The start of any month is always a key moment in the life of an Xbox gamer, as it is then where we see the brilliant Xbox Games With Gold scheme start to provide a new batch of free games to download and play. July 2020 is no different, and hot on the heels of total confirmation of the free games for the month, we see both WRC 8 and Saints Row 2 get stripped of their usual price tags.
The Xbox Games With Gold scheme for July 2020 is a fairly decent one; able to cover a variety of genres and ideas that should have all manner of gamers getting involved in some new experiences. The first two games to be removed of their price points though are that of WRC 8 and Saints Row 2, possibly the most exciting of the four games on offer.
WRC 8 first launched on Xbox One back in September 2019, and so to see it go free within the space of a year is going to be extremely exciting to many – unless of course you were one of the many who purchased the game upon first release.
Taking the usual WRC spirit and running with it, our full review of WRC 8 on Xbox One told of a game that was ‘FIA Sponsored, FIA quality‘, praising an improved career mode, a deep R&D skill tree, and a handling system that feels vastly superior to those games which came before it. Admittedly, we found the behind-car cam a little clunky, and there were a few bugs that broke the immersion, but for the most part, WRC 8 on Xbox One is a game you should be playing. Hence our 4/5 review score.
The fact that the Xbox Games With Gold scheme sees a huge £49.99 price tag removed in a matter of seconds is just the icing on the cake. If you haven’t yet played it, then get over to the Xbox Store, grab your free download of WRC 8 on Xbox One and enjoy the madness of the rally. You’ve got until the end of July 2020 to action that free download.
Sitting pretty alongside that racer though is something even crazier – the world of the Saints in Saints Row 2. A native Xbox 360 title that first released in 2008, chances are you would have already played Saints Row 2 at some point in time, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be grabbing the free version right now. Especially as you can play it on Xbox One via Backwards Compatibility.
Flash your Xbox Live Gold membership card at the Xbox Store door and you’ll be gifted the opportunity to fall into the huge world of the Third Street Saints, taking part in multiple missions, side missions and challenges as you go. It may not be able to hold a light to the latest Saints Row titles – Saints Row IV and Saints Row III Remastered for instance – but it’s still worth a play through. Just make sure you grab your free download before the middle of July, because after that Saints Row 2 will be replaced by a different Xbox 360 game – JUJU.
As always, let us know what you think about the latest free Xbox Games With Gold titles by dropping in to the comments below.
WRC 8 Description:
The WRC championship is the most challenging motor racing competition in the world. With the new dynamic weather system, climatic conditions have true-to-life effects: rain and snowfall is now an important game feature as variable traction, different set-ups for each stage, tyre choice and shrewd use of the weather forecasting team all need to be considered. The single-player Career mode has been rebuilt from the ground up: calendar management, R&D to improve performance, staff recruitment and management (mechanics, engineers, medical and weather teams, finance manager, etc.). For multiplayer, weekly challenges and WRC eSports return, but the challenge and competition is now even stiffer. With 50 teams, 14 rallies and over 100 special stages in the 2019 season, WRC 8 has the deepest content ever included in an off-road racing game.
Saints Row 2 Description:
Help the 3rd Streets take back their city in this explosive sequel to the 2006 hit. Saints Row 2 features unparalleled character creation and customization; a massive open world to explore by land, air or sea; and online co-op play that enables you and a friend play through the entire story of Saints Row 2.
