Microsoft’s Game Pass service is easily worth the price of admission. Many might balk at the concept of having their video game library locked behind a subscription service, but the fact is subscribers get access to an incredible selection of titles spanning from indie darlings to triple-A blockbusters for a surprisingly affordable monthly fee.

Related: Everything You Need To Know About Xbox Game Pass

With such a dizzying array of fantastic titles on display, it can be a daunting task deciding which ones are worth a player’s time. Given that the cost of entry is taken care of with the subscription fee, the most pressing matter is determining the best use of your hard drive space. Thankfully, the diamonds of this collection are readily apparent. Here’s a look at the greatest games that Xbox Game Pass has to offer.

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The selections listed here will include games available on EA Play, which is included with a subscription to Game Pass Ultimate.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

The adventures of the Master Chief have never been as accessible as they are in the Master Chief Collection. This gathering of Halo games is the definitive collection of 343 Industries’ endeavors to immortalize the series. Not only is every mainline Halo game (not counting Halo 5: Guardians) included, but the fantastic Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach were added as well.

From beloved campaign co-op to thrilling Firefight matches to iconic multiplayer modes, the Master Chief Collection has it all. Anyone who thinks of themselves as a Halo fan should consider it a must-play from Xbox Game Pass. And for those who have never completed the Master Chief’s saga, there is no better way to finish the fight.

Celeste

Games typically take players on a journey, but Celeste gives whole new meaning to this concept. Players control Madeline, a young woman set on climbing to the top of Mount Celeste. Along the way, she must face her inner demons while remaining steadfast in her goal. The poignant story is wrapped in the trappings of a demanding platformer, but the tough nature of the gameplay ties in to the themes the story shares with its players. Celeste is not for the faint of heart, but seeing it through to completion is incredibly rewarding.

TOEM

Not every game has to be an epic quest with an intricate storyline or a competitive battle royale with twitch-skill duels that determine whether or not you take home first place. Sometimes, all you need from a game is a quiet time taking cute pictures.That’s what TOEM offers. You go off on the straightforward adventure of exploring your world and taking photos of adorable events and charming creatures. And that’s all there really is to it.

Now some may claim that the simplistic nature of the game makes it boring. What are games for if not to engage and entertain you? But TOEM goes above and beyond with how snug and comforting it feels. It isn’t here to challenge you; it isn’t here to rate the quality of your photos. TOEM is here to be played, completed, and enjoyed in one bite-sized sitting. And if that sounds darn right delightful, then TOEM is the game for you.

Maquette

Like Superliminal before it and Portal before that, Maquette is a puzzle game that takes a concept and just runs with it for the entirety of its playtime. Where Portal played with physics and Superliminal played with perception, Maquette has you solving puzzles that play with the idea of a recursive world. In each “area,” you have a little table in front of you that you can interact with, and doing so affects the literal larger world around you.

And the cherry on top of this delightful concept is that Maquette features a heartfelt story for you to uncover as you go along. No spoilers, but both the ingenuity of the puzzles and the emotional payoff of the story make Maquette a title not to be missed.

Grand Theft Auto V

Brought back to Xbox Game Pass once again, Grand Theft Auto V’s vibrant open-world setting of Los Santos is a prime reason for players to stay home and immerse themselves in a digital life of crime and skullduggery. Countless hours can be spent enjoying the game’s various activities and diving into the gripping story.

Playing through GTA V is a gaming experience like no other; the freedom of exploring a living, breathing city is brought to home consoles with masterful game design. GTA V is ridiculously fun, which eases the pressure of its intense heists, chaotic car chases, and other criminal enterprises.

Bramble: The Mountain King

With a healthy helping of atmospheric horror and a dash of terrifying folk tale tropes, Bramble: The Mountain King is exactly the game you are looking for if you want to be entertained and creeped out at the same time. Think Little Nightmares with more of a fantasy-esque setting. The majority of the gameplay revolves around light platforming and puzzle-solving to progress, but if you’re focusing solely on the gameplay, you’re doing Bramble a huge disservice.

Just as with games like Little Nightmares and Inside, a large part of the game’s brilliance stems from its environments. Both the areas you guide the small child you are playing as through and the sounds that haunt your ears as you do so contribute to making the title a hidden gem within the Xbox Game Pass library. It’s not a lengthy adventure, so Bramble: The Mountain King is the perfect game to download if you want a bite-sized but high-quality game to play in your spare time.

Amnesia: The Bunker

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is well known for putting the indie horror scene on the map. It shone a limelight on the creativity that flourishes in indie spaces, especially when it came to scaring the living daylights out of players. After several sequels that did not reach the same heights of notoriety as the original, The Bunker is here to reclaim the horror-inducing crown the series deserves. Deviating from the typical narrative-driven gameplay of all its predecessors, The Bunker almost feels like a horror roguelike as it creates a manual save system that sees you managing resources you collect on your runs throughout the bunker.

Set during the trench warfare of World War I, a monster stalks a head-wounded-so-conveniently-amnesiac soldier through the darkened, echoing tunnels of an underground bunker. Your objective is to escape, but every step you take runs the risk of drawing the deformed creature to your position. Amnesia: The Bunker breathes fresh air into the series, so if you’re a fan of horror and you want to explore all the terrifying titles available on Xbox Game Pass, it should be your first stop.

Hypnospace Outlaw

Hypnospace Outlaw is a love letter to the late-90s (and more specifically early-2000s) era internet. It's a parody of life online during the wild west days of surfing the world wide web. Anyone who grew up during the era will get a kick out of seeing the style brought to life on modern platforms. Despite being an alternative version of history, everything players engage with inside the game is inspired by real-world tools and trends.

Related:Games Of The 90s With The Best Replay Value

And while there aren't any name brands, it's easy to spot the overt influences of early-era Windows, GeoCities, and more. Yes, Hypnospace Outlaw makes its satirical version of the internet feel so real that it's easy to be nostalgic for a simpler version of the real-world web.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

Chicory wears its influences on its sleeve; it's a fresh take on classic Zelda games, specifically A Link to the Past. That being said, fans of the genre will immediately recognize the influence of Okami from the PS2-era because of the game's emphasis on painting mechanics.

In Chicory, you play as an adorable bipedal dog that the player inadvertently names themselves, who ventures across the land solving puzzles and dungeons. As much as it is a traditional 2D action-adventure game, it has enough mystery and surprise in store that it captures a lot of the magic these games had back when they were first released. A joy for fans of the genre.

Cassette Beasts

Nintendo consoles are usually the places you turn to for pocket-monster-hunting fun. Why wouldn’t you? With the dozens of Pokemon games available, they are the go-to spots for monster-catching. Cassette Beasts brings that joy to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, and not only does it hearken back to the Pokemon games of yore (the best ones), it brings fantastic tweaks to a battle system that ran the risk of becoming stale.

You and your cassette beast journey across New Wirral fighting Ranger Captains and Archangels all in an attempt to get your character back to their home. But honestly, in a title this charming, with the cutest retro aesthetic ever applied to a Pokemon-like game, why would you ever want to leave?

The Last Case Of Benedict Fox

The first thing about The Last Case of Benedict Fox that catches your eye is its striking visual style. Sharp purples with hazy orange backgrounds mix with eerie shadowed tentacles and pink globules as you help Benedict navigate the inner workings of memories and other dimensional spaces. Lovecraftian themes are perfectly encapsulated in the game’s art style, and luckily the game gives you a lot of space to breathe in this mesmerizing atmosphere.The second thing you’ll notice as you wind your way through The Last Case of Benedict Fox is how challenging its puzzles are.

Oftentimes for games that style themselves as a hybrid between a puzzle game and a platformer, puzzles are second considerations to the platforming aspect. The opposite is true in the case of Benedict Fox. The combat is semi-serviceable and the platforming a tad floaty, but the puzzles are where this title shines. It has perfectly balanced puzzle-solving to be rewarding without being numbingly easy. It’s a rather short jaunt, and you shouldn’t come for the combat or the platforming so much as the mind-benders and environments.

Loop Hero

Loop Hero is not everyone’s type of game, but if you enjoy piecing together lore from fragmentary interactions, working through mish-mashed roguelike elements with a deck-building focus, and immersing yourself in a delightful retro aesthetic, then Loop Hero was made with you in mind. You and your lone hero make your way through a crumbling and forgotten world, building it as you go along and encountering environmental obstacles and fantastical threats.

As with many roguelike games, the grind through each run can get a bit repetitive, but the unique nature of Loop Hero’s gameplay is engrossing enough to keep you invested for an incredible amount of time. It’s darkly charming, and if its initial premise grips you long enough for one or two runs, you can bet your best cards that it will hold you for a long while yet.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Roaming a Tokyo filled with nothing but monsters from Japanese horror stories and the empty clothes of citizens who have been ghosted out of existence might sound like a terrifying prospect, but Ghostwire: Tokyo makes it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. That’s not to say elements of horror are absolutely missing from Ghostwire, but the title is more focused on the action of its combat than jump scares.

You play as a young man who has mysteriously survived the “vanishing” of the rest of Tokyo’s inhabitants and finds himself partnering with a paranormal entity. He then has to battle it out with various spirits and the group responsible for everything that has happened. It’s a marginally chilling tale, but many of the narratives of the side quests are more emotionally gripping. And while the combat might feel a bit rote, the atmosphere of Ghostwire: Tokyo is superb, and anyone interested in playing could play it for that reason alone.

Quantum Break

When it came out, Quantum Break wasn't met with glowing praise by the wider gaming community. It's packed with live-action full-length TV show episodes that bookend each of the game's chapters — all of which feel in service of business decisions, not creative direction.

Related: Story-Heavy Games To Play If You Like Life Is Strange

Still, setting all that aside, Quantum Break looks great, has a lot of fun superpowers to toy around with, and tells a fun story (albeit an often silly one). Like many Xbox exclusives (see: Ryse: Son of Rome and ReCore) from the early Xbox One era, Quantum Break is an oft-ignored but worthwhile single-player adventure.

Minecraft Legends

As Minecraft Dungeons did with the Diablo formula, Minecraft Legends takes a swing at real-time strategy games, and for the most part, it succeeds in offering a streamlined version of the genre. Controls have been simplified so that even if you’re not familiar with the tactics needed to handle a typical RTS title, you can keep up with the combat regardless. And the overworld of Minecraft is one that’s easily approachable, especially if you’re a fan of the original sandbox game.

You’ll be happy to know the units you control in battle are familiar, from explosive Creepers to stalwart Golems. There is a campaign you can play through to show you the basics of the game, and multiplayer offerings you can try dipping into that will (potentially) keep the game’s community active. It’s nice to see the Minecraft empire expanding, and if you’ve ever wanted to try out an RTS game without worrying about getting swamped with mechanics you don't understand, Legends is a fantastic starting point.

Goat Simulator

Though there are plenty of strategic titles available to play on Xbox Game Pass, sometimes all anyone really needs is the ability to be a goat for a short while. Thankfully, Goat Simulator has this covered. The delightful physics of the game can keep players busy for hours, long after they’ve uncovered many of the secret achievements and hilarious references it contains.

The joy of being a destructive goat is brought to life in this riot of a title by Coffee Stain Studios. And while the actual functions of being a real-life goat are largely ignored for comedy’s sake, the fantastical nature of Goat Simulator keeps entertainment levels at an all-time high. Look like a goat. Act like a goat. Be like a goat.

Iron Brigade

A lot has changed about the wide world of “Horde Modes” and tower defense in the ten years since Iron Brigade (formerly Trenched) was released in 2011. Luckily, Double Fine’s commitment to its games having a strong sense of personality and wit help Iron Brigade stand the test of time. There’s no arguing that Iron Brigade feels ‘old’ compared to even something like Gears 5’s Horde which has nearly endless approaches to every conflict and encounter.

But the simple pleasure of defending a fortress from waves of enemies online with friends makes Iron Brigade an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a weekend romp with pals online. The game moves quickly from stage to stage with just enough upgrades and customization to keep things interesting.

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - The Prince's Edition

Like its predecessor, Ni No Kuni 2 is a family-friendly JRPG that lets players roam around a gorgeous world inspired by the works of Studio Ghibli. While the sequel doesn’t have the same amount of 2D animated cutscenes or the excitement of being a debut title in a franchise, the world of Ni No Kuni 2 is as loveable as ever.

It’s hard not to be smitten with the game’s punny writing (see Master Pugnacious, a bi-pedal talking Pug), and easy, but gleefully fast combat. It’s not a game that will keep players occupied for months to come, but it’s a simple world to be swept up in with visuals and sound design that make it easy to love.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a culmination of a decades-long series. It captures the essence of what makes a Civilization game a Civilization game. And that’s the constant, neverending pressure to play one more turn. Yes, as a turn-based strategy game, there's a rather steep learning curve if you decide to try your hand at Civilization VI. It’s not the friendliest game a beginner of the genre could turn to, not by a long shot.

But mastering its mechanics is just part of the appeal. Maintaining your burgeoning civilization is just the tip of the iceberg, and keeping track of the various systems needed to do so is a monumental task. But once you’ve gotten into the groove, and your cities start to take on the better sides of their characteristics and you know what trees you’re going to invest in, Civilization VI hits its stride, and man, does it keep a good pace.

