It's almost July, which means gamers who subscribe to Xbox Live or PlayStation Plus (or both) can expect a fresh collection of new free games to download and play next week. As usual, Microsoft is announcing its lineup of titles first, and it contains a number of games that are definitely worth checking out.
Leading the charge on Xbox One is The Banner Saga 2, which will be free for the entire month of July. This beautiful story-driven, turn-based strategy game boasts an impressive 83 on MetaCritic, and one look at the title in motion should give you an idea of its quality. Though it certainly helps if you've played the first game in the series, new players can dive into the sequel with no problem and appreciate the captivating gameplay, gorgeous aesthetic and masterful score.
Joining The Banner Saga 2 on Xbox One is Tumblestone, a new competitive indie puzzle game in the vein of classics like Tetris. Tumblestone will go free starting July 16 and remain that way until Aug. 15.
Xbox 360 players certainly aren't getting left behind, as Rainbow Six Vegas 2 will be free from July 1 to July 15. Ubisoft's shooter boasts both a campaign, co-op campaign, co-op terrorist hunts and some seriously addicting multiplayer, which should make it a great free game for the Xbox crowd to enjoy. Players can also fully customize their own character, ranging from camo patterns, armor, weapons and more.
If battling terrorists on the Las Vegas strip doesn't sound like a good time, players can instead take a trip to the Grid in Tron Evolution, the second free game for Xbox 360 owners. Tron: Evolution takes place before the events of the 2010 film Tron: Legacy, as players take on the role of Anon, a new system monitor. Tron: Evolution will be free starting July 16.
As has been the case for more than a year now, Xbox One owners will be able to play July's free Xbox 360 games thanks to the console's backwards compatibility function. Currently, more than 200 Xbox 360 games are playable on Xbox One, with more titles added every month. Players can expect Xbox 360 JRPG exclusives Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey to be added soon.
Overall, it's a solid lineup of titles for Xbox owners in July, featuring not only several critically-acclaimed games but some great variety as well. Expect Sony to reveal its lineup of free PS Plus games later this week.
