Microsoft has officially revealed theXbox free Games with Gold for August 2021, with the lineup consisting of more notable games than have been featured recently. It includesDarksiders 3andYooka-Layleeon Xbox One, while the Xbox 360 offerings consist ofLost Planet 3andGarou: Mark of the Wolves.
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Darksiders 3 (August 1 - August 31)
After THQ shut down, the future of theDarksidersfranchise was in limbo. But eventually THQ Nordic was formed and Gunfire Games was given the reigns to develop a proper sequel inDarksiders 3. Released in 2018,Darksiders 3earned mixed reviewsfrom critics. Some heaped praise on the game and its pivot to a moreDark Souls-style setup, whereas others marked it down for the excessive glitches that it had at launch.
Darksiders 3may be the most divisive entry in the series, but it has its high points and diehard fans should definitely give it a look. Thanks to the Xbox free Games with Gold program, they will be able to do so free of charge through their Xbox Live Gold subscription. One of the Xbox One offerings for the free Games with Gold for August 2021, those interested can downloadDarksiders 3from August 1 to August 31.
As for whatDarksiders 3is about, the game takes place concurrently withDarksiders 2, serving as a prequel to the firstDarksidersgame. In it, players take on the role of Fury, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who has to eliminate the Seven Deadly Sins on Earth. The game retains theZeldameetsGod of Warvibe found in previousDarksidersgames but adopts moreDark Souls-style gameplay mechanicsin the process.
Yooka-Laylee (August 16 - September 15)
There hasn’t been a proper 3D platformerBanjo-Kazooiegame in decades, and so the developers at Playtonic decided to take matters into their own hands. A studio comprised mainly of former Rare devs, Playtonic took to Kickstarter to fundYooka-Layleeand found a great deal of success.Yooka-Layleebroke Kickstarter recordsand became one of the crowdfunding sites biggest video game success stories.
At launch,Yooka-Layleereviewsweren’t all glowing, but the game should still definitely appeal toBanjo-Kazooiefans and those that like 3D platformers in general. It also has spawned a franchise of its own, withYooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lairfaring far better with critics and fans alike. Those who have been on the fence aboutYooka-Layleedue to its somewhat underwhelming review scores can now give it a shot without committing anything beyond the price of their Xbox Live Gold subscription.
Lost Planet 3 (August 1 - August 15)
Capcom’sLost Planetfranchiseis a bit strange in that each installment is vastly different from the next. The originalLost Planet: Extreme Conditionis a unique mech shooter game set on an icy planet that sees players battle monsters and human enemies alike. And while it had multiplayer, the main focus was on the single-player campaign.Lost Planet 2changes gears completely, trading the icy setting for a tropical one and focusing on co-op.
Lost Planet 3, meanwhile, is a different beast entirely. Far more linear and story-focused than the originalLost Planet,Lost Planet 3is the story of Jim Peyton as he and his fellow colonists attempt to survive on the icy planet of E.D.N. III. The game features side quests and more RPG mechanics than its predecessors, and it seems these departures caused it to earn mixed reviews. However, it’s still a solid third-person shooter experience and something fans of theLost Planetfranchise should check out while it’s free through the Games with Gold program.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves (August 16 - August 31)
A common theme for the Xbox free Games with Gold is that each title has earned mixed reviews, but one exception would beGarou: Mark of the Wolves. Originally released in arcades in 1999,Garou: Mark of the Wolvesis widely considered to be one of the most underrated fighting games of its time. The final entry in theFatal Furyfranchise, the version ofGarou: Mark of the Wolvesavailable through the Xbox free Games with Gold program is the Xbox 360 port, which originally released in 2009.
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