After a strong start to the New Year, Microsoft's Games with Gold is making a major U-turn to suckville for February. Microsoft revealed today the lineup of free games that'll be available to Xbox LIVE Gold members in February 2015 and, well, it's kind of a disappointment.
Have a look at what's free next month.
Xbox One
#IDARB (It Draws a Red Box) – $14.99 normally – Available February 1-28, 2015
We actually knew #IDARB would be the free game for Xbox One in February, but it's still somewhat of a disappointment considering this is all we're getting.
An offbeat, crowdsourced multiplayer action game, #IDARB is described as a "chaotic 8-player eSport jumping jetpack future arena ball game." Inspired by Bomberman and Smash Bros., with a mix of "cans of soda and paint-by-number books," players try to steal a ball and launch it into their goal. Players are able to pass the ball between each other and can emit an electronic pulse to knock it out of another player's hands.
What makes #IDARB unique — especially as an eSports game — is that the audience has an influence in the game. Viewers who are spectating a match can disrupt the players, in real time, through either Twitch or Twitter. Some examples include turning the ball into a bomb, spawning fireworks, filling the screen with water, and more.
Xbox 360
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – $14.99 normally – Available February 1-15, 2015
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is actually a really great game that follows the journey of two brothers on an quest to find a cure for their dying father. It features a unique control system in which each brother is assigned to a different thumbstick. You must use both brothers cooperatively to solve puzzle and explore the mysterious environments around you.
My problem with this is that Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was available as a free PlayStation Plus game on PS3 almost a year ago. And Xbox LIVE Gold members are just now getting it for free?
Sniper Elite V2 – $29.99 normally – Available February 16-28, 2015
Sniper Elite V2 is a third-person shooter that places you at the midst of World War II, trying to put an end to Germany’s V-2 rocket program. Armed with nothing but your wits and your handy sniper rifle, stealth and a steady trigger finger are key to your survival. Sniper Elite V2 also features a "robust" cooperative multiplayer mode.
I'll never really complain about free games because, hey, they're free. But it's okay to be a little disappointed right? The problem is, all of these games are very niche. Is it wrong to want a blockbuster game?
