A truly incredible 24 hours for Xbox Live Gold recently ended and the new free games for subscribers in the Games with Gold initiative in February 2021 probably played a role in what was to be the new organization Microsoft thought (for a short time). for its subscription service. The presence of five titles instead of the usual four could perhaps represent a way to digest the news of the price increase for the six-month subscription to Live Gold with less problems, but we then saw how it ended. Following a decidedly negative and clear reaction, not only from users but also from journalists and websites on the Microsoft initiative, the company quickly retraced its steps and in less than 24 hours it restored everything as 'was before, canceling the price increase and also announcing the desire to eliminate the need for a subscription to play free-to-play titles. A nice ups and downs of emotions in the space of half a day, but at this point one wonders if the five games, which for the occasion are also quite substantial, are destined to be repeated also for the following months, if they were really designed in the perspective of a more expensive subscription. In any case, for the moment we enjoy this February 2021 richer than usual, waiting to see how the issue will evolve.
Gears 5 - From 1 to 28 February
The main game of this series of Games with Gold is undoubtedly Gears 5, the last chapter of the famous series of The Coalition (ex-Epic Games ) arrived on Xbox and PC in September 2019. The only problem with this addition is that most likely Xbox users will have already widely played the title in question, also considering its presence on Game Pass from day one, but the fact of being able to have free access also through Live Gold is certainly positive. There is very little else to say except that this is the fifth chapter of one of the iconic Xbox series and, moreover, it also presents itself as a significant evolution of the formula, expanding the dimension of the levels in the Campaign making it decidedly more complex and open and also adding different multiplayer game modes in order to substantially enrich the entire gaming experience. Gears 5 is also one of the most specifically optimized titles for Xbox Series X | S, so even owners of the new console can enjoy it to the fullest, especially as it has recently expanded with the excellent Hivebusters DLC, which is almost a game in itself. standing and of excellent workmanship.
Resident Evil - From 1 to 28 February
The definition of "seminal" for a video game should be dosed with greater care than what we tend to do recently , but there's no fear of making a mistake if used in reference to Resident Evil, because Capcom's original survival horror is exactly that. It is a title that now needs no introduction, having modeled the taste and style of the videogame horror genre while maintaining very specific characteristics, while also evolving drastically over time. The chapter in question is the remake of the original, initially released on Gamecube in one of the best makeover operations ever seen in this medium, further evolved and perfected for the current generation platforms with an increase in resolution and general improvement of the texture. The problem, even in this case, is that it will probably already be in the possession of many users, but if it is not there is only to download and play this real Capcom masterpiece. Also considering the different possible choices within it, it can be replayed several times, so keep it on your hard disk.
Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition - From February 16th to March 15th
The metroidvania can now be considered one of the reference genres for the indie field in recent years, being a game structure that has been thoroughly exploited to stage different interpretations and also rather original solutions by numerous teams. Among the experiments that have been successful in the best way is Dandara, which is offered for free this month on Games with Gold and which is really worth a try. The game tells the adventures of Dandara, a heroine charged with saving the world of Salt now on the brink of collapse, trying to reshape the world and restore it to its old glory. It is a 2D action platformer deeply linked to the classic hybrid mechanics of metroidvania, full of strange mystical creatures and strongly focused on the exploration of its complex and branching map. Dandara: Trials of Fear Edition, or the edition proposed in this case, also adds 3 new areas to explore, a new final boss, new powers and mechanics, new music tracks and a new secret ending, as well as various improvements applied to the gameplay .
Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Emperor - February 1st to 15th
Just a few days after the sensational announcement of the new Indiana Jones in development at MachineGames and Bethesda, here comes a great classic linked to the franchise like Indiana Jones and The Tomb of the Emperor, originally released on the first Xbox. Will it be a signal that indicates the close link between Xbox and the new title, given that Bethesda is destined to join the Xbox Games Studios? With the idea still circulating that Indy's new game could be an exclusive, this introduction within the February 2021 mandate could be a clue to fuel the rumors, but let's forget about various assumptions and let's focus on the game in question. Released way back in 2003, it is one of the last Indiana Jones-based action games to hit the market, centered on an excellent original story that serves as a prequel to The Temple of Doom. The Tomb of the Emperor takes us on an incredible journey around Asia, among ancient myths, archaeological finds and of course Nazis, to discover a mystery linked to the tomb of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.
Lost Planet 2 - From 16 to 28 February
Lost Planet can be considered a series-symbol of that particular period that Capcom went through a decade or so ago, when he tried in a laudable way to broaden its portfolio with the introduction of new intellectual properties, to tell the truth not always with great success. After a first chapter that accompanied the launch of the Xbox 360 and also represented one of the many examples of partnership between Microsoft and Japanese development at the time, Lost Planet 2 presented itself as an evolution of the original in every direction, increasing its complexity and quantity of content, with the fundamental addition of cooperative multiplayer. This last aspect is probably the most characterizing element, for better or for worse: the multiplayer gameplay is clearly very stimulating, however those who appreciated the arcade purity of the original found the second chapter a little too homologated to the fashion of the co-op third-person shooter, so there are mixed ratings on the game. In any case, it remains a pure TPS with an interesting setting, to try.
