The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting that 2016 will be one of the hottest Summers on record, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a nice cold snap during 4th of July weekend. Get out your parkas, The Banner Saga 2 is now available to download through the Xbox Games Store for the Xbox One.
In The Banner Saga 2, players will once again take command of a Viking clan and experience an “epic” and “emotional” story-based RPG. And if you’re an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you can grab it for free as part of this month’s Games With Gold promotion.
Also new on the Xbox Games Store this week is Prison Architect, a warden simulator from Introversion Software. Previously available through the Games Preview program, the full version of Prison Architect will include the Prison Stories campaign and a sandbox mode where you can build “the prison of your dreams.”
Finally this week, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II (Xbox One) will return to slay vampires and other demons in another Diablo-inspired adventure.
More details on all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break.
Xbox One Games
The Banner Saga 2 ($19.99)
The award-winning adventure continues in Banner Saga 2! This epic, story-based, role-playing game continues its emotional journey across a breaking world. Bold leadership decisions, wise use of resources, and skillful battle tactics are vital to ensure your Viking clans make it through alive. If played, your choices will carry over from the first game, or you can start fresh with new preset characters.Prison Architect ($29.99)
In Prison Architect you will see the impact of your grand design on the lives of your inmates; be it a utopic center for rehabilitation, a brutal Super Max Prison or anything in between. Even when all of your prisoners’ needs are met, remember one thing – it’s still a prison and no one really wants to be there. Start your journey into the world of Prison Architect by playing through the Prison Stories (campaign). You’ll quickly learn how to cope with blazing infernos, hostage situations, and prison wide riots – if you make it through all that unscathed, the Mayor will be ready to give you the reigns of a brand new prison development where you can build the prison of your dreams.The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II ($14.99)
It all seemed so simple: defeat the mad scientist, free the land and ride into the sunset, but sometimes the fall of a villain only opens the way to more sinister foes. So the incredible adventures continue, and Van Helsing, the famous monster-hunter returns to save the day again with the help of his charming, ghostly companion, Lady Katarina. The gothic metropolis of weird science is on the brink of destruction as chaos rules the streets and a new enemy plots revenge. It’s time to enter the dark side of Borgova and the forbidden wilderness, but beware: you are not the only one behind a mask.Hawken (Free)
Pilot hulking death machines and use massive weaponry to destroy your foes in fast-paced FPS gameplay. Hawken is a multiplayer first person shooter that places you inside a mechanized war machine on the battlefield of a dystopian world. With tactical, fast-paced gameplay in customizable and upgradable mechs across multiple competitive modes, Hawken is explosively fun. Features 26 mechs, 9 environments and 6 game modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Missile Assault, Siege, Co-Op Bot Destruction, and Coop vs AI Team Deathmatch modes.Ethan: Meteor Hunter ($9.99)
Freeze time and manipulate the world with endless possibilities: build the solution YOU want where nothing is scripted and levels can be solved in multiple ways. When Super Meat Boy meets Braid, you may die repeatedly and enjoy it! With its unique blend of precision platforming and time-stopping physics-based puzzles, feel like a hero when you succeed! Your name is Ethan, a rat that got touched by meteorites giving him the power of telekinesis: freezing time and moving objects around him.Dynamite Fishing: World Games ($4.99)
Join the fun in this wild fishing action and rush across the seven seas. Fly fishing is boring! Grab your guns and explosives and let’s catch some fish REDNECK STYLE! Forget about idyllic ponds, or beautiful coral reefs. Dynamite Fishing – World Games will ship you to the best fishing spots all over the globe including an awesome jungle adventure! Choose your favorite characters and boats, explore the most daring scenarios and catch as many fish as you can.
