Which Games with Gold July Games Are Worth Your Time?

Grow Up

Which Games with Gold July Games Are Worth Your Time?

If you’ve ever wanted to be a tiny robot climbing up huge flora and fauna on a foreign planet then good news, Grow Up lets you live that dream. Players take control of BUD, a robot whose spaceship has crashed and its parts are now scattered across a huge planet. As such, it’s down to the player to guide BUD around the world, pick up the pieces, and rebuild his spaceship.

It’s worth noting that Grow Up is actually a sequel to Grow Home. As such, the gameplay here is largely the same, albeit on a larger scale with more freedom to the player. Unfortunately, everything feels a bit too familiar, so if you were done with the gameplay by the end of the first game, you’re probably going to struggle to make it to the end here. If you’ve not played the first game, though, don’t worry. You don’t need to know anything from its predecessor to enjoy Grow Up. Though its campaign is fairly short, there are plenty of collectibles and challenges to keep you playing past the credits.

If you’re looking for something a little more relaxing and charming, then Grow Up is definitely worth checking on Games with Gold.

Metacritic Score: 74

Runbow

Which Games with Gold July Games Are Worth Your Time?

As you may have guessed from its name, Runbow is all about fast-paced action and colors coming together for some chaotic party game action. Up to nine players can race against each other as platforms and obstacles appear and disappear as the background cycles randomly through colors. With the ability to attack and fling your opponents across the screen, it’s safe to say that the action can get pretty hectic.

Runbow hasn’t yet released on the Xbox One, but on the platforms it has, such as the Wii U, it’s delivered the compelling, ‘one more go’ action that’s perfect for when you’ve got your friends over. While its single-player experience doesn’t quite reach the same highs as playing with friends, Runbow is still worth the download for parties.

Metacritic Score: 82

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

Which Games with Gold July Games Are Worth Your Time?

Last generation offered up a ton of shooters to fans, but while some were great, others not so much. Unfortunately, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days was one of the latter. Putting players in control of the two criminals, the duo would have to shoot their way out of Shanghai’s criminal underworld.

Kane & Lynch 2 brings nothing new to the table compared to its predecessor, let alone the genre. Its gritty visuals aren’t enough to save the mediocre action and uninspired story. Some may enjoy the multiplayer, but don’t expect the servers to be bustling by now, even if it is going for free.

Metacritic Score: 63

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean

Which Games with Gold July Games Are Worth Your Time?

Rounding out the Games with Gold offerings for July is LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean. Players get to follow a blocky Captain Jack Sparrow and the rest of the Black Pearl’s crew as they complete story missions and visit familiar locations from the first four movies. Oh, and there’s a bunch of collectibles to grab along the way, of course.

Yet, while the classic LEGO game formula works well in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, it doesn’t do a whole lot to capitalize on the weird and wonderful adventures to push the experience to a new level. On top of that, the game still suffers from the same control issues and sometimes bizarre puzzle design that can lead to frustrating stints. Fans will still enjoy what’s on offer here, but don’t expect the pinnacle of the LEGO series by any means.

Metacritic Score: 73