It will be up to subscribers to decide what the best month for free Xbox games has been in 2021.
December’s Games with Gold lineup has just been announced and includes an interesting mix of free games for Xbox One and Xbox 360.
The Escapists 2 headlines and will be available to download on December 1, 2021, for all subscribers.
This will be followed by Tropico 5 – Penultimate Edition on December 16, which will round out the free Xbox One games for the year.
This is the second Tropic game to be featured in Games with Gold in 2021, with the Xbox 360’s Tropico 4 added to the list in May.
New classic games available to download this month include Orcs Must Die! Going live on December 1, followed by Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet on December 16.
Descriptions for all four games can be found below:
The Escapists 2
From the tundra to the desert, join up with three of your friends to form the ultimate crew and engineer the wildest escapes from some of the toughest prisons in the world. Live by the rules, attend roll call, and follow strict routines, all while secretly planning and executing your bid for freedom!
Tropico 5 – Penultimate Edition
In this Penultimate Edition, including The Big Cheese and Hostile Takeover add-ons, expand the reign of your dynasty from the early colonial period to beyond the 21st Century. Build your city’s infrastructure, plan your trading routes, and utilize new technologies, in the fifth installment of the fan favorite city-building series.
Orcs Must Die!
As a powerful War Mage, defend twenty-four fortresses from a mob of beastly enemies, using all manner of weapons and traps at your disposal. No matter how you get it done, you’ll have a blast destroying rampaging monsters in this fantasy, action-strategy game.
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Explore unique environments in the 2D action-adventure game, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet. Make your way to the centre of the mysterious Shadow Planet, all while solving complex puzzles and battling bizarre creatures, as you fight to save your home world.
None of these can really contend with Microsoft’s other massive free-to-play launch this month, following the early release of Halo Infinite Multiplayer.
Unlike the titles featured in Games with Gold, no subscription is needed to download and enjoy the new Halo experience.
Gamers can simply head over to the Microsoft Store and download the Halo Infinite beta on Xbox One or Xbox Series X.
The full version of the game – including the Halo Infinite Campaign – will cost money to own or an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Halo Infinite’s story will become playable on December 8 on PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.