December is finally upon us and that can only mean one thing… the holidays are coming, holidays are coming! But no matter how much we all love the Christmas festivities, there’s no denying that it’s also one of the biggest wallet hitting times of the year too. Of course, for gamers, this year has already brought us enough wallet-wiping adventures to last a life time, but there is always one thing that can make all those expenses feel a little easier – quality free games!
With that in mind, it’s time to dive into the latest Games With Gold titles that we’ll be receiving in December 2018 to see just how good or bad they are, and whilst they may not quite match up to last month’s incredible offerings on first glance, there is still plenty of fun to be had in the run up to Christmas with titles that are sure to surprise those who jump in.
Q.U.B.E. 2 – Instant Download
If you’ve been over to check out our thoughts on both Q.U.B.E and Q.U.B.E. 2, then you’ll know full well that we’ll accept nothing other than praise for these quality games.
For those who’ve yet to hear of Q.U.B.E. 2 however, then what you can expect from this months first Game With Gold freebie is nothing short of puzzling perfection. With challenging yet doable puzzles, a fantastic story and an eerie and atmospheric alien planet to figure out, what more could you want?!
This isn’t a game that will have you coming back for more after your initial playthrough, but if you’re after a puzzler that brings about neat mechanics, satisfying and rewarding gameplay, and a well worked adventure that will give you a good afternoons worth of brain teasing, then you can’t go wrong with Q.U.B.E. 2.
Plus, it’s free so it really is a must if you consider yourself a gamer!
Never Alone (Kisima Innitchuna) – Instant Download
As you can tell from this months first title, we love a good story here at TheXboxHub, especially ones that pull on those emotions and send you on a long hard rollercoaster journey all the way to the end. Never Alone is a game that does just that and with Christmas coming up, what more could you really want than a story that tells the tale of a young native Alaskan girl and her pet fox, as they brave the freezing conditions thrown at them by mother nature to stumble through every obstacle that stands in their way.
In this journey you’ll be trying to escape from Polar Bears, connecting with spirits and learning about the true nature of the often-forgotten traditional Inupiat people of Alaska – and it’s an experience you won’t forget any time soon.
What’s more is Never Alone brings that winter feeling home with an incredible atmosphere that is only aided further by its stunning visuals. To ensure you don’t feel quite so cold and alone during your time with the game, you’ll find it can all be done with a friend by your side in local co-op too.
Dragon Age II – Consider it!
When it comes to vast RPG adventures, I’m usually one of the first people you’ll see jumping in to get lost in a world of levelling and questing. When Dragon Age II first arrived on Xbox 360, that’s exactly what I did. I jumped in to the shoes of our protagonist Hawke, a refugee hoping to escape the darkspawn-plagued land of Felderen and followed his story on his path to become the Champion of Kirkwall. Along the way came many decisions, all of which were capable of changing the civilisation as everyone knew it – but a place in history isn’t just founded by power, it takes courage, determination and investment.
Dragon Age II has all of that, and if that sounds like something you’d be quite interested in, then chances are you’ll find plenty of enjoyment to be had in Dragon Age II. One thing is certain though, it isn’t exactly a game that has aged all too fantastically and with Dragon Age: Inquisition already available on Xbox One, there is a better looking and better playing Dragon Age adventure available to enjoy; one that offers many of the same qualities as Dragon Age II.
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction – Not worth your time
So, it’s finally happening, Xbox Original titles are coming to Xbox Games With Gold and what a fantastic game Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction was back on the very first Xbox console.
That was 13 years ago though and nowadays games that bring a world of destruction to our fingertips aren’t quite as rare as they once were when Mercenaries first arrived. With the rather epic Just Cause series available on Xbox One and it’s fourth entry arriving in just a few short days, it’s hard to find a way to encourage you to choose Mercenaries over that of the exotic weather battles of Just Cause 4 this month. Both titles bring large scale destruction, both titles have a vast array of fantastic vehicles and both titles see you take on a story as a complete bad-ass protagonist.
Sadly in this case though, Mercenaries can’t really hope to win even with the age before beauty card and even if you take the Just Cause adventures out of the equation, 13 years is a long time to maintain the same quality we once knew. If the revolutionary Black couldn’t stand the test of time with its arrival on Xbox One, there’s not much hope in this title wowing you either.
In fact, let’s just sit back and remember it for what it was.
So, there we have it, another month of Xbox Games with Gold titles being delivered for free and our thoughts on which ones are, and aren’t, worth your time this December. But enough about us what are your thoughts on this month’s giveaway titles? Let us know in the comments below or via our usual social channels.
