Gears Of War 4 Headlines Xbox Games With Gold Free August Lineup

Microsoft has announced their August 2019 Games With Gold lineup, which includes four free games for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to enjoy.

You can download Gears of War 4 between August 1 and August 31. Forza Motorsport 6 will follow, becoming available between August 16 through September 15. Xbox 360 owners will have access to Torchlight between August 1 and August 15 and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow from August 16 through August 31. Xbox One players can enjoy all four titles, a $94 value, thanks to backwards compatibility.

Gears of War 4, the first mainline entry in the Gears of War series not developed by Epic Games, received positive reviews from critics following its launch in 2016. "No doubt that there are missteps, mostly with regard to the narrative and the pacing, but there are a lot of bright spots too," said Destructoid's Brett Makedonski. "Even if this is only an okay Gears of War game, it's still a fantastic video game."

Forza Motorsport 6, the sixth installment in Turn 10 Studios' popular Forza racing franchise, launched to a strong reception in September 2015, raking in a 9.5/10 from Destructoid and a 9/10 from IGN and selling over 1 million copies by the end of the year. Both reviews highlighted the game's graphics and diverse selection of vehicles.

Torchlight, Runic Games' hack-and-slash dungeon crawler first released for PC in 2009. The game's soundtrack, art design, and core gameplay mechanics earned it positive marks; however, reviewers criticized its "tissue-thin story" and lack of multiplayer.

Konami rebooted the popular Castlevania series in 2010 with Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, taking the franchise in a new direction. Though this choice divided fans, the game received high praise from critics for its massive scope in terms of content and writing. Others were less content, calling Lords of Shadow a derivative work that borrowed too many gameplay elements from other titles. 

Gears of War 4, Forzo Motorsport 6, Torchlight, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow replace the July Games With Gold roster, which included Inside, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Meet the Robinsons. Big Crown: Showdown will overlap with the August games, remaining free until August 15.