A new month means a new, bountiful selection of free games from a variety of services. Soon, players will be able to claim this month’s PS Plus selection, and they can go ahead and peruse this month’s games with gold (assuming someone is on both platforms, of course). Regardless, at least for Xbox users, it’s Game Pass that has the most bang for its buck.
From today, September 2, through September 9, players have eight new games they can claim and download as part of the service. Xbox Game Pass will indubitably announce more to follow it in the coming week or two, but for those curious about the new games, here’s what fans should know.
New Game Pass Additions for September 2
- Cr aftopia (Game Preview) – Cloud, Console, and PC
- Final Fantasy 13 – Console and PC
- Signs of the Sojourner – Cloud, Console, and PC
- Surgeon Simulator 2 – Cloud, Console, and PC
Craftopia is a multiplayer open-world survival action game with its main focus on combining the best of all the developer’s favorite games. Elements from sandbox, open-world, survival, farming, hack and slash titles, and far more are available in this game. There are 20+ crops to grow, automations and factories that can be built, pets that can be caught (then farmed and bred), dungeons to be explored, equipment to be crated, fish to be caught, vehicles to ride with friends, 100+ skills, character creation, and more. How well Craftopia pulls all of this into its Breath of the Wild-esque world is up to personal preference, but it tries to allow anything and everything.
Final Fantasy 13 is the first major title of the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection, or games with a shared mythology if interpreted differently. Final Fantasy 13 is more streamlined in terms of going from point to point than some games but tells the story through multiple eyes such as Lightning’s, Snow’s, and Sazh’s. The combat is fast-paced, the story is full of unique details, and characters can develop in a variety of ways via the Crystarium. Overall, if players like it on Game Pass, there are two sequels they can check out to continue the story.
Signs of the Sojourner is a deck-building video game but with a twist. Instead of attempting to beat other characters to prove themselves self the best or something like that, the game is about using cards to make a personal connection with characters. The overarching goal is to save the PC’s late mother’s bodega, and by matching cards with NPCs in the game, a connection is built between the player and NPC.
Surgeon Simulator 2’s gameplay and style are all in the name, but the developer has bragged that it is the “most weird and wonderful” iteration of the game yet. Players can share their experiences with other players, explore a Medical Facility in Campaign Mode, compete in a competitive party mode, work together in co-op, and create unique levels in Creation Mode.
New Game Pass Additions for September 7
- Crown Trick – Console and PC
Crown Trick is a rogue-like RPG, where turn-based combat and skill-item synergy come into play. It stands out from other rogue-likes due to the way it approaches its strategy elements; while each map being procedurally generated isn’t that unique, the way players must plot out their course as they move and see and predict enemy movements adds a new layer to the traditional gameplay. Skills can be learned from enemies, used in conjunction with the environment, and used to build a unique playstyle.
New Game Pass Additions for September 9
- Breathedge – Cloud, Console, and PC
- Nuclear Throne – Console and PC
- The Artful Escape – Console and PC
Breathedge has received a ton of praise as a space game that combines Subnautica and Prey in a fun, survival adventure title. Players must discover what happened to their spaceship, alongside their immortal chicken, and to do so, they must utilize tools, pilot vehicles, utilize space stations, and explore the wreckage. It’s pretty straightforward, and it’s as fun as Subnautica in space sounds.
Nuclear Throne, meanwhile, is a top-down rogue-like bullet hell shooter. Players can either check it out in single-player or co-op, complete challenges, and more. Players control 1 of 12 characters, and the other 10 are unlocked by playing the game. It’s rather straightforward until players must defeat the final boss, at which point they can loop back to the beginning with increased difficulty. Expect for certain items, everything is reset, and players level up through mutations. Overall, players start basic and grow in strength and skill, making this true-to-form for rogue-like lovers.
The Artful Escape is releasing day one on Game Pass, and for fans of Annapurna’s published works, that ought to be a good deal. It deals with the musician protagonist Francis Vendetti trying to find himself and who he is, in order to escape the shadow of his uncle, a folk music legend. A platformer, The Artful Escape sees players run, jump, and utilize music in a music-infused landscape against challenge platforms and enemies. Defeating creatures can unlock sound samples that players can use to create their own soundtrack for the game, mimicking Vendetti’s travels for his musical independence.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers get a handful of free games every month.