At the beginning of each month, Microsoft's Games with Gold program offers free downloads of popular games to Xbox owners with an Xbox Live Gold subscription.

And with a new month upon us, July's free games have been revealed. They are as follows:

"Max: The Curse of Brotherhood" was actually a free game in June, but will continue to be free in July. "Max" is a side-scrolling platformer with physics-based puzzles, that follows a young boy that just wishes his little brother would go away forever. But when Max gets his wish, and his sibling is kidnapped by evil forces, Max must venture into the unknown to save him.

"Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition" is an action game based on Mexican tradition and lore. Unlike "Max," "Guacamalee!" is a new addition this month, and will be replacing "Halo: Spartan Assault," a third-person shooter set in the "Halo" universe.

"Guacamelee!" was beloved by game critics, and is definitely a game Xbox Live Gold subscribers should consider.

Both of these games are only free titles for those who own an Xbox One, the newest Microsoft console. For those who own an Xbox 360, the free offerings differ.

From July 1-15, "Gotham City Impostors" is free to download. The game is a multiplayer first-person shooter set in the Batman universe (although be advised: it doesn't actually contain any Batman).

From July 16-31, "BattleBlock Theater" is free. The game is a platformer that forces players to survive in a deadly stage show.

No doubt, these freebies will encourage more Xbox owners to sign up for Xbox Live Gold, but the feedback hasn't been all positive. Some have criticized Microsoft for waiting too long to roll out their digital download services, and then rushing them into place after announcing them.

There's no doubt that services like Steam, which have been in place for more than a decade and have millions of users, eclipse what Microsoft is trying to accomplish. But maybe in time, Microsoft will become a more worthy competitor.