirate whose raiding prowess could rival even that of Edwin VanCleef. In GreedFall, the island is yours for the taking, and anything goes.
Maneater (PS5)
Since the launch of the PS5, monthly PS Plus offerings have increased to three rather than the usual two, and that’s to include new, PS5 versions of games for the lucky few who’ve already gotten their hands on a unit. In this month’s PS Plus lineup, the PS5 slot goes to Maneater, which is basically a shark simulator on steroids. In Maneater, you start off as a measly bull shark set on a quest for revenge against the fisherman who caught and killed your mother. As you devastate the seas and overcome human hunters as well as apex predators, you can evolve and mutate your little bull shark into a powerful predator that might as well be called a kaiju. It’s a straightforward game of overcoming challenges and growing stronger, but who doesn’t want to play a game where you can become the ultimate shark?
Xbox Games with Gold Free Games for January 2021
For Xbox and PC gamers, the best subscription service is undoubtedly Xbox Game Pass. It’s a monthly service that lets you play from a large selection of games on your PC and Xbox console, and it even includes day-one releases for Xbox. This month, the best game coming out on Game Pass is the Yakuza Remastered Collection, which includes games 3 to 5 of the series.
When you sign up for a Game Pass, you can also gain access to Xbox Games with Gold, which releases four free games per month. It’s a nice addition to Game Pass, as Games with Gold lets you own these games while Game Pass is basically a streaming/rental service. For January 2021, the Games with Gold lineup is pretty good, so you best not miss out on these freebies.
Little Nightmares
Dead Rising
The King of Fighters XIII
Breakdown
Which free game are you most excited about this month? Share your thoughts with us in the comments! And for more news and updates on each month’s free games up for grabs, make sure to stay tuned to our website and Facebook page.