February is almost here, meaning Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will have a new set of titles to play. The Games with Gold program offers up four games that users can add to their collection each month, with January's Games with Gold including both classic titles and modern indies to pick up.
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 and Xbox 360 era, this month's Games with Gold offers experiences that fans of all ages should be able to enjoy.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse
Released in December 2013 for the Xbox One and other consoles of the eighth generation, Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse is 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 game was developed and published by Revolution Software, a British company that created the first iteration of the series back in 1996 with Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars. These games have stood the test of time and established themselves as classics among the ever-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 with the best of the point-and-click franchise.
With a download size of 4.96 GB, Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse includes 1,000 gamerscore. On top of that, the game has engaging mechanics, which may help prolong the Games with Gold service amid calls for Games with Gold to be scrapped as Game Pass grows in popularity.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse will be available from February 1 to February 28.
Aerial_Knight's Never Yield
Aerial_Knight's Never Yield released in February 2021 for the Xbox Series X/S and accompanying consoles of this generation, aiming to stamp its mark on the busy world of sidescrollers. Aerial_Knight's Never Yield is 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 creator Brendan Greene of PUBG, who left his position last 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 for speedrunning, 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 Yield will be available from February 16 to March 15.
Hydrophobia
Initially released in September 2003 for the and PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, Hydrophobia is 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 just how long survival games can be in 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 the gameplay feature of 'levelution,' as coined by EA.
This gameplay is presented via a dystopian 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.
Hydrophobia sits at 1.76 GB to download and is a remnant of the classic Xbox 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.
Hydrophobia will be available from February 1 to February 15.
Band of Bugs
Band of Bugs is another Xbox 360 classic released in June 2007. At its core, Band of Bugs is 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 Bugs is one of many games to incorporate the Xbox 360 avatar system into its gameplay, as did titles like A 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 for newcomers to the turn-based strategy genre.
Band of Bugs is 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 Bugs will be available through Games with Gold from February 16 to February 28.