Each month, Amazon Prime members get two new batches of games: one batch to keep, and another batch to stream via its cloud gaming service, Luna. The Luna library includes some standout titles, like Control, Hollow Knight, and the Tomb Raider Survivor trilogy. On Thursday, Amazon announced the new titles for this month. If you're a fan of jumping from high ledges and stabbing dudes in the neck, then you're in luck: two recent Assassin's Creed titles will join Luna later this month.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla was the first AC title for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X generation. It continued the series' trend toward sprawling, open-world RPGs. You play as a Viking raider in the 9th century who, of course, gets tangled up with Assassins and Templars. "Valhalla’s most intriguing story is one about faith, honor, and family, but it’s buried inside this massive, massive world stuffed with combat and side quests," Nicole Carpenter wrote for Polygon in her 2020 review.
Assassin's Creed Mirage still features a big, open world to explore, but its gameplay hews closer to the series' sneaky roots. Mirage has more of a focus on stealth and assassinating enemies before they can spot you. It's a prequel to Valhalla that follows thief Basim (introduced in Valhalla), who's just trying to get by in Baghdad. Get this: he stumbles his way into the Assassin's Hidden Ones order and gradually becomes a great assassin while also investigating the mysteries of his past.
"By focusing on stealth and assassinations-as-puzzles, and keeping the map and missions small but layered, Mirage has shed the bloat of its recent predecessors," Tauriq Moosa wrote in his 2023 review for Polygon. He called Mirage "one of the best games in the series," and I couldn't agree more.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Assassin's Creed Mirage are "coming this month," though Amazon did not specify the exact date. Now available to stream are Disney/Pixar Brave: The Video Game and Bluey: The Videogame if you're looking for something with a decidedly not-Assassin's-Creed vibe.
Amazon Prime members can aksi get a dozen free PC games over the course of August. Unlike Sony's free PlayStation Plus games, which you can only play while your subscription is active, Amazon's free games come via redeemable codes from various PC gaming storefronts, like the Epic Games Store and GOG. You'll still own and have access to them even if your Amazon Prime subscription ends.
Here's everything new to claim in August:
-
*Right and Down*(GOG) — available now -
*Hiveswap Friendsim*(GOG) — available now -
*Pyramids and Aliens: Escape Room*(GOG) — available now -
*Airship: Kingdoms Adrift*(Epic Games Store) — available now -
*Steelrising*(Epic Games Store) — available now -
*Royal Romances: Forbidden Magic*(TBD)— Aug. 20 -
*Spray Paint Simulator*(Amazon Games App) — Aug. 20 -
*Havendock*(Amazon Games App) — Aug. 27 -
*Clash: Artifacts of Chaos*(Epic Games Store) — Aug. 27
Amazon Prime members can head to Amazon Luna to claim the free games.