Subscription wars: which platform’s free games this February are best

UPDATE: An insightful forum member going by the name Solitude pointed out that I had miscalculated the value of each service, and I thought it only right I share the new calculations.

When calculating the best value for rand, PlayStation Plus actually comes out on top:

Xbox Gold: R14.92
PlayStation Plus: R16.68
Humble Bundle: R7.12

Nevertheless, the cost of the games you’re given hardly matters most, and the quality of experience each offers (subjective as it may be) is what had me giving the edge to Humble Bundle.

Original Story: We recently covered the past few months as well as the respective free games that came with each platform’s leading subscription service: PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold and Humble Monthly Bundle.

Humble Monthly Bundle vs. PlayStation Plus vs. Games with Gold: a value comparison

Whether you’re a fan of PS Plus, an Xbox Live Gold member or a subscriber to Humble Bundle’s monthly bundle, February’s free games have arrived.

As promised, we take a look at the best value for money and the overall quality of the games included within each.

Humble Monthly Bundle

Total Value: R1354.00 | Average Score: 78.50%

Humble Monthly Bundle, at $12 per month, is the most expensive of the bunch, but in its short life it’s also been the most impressive, and this month looks to be no different.

Released in 2014, Alien: Isolation is the star title this month, pitting you against the perfect predator and ultimate killing machine.

Its atmosphere is terrifying, its visuals are particularly good on PC, and it’s the perfect horror title for practically anyone.

Although the game received mixed reviews back when it was released, it still went on to win a few accolade for its outstanding audio, as well as a number of impressed critics and users alike.

On top of Alien: Isolation, you also get:

Games	Reviews	Retail Price
Alien: Isolation	81%	R489.00
Broken Age	76%	R269.00
Penarium	80%	R109.00
Dropsy	80%	R109.00
Titan Souls	74%	R159.00
Volume	80%	R219.00

Just by the way, we adored Titan Souls and would happily pay the $12 for it alone. Think top-down Shadow of the Colossus, only much more vibrant and alive.

And the rest of the games are hardly shabby either, all of which have received a very positive rating or better on Steam.

PlayStation Plus

Total Value: R1668 | Average Score: 75.33%

PlayStation Plus for February is led by Helldivers, the cross platform top-down shooter in which players search the galaxy, planet by planet, for resources to help fight an intergalactic war.

From the creators of Magicka, every planet will have its own set of inhabitants, each of which are ready to take on anyone who dares trespass down, and so the gun fight begins.

It’s quite the enjoyable game, although we’d strongly recommendy you play with at least one other friend.

PlayStation Plus customers also gain access to:

Games	Reviews	Retail Price
Helldivers	84%	R299.00
Nova-111	73%	R218.00
Nom Nom Galaxy	70%	R204.00
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax	84%	R429.00
Lemmings Touch	63%	R149.00
GRID Autosport	78%	R369.00

Our favourite is Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, something we’ve mentioned before. It’s an awesome fighter, if ever there was one.

Games with Gold

Total Value: R746.00 | Average Score: 75.75%

Games with Gold for February has some pretty decent titles; of these, Hand of Fate and Gears of War 2 are both the highlight of the month.

Hand of Fate is a hybrid roguelike/action-RPG/deck builder, and it’s well worth diving into.

This trading card game comes to life as you build your deck, which is then used to defend yourself as you traverse the dungeon below.

Gears of War 2, on the other hand, needs no introduction.

Games	Reviews	Retail Price
Hand of Fate	80%	R169.00
Styx: Master of Shadows	69%	R249.00
Sacred Citadel	63%	R129.00
Gears of War 2	91%	R199.00

But perhaps the best aspect of Games with Gold now is that Xbox 360 games are generally backwards compatible capable on the Xbox One, giving you more bang for your buck.

Here is a summary of all three offerings this month and how they compare. It seems that Xbox Live Gold members are getting the short end of the stick this month as the line-up, when looking at it from a value point of view, is lacking real value for money.

The backwards compatability does negate that somwhat, sort of levelling out the balance. That said, we think Humble Bundle offers by far the best collection of games this month.