7 Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

Fortnite – Free

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

If there was going to be one game that kickstarted a list of cheap or free games to fill your play time this summer, it was bound to be Fortnite. With its fifth season kicking off last week, the game has recently just received All Terrain Vehicles, some entirely new map locations, a whole host of new cosmetics to unlock, and other new features to mix up the battle royale experience.

Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, Fortnite has one of those compelling gameplay loops that’ll have you racking up eliminations and unlocking new skins for hours at a time. It’s free to jump into, but if you want some additional challenges and cosmetics to unlock as you play, you’ll want to grab the Battle Pass. Though, this won’t break the bank, costing less than $10.

Prey – $19.85

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

Prey sees players awaken aboard the Talos I space station, but things aren’t quite right. There’s been a hostile alien outbreak that consists of creatures that can mimic real-life objects and ambush their targets when close, and some other stronger and more terrifying beasties you don’t want to come face to face with. Fortunately, you’ve got a trust wrench, a funky foam gun, and some more lethal weapons at your disposal, and it’s down to you to uncover exactly what the heck went on here.

Prey may not have been my own personal favorite game from last year, but I did appreciate its open-ended environment, dripping with atmosphere and filled with nooks, crannies, and secrets to uncover around every corner. Though its combat leaves a little to be desired, the eerie, sci-fi adventure of Prey will keep you occupied for upwards of about 15 hours, and it’s well worth picking up for less than $20.

Cuphead – $19.99

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

Cuphead became one of last year’s darling indie hits. Its charming, ’60s cartoon aesthetic lulls you into a false sense of security, and then its combination of run and gun missions and punishing boss fights will crush your spirits. Over, and over, and over again. Seriously.

This is a challenging twin-stick platformer that will truly put your skills to the test. Cuphead seldom feels unfair, however, with boss attack patterns easy enough to learn and simple controls. If you’re finding the challenge too hard, Cuphead does now have a lower difficulty level that you can choose before starting each individual stage. Plus, with local co-op available throughout the entire game, this is one that’s perfect for late summer night sessions with your friend or loved one. You can grab the game for $20 over on the Xbox Online Store.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection – $23- $27

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

If there’s one series that’s synonymous with the Xbox brand, it’d be Halo. Ever since the original Xbox and the beginning of Xbox Live, Halo has been a prominent part of the ecosystem, with players racking up millions upon millions of hours playing online. Despite Halo 5 being the only mainline entry in the series to have been developed specifically for the Xbox One, the Master Chief Collection packs in the first four titles, gives them a fresh lick of paint, and struts them out on the console, complete with co-op, and all the online modes for each title.

There’s a huge amount of content to sink your teeth into on one disc, whether you just want to relive that final Warthog escape scene from Halo 3 one more time, or witness the adventure from the beginning for the very first time. Legendary co-op campaigns always make for great fun with friends and family, and if you’re wanting to put your skills to the test, you can always hop into the online multiplayer, too.

Depending on your personal preferences, The Master Chief Collection can be picked up for just over $20 used, or $27 for a new copy.

Games with Gold Offerings – Free

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

If you’re less fussed about what you’re playing and just want to try and save some money on your gaming habit during the summer drought this year, be sure to check out the Games with Gold offerings (if you’re an Xbox Live Gold member, that is).

If you’ve been a Gold member for a while now and have been downloading the free games from the past few months, you’ve already got some fantastic single-player experiences, including Metal Gear Solid V, Vanquish, The Witness, and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. That’s a stealthy action game, a fast-paced shooter, an incredible, lengthy puzzle game, and some classic Assassin’s Creed action from the past three months, all for free.

For those who missed out on these titles, fear not, there are still some titles worth your time this month. Splinter Cell: Conviction may be a 360 title, but is well worth checking out if you’ve never played it before, while Death Square is a co-op puzzle game for up to four players that’s great fun regardless of skill level.

Whichever camp you fall into, here’s a tip for future. Regardless of whether the Games with Gold free titles appeal to you at the time, just smash that ‘Get’ button on them anyway. They’re free, attached to your account, and you never know when you might just want to give something a bit different a try. Perfect for these summer droughts!

Game Pass – $9.99/ Month

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

Xbox Game Pass may be yet another subscription-based service you’d need to sign up to, but at $9.99 a month, and with the option to cancel your subscription whenever you want, it’s almost perfect for these summer droughts and other lulls in major releases throughout the year.

With all of Microsoft’s first-party titles coming to Game Pass, subscribing today would instantly net you this year’s Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2, alongside major third-party games such as Fallout 4, Elder Scrolls Online, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and more. There are currently 206 games, 123 of which are Xbox One titles, available on Game Pass, and you’re free to download and play whichever games you want as much as you want. No limitations, nothing.

If you’re not feeling any one particular genre or specific series, Xbox Game Pass’ extensive library is certainly worth investing in for a couple of months. Variety is the spice of life and all that, after all.

Red Dead Redemption – $11.98

Cheap Xbox One Games to Get You Through the Summer Drought

It may not be an Xbox One game, but it still holds up as a pretty fantastic open world game all the same. Red Dead Redemption puts players in the shoes of John Marston, a former outlaw who must travel across the American frontier, laying down the law as he goes after federal agents threatening his family. It’s gritty, realized, and a joy to play. Whether you’re exploring the vast wilderness of the wild west, or clearing your first fortress, the game’s full of memorable moments. Not to mention its story is pretty great, too.

With Red Dead Redemption 2, arguably the biggest game of the year, just a matter of months away, now’s the perfect time to catch up on this classic from last generation so that you’re all clued up and prepared for the sequel. You can get a used copy for just over $10 over on Amazon, an absolute bargain for one of Rockstar’s finest titles.