Once upon a time, Xbox Live Gold was Microsoft’s primary subscription service. While Microsoft’s largely shifted to promoting Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold’s Games with Gold is still a great way for Xbox users to snag four free games monthly.
The four free games for August are the Xbox 360 hit Saints Row 2, indie sim-game Calico, roguelike platformer ScourgeBringer, and the co-op heist game Monaco: What’s Yours is Mine. It’s also not too late to grab Relicta, the final game from July’s Games With Gold.
The first two games, Saints Row 2 and Calico, are available now. Both games are free to keep for Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. It should go without saying that Xbox 360's Saint’s Row 2 is the AAA centerpiece of this month’s free games with gold. Set in the fictional city of Stilwater, players step back into the highly-customizable shoes of the leader of the 3rd Street Saints. After waking up from a five-year coma, they must rebuild the Saints and retake the city from colorful rival gangs and the wealthy and powerful Ultor Corporation, who have their own plans for Stilwater’s future.
The 2008 action-adventure title saw Saint’s Row transition from a serious crime story to a more openly comedic tone. While it didn’t approach the heights of madness the later games reached, it helped build the franchise’s identity and set it apart from the comparatively more serious storylines of the Grand Theft Auto series. With the Saint’s Row reboot coming later this month, some gamers may appreciate a look back at this earlier installment. Saints Row 2 normally goes for $9.99, but Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can pick it up for free until August 15th.
Meanwhile, Whitethorn Games and Peachy Keen Games’ Calico is a much smaller game offering a vastly different experience. The adorable community sim takes players to a quaint village inhabited by magical girls and fantastical creatures. It’s their job to reopen the town’s derelict cat café, selling pastries and filling it with furniture, decorations, and feline friends. Released in 2020, developers designed Calico to be a cute and relaxing sim for anyone interested in a more laid-back experience. Calico normally retails for $11.99 but is free for Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers until August 31st.
Additionally, subscribers will be able to pick up the next two free games, ScourgeBringer and Monaco, starting August 15th. In the meantime, Xbox gamers can keep themselves occupied with cuddly cats and comedic crimes.
Source: Microsoft