Free Play Friday: Dust 514 Beta Codes, Hand of Fate, Gotham Gangs!

This week's selection of free stuff isn't nearly as eclectic as last week's, but I don't think you're going to be disappointed. Scroll down the page, and there are beta codes for PlayStation 3 folks, free legendary subscriptions to DC Universe Online for PC folks, and…well nothing for Xbox 360 folks. Sorry about that. But hey, Mark of the Ninja was just released on XBLA and, while it's sadly not free, I hear it's great.

Dust 514 (PS3) Beta

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I used to play EVE Online. I had hoped that the famously impenetrable (at launch, anyway) spacefaring MMO game would recapture some of the magic that I remember from playing Elite as a kid, and at least for a short while, it did. In the three years or so since I quit playing, I've often wondered if I should give EVE Online another shot; the main reason I haven't, believe it or not, is simply that I receive so many emails inviting me back that I've come to resent them. I almost caved in July of last year, but the prospect of learning to play in that universe again is so daunting now that I probably never will. At least that's what I thought before I heard about Dust 514.

I haven't played Dust 514 myself yet, but I've recently come into possession of a beta code, and so I'm definitely planning to give the game a try sometime soon. With Halo 4 looming large, I don't know that I need another sci-fi shooter in my life right now, but Dust 514's intriguing integration with EVE Online (as well as the fact that it will be free to play) makes it difficult for me to ignore. I seriously doubt that anything Dust 514 does will inspire me to finally jump back into EVE Online, but never say never, right?

Oh, and by the way, I didn't really get a beta code; I got 1,000 beta codes. I don't need all of them, so hey, help yourselves:

Dust 514 - Beta Code Giveaway

Gotham City Impostors (PC)

Despite the fact that I'm a fan of almost all things Batman-related, this week--some seven months after it was released--was the first time that I played Gotham City Impostors. I'm not sure why I didn't try the game sooner, but when Warner Bros. Interactive announced last week that the PC version of the game is now free to play, I knew that it was finally time for me to don my mask and cape. I feel like I end up writing this almost every week, but I genuinely wish I had tried the game sooner.

In case you're not familiar with Gotham City Impostors, it's a team-based first-person shooter in which costumed gangs calling themselves the Bats and the Jokerz do battle. The improvised outfits that the combatants wear are great, and once you've played enough of the game to unlock some customization options, it's fun to mess with your look and loadout. Superhero thrift store ensembles aren't the only thing that I like about the game though; Gotham City Impostors also differentiates itself within the genre with gadgets such as spring boots, roller skates, glider rigs, and grapple guns that let you navigate levels and even attack enemies in different ways.

For the most part, premium options in the game are limited to vanity items and the usual assortment of temporary XP boosters and such. Weapon packs can be purchased that afford you instant access to the game's unlockable arsenal, but weapons and their upgrades can also be obtained using unlock keys that you earn simply by playing the game. That's what I plan to do.

If you're interested in Gotham City Impostors, you can queue the game up for download on Steam via the following link:

Gotham City Impostors on Steam

DC Universe Online (PC)

I featured DC Universe Online in Free Play Friday a couple of weeks ago after I started playing the PS3 version. Why is it here again? Because there are codes up for grabs! GameSpot has teamed up with the fine folks over at Sony Online Entertainment to offer 5,000 GameSpot readers a month of legendary membership for the PC version.

Most of the benefits associated with legendary membership are detailed on the official gameplan page, but the best part of this deal is that in addition to getting free access to all four of the existing DLC packs, you get early access to the upcoming Hand of Fate DLC, which is currently scheduled for release at the end of this month.

If you already have a DC Universe Online account and would like a free month of legendary membership, grab yourself a code here: