After a few lackluster months, Xbox's Games With Gold is back with a vengeance. August's offerings include some incredible RPG action spanning the generations, and the month wraps up with one of the best fighting games you never played and a return to form platforming title. Whether you're looking for blazing action or a relaxing afternoon, there's something for everyone this month.
Games With Gold is Microsoft's ongoing program for Xbox Live Gold members. The games are available for members with an active Xbox Live Gold subscription throughout the month and are free to keep so long as Gold is active. Xbox Live Gold is available on its own or as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes Game Pass for Console and Game Pass for PC.
Darksiders III
Once upon a time, Darksiders was dead in the water. The action RPG series was hailed as one of the most innovative series of its era, with raucous third-person action and stunning character work by comic book icon Joe Madureira. The franchise was seemingly lost to time with THQ's closure, but THQ Nordic brought it back with this 2018 prequel. Take on the role of Fury, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, for a blend of Metroidvania gameplay and Soulslike combat as you hunt down the Seven Deadly Sins.
Developed by Gunfire Games and published by THQ Nordic, Darksiders III will be available free for active Xbox Live Gold members on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One from August 1 to August 31.
Yooka-Laylee
Yooka-Laylee is an odd case. It's something of a spiritual successor to the iconic Banjo-Kazooie franchise, developed by former Rare team members who wanted to bring back the beloved platforming collectathon genre. While it saw life thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, it certainly didn't hit as hard as they had hoped. Reviews were mixed and reception was lukewarm, as many players found the genre just didn't hold up well. Still, you can't deny the lasting appeal of the genre or the game. Yooka and Laylee have gorgeous designs with a ton of personality and the gameplay, while perceived as outdated, is still crisp and top-notch for the gameplay style, and was even popular enough to warrant a sequel.
Developed by Playtonic Games and published by Team17, Yooka-Laylee will be available free for active Xbox Live Gold members on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One from August 16 to September 15.
Lost Planet 3
Back in January, Games with Gold members got Lost Planet 2, a throwback to the heyday of the Xbox 360. This month they'll get Lost Planet 3, which serves as a prequel to the original and scales back to a more narrative-driven experience while still maintaining the series' mission-based structure. Explore the terrifying E.D.N. III, a frozen wasteland that could hold the key to Earth's survival. Lost Planet 3 dropped the focus on thermal energy as a survival mechanic, expanding the gameplay and RPG elements, though the result was a middling critical response. Still, Lost Planet remains a fan-favorite franchise and a memorable series from Capcom's seventh-generation efforts. Could a reboot be on the way?
Developed by Spark Unlimited and published by Capcom, Lost Planet 3 will be available free for active Xbox Live Gold members on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One via Backward Compatibility from August 1 to August 15.
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
Throw yourself into the final days of Fatal Fury. Releasing in 1999, Garou: Mark of the Wolves is the chronologically latest release in Fatal Fury (and, as of this writing, the last official entry to date). A decade after the death of Geese Howard, Terry Bogard trains Geese's son, Rock Howard, as a new King of Fighters tournament approaches. Garou feels like something of a soft reboot, with Rock serving as the game's protagonist while a slightly older and more mature Terry takes on a supporting role. Beyond that, there are few familiar Fatal Fury elements, and while the title was hailed as one of the best entries in the series, Garou remains a relatively obscure fighting game. These days, Rock and Terry are relegated to The King of Fighters; Terry will be returning for KOF XV, though it's not yet known if Rock will be making an appearance.
Developed and published by SNK, Garou: Mark of the Wolves will be available free for active Xbox Live Gold members on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One via Backward Compatibility from August 16 to September 1.