'Games with Gold' news: Free games for Xbox consoles announced

Screenshot of Microsoft's "Games with Gold" promotion for the Xbox.YouTube/Xbox

The free games included in January's "Games with Gold" for Xbox One and Xbox 360 consoles have just been announced.

Microsoft, via their Xbox Wire site, has just announced their free set of games for January 2018 exclusively for Xbox Live Gold members. These games include "Zombi," "The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III," "Army of Two," and "Tomb Raider Underworld."

"Zombi" is a first-person zombie survival game released in 2012 for the Wii U, PS4, PC, and Xbox One. The game is set within the zombie-filled streets of London, with players trying to survive for as long as they can. "Zombi," currently priced at $19.99, will be freely available starting Jan. 16 up until Feb. 15 for the Xbox One.

Then, "The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III" follows Van Helsing as he tries to save the world from a doomed prophecy. Helsing will be accompanied by Lady Katrina as he battles new and even more terrifying beasts in Borgovia. "The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III," which now retails at $14.99, will be available for free from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31 for the Xbox One.

Next, "Army of Two" will let players face a conspiracy that threatens the entire world. Players can either choose to bring a buddy or play with an artificial intelligence (AI) companion as they shoot enemies from Afghanistan to South Korea. "Army of Two," currently sold for $14.99, will be available from Jan. 16 to Jan. 31 for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 through "Backward Compatibility."

Lastly, "Tomb Raider Underworld" lets players take control once again of the cunning Lara Croft as she travels around the world to solve the mystery regarding Thor's hammer that threatens to destroy the civilization. "Tomb Raider Underworld," now priced at $19.99, will be available from Jan. 1 to Jan 15 on the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

According to VideoGamer, the games in "Games with Gold" for January 2018 are, all in all, worth $69 in value. All mentioned games will be free for Xbox Live Gold members through Microsoft's "Games with Gold" program.