The Games with Gold service has long been appreciated for offering a selection of titles to Xbox Live subscribers every month. With these games often spanning different genres and console generations, the games that are periodically made available through the service are known for their variety above all else.
September is set to bring a total of four new titles to Games with Gold for Xbox Live Gold members. Although the service has developed a more recent reputation for offering lesser-known games, the selection for September includes some iconic and fan favorite titles.
Gods Will Fall
The first tile that will become available to players in September's Games with Gold selection is Gods Will Fall. Developed by Clever Beans and published by Deep Silver, Gods Will Fall was originally released in 2021, being a roguelike action title with a vibrant and captivating art style.
Gods Will Fall sees players control a band of up to eight warriors, set within a nightmarish world plagued by the longstanding and cruel grip of a variety of unforgiving gods. Traveling through different realms and battling against sinister creatures sent by the deities, players will have to tread carefully in what is a seemingly insurmountable fight against the ten gods of the lands. Gods Will Fall will be available for free via Games with Gold between September 1 and September 30.
Double Kick Heroes
The second title coming to Games with Gold in September is Double Kick Heroes, a unique 2D side-scroller indie rhythm game. Developed and published by Headbang Club, Double Kick Heroes has attracted swathes of positive attention since its initial launch in 2018. Fighting off comical hordes of different zombies and animals across a seemingly endless highway, Double Kick Heroes sees the player fire weapons through rhythm game mechanics, with combos awarding better guns and missed notes strengthening the enemy threat. Double Kick Heroes features real-world and fully licensed songs, making it a perfect match for any rock or metal fans.
Interestingly, the game even features a level editor, meaning players can create their own missions and import their own music into them. Player-made tracks are then made available to the wider community, meaning players can test out and try the most popular fan-made creations for themselves. Double Kick Heroes will be available on Games with Gold between September 16 and October 15.
Thrillville
The third game slated for September's Games with Gold selection is 2006's Thrillville. A theme park simulation game, Thrillville is this month's Games with Gold title that comes from a much older console generation, originally released for the first Xbox. Thrillville was published by LucasArts and developed by Frontier Developments, the same studio that developed iconic simulation titles such as the RollerCoaster Tycoon series and Planet Coaster.
Building rollercoasters and infrastructure with the aim of increasing a park's acclaim and visitor satisfaction, Thrillville plays similarly to other coaster simulation games like Parkitect but is driven by a plot of competing against the nefarious Globo-Joy theme parks. Not limited to the traditional birdseye approach, Thrillville also allows players to gain a more close-up view of park customers, to further gauge how they are reacting to changes and specific rides. Thrillville is available to play for free via Games with Gold from September 1 to September 15.
Portal 2
The final and arguably most high-profile addition to September's Games with Gold selection is Portal 2. A first-person puzzle platformer that originally released in 2011, Portal 2 was developed and published by Valve.
The Portal franchise is considered by many to be one of the most compelling and engaging puzzle platformer series, with the player using an experimental portal gun to navigate an abandoned scientific research facility overseen by a murderous AI known as GLaDOS. While the first Portal title was of a much smaller and intimate scale, its sequel boasts a larger scale, and expands upon the narrative and game mechanics of the franchise significantly.
With the addition of a plethora of different "gels" that can be used to influence the many puzzles and test chambers within Portal 2, the title possesses a more complex layer to its base gameplay when compared to its critically acclaimed predecessor. Portal 2 also features an entertaining co-op mode, which sees players embody the robotic "guinea pig" test subjects of P-Body and ATLAS. This co-op mode provides quite a commendable amount of content, with the necessity of teamwork required for the mode making for memorable online or couch co-op sessions.
Portal 2 is a Games with Gold title that is absolutely worth trying during its eligible dates of September 16 to September 30. Portal 2 will also be the last Xbox 360 title included on the Games with Gold service, marking a significant end to an ever present factor of the Games with Gold formula. Despite this era coming to an end, it remains that the September selection for Games with Gold is still as varied and attractive as ever.