Xbox drops 5 new free downloads you can grab with no Game Pass

If you want to check out five new Xbox games for free today with no Game Pass required, then we’ve got you covered.

We’ve all been there, we’re looking forward to a new release, whether it’s on PC, PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo, and saved up our money, only for that game to be a total let down.

Thankfully, subscription services such as PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass can be a great way to save money, in comparison to splashing the cash on one or two full-priced games.

However, another way to check out games without paying full price is by downloading free playable demos, such as these new (ish) releases on Xbox.

Of course, there are far more than five demos to choose from, but here are just five recent selections:

• Captain Blood: “Is a pirate-themed action game set on the Spanish Main in the 17th century, where you step into the boots of a fearsome pirate on a quest for gold and glory. Expect wild adventures with cannon firing, pistol shooting, swashbuckling sword fights, and plenty of pirate shenanigans.”
• Blades of Fire: “From the award-winning studio MercurySteam, comes a new action-adventure where you forge your own weapons and face fierce enemies in a unique combat system. Join Aran de Lira on his journey to find the real purpose of his fate!”
• Annie - Last Hope: “Is an HD voxel top-down shooting game set in the 1990s. After a sudden invasion of unknown creatures, Annie is separated from her fiancé and embarks on a perilous journey to find him. However, what seems like a simple search soon unravels into a web of conspiracies, revealing the dark secrets hidden beneath the end of the world.”
• Copycat: “Is a narrative-driven indie game about a pet who learns to deal with abandonment, and a human forced to surrender. Together, two souls go on a journey to discover the meaning of family and home.”
• Through the Nightmares: “Dive into the world of dreams in Through the Nightmares! This is a hardcore platformer where you play as the Sandman, a size-shifting spirit said to bring people good dreams.”

The question is, which will you dive into first?