Three more games will be available for free to Stadia subscribers next month, while two new titles will be made available for purchase in the Stadia store.
An all-new Borderlands 3 expansion is just around the corner too. Guns, Love, and Tentacles: The Marriage of Wainwright & Hammerlock drops this Thursday.
The paid additions to Stadia’s library are The Crew 2 and Lost Words: Beyond the Page. However, Stadia Pro members also get access to a range of free games every month. In April, subscribers are set to enjoy some arcade-style fun, an absurd puzzle adventure and one of the weirdest shooters out there. Here’s our run-down of what’s new on Stadia in April…
The Crew 2
The Crew 2 is an impressive, ambitious racing title, which sees players race in cars, boats, bikes and aircraft. Players are invited to travel across a miniaturised USA in a wide range of vehicles, taking on all sorts of automotive challenges.
When we reviewed The Crew 2, we were impressed but found that some sections of the game’s large open world lacked depth.
Our reviewer said: “There’s so much to do in The Crew 2. Ubisoft Ivory Tower has crafted a miniaturised version of the United States that feels truly gargantuan… While hardly bereft of content, there isn’t a slither of personality to be found in this ambitious racer. It’s competent on all fronts, but without a soul to carry its many mechanics, The Crew 2 falls into the pits instead of roaring across the track.”
Lost Words: Beyond the Page
Lost Words: Beyond the Page is an unconventional gaming experience. Players are told a story through the lens of the mind of a young writer, Robin, who is creating an adventure story.
The game’s art style is hugely appealing and it has attracted plenty of positive critical attention. Primarily, it’s a 2D adventure platformer but the feature that will really hold gamers’ interest is the way that Lost Words tells its story. Take a look at the trailer below.
Serious Sam Collection
The first of Stadia’s free titles in April, the remastered Serious Sam Collection offers up some of the weirdest shooting games going. Players take on the role of Sam Stone, gunning down hordes of alien enemies with a variety of destructive weapons.
Those hordes get steadily bigger and, by the end of any of the Serious Sam titles in this collection, you’ll be seriously out-numbered and forced to negotiate some amusingly hectic firefights.
The Serious Sam Collection can be played in local or online multiplayer too, which adds to the ridiculous fun.
Stacks on Stacks (on Stacks)
This is another strange one. Stacks on Stacks (on Stacks) is an absurd stacking puzzle game with a colourful, weird atmosphere. You play as ‘Master Stacker’, Rockit, who uses a psychic helmet to build towers.
Take a look at the trailer below to get a feel for the game’s zany atmosphere.
Spitlings
Spitlings is a fast, fun arcade-style party game. Players jump around in the role of a ‘spitling’ firing spit at enemies and collecting spit to add to their arsenal. The gameplay is simplistic and basically targeted towards accessible party play.
Related: Best PS4 Games (March 2020) – 13 titles you definitely need in your collection
In other news, Stadia players are running out of time to get Metro Exodus and Thumper for free. March 31 is the last day to claim both games without paying a penny. Players who do claim the titles will still be able to keep playing them for free after that date though, as part of their Stadia subscription.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