Valheim

The Viking game that everyone has long been waiting for has made its way to Xbox Game Pass. No, we’re not talking about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. We’re pumping our fists in the air for the arrival of Valheim. It’s still in early access, appearing in Game Pass’ library tiles as a Game Preview, but what is there is a lot of fun, and many have been waiting for Valheim’s console debut for a long time. Iron Gate takes the cooperative nature of what makes Minecraft so engrossing and couples it with thrilling combat encounters in the form of several boss fights.

You and friends can not only build your very own Viking homestead in this eternal realm, but you can pit yourself against the different bosses of this procedurally generated world. As with any sandbox survival game, there’s a lot to discover in Valheim. It’s the sort of title that rewards you with player moments rather than shuttling you toward cinematic fights that play out the same way for everyone. And the most exciting thing about Valheim thus far is that its current state of immense entertainment is still a work in progress. We can’t wait to see Valheim in all its fully realized glory.

Guilty Gear Strive

It’s hard to nail down exactly what makes a good fighting game, but if we had to point to one of the best examples currently on Game Pass, it would be Guilty Gear Strive. It expertly balances the deep mechanics of any fighting title worth its salt with the ease of entry needed to entice newcomers to the genre to stick around. The “campaign” is minimal; it’s more a movie than it is an interactive experience.

But once past that, you can host and invite friends to fighting matches, practice moves on your lonesome, or participate in the game’s multiplayer offerings housed within The Tower. So much experimentation in terms of combat is available thanks to the more-than-decent roster of characters, and once you’ve found your favorite and mastered their combos, you’re in for fights of a lifetime. So while we still can’t pin down what would be the absolute perfect fighting game, we know that Guilty Gear Strive comes damn close.

Age Of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Age of Empires II was the pinnacle of the series. Not only do many consider it to be the best Age of Empires game and one of the best real-time strategy titles around, it’s also believed to be just one of the greatest video games ever made (in an ever-increasing and genre-spanning list). Now the Definitive Edition of this iconic title has made its way to the Xbox Game Pass library, and we couldn’t be more pleased.

Related: PC Exclusives That Deserve A Remake

It updates quite a few aspects of the aged original, with better visuals and more civilizations to pick from, but it clearly remains true to the things most loved about Age of Empires II. You manage your armies and maintain your burgeoning cities in much the same fashion as you used to. And did we mention there’s co-op? We’re all about those comp stomps.

Atomic Heart

Let’s address the Rapture-sized elephant in the room. No, Atomic Heart is not the BioShock spiritual successor you’ve been waiting for. The narrative falls short in several regards, not the least of which is the manner in which the protagonist speaks and interacts with the people (and robots) around him, and the disparate nature of the gameplay elements Atomic Heart tries to blend prevents it from being a masterpiece.

That said, it can be a hell of a lot of fun to play. When you’ve learned to properly combine Charles’ abilities with decent melee combat and relatively solid gunplay, mowing down the crowds of robotic opponents becomes as mindlessly enjoyable as chowing down on your favorite chips. And have we mentioned how great the game looks? The intro sequence alone is enough to impress in terms of visuals, but Atomic Heart consistently aims to introduce new environmental styles to wow your eyes.

Skate 3

Available for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers courtesy of EA Play, Skate 3 is a classic. Even if you’ve never been skateboarding a day in your life, the enjoyment you can find in Skate 3 is undeniable. The amount of tricks you can perform, the areas you can skate in, and the bones you can break all contribute to making one of the most entertaining games you can play. To cap it all off, you can play Skate 3 online with friends to “compete” against each other or just zoom around parks one-upping each other.

If you know someone who has played Skate 3, you can guarantee they have at least one story of some amazing thing they did while playing, complete with a hilarious anecdote about how the ragdoll physics turned what could have been a failed trick into a burst of genuine laughter, the kind of laughter that hurts your face. Skate 3 shows how old it is in the graphics department, but it’s still aged incredibly well.

Astroneer

The world can never have too many delightful sandbox games set in space. In Astroneer, you explore different planets, collecting enough resources to make your way to the next one, all the while building little bases on each one to serve your exploration needs. There’s admittedly a bit of wonkiness when it comes to moving around on the various planets, and you can expect your rover and other methods of transportation to get…stuck on occasion.

But the difficulties you encounter as you comb the surface of each planet are all part of Astroneer’s charm. It combines the mindlessness of a must-mine-for-minerals kind of game with the grit-your-teeth nature of a survival game. It’s simple, fun, but a challenge nonetheless. And have we mentioned the fact that you can play with friends?

Surgeon Simulator 2

Some simulator games pride themselves on how true-to-life their simulations can be. For example, Farming Simulator is a series that clearly dedicates itself to the pursuit of realism when it comes to tending and managing your own farm. Surgeon Simulator 2 is not one of those games. If anything, Surgeon Simulator 2 prides itself on being the exact opposite of what real surgery is like. You and some friends can take on the roles of “surgeons” in a goofy-looking facility, treating patients who need vital organs or limbs replaced.

The controls for playing are purposefully stiff and confusing, as physics-based humor is the star of the title. You’ll be able to laugh your way through surgeries as you accidentally pull off legs from patients, scramble to inject them with syringes full of a substance that halts blood loss, and hammer away at rib cages in order to reach a person’s heart.It sounds gruesome, but the team at Bossa Studios handles everything with good humor and an eye on enjoyable cooperation.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A Plague Tale: Requiem enlarges the conflict we were introduced to in its predecessor. And while some may prefer the smaller-scale encounters and narrative beats experienced in Innocence, there is no denying the scope of what Asobo Studios attempts in its sequel. Amicia and Hugo are back, with even more aggressive enemies to contend with and a political conflict to get embroiled in. Amicia is clearly capable of handling things as Requiem leans in toward the combat aspect of its gameplay.

Related: Mistakes Everyone Makes While Playing A Plague Tale: Requiem

Requiem feels like one of Sony’s iconic narrative-driven games, and the performances for each character are incredible. If you’re an Xbox fan but have been feeling like you’re missing out on single-player experiences, A Plague Tale: Requiem is a good place to start.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R

Originally released in 2013, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is a remastered version of the PlayStation 3 fighting game. YES! YES! YES! The R does 'stand' for Remaster.

It's hard to argue for All-Star Battle R against more modern games in the genre like Dragon Ball FighterZ or Mortal Kombat 11, but even for non-fans of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, there's a simple joy in choosing from a wide roster of characters and not needing to take the combat quite as seriously as something from a top tier franchise. Ultimately, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R isn't a game that's going to endure the test of time like its contemporaries, but it has an enormous roster of characters from one of the most inventive manga/anime series of all time. And of course: it's going to be a treat for all JoJo fans to see so many characters and their stands brought to life in a game.

Darkest Dungeon

Make no mistake, Darkest Dungeon sets players up for a brutal, turn-based roguelike experience. Cast as the unlucky beneficiary inheriting a cursed estate, players must recruit a party of daring-yet-vulnerable adventurers to root out the corruption that has overtaken it. Combat is as deadly for the body as it is the mind — characters have a sanity statistic that will erode as they’re subjected to the Lovecraftian horrors inhabiting the various biomes, driving them to depths of madness.

“Lovecraftian horrors” is quite literal here, as the themes and creature designs are very clearly inspired by Lovecraft’s timeless tales of cosmic horror and rendered in a brilliantly vibrant, almost comic book-like art style. Add in the voice talent of Wayne June narrating the experience and you’re in for a memorable (if grueling) adventure.

GoldenEye 007

GoldenEye 007 is one of the most iconic pieces of 3D game history. Not only did it popularize first-person shooters on home consoles, paving the way for Halo: Combat Evolved four years later, but it introduced a generation of players to basic FPS modes like Team Deathmatch. It was a technical marvel when it was originally released, and is one of those games that enthusiasts need to at least try even without personal nostalgia for it. And hey, history aside, it still has an incredible campaign and does a great job with the James Bond IP and soundtrack.

All that said, fair warning: There is no online play with the Xbox version of GoldenEye 007.

Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm action game, which means players are rewarded for landing hits in time with the game's music. Luckily, Hi-Fi Rush puts a lot of design into making sure that even rhythm-challenged players will have a good time with its combat.

From its brisk pace to its gorgeous candy-colored aesthetic, few games scream, "Try me!" quite as immediately as Hi-Fi Rush. The game's polish immediately makes itself known with visual frills at every turn and fully-voiced cutscenes. Without spoiling anything, Hi-Fi Rush does great work with its licensed music, straddling genres to keep the game's music fresh and exciting throughout.

Persona 4 Golden

If the arrival of Persona 5 Royal on Xbox Game Pass was a joy to you, then your enjoyment levels should be tripled at this point. Both Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden have made it to the Game Pass library. It is indeed a rich time for Persona fans. Everything you loved in Royal can be found in Persona 4 to some degree, and it is a fantastic feeling to delve a bit backwards into the series’ history.

While not as stylized as its eventual successor, Persona 4 offers one of the most charming and heartfelt stories in gaming to date. The relationships you build with your fellow characters feel just as meaningful, and the enhancements made to the graphics and gameplay heighten the experience as a whole. So if you’re one of those players who dipped their toes into the Persona franchise with Persona 5, don’t hesitate to cannonball into Persona 4.

Monster Hunter Rise

One of the biggest mistakes you could make before playing Monster Hunter Rise is to compare it with World. These are two games set in the same universe, but they are entirely different beasts. That said, both are equally good in their own ways. Monster Hunter Rise makes for a fantastic starting point for anyone new to the series. Its mechanics have been streamlined, erasing a lot of the challenges you can find in World.

Related: Monster Hunter Rise: Overpowered Builds

So if a light introduction to Monster Hunter is what you’re looking for, then Rise is perfect for you. In addition to that, ever since Monster Hunter: World was removed from Xbox Game Pass, there’s been a decidedly Monster Hunter-shaped hole in our lives. Rise fills that gap while providing a more polished and accessible experience.

Ori And The Blind Forest

The sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest can be found further down along this list, but it was a major oversight not to include its predecessor. Where Will of the Wisps developed a robust combat system that integrated perfectly with Ori’s skill set, Blind Forest laid some phenomenal groundwork for nearly every other aspect of that game. The jaw-dropping visuals, the incredibly responsive platforming, and rewarding progression system were all things Ori and the Blind Forest excelled at.

Quite frequently, you’ll hear the game compared to Hollow Knight, and that’s an apt comparison to make. Both games are haunting and beautiful to look at while giving players that perfect blend of exploration and discovery you get in most successful Metroidvanias. If any of this sounds appealing, you shouldn’t skip out on playing Ori and the Blind Forest; you’d be doing yourself a massive disservice.

Stranded Deep

If a combination of games like The Forest and Raft appeal to you, then Stranded Deep is sure to be a pleasant time. While it’s not breaking new ground, it is comfortably situated as a decent dip into the survival genre. You maintain your health, hydration, and skin protection as your character struggles to escape the collection of islands and open ocean they’ve crash-landed onto. When you first start out, you should stick to land and shallow water because the deep ocean is home to nightmarishly huge sharks.

But as with most survival games, you can build yourself up to take on the terrors of the sea and find a way home. Craft some weapons, construct a base, and survive. Stranded Deep carries the essential building blocks of the genre. If you know the routine, you’ve got this one in the bag.

High On Life

Made by some of the minds behind Rick and Morty, High on Life is the zany FPS experience you’ve been waiting for. You can’t go three minutes in the game without confronting the humor and crassness fans have come to know and love from Justin Roiland. Hell, you can’t go one minute in the game.

But humor aside, High on Life is an entertaining shooter game that combines a solid foundation of FPS mechanics with the sort of platforming you’d expect to see in 3D platformers of old. If you’re looking for something hilarious and engaging (and you’re in the mood to play a video game instead of watching a show), we most heartily recommend playing some High on Life.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

It would be very understandable if you feel some fatigue with the Assassin’s Creed formula. Despite freshening things up with Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, Ubisoft has earned its reputation of frequently releasing a huge open-world game with numerous side quests contained within it, all of which amount to a progressively more and more tiring experience with each successive entry.

Immortals Fenyx Rising still has the foundation of what you’d expect from a Ubisoft open world, but it’s been given more life and vivacity with its charming story, downright rewarding upgrade system, and an art style that lends a fun flavor to the Greek mythology the game follows. Immortals Fenyx Rising is as delightful as it is surprising. So while you may elect to skip the next Assassin’s Creed entry, this outlier from its developers is a must.

Aragami 2

Solidly designed cooperative stealth-action games are a rarity, but Aragami 2 manages to pull it off in fine fashion. As a member of a clan of undead ninja-guardians, it falls to you and up to two stealthy comrades to utilize various shadow powers, stealth, and good, old-fashioned katana combat to harass, harry, and sabotage an invading army as it pillages your homeland and slays your people.

Related: Beginner Tips For Aragami 2 You Need To Know

Aragami 2’s stealth and combat mechanics straddle a fine line between simple accessibility and depth, providing just enough nuance to get players hooked but dodging a learning curve that seems impenetrable to newcomers. It’s definitely worth more than a spin, especially if you have a couple of friends to bring along for the ride.

