Microsoft has revealed the games we’ll be able to get for free next month, and they’re better than what we’ve come to expect. Instead of the typical fare of mostly Indies with maybe one big title that did poorly when it was released, we have four big games and only one got a Metascore under 60.
XBOX 360
Dead Space 3
The first title on the 360 is “Dead Space 3.” This third-person survival horror game developed by Visceral Games was released in 2013, and has a Metascore of 78 on Metacritic. Set on the frozen planet of Tau Volantis, Isaac Clarke, the main protagonist of the series, is back, and this time he teams up with the merciless soldier John Carver to find a way to end the Necromorph plague forever. With the addition of the new drop in, drop out online co-op, this is a Sci-Fi shooter I would definitely recommend giving a try. It’s available Aug. 1-15.
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
The second title being given away on the 360 is “Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two,” the sequel to Disney’s first title in the series originally released in 2010. Receiving mixed reviews and a Metascore of 59 on Metacritic, this title did not fare as well as the first, and led to the closing of the developer Junction Point Studios. Despite these issues there are still some reviews that describe it favorably, and if you like Disney and platformers you should give it a try while it’s free. It’s available Aug. 16-31.
Xbox One
Forza Horizon 2
One of the most highly reviewed racing series will have one of its titles available for free on Xbox One this coming month. “Forza Horizon 2” is an open-world, arcade style racing game released in 2014. This is one you don’t want to miss putting into your library, especially since it’s free! With a Metascore of 86 on Metacritic even those players that rarely play any racing game should give this one a try. It’s available all month long, Aug. 1-31.
For Honor
The final title free to Xbox Live Gold members is the Ubisoft competitive third-person melee game “For Honor.” Released just last year, it struggled to keep players at first, with many questioning its longevity. Now, a year and a half later, those worries can be laid to rest. When it first came out “For Honor” was plagued with many issues, most of which were due in large part to the network architecture they were using. This system made the game unplayable for many, and led to a quick decline in sales. Over the first year, however, Ubisoft worked extremely hard to fix the issues. And with the switch to dedicated servers earlier this year, it appears that it is now the game originally intended. Even with the improvements the struggle to keep enough players online is tough, but making it free ought to help that. Add it to your collection Aug. 16-Sep. 15.
