Nearing the end of May which means it's almost time for June's lineup of Games with Gold. Every month Xbox Live Gold members are gifted with various Xbox games available for free so long as their subscription is active. Games typically range from AAA titles in their twilight to indie delights that deserve more love. This past month, May's Games with Gold included V-Rally 4, Warhammer 4,000 Inquisitor - Martyr, Sensible World of Soccer, and Overlord 2.
Now with the next month approaching soon, here's a few choices for what would make great games for the service. These aren't predictions as to what to expect, moreso a selection of games that would succeed on the Games with Gold service. Considering the nature of Xbox's ambiguous selection process, it's hard to say what games are coming next, so with that being said, here's what free games should come to Xbox's Games with Gold for June 2020.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Recently, games inspired by Japanese history have both been highly anticipated and highly successful titles among fans. It's time for the Xbox One to get some of that love as well, and adding Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice would be the perfect choice for Games with Gold. It's a "soulsbourne" adventure game birthed from the marriage of traditional Japanese myths and Dark Souls' signature atmosphere. The game's combat system is innovative, difficult, and addicting, with tons of depth that will test players' mastery of the mechanics. Sekiro is much more linear than past Dark Souls games, offering a direct revenge tale that's worth seeing through to the end. Each boss battle is immensely challenging, but also incredibly satisfying upon completion. Even if someone's not a fan of Dark Souls, Sekiro proves its unique challenge shouldn't be missed.
Resident Evil 7
With plenty of rumors flying around about another Resident Evil coming soon, it'd also be worth visiting Resident Evil 7 on Games with Gold. It's been a while since a true survival horror experience has been part of the program, so selecting the game that's helped revive the Resident Evil series in a new direction would be perfect. Resident Evil 7 brings players back to yet another evil and imposing big house, where players explore through the perspective Ethan Winters.
In search of his wife, players must explore the Baker's residence while being chased by the infected family members trying to kill him and his wife. Players must arm themselves with whatever they can to try and escape the Bakers, but also dig into the true purpose of the Baker's mysterious infection. Though not for the light-hearted, running from and fighting the Baker family is a harrowing, exciting experience that'll keep players on the edge of their seats the entire time.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005) (Xbox 360)
One of the first games to make the jump to the next generation in 2005, the original Need for Speed: Most Wanted (which shares the same name with a spiritual sequel in 2012) is widely considered one of the best Need for Speed games of all time. Perfectly encapsulating late 90s/early 2000s tuner culture, Most Wanted is one of the best arcade racing titles for its fantastic car customization and cheesy-but-fun story. Racing is fun, but escaping the cops is even better, as the different tools law enforcement utilize to stop racers progressively ramps up the difficulty. Where other Need for Speed titles utilize law enforcement as an obstacle during a race, Most Wanted made police an integral part of the gameplay loop to increase racer reputation. To this day, many Need for Speed games haven't been able to match the police chase fun of 2005's Most Wanted.
Beyond Good & Evil (Original Xbox)
With a sequel coming eventually from Ubisoft, Beyond Good & Evil was an endearingly weird sci-fi adventure worthy of revisiting. Beyond Good & Evil's story is still very unique today, following Jade the photojournalist as she's recruited by an underground group looking to expose the corruption of an authoritarian state. Players explore several "installations" around the galaxy looking for truth, encountering many aliens along the way. Jade also has a half-pig, half-human teammate named Pey'j who's full of charisma aids players throughout the journey. Gameplay is similar to that of a Zelda game, exploring different dungeons full of puzzles and intrigue. Beyond Good & Evil became a cult classic over time despite its poor reception on its initial release in 2003.
The Xbox Games with Gold have yet to be announced for June 2020.