We’re here yet again with the latest free Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles ready to be thrust upon us. But in a period that sees few new games released, the Xbox Games With Gold scheme for August could well be the big hitting feature that Xbox One and Xbox 360 players looking for a new game rely on. That combination therefore leaves the door wide open for the scheme to deliver a cracking set of free titles.
So why on earth have we been left with four games that will struggle to enthuse many players? I’m really not too sure.
Hitting us in the chops on the 1st August is none other than Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate – a game that no-one has ever cried out to be included in the Games With Gold scheme. Or if they have, they haven’t shouted loud enough. But then, we’re not sure how many fans of either the Dynasty or Samurai Warriors franchises are out there who haven’t already checked out Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate. There probably isn’t many. Most definitely less than those non-fans who would actually be interested in the game.
Whilst we’re saving an absolutely massive £49.99 by being gifted Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate via the Xbox Games With Gold scheme, if ever there were a game that would appeal to fans of the franchise and very little else, then this is it.
Or is it? Because next up in the giveaway stakes is WWE 2K16. Yes, another title that will only really be of interest to fans of the genre.
Unfortunately, that in turn means the vast majority of wrestling fans will have already purchased WWE 2K16, negating any real use for the free download. Admittedly, they could sell that disc they already own and get the download in ready for future use, but with the next WWE instalment just around the corner, chances are they’ll quickly want to ditch the 2K16 variation for something that promises to be an all-round better experience. Yes it brings some great visuals, a hugely diverse roster with both Superstars and Legends included and the chance to go deep with MyCareer, but exactly how is it going to attract non-wrestling fans? Well, going free is a start and I guess that it may in turn spike sales of the newer game, leading to the odd gamer getting caught up in the WWE hype for years to come, but on the whole, it’s not going to drag in a huge base of newcomers.
So, we’ve already worked out that the two Xbox One offerings will only be attractive to certain sub-sets of the Xbox One world. How do the Xbox 360 options hold up? Well, at least they will probably shine to a bigger audience.
You see, neither Spelunky or Beyond Good & Evil HD will wow the crowds, but at least they will appeal to a wider range of gamers, with both games being something that should be checked out during those barren August nights. With the former going free between the 1st and 15th August, bringing randomised platforming levels to check out, we’d happily sit back once again with Spelunky for a good few weeks. Or at least until we get the chance to check out Beyond Good & Evil HD once again. Whether we’ll continue to head back underground once something else crops up though is open for debate. It should however be a great initial two weeks and with the Backward Compatible feature taking hold again, we can at least power through on a world of discovery, mastering numerous secrets once more…just this time on Xbox One.
There is also a fair amount of excitement about being able to check out Beyond Good & Evil HD once more, but after spending far too long with Jade and the delightful Pey’j when we first had the chance on Xbox 360, again this could be a short, rather sharp, reunion. But if you haven’t played it, or indeed haven’t checked out Spelunky in years gone by either, then the free games for Xbox 360 are damn exciting.
The Xbox Games With Gold scheme is still welcome in these parts, but at a time when new releases are thin on the ground, that door leading to opportunity was fully open and ready to bring some joy to a larger number of Xbox gamers faces. Unfortunately, the two Xbox One titles will struggle to excite many, slamming the door shut in the face of gamers and leaving us with just a couple of golden oldies tiding us over until September.
