Even worse than the stuff PlayStation Plus owners get as part of their subscriptions – depending on personal tastes, of course. Where PlayStation 4 owners are getting some big name indies in The Binding of Isaac and Steamworld: Dig, Xbox One owners instead get something they’ve likely never heard of before.
On Xbox One, there’s the very much Rastan Saga flavoured throwback action platformer, Volgarr the Viking, It’s a very old-school game that’s more than just a little reminiscent of the sorts of games old people like me spent many a 20c in corner cafes on. It’s been out on Steam since September last year, where’s it’s available right now for just $11.99.
Xbox 360 owners can look forward to two games, one of which comes from the criminally underrated, delightfully charming Viva Piñata series. Players will be able to grow their incestuous, candy-filled creatures from November 1. From November 16, the second game unlocks – and it’ll take you all the way to Mars. It’s the 2009 Red: Faction sequel, Guerrilla. It’s a 3rd person, open-world action shooter that dispensed with the series’ lauded terraformation in favour of dynamically destructible cover and buildings. It’s not a bad game at all, though it does have quite a weak story.
As much as I love Viva Piñata, that’s a pretty poor line-up from both platform holders this month. I sincerely hope that the reason both have such miserable offerings is that they’re holding back the good stuff for the holidays.
Last Updated: October 31, 2014
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
October 31, 2014 at 08:08
Filled with fun lala lalalalalala FILLED WITH FUN!!
SHAKE IT SHAKE IT SHAKE IT SHAKE IT!!!!
CAE9872
October 31, 2014 at 08:09
You right about one thing – never heard about Volgarr before. So that is intriguing…
Pieter Kruger
October 31, 2014 at 09:11
Volgarr is just not my type of game but I see it won a shitload of awards by the Indie folk! All I could gather though is that it’s a notoriously difficult game! Even the launch trailer initially just shows the character dying, dying and then dying some more! ????
Captain JJ the pout
October 31, 2014 at 08:14
Watched some adventure time last night, all that header is making me think of is the talking pinata
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
October 31, 2014 at 08:16
Whatever happened to games like this. Microsoft used to care about these games, I remember playing Nuts and Bolts for hours on end. Glad to see Sony hasn’t forgot about that youthful and innocent type of games with Knack, Tearaway and LBP
FoxOneZA
October 31, 2014 at 08:18
You can’t find any Viva Pinata game in the gaming stores these days so it’s a welcome freebie.
Hammersteyn
October 31, 2014 at 08:33
LOL @ tags. Free games are still free I guess.
Gavin Mannion
October 31, 2014 at 08:52
Viva Pinata is one of the best games of the last generation… stupidly good game
Cadis Etrama Di Umar
October 31, 2014 at 08:58
A game no one talks about. Really good game, a shame that it never got the attention it deserved.
Pieter Kruger
October 31, 2014 at 09:08
Even with all it’s nominations and awards won, I won’t even bother getting Indie Volgarr, just not my thing! Viva Pinata though, what a gem!(see they’re sticking with the gardening theme with Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare also free on Xbox/EA Vault!????). Not sure about Red Faction, but I see it got a good Metacritic score so……
Hammersteyn
October 31, 2014 at 10:04
Micheal Meyers is behind the one pillar!
Shawn
October 31, 2014 at 10:15
Unless im mistaken, Red Faction does not even seem to be available on the ZA marketplace. Can anyone confirm? If so, it will be some replacement game I guess?
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
October 31, 2014 at 12:11
Checking With local MS. They;’re gonna get back to me.
Shawn
October 31, 2014 at 17:12
Oops, never mind. I found it. When searching under R it wasn’t showing up but then i manually scrolled through all the “action” games, and it was there. Soz.