Dishonored

Dishonored is a classic, and while its successor (also on this list) improves on multiple aspects (loud nonlethal takedown options for starters), nothing quite feels as good as the original. Corvo’s journey to take vengeance (or find justice, depending on what route you take) is one for the ages. No matter what scenario you’re placed in, you feel like you have options for how you choose to respond.

Do you want to throw glasses and bottles in different directions to confuse the guards as they try to gather for whiskey and cigars? You can. Do you want to find the high ground and constantly jump-assassinate unsuspecting victims below you? You can. Do you want to struggle to be a good person, choking out and dragging the people who get in your way to broom closets so no one finds them and alerts the whole building? You can try. Though Corvo was thrown in jail and is constantly hounded by the law for a crime he didn’t commit, Dishonored is all about freedom. And few games capture that quite like it does.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

As soon as it was announced that LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was going to make it to Game Pass, we knew it was going to earn a spot on this list. LEGO games in general are a font of fun when it comes to cooperative experiences, and The Skywalker Saga is actually one of the best LEGO games you could play right now. You get to journey through a galaxy far, far away, diving into each Star Wars film that comprises the main storyline thus far.

The vista of planets you visit is awe-inspiring, though admittedly very block-shaped given the visual limitations of a LEGO brick world. The usual foundations are here as well, giving you the collectathon experience of a lifetime and allowing you to unlock the most beloved members of the Star Wars universe. If you like entertainment, you’ll love The Skywalker Saga.

Amnesia: Rebirth

Though Amnesia: Rebirth did not hit as strongly as The Dark Descent in the cultural zeitgeist, it’s a frightfully well rendered narrative of a person’s journey overcoming the darkness within and without. Your character, Tasi Trianon, must uncover why a catastrophe has struck her expedition and crashed her plane into the Algerian desert and why she can’t remember anything of what happened.

Related: Beginner Tips For Amnesia: Rebirth

As you’d expect from one of Frictional Games’ titles, Rebirth is a harrowing experience. But what you might not expect is the heart-wrenching tragedy of many of its events. The emotional upheaval in Amnesia: Rebirth is double what you might have felt in The Dark Descent and Soma combined. So if you like your horror games to masterfully interweave with deeper themes, don’t skip out on Rebirth.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season

Telltale’s The Walking Dead series has set a quiet foundation for your narrative adventure experiences within the Xbox Game Pass library. While newer titles like As Dusk Falls surprise and delight us, we can never forget the adventure that Lee and Clementine set us on all those years ago. With the addition of The Final Season to Game Pass, you can now experience the entirety of Clementine’s journey.

The narrative twists and turns of her final story are just as heart-wrenching as you remember, if not more so since you know this is the end of the road. Your choices throughout the game feel impactful, as they always have, but this time you feel it even more so as you see the person you have shaped Clementine to be has grown into the person who shapes someone else’s path. Prepare yourself to shed a few tears.

Return To Monkey Island

If a joyful and hard-as-nails puzzle game is what you’re searching for, then Return to Monkey Island is the X at the end of that particular treasure hunt. This is the triumphant continuation of Ron Gilbert’s beloved point-and-click adventure series. Fans of the originals will find a lot to love here, from the same humor you know and love to the head-bashingly frustrating (but still fun) puzzles to work through.

It’s a nostalgic challenge from start to finish. You might need a handy guide available on your phone just in case a specific section has you stumped, but at no point does this detract from your enjoyment. And the thrill of figuring out a head-scratcher by yourself? Chef’s kiss.

Signalis

Signalis is a sci-fi survival horror game with a PS1 aesthetic. But its homage to a bygone era of horror games isn't only skin deep. Signalis profoundly understands what made the original Resident Evil games and the original Silent Hill such triumphs. It doesn't rely on tank controls or copious amounts of jump scares — it's a game with a tense ambiance, and it knows how to use it effectively. Everything from its sci-fi theming to its incredible sound design elevates the game's (great) puzzles and survival management gameplay. Fans of the genre absolutely must try Signalis.

Norco

Norco is a dystopian sci-fi tale of collective loss. It's a point-and-click adventure game in the vein of narrative games like Kentucky Route Zero or Mutazione. It's an especially cynical story about a world (this world) coping with its own existence and melancholy. Still, despite being an altogether brooding game, Norco isn't humorless; it's packed with personality including a loveable cast that makes peeling back the layers of its dense world a rich and fulfilling experience. An absolute must for anyone who prizes writing in games.

Pentiment

Looking at gameplay pictures of Pentiment is not enough to fully grasp its charm, though it does showcase the artistic style you’ll find throughout the game. To boil down Pentiment to its genre as a simple narrative adventure is a disservice to what Obsidian Entertainment has made here. We’ve long known Obsidian to be masters at crafting immersive storylines and grounded dialogue, and they showcase their skill here by choosing one of the most unique time periods and settings in the history of gaming.

You play as an artist learning to become a master at a Benedictine monastic church, and while that might sound like an environment that is as dry as a dusty old book, it is artfully (pun intended) brought to vivacious life thanks to Obsidian’s narrative talents. We don’t want to spoil too much, but if there was ever a game you needed to risk playing even though you knew nothing about it, it’s Pentiment.

Somerville

If you’re a fan of games like Limbo and Inside, then elements of Somerville will definitely appeal to you. The game is highly atmospheric, imparting its story to you wordlessly through small character actions and background events. However, there are a few key differences between what you find in Somerville and what we’ve experienced in, let’s say, Inside. Rather than playing like a 2D puzzle platformer, Somerville adds an extra dimension a la Little Nightmares.

In addition to that, you have companions with you in the form of your family and your dog. It’s a very short game, so diving in and losing yourself in this harrowing story about some sort of alien invasion is not a huge ask. It’s the perfect game to play when you want some light puzzles (and chase sequences) with excellent environmental storytelling.

Prodeus

It feels like an egregious error to have not included Prodeus here sooner. Launched in early access, the unbridled potential of this modern take on the beloved “boomer shooter” genre is palpable from the moment you open the menu. If you have a fondness for the look of Doom (1993) but wished it was as speedy and relevant as Doom Eternal, Prodeus is the game you have been waiting for.

Related: Prodeus: Best Weapons, Ranked

Details on the plot are scarce; you’re more or less thrust into missions where you have to destroy demon-looking aliens or alien-looking demons. But the story doesn’t matter. Prodeus is all about the rush of gunplay. You hurtle through levels using the variety of weapons at your disposal a la the original Doom. Even though it’s in early access, it feels incredibly polished already. Prodeus is a rush of fun that any fan of first-person shooters needs to play.

Vampire Survivors

On paper, Vampire Survivors is one of the simplest games you’ve ever heard of. You move your little Castlevania-esque character across a screen, slowly accruing power-ups that activate automatically to attack the increasing swarms of foes that shamble about you. That’s basically the whole game. But my god if it isn’t the most engrossing thing you could be playing right now. Easy to dive into, hard to leave, Vampire Survivors is this year’s best roguelike.

Originally on PC, it has become available on Xbox consoles as well. It is an ingenious addition to the Game Pass library. All too often you might find yourselves wondering what big time investment you should install and play next from within the catalog of games available on Game Pass. Vampire Survivors possesses the digestibility of a mobile game with the polish of an arcade classic.

Amnesia: Collection

Technically speaking, Amnesia: Collection comes with three games: The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs, and Justine. And while certain titles within this collection are definitely more memorable than the others, as a whole, they are all fantastic horror additions to the Xbox Game Pass library. The Amnesia series redefined what it meant to be a small, indie horror game. Despite not possessing the same budget as a triple-A title, The Dark Descent captured our attention and terrified us by masterfully using what elements it could.

An intriguing narrative is laid out before us through amazing voice acting and well-written, in-game notes. And the atmosphere is second to none. The occasional jump scare is doled out in perfect measure, so the tension of wandering through the dark is punctuated by spikes in fright. The first game is a stand-out title, and the entire collection is worth the time it takes to creep through the haunting storylines just so you can experience the phenomenon that is and was Amnesia.

Soma

Frictional Games is largely known for their wildly popular indie horror title, Amnesia: The Dark Descent. And while Soma did not reach the same levels of Let’s-Player popularity, it shows definite improvement and more polish than its predecessor. The level of story-telling in Soma is so enhanced, replaying The Dark Descent feels disappointing in comparison. Questions of consciousness and morality are expertly presented to players alongside all the horror and unnerving atmosphere you would expect from one of Frictional’s games.

Trapped in the deepest recesses of the ocean after an apocalypse has wiped out the rest of humanity on the surface, the premise alone is terrifying. But the darkened corridors, haunting environments, and emphasis on running instead of fighting all contribute to making Soma one of the best horror experiences you can try.

Persona 5

Persona 5 is decidedly Cool.

Mechanically, it doesn’t stray far from conventional JRPG elements, but it’s such a flashy game, with so much style and panache, it feels remarkably modern. It goes to show how far art direction can go in making a game world come alive. The story follows a group of high school students, each with their ambitions and plots, working together to curb the wicked intentions of the surrounding adults. Despite its staggeringly long runtime, it still feels like a spoiler to go into much more detail than that.

Suffice to say the plot of Persona 5 is gripping (and rich enough to support a sequel in a completely different genre) which is no surprise considering Persona 5 is already a game that walks between genres, including JRPG, social/romance sim, and even some light adventure elements. Even with its daunting length and traditional riff on the genre, Persona 5 is an absolute must-play and a marquee release for Xbox Game Pass.

Scorn

Scorn is a difficult game to categorize as it incorporates elements of walking simulators, horror games, puzzle games, and first-person shooters into one, uniquely atmospheric title. Since it’s so tough to pin down, it’s very likely players will approach Scorn expecting one thing and getting another.

However, if you walk into Scorn and just let the game do its thing, you’ll find it to be one of the most interesting experiences within the Xbox Game Pass library. There is no dialogue expounding an intricate story for you, no lore documents hidden in the crevices of the environment for you to read, and no hints if you get stuck in a certain section. While this might sound daunting, it’s actually one of the best things about the game.

The lack of hand-holding allows you to explore your surroundings, with only guesswork and the barest of theories to help you piece together the “story” of this decrepit, alien world. And we haven’t even mentioned the visuals of this place. Largely inspired by the work of H.R. Giger, every landscape, corridor, and enemy type just screams biomechanical grotesqueries. You may spend more time staring at what Scorn’s textured doors and wriggling keys look like than actually using them.

Immortality

Immortality lists a few important content warnings before players even start the game. Take heed. It's an adult game, and it doesn't skirt around its mature themes.

Immortality is a video mystery thriller set in the world of film production, and it could easily be ruined for some players with even slight spoilers. Other than taking time to make sure it’s a game that's appropriate for you, go in blind: the joy of Immortality is in unraveling its plot and many mysteries.

With that said, the mechanics of Immortality are pretty straightforward. At the outset players are presented with a series of video clips that can be scrubbed forwards and backward. At any point, players can pause the footage and click a part of the frame to be shown another clip with a similar person, pattern, or object. And that's it — no more details

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

Odyssey takes Assassin’s Creed into the era of Greek antiquity, giving players the opportunity to explore the “pre-history” of the franchise’s central conflict between the Assassins and Templars through the eyes of an exiled Spartan warrior-turned-mercenary. To frontload the obvious caveat, it does iterate on the action-RPG roots set in Origins. While some may find that divisive, it’s hard to argue that it hasn’t been polished tastefully. While cementing the game in action-RPG territory does detract from the franchise’s stealth-action hallmarks, the sheer amount of variety introduced via varied weapons and combat skills is a welcome detour from the established Assassin’s Creed standards.

The setting itself is beautifully rendered. Whether sailing or journeying by horseback, Odyssey’s open-world take on Ancient Greece is vibrant, stunning, and packed to the brim with content. There is a lengthy main questline, of course, but the number of side quests, whether radiant or story-based, verges on the absurd — however, it’s hard to fault a game as ambitious as Odyssey for simply having too much to do. Needless to say, you’ll have a delightfully deep timesink on your hands.

Costume Quest

Costume Quest is a family-friendly RPG set against a lovable Halloween backdrop. It's not a game loaded with complex systems or deep progression, but it more than makes up for that with cute characters and terrific writing. The game follows a cast of kids in their Halloween costumes on a nighttime adventure. Battles take place in turn-based instances with Paper Mario-style quick-time events to apply bonus damage or effects. But the best part is, of course, seeing the cast of characters take on their respective costumes’ abilities

Chock-full of easter eggs and collectibles, Costume Quest does have more than enough fun to unpack for anyone looking for a theme-appropriate weekend of gaming. Fans of Double Fine's brand of quirky writing and joie-de-vivre should absolutely make room for their short foray into spooky season.

Chivalry 2

Chivalry 2 is pandemonium. After a surprisingly thorough tutorial where the game teaches players how to expertly wield giant broadswords (naturally unwieldy weapons), players are entered into a team-based multiplayer siege or battle royale where all that training goes out the window. Chivalry captures the chaos of having 64 players with swords collide with each other and fight for survival. There's nothing else quite like it.

Related: Chivalry 2: Mistakes New Players Need To Avoid

Complete with a dedicated "scream" button, every player in a match is experiencing their own little piece of a loud, brutal, and sometimes silly medieval war. It can take some practice for any one player to make an impact on the larger battle, but even the most timid footsoldier will have fun laying siege to a castle.

