PlayStation Now may not be as prominent as Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass, but the two services have several things in common. Both are subscription-based gaming services, both offer a rotating lineup of games, both can be accessed on consoles and PCs, and both offer new titles each month. The main difference is that Game Pass' April additions include new titles such as "Outriders" and "MLB The Show 21," while PS Now's April lineup includes "Marvel's Avengers," "Borderlands 3" and "The Long Dark. The information is from the official PlayStation blog. The information comes from the official PlayStation blog.

While these three titles are not bad by any means, they have clearly generated some controversy from fans and critics alike; "Marvel's Avengers" has an enjoyable campaign, but has repeated live-service elements, while "The Long Dark" has an uninspiring storyline and a lot of action. Borderlands 3" has attractive visuals and a solid gameplay loop, but gets boring before the endgame. The Long Dark" features demanding survival mechanics, but the story campaign is unremarkable, and is definitely a drag on the overall package.

In any case, in some respects, PS Now's April selection feels like a microcosm of the service itself: somewhat older, good but not great titles that you may have missed the first time around. Since the games are PS4 titles, at least users should be able to choose between streaming and downloading; PS3 titles, which make up the bulk of PS Now's library, are streaming-only. Like all PS Now titles, these games can be played on PS4, PS5, and PC.

Two games also have expiration dates: "Marvel's Avengers" can be played until July 5 and "Borderlands 3" until September 29. ("The Long Dark" does not have a delisting date, so it may be offered for a longer period of time - or the developer may just not have decided yet.) Either way, it is more than enough time to finish the game's main story campaign, but may not be enough to work through the extensive multiplayer options. Depending on how much you want to play through, you may need to get the stand-alone game.

Tom's Guide has written about PS Now before, and there is the germ of a great subscription service out there. Still, it's hard not to compare PS Now to Xbox Game Pass, which offers same-day access to key Microsoft exclusives, cloud gaming on your Android device, and game downloads on your PC. On the other hand, Xbox Game Pass is more expensive at $15 per month for the Ultimate package (if you pay for a year in advance), compared to PS Now's $5 per month.

On the other hand, some competition should ultimately be good for both platforms; those interested in PS Now can check out a 7-day trial. Incidentally, that's enough time to play the main campaign of "The Avengers," but not so much for "Borderlands 3." You'll need to devote a fair amount of time to it.