One of the primary benefits of being an Xbox Live Gold member is that you get free games each month. Sure, the service costs around $60 per year, but the games you’ll get are worth far more than that, even if you’re only interested in playing a fraction of them.
Previously, members could only count on Microsoft to give away one free Xbox One game and two free Xbox 360 games each month. Starting in July, the company will begin offering two Xbox One games each month, which is good news for Xbox One owners looking to fill out their library of games.
Remember, even if you don’t have an Xbox One yet, you can redeem your free games either on Xbox.com or your Xbox 360. Then, if you buy an Xbox One in the future, you’ll be able to find those games in your account and download them. It’s like buying a new console and suddenly having an instant library of games to play.
Without further ado, here are the free Games With Gold for July 2015.
1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Platform: Xbox One
Original price: $29.99
Available: All month
Metacritic score: 83
So what if Microsoft gave the Xbox 360 version of this game away to Gold members in April. Now you can have it on Xbox One.
Like all Assassin’s Creed games, this one whisks you to the past, where you’ll be tasked with sneaking around and killing bad guys. The setting is particularly exciting: you’re dropped in the pirate-infested Caribbean Sea during the colonial era of 1715. You have the standard wall-climbing and back-stabbing the series is known for, but there’s also a huge focus on exploration and ship combat. Many fans consider this the best Assassin’s Creed game yet, so be sure to download it for free while you can.
2. So Many Me
Platform: Xbox One
Original price: $14.99
Available: July 16 to August 15
Metacritic score: 78 (on PC)
This adorable indie platformer is all about clones. You play as a cute spherical character who duplicates himself at the drop of a hat. Your clones follow you every step of the way, but they’re easy to lose if you’re not careful — much like Lemmings.
Eventually you’ll discover different kinds of clones with new abilities that will help you make your way though the game’s many environmental puzzles. The reviews for the PC version have been pretty strong, so it’s definitely worth a look when it launches on Xbox One.
3. Plants Vs. Zombies
Platform: Xbox 360
Original price: $14.99
Available: July 1 to July 15
Metacritic score: 89
From Bejeweled to Peggle, developer Popcap knows how to make killer games that appeal to casual and hardcore gamers alike. Thought it’s been for a while, Plants Vs. Zombies definitely fits the bill. This “flower defense” real-time strategy game has you plant combat-ready flora in your front yard to stave off hordes of zombies trying to shamble their way into your house (and gnaw their way into your brain).
You spend your time choosing seeds, collecting sunlight, and pelting cartoonish zombies with weapons like pea shooters. It’s one of those games that’s easy to start playing, but hard to stop because it’s so much fun. If you haven’t played it yet, be sure to give this one a try.
4. Gears of War 3
Platform: Xbox 360
Original price: $19.99
Available: July 16 to July 31
Metacritic score: 91
The human race is in dire straits as Gears of War 3 kicks off, which means it falls once again to you and your team of burly soldiers to save the day. Armed with machine guns, chainsaws, and a mighty weapon called the Hammer of Dawn, you set off to end the alien threat once and for all. No pressure, but if you fail, it’s pretty much curtains for humanity.
With enough epic set pieces to fill a summer blockbuster, Gears 3 is a thrill ride from start to finish. And after you’ve watched the credits roll, don’t forget to try the multiplayer modes. They’re just as gory and intense as the campaign.