Metal: Hellsinger

Shooting demons to some rippingly good metal music is enticement enough to play Metal: Hellsinger, but having to do so to the exact beat of the music makes it a must-play of your Xbox Game Pass library. Other games have already tried this tactic of having players take actions to the tempo of their soundtracks, but few have felt as good as Hellsinger. Bear in mind, this is not some narrative-engrossing title like The Last of Us. If you’re playing Metal: Hellsinger, you’re doing it to shoot up hellish demons to some blood-pumping music, and that’s it.

It feels supremely satisfying, almost akin to the feeling you get from cleaning a muck-ridden surface in PowerWash Simulator. Obviously, the major difference is that Metal: Hellsinger is less on the relaxing side and more on the this-is-heckin-freakin-awesome side of things.

SpiderHeck

Chaotic fun is the name of the game when you’re playing SpiderHeck. Picture a far more frantic and neon-looking version of Super Smash Bros., complete with little spider fellows and glowing weapons to pick up in the arena. It’s just so easy to jump into SpiderHeck, and it’s hard to put down.

Not only does it give you a chance to fight against buddies on your couch or online strangers, SpiderHeck features a PvE mode where you and a team work together to fend off robotic-looking opponents in the various map layouts available. Flying around the seemingly low-gravity arenas with your webs and scampering across unstable platforms might throw you off at first, but once you learn how to settle in with the chaos, SpiderHeck will have you hook, line, and sinker.

Slime Rancher 2

Slime Rancher 2 is currently a game preview available on Xbox Game Pass, but fans of the original will find a lot to love here, even if the game is incomplete. Most of your favorite slimes have returned, along with some adorable new ones. For example, we now have Cotton Slimes, with adorable bunny ears and a proclivity to hop out of any enclosures you make for them unless you spring for high walls (and possibly the air net).

A couple of the systems have been reworked as well, but overall, this is the Slime Rancher you know and love. This is the game you’re going to sink hours into as you lovingly build your ranch up and explore the environs of Rainbow Island. It’s just a fantastic and delightful addition to your library.

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Despite its harsh setting and dystopian narrative, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a 'zen' simulation that has players slowly disassembling spaceships. Without spoiling any of the game's gripping plot, players find themselves at the mercy of an all-powerful mega-corp that needs near endless resources to fulfill its obligations. Each new objective introduces a new craft that needs to be slowly and meticulously cut down and sold for parts.

As the game progresses, players unlock new tools that make taking on bigger (and more dangerous) ships more viable. But make no mistake: Hardspace: Shipbreaker is always about, well, breaking ships (in space). It won't be for everyone, but fans of desperate narratives or soothing gameplay (see: PowerWash Simulator) should make sure to give Hardspace: Shipbreaker a try.

Deathloop

Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda has already reaped dividends, and the arrival of Deathloop on Xbox Game Pass is yet another trophy of the deal. Xbox Series X|S owners can now play Arkane’s highly stylized time loop title. Players are thrust into the confused mind of Colt Vahn as he wakes up on a beach only to realize he’s been stuck on an island that is going through a recursive loop every day. His job? To break the loop.

Several elements of Arkane’s immersive sim formula can be found in Deathloop, but a lot of them have been streamlined to make way for a PvP experience. Other players can invade your game as a character named Juliana, who is intent on preserving the loop. It’s a fun title, and one that signals Arkane’s willingness to experiment with the genre they are so well known for.

Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a love letter to JRPGs. It borrows from Dragon Quest, Pokemon, and Final Fantasy and weaves some of their most cherished ideas into a classic story of fantastical creatures, grand kingdoms, and wrathful witches. Not only is it a near-perfect encapsulation of 30 years of JRPGs, but it’s one of the most gorgeous games ever made, thanks to the art and animation of Studio Ghibli (also known for their incredibly rich and lush world-building).

While Ni No Kuni may not reinvent the wheel or evolve the genre, it is a game that wears its heart on its sleeve, and nails everything it sets out to achieve. There are a lot of games that try to capture the magic of mid-90s console role-playing, but Ni No Kuni set the bar for JRPG nostalgia in 2013, and it has yet to be topped.

Sunset Overdrive

A lot of players will never be able to get past Sunset Overdrive's 'attitude' — it's ripe with corny fourth-wall-breaking humor and zany antics. But it would be a shame to dismiss Sunset Overdrive, because its dazzling art style and speed make it one of the more propulsive open-world games available on Game Pass. Of course, this should come as no surprise from the makers of Marvel's Spider-Man for PlayStation who cut their teeth on traversal mechanics and design here with Sunset Overdrive.

Sunset Overdrive regularly takes advantage of its own best elements (the game's traversal mechanics and bright colors) to create some jaw-dropping levels with over-the-top setpieces. It has more than a handful of must-see moments.

Mirror's Edge

The original Mirror's Edge was a breath of fresh air, with a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that expertly guided players through its stylized world. The game puts players in the shoes of Faith Connors who is parkouring her way across rooftops and corporate buildings couriering messages from one end of the map to the other.

Mirror's Edge is a game that demands players to repeat and perfect its stages, prioritizing speed and style. And while first-person platformers are often derided for being hard to parse, years later Mirror's Edge is still a blast to play and a feast for the eyes.

Kameo: Elements Of Power

When Kameo was first released as a launch title for the Xbox 360, it was derided for not ushering in a new generation of adventure gameplay — which, to be fair, it didn't. That being said, Kameo is an excellent addition to the pantheon of games modeled after 3D Legend of Zelda titles.

While it didn't set a new bar for the genre, it's a delightful family-friendly(-ish) experience with some really novel gameplay ideas and mechanics. In Kameo, players can transform between different magic creatures, each with their own puzzle, combat, and movement abilities (not wholly dissimilar from the mask variations in Majora's Mask). Anyone looking to scratch that Zelda itch should at least give Kameo a try.

Unravel

Where Unravel really thrives is in its impressive presentation. Everything from its visuals to music and beyond are gorgeous without being one-note. And crucially, Unravel is a game that can be enjoyed by anyone comfortable using a controller to steer their player (in this case a lovable yarn doll named Yarny), from one edge of the screen to the other.

It's a game that players can feel at home with, a fairly by-the-numbers 2D puzzle platformer in the style that has players jumping between obstacles and solving physics-based puzzles. Its plot can feel a bit heavy-handed, but the sum of its parts makes Unravel one of the best physics-based platforms from the last decade.

The Gunk

The Gunk didn’t make waves when it first released as it was a short platforming experience that didn’t push boundaries. However, there is a beauty in its straightforward nature. It is an easily approachable game that feels like the equivalent of a familiar movie you can watch while turning your brain off. It doesn’t give players much in the way of excitement or a riveting narrative, but it also doesn’t ask much of you.

If you’re looking for a short game you can complete in one or two sittings, The Gunk is the perfect choice, as both its story and gameplay contribute to its digestible nature. All you have to do is uncover why the planet Becks and Rani landed on got overcome by the titular “gunk” in a short platforming adventure with light puzzle-solving mechanics. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Coffee Talk

Visual novel games are a bit of a rarity in the Xbox Game Pass library, so it’s cause for celebration when we get one on there. Players can delight in being the coffee-brewing patient listener for all of the fantastical customers who walk through their door in Coffee Talk. Gameplay mostly rests on your conversational skills, but it's a laidback experience that can serve as a nice change of pace from the usual fare you see on Game Pass. And seeing what Seattle would feel like if it was inhabited by “monsters” from popular fiction is as exciting as a fresh-brewed pot.

Cooking Simulator

Though many might consider the simulator genre to be a bit of a joke, it’s nothing short of surprising how phenomenal a lot of them have turned out to be. The Farming Simulator series has become a collection of premier simulation games, even having a bit of an esports following to them. Goat Simulator’s zaniness is legendary at this point. And who can forget the sheer, satisfying awesomeness of PowerWash Simulator (also on Xbox Game Pass).

Cooking Simulator follows in this fine tradition by taking the stresses and joys of running a kitchen and putting them into an enjoyable simulator game. Follow along with a variety of recipes and keep your establishment in fine working order as the game progresses. Cooking Simulator isn’t breaking any boundaries, but it’s a decent addition to the Xbox Game Pass library.

Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs released to lackluster results, but its sequel improved on the first’s mechanics in such noticeable degrees that it is by far the better game. Now available on Xbox Game Pass, Watch Dogs 2 is a hilarious “hacking” sandbox where you can cause mayhem in a slightly futuristic San Francisco as part of an activist group known as DedSec. Though the game attempts to tackle a few serious subject matters regarding technological overwatch and privacy, that’s not why you should be playing this game.

When Watch Dogs 2 is at its best, you are causing mass chaos to accomplish your objectives and pulling it off to perfection. Ditching the somber tone of the first game was the best thing the series could have done, and while there are still a few issues plaguing Watch Dogs 2’s narrative, it's still a fun time.

Dicey Dungeons

Dicey Dungeons' easy-to-learn (but hard-to-master) gameplay loop will be familiar to fans of modern deck builders like Slay the Spire or Roguebook. In it, players climb their way between floors winning battles and collecting cards/gear to give themselves an edge going into a final confrontation.

Related: Best Xbox Game Pass Games For Kids

The key difference in Dicey Dungeons is that every ability has a cost attributed to dice rolls, so players will need to consider the probability of their rolls as they manage their arsenal. It's an incredibly charming take on the genre, and has a wide variety of characters, combinations, and playstyles to learn and explore.

Inside

Inside puts players in control of a small boy trying to escape an oppressive and violent world. It's hard to understate how visually arresting Inside's visual design is, with harsh black accents and shadows overcasting almost every vignette in the game's 3-4 hour playtime. The story is told silently, barring a few unforgettable setpiece moments that help unpack the game's bizarre plot.

Combine all this with developer Playdead's now-signature morbid puzzle solutions and carnal audio design, and you get an unmissable experience that fans of 2D puzzle games absolutely must play, assuming they can handle its intense and violent world-building.

As Dusk Falls

If you were a fan of the cooperative, narrative-driven stylings of The Dark Pictures Anthology and wondered how that formula would look when transposed into a hard-hitting drama, then this is an absolute must-play for you. As Dusk Falls follows the existential entanglement of several peoples' lives during and after a bungled robbery turned hostage situation, and every decision has the potential to carry far-reaching ramifications.

Speaking of decisions, you'll be making quite a few of them — the game's primary mechanics revolve around decision-making, after all. And if you're playing with friends (of which you can invite up to a staggering eight, total) As Dusk Falls has a few other delightful tricks up its sleeve. Decisions are made by vote, and if you wind up with a tie, the game randomly decides for you. But if you're strong-willed and averse to that brand of chaos, each player gets a limited number of "overrides" that allow them to bypass the majority vote. If that wasn't enough to sell you on it, the game's story is deeply, deeply branched, with every decision and quick-time event outcome possibly sending you careening down an entirely different path from the other. If you've got a few friends and a few hours to kill, do yourself a favor and check it out.

PowerWash Simulator

Who would have thought that a game about cleaning up dirty locations and mud-encrusted vehicles could be so damn satisfying? Perhaps you’re thinking, “But GameRant, how could a game simulating an actual day job provide one with a tingly feeling of absolute zen when it revolves around such mundane and taxing labor?” Well, dear reader, the real answer is that PowerWash Simulator needs to be experienced in order to fully communicate the release of blasting grime off the side of you friend’s grandma’s filthy bungalow, or seeing the sun touch the surface of a recently-scrubbed sidewalk for the first time in a decade.

Though this beautifully simplistic game would be hard pressed to compete with a title like God of War or Elden Ring, it’s the kind of game that only comes along once in a lifetime. It’s not the game anyone asked for, but it’s the game that everyone needs.

Escape Academy

There is a hidden joy in the puzzle-solving that goes on when you and a group of friends are trying to make your way out of an escape room, and Escape Academy captures that in a video game format. It’s not just your average puzzle game though. It is abundantly clear that Coin Crew Games has gone out of its way to make a game experience that truly embodies the kind of thinking that goes into a real-life escape room.

Of course, the core concept of an escape room lends itself to video game mechanics pretty easily to begin with. But Escape Academy’s charming aesthetic and the visual-novel-like interludes establishing the narrative really tie the experience together into something wholly unique. Add in the fact that you can tackle the puzzles in co-op, and you’ve got several well-spent hours ahead of you.

House Flipper

It’s happened to all of us. One of your friends that’s managed to break into the brutal calculus of the real estate industry phones you up and says, “You know what’d make a great video game? My actual day job.” Sarcasm aside, said fictitious friend is actually… not too far off the mark.

House Flipper brings the satisfaction of cleaning and organizing a house to players without the physical exertion. It caters to everyone’s inner neat freak in a way that few games can. And while the tedious nature of picking up trash, cleaning floors, arranging furniture, and knocking down walls occasionally overstays its welcome, there’s a certain degree of fulfillment to be reached once you’ve achieved your vision for the given property

Citizen Sleeper

Citizen Sleeper is a sci-fi narrative adventure with light RPG and survival elements. The game's storytelling is the core of the experience, with branching narratives and limited time to complete questlines. At the outset, players pick from a few different character archetypes that dictate their background and specialties.

