Xbox free download is one of the best games we played this year

We all assumed that nothing could quite match up to the deluge of absolute bangers that was 2023, but 2024 has already been filled with GOTY contenders.

From Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Dragon's Dogma II to Animal Well and Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree, the hits have kept on coming.

In all the noise, there's one 2024 game you might not have had time to check out yet. Fortunately, if you've an Xbox console, you can currently download and check it out for free.

Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown is hands-down one of our favourite games of the year so far. Ubisoft's brutal metroidvania earned a solid 9/10 from us, and if you've played it you'll know why: it absolutely slaps.

"The Lost Crown does a lot by the book; the idea of a metroidvania isn’t original by any stretch, but it’s how everything has been thought of that makes this one of the best the genre has to offer," our very own Dan Lipscombe wrote at the time. "Everything the game delivers is a team of people achieving the very best they can. It’s lavish, grandiose, and consistently theatrical in style. If there was a fear that this game couldn’t revitalise or respect a well-loved series, you’ll be pleased to know that everything is in safe hands."

If you fancy checking the Prince's latest adventure out for yourself - and you really should - you can currently head on over to the Xbox store and grab a free demo.

If you're not sold on the game's artstyle, world, combat, and movement by the end of your time with the demo? Well, maybe you just don't deserve nice things.

Or the game just isn't for you and your opinion is totally valid. But it's probably that first one.