Every month brings with it a fresh batch of free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers to claim for their digital libraries, and usually, the free games are met with fanfare from the community. With three games available between PS4 and PS5, there's almost always something for everyone, though some months face more criticism than others. The free PlayStation Plus games for October 2021 are facing some backlash online as it seems many subscribers aren't impressed by the lineup.
Sony recently revealed the free PS Plus games for October 2021, which will be added when the PlayStation Store updates on Tuesday, October 5. The free PS Plus games for October 2021 consist of Mortal Kombat X and PGA Tour 2K21 on PS4, and Hell Let Loose on PS5, and while there are certainly people who are happy with the offerings, there are many online who have voiced their discontent with the free games.
For those wondering, these appear to be the main reasons why some PS Plus subscribers aren't thrilled with the offerings for October 2021.
Hell Let Loose (Multiplayer Only)
Hell Let Loose is the free PS5 PS Plus game for October 2021, and it marks yet another time when the free PS5 game is a brand new release. Hell Let Loose being a brand new game should be enough for many subscribers to be satisfied with it, but others aren't thrilled. The reason seems to be that Hell Let Loose is a multiplayer-only game with no single player options whatsoever, and so those who prefer to play single-player games feel left out.
Hell Let Loose could very well be a great game, and in fact, the reception from the PS5 exclusive beta seems to be mostly positive. However, it's yet another multiplayer-focused free PS5 game in a string of them, with Overcooked: All You Can Eat being the free PS5 game last month and it preceded by Hunter's Arena: Legends in August.
It's safe to say that some PS Plus subscribers are getting impatient for single-player gaming experiences and so have dismissed Hell Let Loose before they've really given it a proper chance. However, one could argue that it makes sense for multiplayer games to be made available as free PS Plus titles, especially those that are multiplayer-only. This way the games have an immediate influx of players. It worked wonders for Rocket League back in the day, and so it will be interesting to see if its status as a free PS Plus game helps out Hell Let Loose as well.
Mortal Kombat X (Six Years Old, PS Plus Collection)
Mortal Kombat X is a critically-acclaimed fighting game and earned even stronger reviews than its successor, Mortal Kombat 11. It features an impressive roster of playable fighters, including unique guest characters like Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees that aren't available to play in the newest game. Despite this, there still seems to be many PS Plus subscribers who aren't happy about Mortal Kombat X being one of the free PS Plus games for October 2021, with the complaints boiling down to how old it is.
Mortal Kombat X is six years old, which is much older than the other two free games for October 2021, one of which isn't even out yet and the other being only a year old. Mortal Kombat X releasing in 2015 makes it one of the older games that Sony has featured in the free PlayStation Plus games lineup recently, and the fact that it has a sequel that's already been out for a couple of years isn't helping its reception as as free PS Plus title.
By nearly all accounts, Mortal Kombat X is a great fighting game with a ton of value. But now that it's six years old, it's likely anyone interested has played it already. Not only that, but Mortal Kombat X has been available through the PS Plus Collection on PS5 since launch.
PGA Tour 2K21 (Sports Game)
Sports games as a genre are niche, with one likely only interested in the games if they're interested in the real life sport they represent. So while there may be golf enthusiasts happy about PGA Tour 2K21 coming to the free PS Plus lineup, especially since it's just a little over a year old, there are many others who aren't happy about it. It doesn't help that PGA Tour 2K21 isn't necessarily a remarkable golf game. PGA Tour 2K21 earned middle of the road reviews at the time of its release, and so that hurts its appeal even further.
Just as there are people who aren't happy about the free PS Plus games for October 2021, there are others out there who don't mind the lineup. Regardless, a new batch of free PS Plus games is always right around the corner, as Sony is undoubtedly preparing the lineup of free games that it will offer to PS4 and PS5 gamers once November rolls around.