As familiar as all these genres and mechanics might sound, Citizen Sleeper is a hard game to describe because of how liberally it borrows from such a wide variety of genres. Players familiar with visual novels and modern tabletop games will find a lot of familiar mechanics ideas and mechanics sprinkled throughout. And the game manages to find a perfect balance of gameplay challenges without interrupting the plot.

Far Cry 5

Far Cry 5 is set in a massive world to explore, full of threats from wildlife, baddies, and the environment itself. Far Cry's greatest joy is the way all of these obstacles intersect — creating one-of-a-kind emergent stories where players need to survive. And best of all, Far Cry 5 can be played co-op online.

While Far Cry 5 may not depart much from previous games in the franchise, it is set in the States, which is a far cry from the jungles and mountains of the last two installments. That alone helps Far Cry 5 stand out from its predecessors, and give fans another excuse to jump back into the fray.

Dead By Daylight

This has long been a glaring omission on our list, and we are quite aware of it. Dead By Daylight is one of the most popular asymmetrical multiplayer games currently available, and even though it possesses humble indie origins, it has quickly become a title to be reckoned with. Games like Friday The 13th or Evil Dead: The Game are quickly compared to Dead By Daylight for following a similar formula.

Players can either play as the Killer or the Survivors. Killers are monstrous creatures (some from popular existing IP) that have supernatural abilities to help them in their quest to capture and sacrifice the four Survivors. Survivors need to turn on generators in order to escape the area and win the match. While Dead By Daylight is straightforward enough to explain, the thrills and terrors of chasing your victims or fleeing from pursuit will keep you coming back for more.

NINJA GAIDEN: Master Collection

In the event that you initially missed out on the hype, this neat, 3-game compilation spanning 2007’s Ninja Gaiden Sigma to 2013’s Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is a must-play. Following the exploits of ninja extraordinaire Ryu Hayabusa (and friends), the Ninja Gaiden series is a hallmark for action-adventure games that doesn’t compromise on difficulty — it’s far from the most hardcore action game you’ll ever get your hands on, but don’t expect it to hold your hand through the learning curve.

Though “ninja” might have you convinced you’re getting into a stealth-action title, come geared up for a no-holds barred brawler. Slick, high-speed combos against multiple enemies are the order of the day for the most part, in addition to wall-running parkour shenanigans and the occasional frustrating boss fight. That said, it certainly sets a bar for combat-centric action games that many contemporary titles struggle to match.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Pick up your TMNT nostalgia and get ready for one of the most gratifying retro beat-em-ups to hit the Xbox Game Pass library. You and up to five other players can engage in totally radical brawls on the streets as the titular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles take on the Foot Clan.

Shredder’s up to his usual evil plots, and only a quartet of pizza-loving land turtles can bring him down. The fighting action will bring to mind games like Streets of Rage 4, and as you and your friends line up combo after combo, you’ll want to replay this title over and over again. Which you’ll kinda have to do if you want to enjoy this game for more than two hours since the game itself is so short. Cowabunga!

Assassin’s Creed Origins

Though some may not look at Assassin’s Creed Origins too fondly, none can deny it’s the Assassin’s Creed game that shook the series’ foundation to its core with new combat innovations and RPG characteristics. Ancient Egypt is massive and gorgeous, making the tons of side quests available to you enjoyable solely by being able to traverse across such a glorious landscape to find them. And Bayek’s journey and connection to the Assassin brotherhood is engrossing to discover as players get a glimpse at the origin of this most secretive of organizations.

TownScaper

It's easy for new players to tell in the first two minutes if TownScaper is going to be a cute novelty or a full-time obsession for them. TownScaper uses remarkable procedural generation technology to let players create complex 3D cities in minutes by filling in cells on a grid. Depending on how each cell is filled in (horizontally or vertically) buildings will take on a unique shape. In practice, creating a city in TownScaper feels like using a paintbrush to create stunning villas, and that makes it hard to put down.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells is one of the most finely-tuned 2D action-platformers ever made, following in the footsteps of classics like Castlevania and Spelunky. The game has players collecting new abilities and powers throughout a given run with the objective of clearing the entire game in a single run. It's not for the faint of heart, but with enough perseverance, Dead Cells is an incredibly rewarding game to play through. With pixel-perfect controls and precision, Dead Cells is an absolute must for fans of the genre.

Pac-Man Museum+

One of the most enduring arcade games in the world is Pac-Man. The iconic, yellow, pellet-eating character has seen his way through more game iterations than we can count, and Pac-Man Museum+ localizes the best of the bunch in one collection. This title compiles fourteen games from the franchise for you to dive into over and over again.

Part of the joy of Pac-Man is its endless replayability, and having different samples of the series from over the years is a great way to honor its legacy. This is also a day one Xbox Game Pass launch, which means subscribers should definitely take advantage of this most bountiful of inclusions.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Despite being the third game in the Dragon Age franchise, Inquisition is effectively standalone — and a fantastic starting point for fans of massive open-world RPGs. Inquisition is steeped in the complex lore and world-building RPG fans expect from high fantasy games like Skyrim and Witcher. And needless to say, all this is matched with BioWare's lauded dialogue and conversation systems, making it easy to spend countless hours exploring a still-stunning fantasy world.

Farming Simulator 22

Do you know what the world needs more of? It needs more Farming Simulator games. No, not joking. There is no game that combines the semi-relaxing nature of farming with the actual stress of trying to make everything work successfully as well as the Farming Simulator series. Throw in a dash of hilarity at some of the mistakes you will inevitably make, and you’ve got yourself in for one heck of a good time.

Farming Simulator 22 is the latest in the franchise, and it’s a joy to have it in the Xbox Game Pass library. Though Farming Simulator 19, with all the work that has gone into it over the years, is still a fan favorite, Farming Simulator 22 has more room to grow. If you’re looking to toil away at an engaging farming sim, you know where to go.

Trek To Yomi

Trek to Yomi is a uniquely stylized side-scrolling hack-and-slash that’s sure to please your inner samurai. Borrowing heavily (and unabashedly) from the cinematic stylings of Akira Kurosawa, players assume the role of warrior-in-training Hiroki and embark on a revenge quest after bandits ravage his village and slay his mentor in cold blood.

In terms of gameplay, Trek to Yomi somehow manages to be both satisfyingly and deceptively simple — the one real system at play here is the combat. Hiroki starts with two very straightforward moves, light and heavy attacks, as well as the ability to block. However, the gradual incorporation of various combo moves and the ways in which these mechanics interact weave a sort of rhythm that’s easy to get lost in for several hours at a time. Frame-perfect blocks result in parries, certain combinations stun enemies as a set-up for visceral finishing moves, and varying sets of enemies keep the learning curve active-yet-manageable. Pair this with the black-and-white film grain rendering alongside a pulpy historical Japanese backdrop, and you have a tight little indie experience that’s well worth venturing into.

This War Of Mine

Subverting typical military glorification in favor of a grounded human experience, 11 bit studios puts you into the shoes of day-to-day civilians trying to navigate the ravages of urban warfare in This War of Mine. On its own, TWoM is successful enough in putting together a thinking-man’s survival simulator, but it’s the context that really makes this game stand out from the crowd.

You’ll confront food and supply scarcity, sickness, and of course, the more direct threats of active combat zones — and even then, survivors just as desperate as you are can present as much of a threat as dubiously hostile soldiers patrolling the city. You’ll inevitably confront uncomfortable and difficult decisions as you weigh the safety and survival of your group against the odds, but that’s more or less the point. Games that revolve around warfare tend to present one side as the definitive enemy. TWoM presents war itself as the all-encompassing antagonist, and brilliantly so.

7 Days To Die

Developer The Fun Pimps has been diligently building onto this ambitious survival-horror project since 2013. It’d already been through several iterations before landing on consoles in 2016, and its arrival on Game Pass makes it more accessible than ever before. In a nutshell, 7DTD is a “hardcore survival” take on Minecraft. Players are plopped right into the immediate aftermath of the zombie apocalypse and expected to make the most of it via sets of deeply layered crafting and building mechanics. And when we say “hardcore survival,” we mean hardcore survival.

Aside from the ever-present threat of roaming zombies, you have to contend with a relentless food and water meter, a wellness gauge that can decrease your overall health and stamina if you don’t take care of your person, and a grueling day-night cycle that has you literally counting the minutes until the sun rises. 7 Days To Die doesn’t care if you just started the game and you don’t know what’s going on. It will throw you into situations where you get food poisoning from what you'd initially presumed were bunches of tasty, ready-to-eat berries or you fall into a punji pit you'd forgotten you just built because the nights are too dark to see anything without a light that will instantly attract a horde to your position. In short, it’s a very fun game and you should play it.

Doom 64

Seeing a touched-up version of Doom 64 pop up alongside Doom Eternal’s 2020 launch was a surprise, to say the least. Chances are that even dedicated Doom fans had to give this one a miss thanks to it being relegated to the Nintendo 64 — a problem well-fixed by its recent port, and even further remedied by its inclusion on the Game Pass roster. It’s very much a straightforward classic Doom experience, but the lighting, ambience, and more puzzle-forward level design lend it a more contemplative vibe over the thrash-metal stylings of the 1993 original.

It even comes with a neat bit of additional content tying it to the events of Doom 2016 and Eternal, “canonizing” it, in a manner of speaking. Whether you’re an old-school Doom fan that never got to check it out over its restrictive choice of consoles or a new fan looking for a taste of the old days and a sneaky lore treat, Doom 64’s more than worth a download.

Lost In Random

This gem of a game is available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers courtesy of EA Play. Though its combat mechanics are nothing to cry home about, its environment and narrative makes Lost in Random a must-play title all on their own. Every outlet under the sun praises it for its Tim Burton-esque inspirations, but that recommendation alone does not do justice to the delightfully macabre nature of Lost in Random’s story.

In a world where a person’s choices are determined by the roll of a die and where your main character is part of a twin-sister pair called Even and Odd, you just know a dark, twisted adventure is lying in wait around every corner.

Crusader Kings III

It's hard to imagine a game more complex than Crusader Kings 3. The grand strategy game puts players at the center of an interweaving military-political drama during the Middle Ages. Like the popular 4X franchise Civilization, the events of a Crusader Kings game will span generations, asking players to consider the consequences of their actions over many lifetimes, not individual years.

Unlike Civ, Crusader Kings is more of a historical simulation, and the lives of individuals inside a given Dynasty are detailed and have a big impact on the game's events. Given the game's staggering depth, players who are able to wrap their heads around the game's many systems will be treated with a genuinely one-of-a-kind experience. But be warned, it will take a lot of tutorials, tool-tips, and mistakes to fully understand the game's complexity.

Weird West

The premise of Weird West is one for the ages. It’s got the light trappings of a CRPG with some of the immersive sim elements we all know and love from the co-creators’ previous work with Dishonored. However, if you’re worried that all sounds too menu intensive, Weird West has got you covered. Action follows more of a twin-stick shooter style, and the story progression follows a sort of anthology format.

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Honestly, Weird West is a mix of a lot of things, and to try and pin down exactly what it is does the game’s vision a disservice. While it might not excel at everything it is trying to accomplish, the ingenious nature of its genre combination is deeply intriguing. Plus, who doesn’t want to explore a world set in a darkly fantastical, Wild West setting, with posses to muster, cannibals to exterminate, homesteads to ransack, and pigmen to meet?

Tunic

Tunic’s cutesy polygonal aesthetic lends it enough charm from the outset, but despite appearances, this action-packed RPG is much more than a Zelda clone. Admittedly, it leans into that particular influence pretty hard. But reducing it to that comparison is pretty unfair considering the hodgepodge of gaming goodness it borrows from for its final product — Metroidvania and even Dark Souls-flavored combat figure into the mix in just the right proportions.

And its vulpine protagonist tackles these challenges with adorable aplomb. So while Tunic might come across as an indie Legend of Zelda experience, it more than measures up to the expectations you’d have for its triple-A inspiration.

Shredders

From frigid mountaintops to snow-covered city rooftops to actual, legitimate snowboarding courses, Shredders’ environments take you across a snowboarder’s wintry dreamscape. That’s what this game is, in essence: a snowboarder’s dream. There are no complicated frills or over-tuned controls. Shredders is a straightforward snowboarding game, plain and simple. There is snow, there are boards, and also the music goes “womp womp woop woop,” so that much is totally on-point.

Of particular note are the absolutely engrossing visuals of the snow itself. That may seem like a cheap commentary cop-out, but in earnest, something about seeing the spray of powder and the way your board carves discernible furrows into the packed drifts is absurdly satisfying.

Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War

Despite some controversy at launch, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is a tremendously fun expansion to the fundamentals set up by its predecessor. Anyone who has played the original (or any of the modern Batman Arkham games), will feel right at home with Shadow of War's exquisite combat and character progression.

While the game's plot will largely only appeal to die-hard Lord of the Rings fans, the scope of the world and the franchises' now-infamous Nemesis system make it stand out in a crowded genre. With a new Lord of the Rings TV show on the way, it's never been a better time to revisit Middle-Earth.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Leading with the obvious, it can’t really be said that Morrowind has aged gracefully — the graphics are more than a bit rough, and the UI can seem unapproachable to the uninitiated. However, it’s a distinct bit of old-school RPG charm that nicely emphasizes why The Elder Scrolls become an industry powerhouse, and it’s sure to settle your retro urges. Morrowind can certainly be a bit harsh, but it’s difficult to find a more immersive title in the Elder Scrolls series.

