In a completely unexpected way, Sony took advantage of the State of Play of February 23 to announce, well in advance of the usual roadmap, the line-up of games arriving in March in PlayStation Plus, Extra and Premium. The assist was provided by Tchia, a promising new adventure that returned to show itself precisely on the occasion of the event, receiving a release date and promising immediate publication on day-one in the Extra and Premium catalogue. Curious to find out all the other announced games as well? Here you are!
March’s new free games for PlayStation Plus Essential
• Battlefield 2042 | PS4 and PS5
• Minecraft Dungeons | PS4
• Code Vein | PS4
The line-up of new monthly free games for PlayStation Plus Essential is made up of Battlefield 2042, Minecraft Dungeons and Code Vein. All three will be available to download from Tuesday 7 March to Monday 3 April, meaning that the deadline to claim February’s free PlayStation Plus games is 6 March – don’t miss out!
The latest installment in the first-person shooter series from Electronic Arts and DICE, Battlefield 2042 is entirely devoted to multiplayer, being devoid of a single-player campaign. At the heart of the experience are as always the large-scale battles of historical modes such as Conquest and Breakthrough, which on PlayStation 5 are able to host up to 128 participants at the same time.
To wink at the historical fans of the saga, we think Battlefield Portal, a mode that offers maps, troops and gadgets from past episodes, leaving ample room for customization, while Danger Zone invites four players to work together to achieve a common goal.
Battlefield 2042 has become the protagonist of a subdued launch, but over time DICE has managed to correct the shot by meeting the demands of its users. In January, for example, it finally reintroduced the class system (Assault, Engineer, Support and Scout), which veterans know all too well. In a few days, on February 28 to be precise, it will also launch Season 4, which promises many new features in the form of maps, weapons and vehicles, as well as the fourteenth and last Specialist, Camila Blasco.
Of a completely different kind Minecraft Dungeons, an action-adventure game inspired by the classic dungeon crawlers. Set in the blocky Minecraft universe, it can be played solo or cooperatively by teams of up to 4 players. The mission? Rescue the villagers and defeat the evil Arch-dweller! As we were able to see in the Minecraft Dungeons review, the framed progression, the successful procedural map generation system and the high degree of customization will also be able to excite veterans of the genre.
Fans of action RPGs will find bread for their teeth in Code Vein, a production developed by the God Eater team under the direction of Hiroshi Yoshimura. In some ways inspired by Dark Souls, it is distinguished by a character design close to the imaginary anime and gameplay mechanics based on vampirism. In a world where humans are close to extinction, the vampires of Code Vein – the Revenants – rely on Mistletoe, a plant that generates drops of blood allowing them to maintain sanity. The avatar is able to absorb the bodily fluid of enemies (vampires unable to reason and driven by excessive bloodlust) to unlock new abilities to use in combat.
Just like in Souls, in case of difficulty you can ask for help from an online friend, who can then join you and your AI-controlled companion. You will know more by reading our review of Code Vein.
March’s new games for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium
• Thank you PS4 and PS5
• Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection | PS5
• Ghostwire Tokyo | PS5
• Immortals Fenyx Rising | PS4 e PS5
• Rainbow Six Extraction | PS4 e PS5
The PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium catalog will be renewed on March 21st and Sony has taken advantage of the State of Play to offer an appetizer of the line-up that will enrich it. The biggest news is clearly represented by Tchia, a colorful adventure that will debut in the service immediately on day-one in its versions for PS4 and PS5.
In an archipelago inspired by New Caledonia, you will be able to take control of the protagonist of the same name, a girl capable of jumping, sliding, climbing, swimming and, above all, taking control of every animal she meets. Using the creatures’ unique abilities, you can fly like a bird, explore the ocean like a fish, and dig for treasure like a dog.
To punctuate the progression you will find filmed sequences dubbed in the traditional local language and an orchestral score infused with local sounds. Tchia is also able to play a ukulele, an ability that will prove useful in some key moments in the story.
The offer of Uncharted: The Legacy of Thieves is particularly rich, which includes Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in an enhanced version for PlayStation 5.
The two adventures, the first with a Nathan Drake at the end of his career as a treasure hunter and the second with Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross in the footsteps of the Golden Fang of Ganesh in India, shine on the new generation console thanks to a cutting-edge technical sector, lightning-fast uploads, three-dimensional audio and support for the advanced features of the Dualsense. There are three graphics modes available: Fidelity in 4K at 60fps, Performance at 1440p at 60fps and Performance+ at 1080p at 120fps (on compatible panels).
March is also the month of Ghostwire Tokyo, a first-person action-adventure game developed by Tango Gameworks that launched as a console exclusive on PlayStation 5 last year. The period of exclusivity is approaching its conclusion (soon it will also appear on Xbox Series X | S), on the other hand you can enjoy it at no additional cost.
The population of Tokyo is in danger: supernatural forces from another world have invaded the Japanese metropolis and begun to kidnap the inhabitants. After making a deal with a ghostly entity, you can explore iconic locations such as Shibuya Crossing and Tokyo Tower, and unleash a deadly combination of upgradable elemental powers and ghost-hunting abilities. Read our Ghostwire Tokyo review to learn more.
Ubisoft contributes to the cause with two video games. The first, Immortals Fenyx Rising, is a solid mythological open world action RPG that sees Fenyx (a character freely customizable in appearance but which Ubisoft Quebec has imagined as a cunning red-haired warrior) embark on a mission to save the gods of Ancient Greece.
The adventure, partly inspired by that sacred monster that responds to the name of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, will put you in front of mythological monsters such as Medusa, the Cyclops and the Minotaur, tons of equipment and weapons to customize the protagonist and environmental puzzles well placed in the context of the huge open world. Enjoy the Immortals Fenyx Rising review.
The other Ubisoft game is Rainbow Six Extraction, a PvE cooperative tactical shooter for 1-3 players that puts you in the shoes of Elite Operators from the Rainbow Six universe to defeat an alien race known as the Archaens. Collaborative spirit and tactical approach will represent the best weapons at your disposal within the dangerous containment zones. The Rainbow Six Extraction review is also just a click away.
Others will probably be added to these games: as March 21 approaches, we expect the announcement of other titles for PlayStation 4 and PS5, as well as new classics specifically aimed at the Premium catalog. In the meantime, enjoy the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium games for February, among which Horizon Forbbiden West, The Quarry and The Legend of Dragoon stand out, and remember that there are nine games ready to leave PlayStation Plus Extra in March: get them done while you can!