Microsoft has announced the Xbox Live Gold titles for the month of July. The games announced, two Xbox One titles and two Xbox 360 titles, have received mixed reception from many.
On the Xbox One side of the things, the first game in the lineup is Limbo developer Playdead's Inside. Considered a modern classic by a broad spectrum of gamers and critics, Inside is a unique indie platformer bursting with creativity and dark level design. Inside will be free to download from July 1st to July 31st.
The second Xbox One game is Big Crown: Showdown. According to the Microsoft Game Store, this family-friendly multiplayer game is "set over 3 wacky worlds full of medieval shenanigans" in which you must "avoid perilous hazards and engage in frantic fights as you attempt to knock your opponents off 15 crazy courses in the ultimate royal battle!" Big Crown: Showdown will be free to download from July 16th to August 15th.
On Xbox 360, those with Xbox Live Gold will have access to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Often considered the pinnacle of the popular Castlevania series, Symphony of the Night is surely a title that many fans of classics will not want to miss. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night will be free to download from July 1st to July 15th.
Finally, Xbox 360 owners with Gold will be able to download Meet The Robinsons, a tie-in with the 2007 animated movie. Interestingly, other renditions of Meet The Robinsons were also released on consoles preceding the Xbox 360's generation, including games for PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Game Boy Advance. Meet The Robinsons will be free to download from July 16th to July 31st.
Overall, this is a mixed set of titles for the month of July. While Inside and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night are considered all-time classics, Big Crown: Showdown and the video game tie-in for Disney's Meet The Robinsons aren't exactly as venerated as the former titles.
Regardless, one of Xbox Live Gold's biggest benefits has, for several years now, been the free games available to download even if they're only available for a limited amount of time. Should players have any desire to download any of these titles, now would be the time to do so.