I’ve spoken to many Xbox One and Xbox 360 gamers over the last year and unfortunately the vast majority of them seem to think that the Xbox Games With Gold scheme has taken a backwards step over the last few months.
Granted, the odd free Xbox One or Xbox 360 title gets the juices flowing, but on the whole, the latter months of 2016 has failed to hit the heights of months further past. But now, the Xbox Games With Gold scheme is back with four new titles being given away throughout the month of November. Surely the year will be able to think about closing with a fairly decent giveaway?
Well yes, it can, because whilst no-one knows what December will bring, at least three of November’s free Xbox Games With Gold titles are pretty damn tempting.
Xbox One owners kick things off with a brand new game and this one oozes cooperation. Super Dungeon Bros has been talked about for many a month, and I’ve been lucky enough to already have gone hands on with it. I have to say, I was suitably impressed too and would have quite happily dropped a bit of cash on its arrival. The opportunity to check out the randomly generated dungeons of Rökheim, with the four Bros – Axl, Lars, Freddie and Ozzie, for free, is quite possibly too good an opportunity to turn down.
With numerous worlds to explore, Super Dungeon Bros will be nothing more than a great deal of fun as we get to the chance to grab a ton of loot from gamers around the world. I can’t wait to be able to fling my dearest friends into a whole heap of trouble, before diving in myself to help them out. That’s what Bros are for, are they not?
Following up the chaos of the dungeon will be Murdered Soul Suspect, a game that is full of puzzles and comes complete with gameplay that can only be recognised as ‘slow’. It may not be the greatest title to ever release, but similarly it’s not by any means a bad game and when it originally released on Xbox One and Xbox 360, most definitely got a bit of a mixed reaction. Personally, for free, if I hadn’t already spent time with the investigative thriller already, then I’d probably be jumping at the chance to follow up on some clues, but once you’ve played through it a single time, will get frustrated by the slightly dodgy mechanics and repetitive actions required throughout.
But hey, Soul Suspect is free and free is a good thing.
Two more games that are arriving for free throughout November are two Xbox 360 classics – Monkey Island: SE and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, both of which will be playable on Xbox One as well thanks to the superb Backward Compatibility feature.
Now, the former is one of those games that just has to be played, if only for humours sake, and will appeal to any gamer who was brought up in the point and click era. In fact, anyone over the age of 30 should be jumping at the chance to relive the swashbuckling adventures of everyone’s favourite pirate, Guybrush Threepwood, especially now the whole Monkey Island world has been treated to a big old HD makeover. With the original cast of Monkey Island of old in place and the prospect of playing the game either in Special Edition or the stunning old school Classic mode, Monkey Island SE for free is a no brainer.
As is the chance to head off on a freakish adventure with Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon. You see, whilst the main titles in the franchise have been welcomed with open arms, Blood Dragon spins a crazy twist onto everything found in Far Cry 3. We’ll be whisked back a few decades with the 1980’s theme and then getting ourselves prepared to move the utterly bizarre up another notch or two as our cyber commando heads off to fight a rogue army; getting the girl, killing the baddies and going head to head with some awesome Blood Dragons.
Its original timing wasn’t the best, but now, as a free Xbox Games With Gold title, I reckon many more gamers will finally get the chance to experience the utter joy Blood Dragon brings.
So, the Xbox Games With Gold titles for November are pretty damn good, with at least three of the four being something you should really be fighting to get your hands on. Once again though, you may find friends who will happily slate the offerings hands-down – if only because the actual monetary value of any of them isn’t big. But should they actually decide to spend some time with them, will be more than happy with what is being offered…especially over on the Xbox 360.
November ain’t all bad you know!
