8 bargain Xbox One and PS4 games to download for the long weekend

Three of them are absolutely free…

With restrictions on movement throughout the Eid Al Fitr period, we’ve come up with 10 ways to ‘console’ yourself through videogames.

Are you ride or die team Sony? Is the Master Chief your wingman? Both Xbox and PS4 players are catered for in this list and all the options are download friendly (through the Microsoft and Playstation stores), so you don’t even have to leave the house to get them.

Some prices may vary as are based on limited time offers.

Xbox One

Destiny 2

It’s almost three years since this free-to-play first-person-shooter (FPS) game was released and thanks to developer tweaks and intense gameplay, it still feels as fresh as a Nessusian breeze. Players take control of a ‘Guardian’ gifted with elemental powers and must battle through either player versus environment or player versus player settings. The variation in game modes, size of the worlds you can explore, player ranking and weapons systems make it, in our humble opinion, a far better option to plough online multiplayer time into than the likes of PUBG, Fortnite and APEX Legends.

Free, 16+

Vigor 

One of the best examples of the online open-world survival genre. It’s a ‘looter shooter’ set in a post-apocalyptic Norway where players must survive on meager resources, build shelter and outlive rivals. So 2020 basically. Bleak and intense, this 8-12 player game is designed to set up nail-biting one-on-one confrontations and thrifty resource management.

Free, 16+ 

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration

One woman army, Lara Croft returns in this stunningly-rendered 4K-playable follow-up to the rebooted Tomb Raider origin story. The spaghetti-strapped Spartan heads into Siberia on the hunt for a mysterious artifact (naturally) that promises eternal life. Handy in her line of work. This special edition comes with a bunch of extra downloadable content (DLC), like player skins, level expansions packs, weapons and bonus modes. Aside from being beautiful to look at, like Lara herself, it’s deep, complicated and will punch you straight in the throat if you underestimate it for even a second.

USD8.09 (about Dhs30), 18+

L.A. Noire

This game is one of the best pieces of evidence in the case for treating storytelling in videogames as a legitimate art form. We first played it through on the original Xbox 360 version almost a decade ago, and were blown away by the depth and creativity of it. The game is a film noir-inspired tale of corruption and mystery, set in late 40s Los Angeles. You take the role of Detective Cole Phelps, a tough no-nonsense cop on the trail of a grand conspiracy. Gameplay involves a mixture of driving, problem-solving and fighting along with the opportunity to flex your investigative skills through clue-finding and witness interrogation.

USD21 (about Dhs77), 18+

Just a quick note on the Xbox Ganes Pass. It’s a subscription service that’s usually USD15 per month, but they’re currently offering one month for USD1, if you’re not already signed up. Signing up gets you free access to titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Red Dead Redemption 2, Forza Horizon 4, Rocket League, Secret Neighbour, PES 2020 and Tekken 7.

PS4

Don’t even think 

A smart little twist on the battle royale genre. Playable characters are split between humans and werewolves — humans are tasked with surviving the night and escaping in a helicopter whilst the werewolves are there to make sure that doesn’t happen. Humans can co-op against the flesh-hungry man-beasts or eliminate each other out as they attempt to ‘get to the choppa.’ Obviously opting for the former is the wisest choice, but show us a soul that can resist a last-minute double cross and we’ll show you a soul that’s tired of life. Plug-in for hours of jump-scare fun.

Free, 16+

NBA 2K20

If you’re a fan of basketball and gaming, we’re quite sure you’ve already got your hands on this title. But for everyone else, this is the jump-off. Slapping graphics, innovative player control and challenging competitive action – the NBA 2K series is without a doubt one of the best sport simulator experiences out there.

USD6 (about Dhs22), 3+

Tricky Towers

This Tetris-esque puzzle game won our heart with some of the most frantic multiplayer fun on the market. Players must stack stable towers of (suspiciously familiar-looking) blocks, whilst casting spells to hamper opponents. It’s simple, hugely moreish and equal only to Mario Kart in its ability to summon the dark side of competitive streaks.

USD7.59 (about Dhs28)

Just Cause 4: Complete Edition

This sandbox-style shoot’em up supplies gaming smiles through intense over-the-top action, wild chicanery and guns, lots of guns. Set in third-person, players take control of Rico Rodriguez, on his body count-riddled search to uncover the truth of his father’s involvement the nefarious militia known as The Black Hand. The Complete Edition comes with a huge bundle of DLC including expansion packs, and premium kit.

USD15.74 (about Dhs58), 18+

Images: YouTube