With precious little in the way of fast travel and quest markers, players must really plot their journey from point A to point B when puzzling out a quest. The nearly-alien landscape and architecture of Vvardenfell feels atypical of average fantasy trappings, and the relatively unforgiving nature of its open-world and combat encounters can create a real sense of danger. It’s absolutely worth a trip, especially if you’re a fan of Skyrim that’s never ventured into the older titles.

Doom (1993)

Does there really need to be an introduction here? It’s Doom. It’s the 1993 classic that revolutionized a genre, if not video gaming as a whole, with its pixelated depictions of high-octane ultraviolence and spherical meatball demons from the bad place below.

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The touched-up version Bethesda’s slapped onto Game Pass features some neat additions, such as a limited mod roster and split-screen cooperative/competitive play. If you’re looking for a nostalgic romp to further contextualize what makes Doom 2016 and Eternal such a big deal or a fun, easy-to-slip-into split screen FPS experience to entertain yourself and up to three friends for an evening, here’s your pick.

The Sims 4

Through the addition of EA Play, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play the latest Sims entry in the series (at least until the long-awaited and highly anticipated Sims 5 gets announced). Though notable features were missing at launch, over time and with the power of meaningful expansions, The Sims 4 has become the game fans both deserved and needed. For the uninitiated, The Sims games are essentially “life simulators.”

You guide your Sims through what would, otherwise, be the mundane shenanigans of every life — note the key term there, “otherwise.” Because life in The Sims universe is anything but mundane. Whether you’re cozying up with your vampire neighbors or literally trying to cheat the Grim Reaper out of his due when your Sim’s time is up, The Sims 4 makes the doldrums of daily living fantastic, hilarious, and downright fun.

Batman: Arkham Knight

The original Batman game in the Arkham Trilogy, Arkham Asylum, set the bar for what fans should expect out of a superhero game. While Arkham Knight wasn't as critically received as the first game — even for casual Batman fans, it still serves as a fantastic conclusion to the series.

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Everything from the plot to the combat and visuals, holds up years after release, which is a testament to Rocksteady's impeccable design. The game's propulsive combo system is still second-to-none, and the story does a great job getting players up-to-speed (even if they haven't played the first two games in the trilogy). Batman: Arkham Knight represents nearly a decade of innovation (and iteration) in the open-world superhero genre, and shouldn't be missed.

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Burnout Paradise popularized the open-world racing genre, paving the way for award-winning games like Forza Horizon. The original version of the game was released back in 2009 —so, yes, it's showing its age— but the remaster goes a long way to modernize it for the 21st century.

Despite its age, no game since has quite captured the sense of place and raw speed of Burnout Paradise. Crashes have an impact. And the lack of licensed cars means that vehicles can crumple-up on collision, and show wear-and-tear as the race drags on. Burnout still occupies a special place in the hearts of racing fans — and for good reason.

Broken Age

Broken Age is a ‘Coming of Age’ story in the vein of a Roald Dahl children’s novel; it’s whimsical, funny, and a bit dark in tone where appropriate. It puts players in control of two young characters at major turning points in their lives, and the player will need to swap between them to solve puzzles and progress both their narratives.

Mechanically, it’s a traditional point-and-click adventure game like The Secret of Monkey Island or Day of the Tentacle with plenty of modern touches that make the game far more approachable for a modern audience. Fans of the genre can still expect to combine items, and/or give them to other characters in the world, but the game’s presentation and dramatically improved user-interface, make the whole thing feel more cinematic than early games in the genre.

As an added perk, like so many games from Double Fine’s repertoire: Broken Age is an excellent game to play with the family (including kids) that will be fun for everyone to work through and solve (without the experience being too shallow for seasoned players).

Death’s Door

Reaping the souls of the dead has never been more charming or delightful. Death’s Door takes you on a journey alongside an employee of the Reaping Commission Headquarters, and while this might sound woefully boring, the engaging gameplay and intriguing narrative makes this a true adventure despite its bureaucratic premise. There’s a mystery here for you to uncover, but there is more to Death’s Door than its story.

A fantastic art style coupled with straightforward combat controls ensures that anyone can immerse themselves in the wondrous environments. Death’s Door is an incredibly approachable game that goes over heavy subject matters with a great sense of humor. You might not have thought a little crow wielding magic and a sword would feel so memorable, but Death’s Door proves otherwise.

Hitman World Of Assassination

Nothing combines badassery with absolute hilarity quite as professionally as the Hitman series. Hitman World of Assassination comes with Agent 47’s three mainline titles and provides hours of entertainment as players figure out the many different ways to eliminate their targets. The impressive agency with which players can carry out 47’s contracts allows for not only slick, high-profile staging of highly complex assassination scenarios, but accidental, emergent circumstances that necessitate on-the-fly improvisation.

From straightforward sniper-ing to utterly convoluted traps involving costumes, chandeliers, and… bananas, the various methods at your disposal in the Hitman games show the breadth of IO Interactive’s imagination.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

The original Mass Effect trilogy is one of the most iconic RPGs ever made. However, you can see how poorly some aspects of the series have aged, especially when examining the first game. Never fear, these outdated elements have been rectified and polished in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which is now available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, courtesy of its inclusion in the EA Play library.

Fans of the epic sci-fi trilogy can revisit Commander Shepard’s dire quest to stop the galaxy-consuming Reapers.This Legendary Edition comes with the whole package, including some majorly awesome DLC from each of the three games. If you want to experience the definitive Mass Effect experience, there is only one true way to do that, and it’s now available on Xbox Game Pass.

Among Us

Among Us is the indie hidden-role game that could. Having swept into immense popularity due to its accessibility across platforms and omnipresence in streaming and YouTube communities, it was only a matter of time before it made the leap to living room consoles. It just took that extra step to plant itself on the Game Pass roster. The premise is simple — several players find themselves on board a spaceship (or remote research facility) and are provided with tasks to complete, ranging from cleaning out dirty vents to blasting asteroids out of the ship’s way. The catch? One (or more) of your crewmates is an imposter with the sole purpose or murdering you and everyone else.

The game ends in one of three ways: the crewmates complete all tasks, the murderer is identified and ejected, or the imposters manage to wipe out the crew. The game’s best played with colleagues and friends, as there’s nothing more entertaining than knowing someone’s tells and desperately trying to suss out the truth when they claim they were on the other end of the level when a body’s discovered.

Mortal Kombat 11

The latest chapter in NetherRealm studios' time-tested arcade fighter, MK11 keeps the standard of deceptively deep mechanics and purely over-the-top violence in fine fashion. The single-player story mode picks up shortly after the defeat of Shinnok in Mortal Kombat X, and introduces a new antagonist in Kronika, a time-manipulating trickster of god-like power that's looking to undo history itself — in other words, your typical baddie that's about to break the world unless you beat up a slew of friends and foes to get at her. The cast consists of the usual roster of old favorites — from Scorpion to Raiden, the gang's well intact.

And there are a few newcomers as well: Cetrion pops up as a playable character this time around, and DLC packs introduce vibrant guest characters like Robocop, and even Rambo himself. The gameplay is as smooth as ever, and of particular note is MK 11's almost absurdly robust tutorial. It's a must-play for newcomers to the fighting game scene, as the tutorials break down mechanics common across the genre in painstaking and illuminating detail.

Unpacking

Unpacking follows one person's life, from their first bedroom at their parent's house, to their first apartment and beyond. In it, players unpack their entire life one box at a time, getting to know all their personal possessions and have the oddly-satisfying joy of placing each item where it’s supposed to go one at a time. It's a very simple game mechanically, but it also packs a lot of narrative into a fairly short experience with little-to-no text or voiceover.

Unpacking is a perfect wind-down game for players who are looking for something more relaxed in gameplay and narrative, and it is an absolute hidden gem on Xbox Game Pass.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is easily one of the most zen experiences to be had in its genre. That’s quite a statement when discussing farming sims, but really, it’s so much more than that. With dashes of dating sim and retro action-RPG thrown into the mix and sealed up in a charming 16-bit aesthetic, SDV tasks players with moving out to the countryside to restore their grandfather’s farm after inheriting it — as one does in a farming sim.

Players grow crops, find romance, assist the locals with their various problems, dive into the mines to fight monsters and liberate riches, and more over the course of their stay in the Valley. But one of the best parts of Stardew is easily the relaxed sense of progression. At no point are players prodded to advance the storyline, they’re free to live as they please as they eke out a living selling turnips, raising goats, hatching dinosaur eggs, and bashing slimes.

Kill It With Fire

Hate spiders? Kill them with fire. Or clipboards. Or high-powered magnum revolvers. You can kill spiders with a lot of different things, really, and Kill It With Fire showcases a whole gamut of spider extermination methods. Cast as a humble homeowner, the game tasks you with one fairly straightforward goal — kill the spiders infesting your abode by any means necessary.

Players are confronted with increasingly complex extermination scenarios involving zany physics — spiders can hide beneath every nook and cranny, and keeping track of the various bits of furniture and decor you’ll overturn in pursuit of your arachnid adversaries is likely more pressing than the spiders themselves. Progressing through the levels will unlock a bevy of interesting implements of spider destruction. It’s a delightful indie jaunt that’s well worth killing a few hours for.

Halo Infinite

Anyone with access to a PC or Xbox console can play the online multiplayer component of the latest entry in the Halo series. Players can jump into a Big Team Battle or a ranked Arena match and have the time of their lives. Well-crafted maps, new weapons, and entertaining game modes keep Halo Infinite feeling fresh. It just caters to Halo fans in all the right ways. In addition to that, the campaign experience is available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

It tells a more personal story that focuses on the Master Chief's adventures on Zeta Halo, complete with an astounding open-world map that finally realizes the grandeur of a Halo ring. Halo Infinite’s campaign is something between a love-letter to the distinct charm of Combat Evolved’s more “open” segments (referring specifically to levels such as “Halo” and “The Silent Cartographer”) and the franchise’s many innovations since. The weapon sandbox has been revitalized and combat has never felt more evolved. Halo nostalgia is real, and Infinite completely satisfies it.

Forza Horizon 5

The Forza Horizon franchise has always done an incredible job blending the appeal of arcade racers like Burnout with the realistic precision controls of the Motorsport games. Horizon 5 is no exception, and it just so happens to be one of the best-looking games available on next-gen consoles.

Like its predecessors, Horizon 5 has players exploring an open world and completing a wide variety of objectives and races. Mexico has no shortage of gorgeous locales to drive through while setting up for the Horizon Festival. It's a game with so much to do — it's almost too easy to pick a direction, start driving, and find something worthwhile on the Horizon.

It Takes Two

It Takes Two is a fantastic game, but it’s a bit misleading to label it as a single game. It treads over so many genres, it feels like multiple games in one package. And not only does it offer more than you might expect, it provides subscribers with one of the best cooperative experiences of the decade. Players take control of Cody and May, a married couple on the brink of divorce.

The two are magically turned into dolls, which of course leads to a variety of hijinks as they make their way through a now larger (and more dangerous) world. From sliding down pipes to escaping from vacuums to battling wasps, there are so many ripe opportunities for engaging gameplay, and It Takes Two takes advantage of them all.

Back 4 Blood

Nothing makes for a great time quite like fending off a horde of zombies alongside your friends. Back 4 Blood is an FPS shooter that has been clearly styled in the same vein as Left 4 Dead, which makes a great deal of sense considering Turtle Rock did develop the original zombie-slaying shoot ‘em up. Up to four players can team up to tackle a mission-based campaign, each of which ends up with the group fleeing into the relative safety of a safe room.

There are even special types of “Ridden,” as Back 4 Blood terms its zombies, to contend with on the journey. The gunplay is crisp and satisfying — it makes a clear evolution from Left 4 Dead by incorporating attachments and ADS mechanics without sacrificing the loose, fast, and frenetic run-and-gun action. In a nutshell, if a zombie-shaped hole has been left in your heart since 2009’s Left 4 Dead 2, Back 4 Blood will occupy that space snugly.

Pillars Of Eternity: Complete Edition

When you hear Obsidian’s doing a classically styled CRPG, it behooves any RPG enthusiast to sit up and pay attention. As mentioned, Pillars of Eternity was made in the tradition of true genre classics, like Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale, but takes place in an entirely unique setting as opposed to D&D’s Forgotten Realms. Pillars of Eternity’s richly detailed fantasy realm of Eora has a lore and mystique all its own.

Players take the role of a “Watcher” — a spiritual medium of sorts that can interact with souls — as they investigate the mystery behind the Hollowborn Plague, an affliction that causes newborn children to be born without souls, rendering them stillborn for most intents and purposes. Obsidian’s penchant for imaginative writing and vibrant character work shines through the host of recruitable companions players will encounter while building their party, and the RPG mechanics themselves are deeply gratifying for theorycrafters and CRPG nuts.

