If you’ve been a long-time gamer, or just got your hands on the newest next-gen title, you may be looking for some new, free games to go along with your online subscription, and that’s where Games With Gold can come into play. While Microsoft has been putting a lot of time and effort into its Game Pass program, it still offers four free titles for members that use Xbox Live Gold. While the quality of these titles can sometimes vary, you’ll have months that come along that offer great titles available to play, as long as you have their online service.
Is this month one of the better months, or is this month a dud? Let’s take a look into the different games that are being offered for Xbox Live Games With Gold, and see if they are worth the space on your hard drive, or worth just letting go past your system.
Xbox Live Games With Gold – May 2022
If you’re a fan of 2D Platformers and Pinball, Yoku’s Island Express should be on your radar. One of the more unique titles that have come out of the indie world over the past few years, you’ll be in control of the world around Yoku, rather than direct control of the titular character themselves. You’ll need to make sure your flipper skills are on point, as some levels can be surprisingly challenging, but Yoku’s Island Quest is a great game for anyone tired of the same old, same old. Strongly recommend downloading this one, especially at the cost of Free.
The Inner World: The Last Wind Monk is a solid point-and-click adventure title, with a sense of humor similar in vein to the Monkey Island games. If you are a fan of point-and-click games, you’ll find yourself in a comfy position, with a game that will last you around 3 to 5 hours to complete, but the humor and the unique visual style make up for its short game length. Not exactly a game for everyone, but if you’re curious about what it has to offer, there’s no better way to experience it.
If you’re longing for the days of the arcade, with flashy visual spectacles and high-octane driving, Hydro Thunder: Hurricane is the stand-out title on the list for you. Featuring 11 tracks to wreak havoc upon, you’ll be performing high flying stunts, smashing through objects, finding shortcuts, and more. It’s a great title, that expands and improves on its original form in almost every way. While you may not have the amazing setup as you would in the arcade, with the twin-thruster controls, it’s still a heck of a good time, and with multiplayer frenzy to boot. A must download, for fans of arcade racers.
And last, but not least on the list for Games with Gold is Viva Pinata: Party Animals. You’ll be selecting one of the loveable cast members of Viva Pinata, and competing across 40 different mini-games to see who is the best party animal of all. While not as polished as Mario Party, those looking for some quick and cheap thrills to play around with friends can find some enjoyment here. While not as great as the original title, you can still find some fun, but may not be for everyone. Could be a pass, depending on the type of player you are.
And there we have it! While not huge, AAA titles that most players would like, there’s a little bit of everything here that could please just about anyone. A strong recommendation towards Yoku’s Island Express and Hydro Thunder: Hurricane, if you are wondering which games to pick out of the list.
Xbox Games With Gold change each month and are only available to subscribers of Xbox Live and Xbox Game Pass.
