Xbox Game Pass might be offering all new first party titles but next month's Xbox Live Games With Gold line up has a few heavy hitters of its own.
For Honor - Xbox One (August 16 - September 15)
This AAA medieval brawler only launched in February of last year, making it a fairly recent inclusion for Games With Gold. For Honor features a unique melee combat system where vikings, knights, and samurai attack and block from three different directions. If you're a fan of Nintendo's Punch Out!! series, you'll find a lot to love here. Especially now that Ubisoft has rolled dedicated servers for smoother online versus matches. The 'Marching Fire' introducing a new Chinese faction will launch this October.
Forza Horizon 2 (August 1-31)
Every even year brings us yet another entry in the quirky arcade Forza Horzion racing series. Unlike it's more simulation focused sister series, Horizon 2 allows players to freely traverse Southern France and Northern Italy, taking on chaotic speed and drift challenges along the way. This is also a not so subtle reminder that Forza Horizon 4 launches this October.
Dead Space 3 - Xbox 360 (August 1-15)
The most divisve entry in the franchise, Dead Space 3 introduced co-op multiplayer and action set pieces to the sci-fi horror series. Developer Visceral Games went on to release Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel and Battlefield Hardline, before Electronic Arts closed the studio during development of a Star Wars project. Causing Dead Space 3 to be more fondly received today than it was in 2013.
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two - Xbox 360 (August 16-31)
The original Epic Mickey was an average game. But it's admirable devotion to animation history and Wii exclusivity elevated it's profile. Not so with Epic Mickey 2. Though a boost in visuals and a handful of musical numbers did better resembled the Disney source material, and co-op play was introduced, this sequel feels more like a continuation of dated platforming than a full fledged sequel.