Superliminal

If there was a hole in your heart after you finished Valve’s Portal games, and no other title has been able to fill it since, then perhaps you should give Superliminal a try. Rather than utilizing portals and momentum as part of its puzzles, Superliminal is all about perspective. The way you perceive something leads to the solution. This might sound obtuse and vague, but it’s quite brilliant in execution.

A small item can be made to seem as large as a house when you hold it just right. For instance, grabbing a soda can and holding it right in front of your face can make it seem larger than it really is based on perspective. Superliminal takes this idea and goes wild with it, leading to a number of mind-bending puzzles involving distance and light. It perfectly showcases how a different point of view can solve almost any problem. Though it is a very short game, it is an absolute must-play if you want a title that can turn your world upside down.

Monster Train

Like Slay the Spire, Monster Train is a run-based deck-builder where players pick a starting character/clan and do their best to assemble the ultimate deck before a climactic showdown.

Monster Train's claim to fame is a unique three-tiered floor system where players can set up their defenses and monsters to protect their core HP sitting at the top of the train.

The system combines the best deck-builders with this unique mechanic, and an enormous number of different characters and abilities to give players a near-infinite number of strategies and combinations. Anyone riding the Monster Train will quickly find their route to an OP deck — and that's half the fun.

Psychonauts 2

Is sixteen years too long to wait for a proper sequel? Probably, yes. But that doesn’t make the result any less satisfying to experience. Psychonauts 2 hits with all the vibrance and zany, third-person action-platforming madness that solidified the original as a cult classic. Players once again control Raz Aquato as he continues to climb the ranks of the legendary Psychonauts. But this isn’t summer camp anymore; this is the big leagues.

A new villain has arisen to plague the minds of everyone’s favorite psychics, but the familiar mechanics of the original game are back with greater polish. It’s fantastic to see a Psychonauts sequel that still carries the heart and charm of the original.

Quake

Put simply, Quake brought a lot to the FPS genre — it popularized fully 3D-rendered environments, internet-based multiplayer deathmatches, and a ton of other features that have become part-and-parcel to the genre as a whole. Its inclusion in the Xbox Game Pass library is a blessing for those who want to explore the early foundation of first-person shooters. Though the weapon sandbox is fairly straightforward, the breakneck speed with which players can move around maps is the highlight of the game.

Fast-paced action is delivered whether you are competing in matches against other players or blazing through the story levels. The visuals of Quake, even in its remastered state, are rather dated, but the sheer entertainment value inherent in its mechanics is ageless.

Gears Of War: Ultimate Edition

The Gears of War franchise is emblematic of third-person cover-based shooters with a heavy emphasis on cooperative gameplay, but at this point, the original titles are starting to really show their age. This is what makes Gears of War: Ultimate Edition a fantastic get on Game Pass — it gives players a chance to experience the series’ roots with a fresh coat of paint and some great quality-of-life improvements.

The graphics have been generally enhanced, enemies can be spotted, and weapons can be switched during mad dashes from cover to cover. But aside from these improvements, this Ultimate Edition lets players take a peek at the beginning of Marcus Fenix’s journey and reintroduces the chainsaw-action of the series’ staple weapon, the Lancer. What more could a Gears fan want?

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a gaming experience like no other. It manages to capture the trial of living with psychosis and tell a moving story at the same time. You play as Senua, a Viking warrior seeking to set her lover’s soul at rest by traveling to Helheim. Her journey is harrowing as the voices she hears in her own head plague her (and the player) with doubts and bits of advice.

Grotesque hallucinations haunt every one of Senua’s footsteps. While her quest is grueling, and it often makes you question whether or not the whole venture is worth it, it culminates in one of the most satisfying endings in gaming history. Hellblade proves that battling your own demons is a fight worthy of recognition and esteem.

For Honor: Marching Fire Edition

Mash the combat system of a hack n’ slash RPG up with a fighting game and you wind up walking right into For Honor’s neighborhood. Featuring an over-the-top roster of vikings, knights, and samurai wielding an array of deadly weaponry, the combat might seem heavy-handed and bombastic at first — but scratch the surface and you’ll find nuanced movesets tempered by intuitive blocking and parry systems.

The game comes with an appropriately hamfisted campaign mode, but the real treasure is its suite of multiplayer offerings: heart-pounding one-on-one duels, chaotic team battles, and even a few PVE bits all offer unique experiences of their own.

Golf With Your Friends

Golfing has never been more relaxing or stress-inducing than in Golf With Your Friends. This casual golfing title might seem like an enjoyable co-op experience for a group of friends to partake in. But beneath this seemingly tranquil surface is a turbulent and infuriating game that will break friendships instead of clubs. Easing a golf ball into a hole becomes a practice in impossibility thanks to convoluted courses.

From water falls to ghosts to black holes, an array of jaw-dropping obstacles stand in the way of making par. Is it annoying to sink every swing on a single hole? Yes. Is it easy to get lost in the dazzle of new courses? Most certainly. Is it an immense amount of fun to play? Always.

Gears Tactics

Fans of turn-based strategy games like XCOM or Fire Emblem might scoff at the idea of the action-packed Gears of War franchise being turned into a tactics game, but the result is an impressive first foray into the genre. Gears has always been about player positioning, flanks, and coordinated strikes — the translation to top-down strategy game is remarkably seamless.

Related: Best FPS Games On Xbox Game Pass

Strategy game fans who have never touched a Gears title before should absolutely make the time to try out Gears Tactics. The game strikes an impressive balance in its complexity. Newcomers to the turn-based strategy genre won't feel overwhelmed, but veterans will be pleasantly surprised by some of the very specific tweaks and customizations offered.

Doom (2016)

Doom (2016) was the revitalization the series needed to prove to the world that it was still relevant. For a long time, Doom was considered a game of a bygone era, influential but no longer in its prime. Id Software changed all that with the creation of Doom (2016). The Doom Slayer came roaring back into existence, ripping and tearing a new place for himself in the gaming landscape.

Not only did this reboot bring Doom back into the cultural awareness, it showed that a single-player campaign that is well-crafted and vigorous good fun can entice players just as much as, if not more than, another battle royale. Doom (2016) is not one to miss for fans of fast-paced shooters and action-packed combat.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Let's get this out of the way: Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a perfect jumping-off point for anyone new to the Yakuza series. It's a whole new cast of characters in a whole new area. Yes, there are nods to the rest of the franchise, but there's nothing to hamper newcomers' enjoyment. Unlike the rest of the Yakuza games, Like a Dragon is a JRPG in the vein of Dragon Quest or classic Final Fantasy —complete with a party of loveable characters on a noble quest.

What fans of the genre won't be expecting is how well these tropes translate to a modern-day crime drama about found family. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is fun, funny, and an absolute joy to play through. Don't miss it!

Microsoft Flight Simulator

The gorgeous vistas of the world are reason enough to give Microsoft Flight Simulator a try, as they truly flex the capabilities of Microsoft’s latest generation of Xbox consoles. However, in addition to the beautiful rendering of the entire planet, the game also gives players an opportunity to test out piloting skills thanks to its intuitive, simulated aircraft controls.

A variety of realistically rendered airplanes are at your piloting disposal, replete with interactive features and instruments that lend a deep sense of immersion to this already-stunning simulation title. Take to the sky under a variety of weather and environmental conditions and earn your wings in the way of your choosing.

Gang Beasts

Co-op fun of any sort is always a welcome addition to the Xbox Game Pass library, and those who own a subscription can now celebrate the inclusion of Gang Beasts on an already jam-packed roster of great games. Goofy wrestling in silly costumes makes the violent thrashings seem hilarious and adorable.

The stages on which players combat each other are simplistic in design, but wacky in concept, from outdoor elevators to churning factory floors to an active subway tunnel. Dipping into a game of Gang Beasts is enjoyable to the extreme, making this lighthearted title a must-play for anyone who wants to have a bumbling brawl.

Injustice 2

The iconic mechanics of the more recent titles in the Mortal Kombat franchise were perfectly paired with the DC Universe in Injustice. Superpowered characters exchanging bone-shattering blows was already NetherRealm’s essential bread-and-butter, so that should come as no surprise. The sequel simply polishes an already explosive formula — from iconic mainstays like Batman and Superman to relatively deep digs like Blue Beetle and Atrocitus, the roster is bursting with heroic and villainous selections sure to delight the considerable intersections between DC and fighting-game fans to no end.

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight's exploration and genuine sense of discovery are easily some of the best in the genre. It's a shining example of how to make a Metroidvania in the modern era. Hollow Knight never trades in its mystery or world-building for padded side quests or game-breaking boosts.

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It remains a somber, magical, and deceptively challenging game all the way through. It definitely takes a page from the Dark Souls series, so be prepared to wander into new areas with caution, and get ready to learn every boss' pattern exactly.

Halo Wars 2

Halo’s initial foray into real-time strategy was certainly a twist for the established FPS juggernaut, especially for consoles. But it went over surprisingly smoothly — the controls were intuitively mapped for controllers, and the streamlined gameplay made for a great RTS title for fans of both the genre and the mainline Halo franchise. Halo Wars 2 didn’t fix what wasn’t broken, but added enough nuance to the formula to make it a rock-solid sequel.

At surface level, it’s a competent RTS title. But the devil’s in the details — Halo Wars 2 included a surprisingly well-crafted cooperative mode for tackling its campaign, and said campaign manages to preserve the bombast and grandeur expected of a Halo title even with the drastic shift in genre. What’s more is that the hotly anticipated Halo Infinite seems to be drawing on lore elements introduced in Halo Wars 2 (namely the antagonistic Covenant rebel faction known as the Banished), so it’s certainly worth it to get caught up on the opposing forces arrayed against the Master Chief in the upcoming game.

Human Fall Flat

Equal parts puzzle game and platformer, Human Fall Flat tasks players with navigating a series of surreal dreamscapes that revolve around a central theme. Each level introduces new mechanics that play a key role in traversing the clear-cut geometry of the environments. The oftentimes bizarre conceptual basis of the stages themselves coupled with the reliably hilarious implementation of the game’s physics practically guarantee an uproarious time, but the puzzles themselves are thoughtfully designed.

The experience is made all the more enjoyable when played alongside one or more friends — cooperatively brainstorming solutions to puzzles is surprisingly exhilarating… when you’re not busy trying to figure out new and exciting ways to throw one another into bottomless pits.

Psychonauts

The original Psychonauts was the definition of “hidden gem” when it released in 2005. Despite critical acclaim, the hysterical puzzle/platformer didn't find much of an audience until years later. With a sequel finally here (fifteen years and three console generations later), there's never been a better time to play through one of Double Fine's most beloved titles.

Fans of any 3D open-world platformers, collectathons, or adventure games will feel right at home in the world of Psychonauts. Not only is it one of the funniest games ever written (alongside the likes of Portal), but the creativity of its level design rivals some of Nintendo's best worlds.

Grim Fandango

Grim Fandango has players exploring and solving puzzles in a film noir version of the Land of the Dead. It is easily one of the most striking and unique games in the Xbox Game Pass portfolio. Grim Fandango's sheer creativity makes it a treat to go through, but that’s not the sole merit it sells itself on. The game has an incredible style and sense of place, but it also backs all of its pizzazz up with equally compelling characters.

But fair warning! For as great as Grim Fandango's world and writing are (and yes, they still hold up today), it is worth mentioning that this is a classic adventure game. There's very little hand-holding to speak of, even in the remastered edition on Game Pass. That said, there's no shame in looking up a puzzle or two.

Banjo-Kazooie

Very few developers can live up to the incredible quality of Nintendo games. In 1998, Rare released Banjo-Kazooie on the N64, and managed to compete —and in some ways exceed— the genre-defining Super Mario 64. Luckily, the HD re-release of Banjo-Kazooie holds up remarkably well. With so few traditional 3D platformers releasing to pick up the mantle, it remains one of the best games in the genre readily available today.

The original Banjo-Kazooie builds on the open-world hub design popularized by Mario 64, and expands on it with an interlocking array of shortcuts and secrets. Combined with some incredibly creative abilities, a loveable cast, and an unforgettable soundtrack by the legendary Grant Kirkhope — it's obvious why fans are still clamoring for a Banjo-Kazooie 3 years later.

Star Wars: Squadrons

EA’s track record with Star Wars properties may have seen a fairly recent low point, but Squadrons contributes to their redemption arc in fairly fine fashion. Though the title may imply a relation to the iconic N64 title, Squadrons is most certainly a more immersive brand of space flight sim. That said, it’s likely one of the more accessible recent entries into the genre when compared to the likes of Elite Dangerous.

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The campaign’s not quite robust, but still weaves a decently compelling narrative as players experience both sides of the ongoing conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire in the aftermath of the second Death Star’s destruction. However, the multiplayer suite is clearly the star of the show. The thrilling 5v5 dogfights make for intense instant-action space battles, while Fleet Battles offer a more tactical experience as you and your squadmates strategically assault the enemy’s capital ships while defending your own. The game’s fantastic visual performance in VR is just the cherry on top. Read our review here.

Fable 2

Fable 2’s critical reception upon launching in 2008 was on par with the landmark release of Bethesda’s Fallout 3 — no mean feat considering the impressive legacy of the latter. Fable 2 isn't an 80+ hour epic open-world RPG with endless possibilities. Still, the decisions players make and the impact these have on the world still feel more tangible than a lot of modern games with branching narratives.

