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Xbox Flexes Muscle, Explores Caverns in August’s Games With Gold

By on August 5, 2016

There isn’t much rhyme or reason behind the games being offered by Microsoft to Games With Gold subscribers over the month of August.  One could say that the freebies available on the Xbox One could both be classified as “beat-’em-up” games with big rosters of playable characters, though the similarities between professional wrestling and fantastical Japanese warfare stop there. It’s even more difficult to find a common thread between the two action games available for the 360, beyond a mirthful sense of charm, unique tools being used by the characters, and catchy music.  The one commonality between them comes in the fact that they’ve all been met with at least mildly positive receptions, resulting in a worthwhile hodgepodge for the month. Let’s dig into the games.

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Omega Force - Xbox

Omega Force

 

Xbox One

Warriors Orochi 3 (August 1-31)

Both the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors hack-‘n-slash franchises have kept a loyal following over the years and between consoles, so it’s no surprise that the frequent crossovers between the two draw a lot of attention from their fans. That said, Warriors Orochi 3 seems to have reached a point where both critics and avid players have grown overly accustomed to the sameness of the battle warfare, graphical prowess, and overall game structure. The Ultimate version attempts to add a spark to the numerous options and characters already there, including new story and character content, additional modes, and added visual polish.  While still considered an engaging action experience with a lot of bang for the buck, there still seems to be too little freshness and too much repetition  to conquer its player-base.

WWE 2K16 (August 16-September 15)

The response to 2K’s 2015 installment in their longstanding wrestling franchise wasn’t much of a victory, slammed for being a next-gen changeover entry that ineffectively tried to update the series with both welcome additions and questionable subtractions. By bringing back certain match and customization options, improving upon the Showcase mode, and adding a new layer of visual refinement to the wrestler models (and improved loading screens for next-gen consoles), WWE 2K16 came back swinging and determined to win fans back over. Coupled with a huge roster of wrestlers — as well as a certain non-wrestling character from Arnold Schwarzenegger designed to terminate the competition — and the overall return of the game’s realistic feel and creative features, it displays a marked climb up the ladder from the previous year’s release.

 

Spelunky - Xbox

Mossmouth

Xbox 360

Spelunky (August 1-15)

“Roguelike-like” doesn’t have the same ring to it as “procedural death labyrinth”, does it? It’s certainly a better description for a game like Spelunky, which sends a cave-crawling hero through randomly generated 2D levels in the same manner as roguelike role-playing adventures. Developer Mossmouth have devised a challenging platforming game with responsive controls and a drive to experiment with the tools at the explorer’s disposal, one with equal amounts of reward for digging deeper and permanent punishment for crumbling under pressure.  The pursuit of treasure, rescuing damsels in distress, and experiencing countless types of new caverns might be all there is to Spelunky, but the addicting nature of wanting to conquer yet another level with that jazzy  music playing in the background makes for a delightfully pure gaming experience.

Beyond Good and Evil HD (August 16-31)

Recently, The Checkout threw together a list of some of the more noteworthy, perhaps overlooked Xbox 360 games that have been made playable on the Xbox One through the system’s new(-ish) software functionality: Click here to check out the Backwards Compatibility Guide. One of those, of course, would be Beyond Good and Evil HD, Ubisoft’s sci-fi cult hit featuring photojournalist Jade as she uncovers the truth behind an alien invasion upon her water-based planet. Improved graphics and one of gaming’s great musical scores drive the heroine’s progression through smartly-designed levels, engaging physical puzzles, and third-person battles involving some pretty snazzy unconventional weapons. The HD remake was worth the money before, so naturally it’s a no-brainer of a download for folks playing on either console.

About Thomas Spurlin

Film, home-media, and videogame scribe who digs green tea and walking his dogs.

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