It's all very well everyone releasing these AAA and indie titles all the time for the PS4, but we're not made of money. We might treat ourselves to a new game every month or so, but realistically everyone deserves a new game more frequently than that - it's just our bank balance that doesn't cooperate.
Thankfully, the PS4 now has a steadily growing free-to-play section of the PlayStation Store, where you can find some awesome games that you can play without having to spend a penny.
8 | Paragon
Epic Games, veteran of the Gears of War franchise has moved on to pastures new. Paragon is a third-person MOBA featuring a reasonable array of heroes, all of which cost nothing to play.
Those who were put off by the complexity of League of Legends or DOTA 2 on PC will find Paragon far more welcoming. It's a simpler beast, but challenges its audience in ways most other MOBAs never manage, but asking them to worry about verticality and 3D space.
The game is currently in open beta and costs nothing to play. New heroes are released every three weeks, giving the player base a constant rotation of new toys to play with.
7 | Planetside 2
Planetside 2 originally launched on PC back in 2012, where it's been well loved by its players. This massively multiplayer online first person shooter (MMOFPS) finally launched on PS4, giving the patient console gamers a slice of the Planetside 2 pie.
The gameplay is straightforward enough, but the real appeal of Planetside 2 is its scale. Thousands of gamers can draw together, split into three factions and then fight to control the game's territory. It's like a multiplayer Battlefield game but with over 10 times the players.
There are in-game purchases if you want to spend a few pence, but developer Daybreak makes sure the game stays balanced whether you fork out a few quid or you don't. Our recommendation is just come and have some fun, because there's absolutely no reason to spend anything.
6 | Invokers Tournament
Although Invokers Tournament is pitched as a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, this title is actually more like a cross between Diablo and DOTA. The gameplay doesn't quite have the complexity of top-notch MOBAs like League of Legends or DOTA 2, but this is an excellent "baby's first MOBA" that works really well on PS4.
And what's more, it's entirely free to play. You can spend real-world money on customisation options, in-game currency and a strange subscription. But, in reality, any money you spend is just enhancing the game's convenience and cosmetics. Everything else is available for free.
5 | War Thunder
Don't be put off by the rather steep learning curve that comes with tackling War Thunder on PS4, because this free-to-play title makes you become the king of the skies. This is an excellent example of online simulation of combat by air and by land during WWII, and its larger-than-life attitude makes it an epic PS4 title.
We've lost ourselves for days in its intense combat, ridiculous amount of vehicles, wide scope and challenging difficulty settings. We've not even touched on the extensive upgrade paths for said vehicles, all of which are accessible for free.
It's one of those games that becomes more rewarding the more you play, so get stuck in.
4 | World of Tanks
It's hard to be a gamer without having at least heard of World of Tanks. This free-to-play title has taken the world by storm in recent years, landing first on PC, then Xbox One and now PS4.
Regardless of your feelings for the military, no-one can deny the fact that driving a tank would be a little bit awesome. And in World of Tanks, you can pilot over 150 of these rumbling vehicles across various World War II-era maps. The core gameplay is 15v15 deathmatch multiplayer, but there are plenty of other game modes available that will always keep you coming back.
It's a game that requires teamwork and strategy in order to be victorious, and the number of tanks and upgrades available means that you'll rarely get bored.
3 | Hustle Kings
Most of the free-to-play games on PS4 are focused on competitive multiplayer, but sometimes you just want to kick back with a brew (beer or tea) and play a little game on your tod. Thankfully, Hustle Kings allows you to do just that.
This game started out life as a paid-for title for PS3 and PS Vita, but when the PS4 arrived the game was re-released for PS4 as a freebie. As the title suggests, this is a pool game and a particularly good one at that.
For absolutely nothing, you get access to the single-player career, one-on-one online matches and online tournaments, but you do have to pay to play against real people online rather than bots.
But, even if you just play on your own, Hustle Kings is easy to control, nice to look at and actually does a good job at replicating the real-world pool experience.
2 | Warframe
Warframe is almost the best free-to-play title on PS4, only undercut by the excellent Resogun - more on that in a minute.
In terms of story, Warframe is a bit thin on the ground. You're put in control of a Tenno: an ancient cuber ninja warrior awakened from cyrosleep in the midst of a war. There's also the Technocyte virus infecting everything and everyone in its path.
We're particularly fond of the co-op battles that have very varied objectives and will constantly have you asking your mates to play with you. There's plenty to play here and the whole experience is a stunning one.
Thankfully all those early bugs have been smoothed out too.
1 | Resogun
If there was one game we got addicted to in the early days of PS4, then Resogun was it.
It's a ball of kinectic energy that keeps your eyes moving so fast, your vision almost blurs - but not in a "I'm totally drunk" kind of way, more like "I'm moving faster than I ever have before" way.
Resogun is an example of an old-school shoot-em-up genre, but made into a game that's challenging, engaging and utterly bonkers on PS4. And what's more, its cylindrical shooter nature is ridiculously addictive.
Combine that gameplay with some seriously catchy music and excellent visuals and you'll be as addicted as we were.
