As always, the four titles for February have been curated by Microsoft to cover a range of genres, styles, and gameplay mechanics, possessing a combined retail value of $55.96 and 2,400 gamerscore. With two of the titles being from older generations including the Xbox One andXbox 360 era, this month’s Games with Gold offers experiences that fans of all ages should be able to enjoy.
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Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse
Released in December 2013 for theXbox One and other consoles of the eighth generation,Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curseis a point-and-click adventure game in which the player gains contextual clues and knowledge to progress through a complex ‘whodunit’ storyline. Originally released as two separate episodes, this version of the game will contain both, meaning the full story can be accessed and enjoyed as soon as their download finishes.
The gamewas developed and published by Revolution Software, a British company that created the first iteration of theseries back in 1996 withBroken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars.These games have stood the test of time and established themselves as classics among theever-present genre of point-and-click adventures.
Players re-familiarize themselves with series protagonist George Stobbart, who once again finds himself in a mystery. Players will see a run-of-the-mill art heist/murder mystery unravel in an ominous direction, snowballing until the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Only a keen eye, sharp memory, and a knack for detail can alter this sinister course of events for the better, putting its gameplay up withthe best of the point-and-click franchise.
With a download size of 4.96 GB,Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curseincludes 1,000 gamerscore. On top of that, the game has engaging mechanics, which may help prolong the Games with Gold service amidcalls for Games with Gold to be scrappedas Game Pass grows in popularity.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Cursewill be available from February 1 to February 28.
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yieldreleased in February 2021 for the Xbox Series X/S and accompanying consoles of this generation, aiming to stamp its mark on thebusy world of sidescrollers.Aerial_Knight’s Never Yieldis a high-octane 3D sidescroller and endless runner that sees players traverse levels via an acrobatic assortment of mechanics. This gameplay is complimented by a bold and colorful art style, as well as a jazz-influenced soundtrack.
Published by Headup Games, the game was conceptualized and developed by Aerial_Knight, perhaps taking inspiration from creatorBrendan Greene ofPUBG, who left his positionlast year to pursue the formation of a new studio.
The gameplay sees players dodging obstacles like runaway cars and desk chairs to complete missions in the fastest time possible, unlocking cosmetics in the process. This temporal focus fosters a great environment forspeedrunning, but for more casual gamers, the satisfaction of unlocking a hard-earned outfit should suffice. The game is an easily digestible 928 MB with 1,000 gamerscore, able to be completed in just one-or-two hours.
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yieldwill be available from February 16 to March 15.
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Hydrophobia
Initially released in September 2003 for the and PC, PS3, and Xbox 360,Hydrophobiais a single-player adventure game that sees players take down enemies with a futuristic array of weapons with a focus on environmental interactions. It’s also refreshingly compact given justhow long survival games can bein the modern day.
Developed and published by Dark Energy Digital, the game features then-revolutionary water mechanics at the crux of its environmental interaction. The game takes place on a city-sized ocean vessel, meaning each level is completely transformed via flooding to change how combat situations unfold; an early example of thegameplay feature of ‘levelution,‘as coined by EA.
This gameplay is presented via adystopian setting, in which societal elites and eco-terrorist groups actively encourage death to cull the Earth’s population. Players take control of protagonist Kate Wilson, who is forced to fight her way through the inner-workings of a floating city after it’s commandeered by a terrorist organization.
Hydrophobiasits at 1.76 GB to download and is a remnant of the classicXbox Live Arcade era, with only 200 gamerscore across its 12 achievements. Nevertheless, it’s certain to provide a good few hours of nostalgia and historically important gameplay for Xbox Live Gold members.
Hydrophobiawill be available from February 1 to February 15.
Band of Bugs
Band of Bugsis another Xbox 360 classic released in June 2007. At its core,Band of Bugsis a light-hearted turn-based strategy game, encapsulating the charm of the Xbox Live Arcade and its array of titles. Developed by Wahoo Studios,Band of Bugsis one of many games to incorporate the Xbox 360 avatar system into its gameplay,as did titles likeA World of Keflings. The game sees player’s Xbox 360 avatar shrunk down to engage in combat against insects or friends in multiplayer. It features its own 20-level campaign with a bug-centric plot, in which the protagonist is aiming to ascertain what threat his people are facing.
Additionally, the game features a comprehensive level editor, in which the player can handcraft their own arenas and levels to wage their bug wars. Beyond that there isn’t much to say, but it has charm and rewarding gameplay even fornewcomers to the turn-based strategy genre.
Band of Bugsis only 660 MB, and again limited to only 250 gamerscore as an Xbox Live Arcade game. Regardless of a player’s experience with turn-based games, it’s probably worth a quick download to see if it’s worthwhile.
Band of Bugswill be available throughGames with Goldfrom February 16 to February 28.