Fable 2's setting evokes whimsy and wonder, but it never feels toothless or childish. It's a perfect taste of the universe Lionhead and Peter Molyneux created and a great entry to jump into before the Microsoft Studios franchise reboot set to release on the Xbox Series X|S

Prey

Becoming immersed in a science-fiction universe that is as well-crafted as Prey’s is an experience like no other. Thrown into the mind of Morgan Yu, players must unravel the mystery behind the catastrophe that has befallen the Talos I space station. A strange alien life form known as the Typhon has taken over, and Morgan must contend with the peculiar threat they pose to the humans left alive on the station. Arkane Studios blends aspects of Dishonored, BioShock, and Soma in a masterful fashion, allowing players to choose how they wish to tackle problems they encounter.

They can proceed in a stealthy fashion, upgrade weapons and go in guns blazing, acquire almost supernatural powers from Neuromods, or use the handy GLOO Cannon to tackle the Typhon menace. The appeal of Prey comes not only from the immersive world of its narrative but from the diverse array of playstyle options it gives its players to do with as they will.

Stellaris

Grand strategy games make for a precious commodity on consoles, as the genre’s innate complexity and densely layered menus don’t tend to translate well. Stellaris, however, breaks that mold in fine fashion. After selecting (or generating) the civilization of their dreams, players are placed at its helm as it discovers faster-than-light (FTL) travel and begins its journey amongst the stars. Whether by military might, diplomatic intrigue, or economic guile, the general goal is establishing interstellar supremacy. But as the saying goes, it’s the journey and not the destination.

The myriad of potential events that may unfold as you guide your civilization along the path to victory is truly astounding. Occurrences that range from humorously bizarre to terrifyingly cataclysmic lurk behind every discovered planet and unmapped corner of the galaxy. Players will chase clues left behind by ancient precursor civilizations, encounter all manner of alien races, explore the furthest reaches of known space, and so much more. No two games will ever turn out the same.

Fallout 4

Bethesda’s latest spin on the definitive post-apocalyptic roleplaying experience isn’t without its detractors, but it’s hard to argue that anyone’s getting a raw deal with its inclusion on Game Pass. As the Lone Survivor of Vault 111, players are immediately faced with tracking down their son after he’s snatched from the Vault by a mysterious band of mercenaries and scientists. It’s a simple and lofty motivation, but factoring in an irradiated wasteland rife with terrifying mutants, raiders, and long-abandoned ruins concealing vital supplies, it becomes apparent that the road’s going to get bumpy. Fallout 4 took a significant (and fair) amount of flak for its relatively rail-roaded narrative and lackluster dialogue navigation, but frankly, there’s still a lot there to love.

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Describing a wasteland ravaged by nuclear war as “beautiful” doesn’t roll off of the tongue, but Bethesda’s signature open-world charm is still well-intact. The Commonwealth serves as a compelling setting, from the ruins of Boston to the Glowing Sea. And as per usual, there’s a near-endless amount of content for players to explore and uncover. And once poring over the vanilla content has lost its luster, one can turn to an impressive and accessible selection of mods to spice up their playthrough utilizing the modding community’s boundless creativity.

Forza Horizon 4

There’s nothing quite like coasting past Great Britain’s stunning vista at 150 mph with lo-fi beats propelling each and every drift. Forza Horizon 4 makes simulation racing seem easy, expertly mixing arcade racer challenges with precision controls. Not to mention that Horizon 4 is easily one of the best-looking games on modern consoles — and it looks even better on the Series X. The Horizon franchise has been polished and refined over 15 years, and it shows: Forza Horizon 4 is the benchmark all other racing games are judged against. Read our review here.

Titanfall 2

Titanfall 2’s relatively understated presence in the FPS genre is more than a bit puzzling, because it was the object of significant critical acclaim upon release. And its die-hard fanbase has quietly asserted that it’s handily one of the most solid shooters to have ever hit the market for years since. Frankly, they’ve got a lot going on to support that opinion. The game’s campaign is practically as solid as its multiplayer suite, with the former weaving a compelling sci-fi narrative around pilot-in-training Cooper and his surly oversized robot acquaintance, BT-7274.

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Big mechs and wall-running mechanics go a long way on their own, but Respawn’s take on the FPS formula just feels polished in a way that many contemporary shooters don’t — and is more than partially responsible for its remarkable overnight success with Apex Legends.

The Walking Dead

Telltale's The Walking Dead resulted in the studio's meteoric success, as well as the contemporary popularization of the graphic adventure genre. Capitalizing on the popularity of The Walking Dead following its adaptation into a wildly popular television series, Telltale's take on The Walking Dead is initially told from the perspective of former convict Lee, whose journey to prison is interrupted by the zombie outbreak.

Eventually, the focus shifts to the young Clementine and follows her evolution into a savvy survivor hardened by the ravages of the post-apocalypse. The unfolding narrative bends and shifts responsively to the player's choices throughout the game, making every dialogue option seem tense and impactful while ensuring that no two playthroughs end up telling the same story.

Ori & The Will Of The Wisps

Beauty is not often associated with video games, but Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a beautiful title. The artistry with which character motions and backgrounds were created is astounding. Even the music that accompanies players along their journey with Ori is gorgeous. However, Ori is not simply a great game because it looks good. It is functionally exquisite as well.

The precise platforming from the first game, Ori and the Blind Forest, is still in place, with even more tools of traversal at players’ disposal. New combat mechanics have been added to Will of the Wisps as well, and they are extraordinary to execute. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is the complete package: jaw-dropping visuals, emotional storytelling, and perfectly honed gameplay elements. Read our review here.

Mass Effect 2

Though subsequent titles were released after it, Mass Effect 2 remains the pinnacle of the series. Commander Shepard and the rest of the Normandy SR-2 crew face a grave threat to the galaxy. The Reaper menace is ever-growing, and players must assume the role of Commander Shepard as they plan to tackle this foe.

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Mass Effect 2 is truly BioWare at its finest, with compelling dialogue between characters, engaging combat sequences, and a high-stakes story that ends on an unforgettable note. Despite the age this classic RPG is showing, it is a game worth playing.

Slay The Spire

Slay the Spire popularized and perfected the deck-building rogue-like in one fell swoop. It's an impeccably well-balanced game that threads the needle between being simple enough for newcomers and deep enough for veterans of the genre. Because Slay the Spire is a single-player game, enemies aren't confined to the same rule-set as the player, which lets every enemy feel unique and exciting. Any fans of drafting table-top games or classic TCGs like Magic: The Gathering owe it to themselves to give Slay the Spire a try.

The Evil Within

A large part of The Evil Within’s appeal comes from its cinematic approach to the genre. An unnerving ambience is key to immersing players in Detective Sebastian Castellanos’ plummet into abject horror. Trapped in the mind of a sadistic killer, Sebastian is confronted with gruesome scenes at every turn, and players are tasked with relentlessly pressing forward no matter the next nightmare that awaits them.

Reminiscent of the Resident Evil series, The Evil Within forges its own identity with bloody imagery that borders on hallucinogenic and a combat system that is as measured as it is gripping. If one can find the resolve to pick up this gut-churning title, The Evil Within’s established take on horror makes it impossible to put down.

Sea Of Thieves

Despite weathering criticism concerning a lack of content at the outset, Sea of Thieves has steadily been accruing more in-game activities for players to pursue as it sails along. Rare’s delightfully vibrant pirate simulator plops you onto a dock with a ship — and the rest is up to you. Whether you sail about completing tasks for one of the trading companies, seek out other players for some PVP thrills, or aimlessly hop about from island to island slaying skeletons with no particular aim in mind, the game doesn’t push you in any particular direction.

However, that’s an intrinsic part of its charm. It can certainly be played solo, but earnestly, you'll want to grab a friend or three before diving in. The pirate’s life truly shines when it’s lived alongside a few loyal crewmates.

Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls has been synonymous with the very concept of open-world RPGs for decades now, and Skyrim is the title to show if a demonstration is required. All memes aside, the Dragonborn’s quest to defeat Alduin is a spectacle rarely equaled by RPGs in general, and a lot of that is due to the fact that it has as many chapters as the player would like it to have.

The frigid province of Skyrim is unforgivingly gorgeous, and the amount of “optional” content is nearly endless. Factor in the innovative decision to make a stunning library of user-generated mods available on Xbox consoles, and you have what is likely the most content-rich game currently available on Game Pass.

A Way Out

A Way Out distinguishes itself from nearly every other game on the market by not just offering a co-op mode, but by making it the essential centerpiece of the experience. Emphasis on “essential,” as it can’t actually be played in single-player. Players take on the roles of Vincent and Leo, two inmates planning an escape from the prison where they are currently being held. Little do they know the twists and turns their adventure will take.

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A Way Out takes players on a unique journey, albeit an occasionally awkward one. Stiff dialogue and forced emotional moments aside, the perfectly absurd narrative and strangely integrated (yet thoroughly fun) mini-games weave together an uproarious experience for you and your partner of choice.

Doom Eternal

Doom’s explosive 2016 reboot was a tough act to follow — a fact that didn’t seem to elude id Software when it came to designing the sequel. Following the events of the Doom Slayer’s initial outing, the forces of Hell have invaded Earth. From there, the narrative unfolds as expected: the Doom Slayer’s got a job to do, and it’s going to involve a lot of shotgun shells. Doom Eternal, pardon the cliche, turns every knob up to eleven, tears them off, and forgets that they existed to begin with.

It may have seemed impossible to make the fevered rhythm of Doom 2016’s combat even more of an arrhythmia-inducing experience, but id Software did just that by expanding the Slayer’s arsenal and unleashing even more terrifying demons for him to loose it upon. Read our review here.

Overcooked 2

Finding the perfect co-op game can be a bit of a struggle, but Overcooked 2 has got that covered. This absolute treat of a game allows up to four players to bumble about different kitchens preparing familiar dishes.

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Hilarity ensues as each kitchen needs to be cleared within a certain time limit. If the game feels like a breeze after the first playthrough, Overcooked 2 adds challenges to the mix by including secret levels and additional stars to earn. Don’t hesitate to join the Onion King and his faithful dog Kevin as they seek to halt the Unbread after they were raised using the Necro-nom-nom-icon. It’s one scrumptious journey.

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Looking at screenshots of Wolfenstein: The New Order, it would be easy to mistake it for a modern-day retreading of the 1980s corridor shooters its predecessors popularized. However, The New Order set the stage for a 21st-century version of Wolfenstein that lives up its lineage and forges a new path for the series. It matches the smooth gunplay id Software fans expect with a dusting of RPG tropes (i.e. skill trees, branching narrative paths, and side quests), and the whole package comes together exceptionally well.

The WWII alternate history narrative expertly switches between the ultra-violence and bombast id Software is known for and —somehow— manages to tie into an emotional core with a beautifully drawn cast of characters. The latest series of Wolfenstein games (developed by MachineGames) are easily some of the best single-player first-person shooters available today, and The New Order is the best place to start.

Dishonored 2

Dishonored was a phenomenal stealth title, and its sequel follows in its footsteps while managing to take some big strides forward on its own. Dishonored 2 is a gem that has gone vastly unappreciated. It continues the story of Corvo and Emily as they work to regain the throne after a coup.

Players can pick between one or the other to play as, and both Corvo and Emily are given unique skills, making Dishonored 2 highly replayable. In addition to that, Dishonored 2 is home to one of the most innovative and exciting levels in video game history, utilizing a time-travel mechanic in a manner that astounds and inspires.

Deep Rock Galactic

Danger. Darkness. Dwarves. Everything that needs to be known about Deep Rock Galactic can be summed up in its tagline. Up to four players can dive into the dangerous mines of Hoxxes IV, braving the enemies that lurk in the darkness as doughty dwarves. The straightforward nature of Deep Rock Galactic’s gameplay belies the deeper system in place.

There are multiple mining assignments players can tackle, intuitive upgrade paths, and a delightful hub area where players can relax (or randomly bellow “Rock and Stone!” between pints of ale) before diving into a tense mission. Deep Rock Galactic knows what its strengths are, and it knows how to play to them. All players have to do is prepare themselves for a good time.

Battlefield: Hardline

There’s a whole suite of Battlefield goodness available via EA Play — and frankly, if the series’ signature multiplayer madness is your jam then you’re better off opting for one of the more recent titles. However, Hardline deserves a special mention on account of its relatively innovative campaign.

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In a genre where single-player offerings often play second fiddle to the multiplayer component, Hardline’s bombastic police drama is a diamond in the rough that’s more than worth the price of admission.

Grounded

Obsidian Entertainment is back at it again with a unique take on the survival genre. Players assume the role of kids who have mysteriously become minuscule in a strange Honey-I-Shrunk-the-Kids kind of scenario. Now no larger than an ant, these kids have to find out what happened to them and survive the perilous environs of an average backyard. Grounded is an utter joy.

Collecting grass blades to construct shelter, pebbles to make hammers, and water droplets to quench your thirst puts a fresh sheen to this rather crowded genre. The only thing to watch out for? The spiders. Common spiders are the primary enemies in Grounded, and for those who suffer from a touch of arachnophobia, a sudden attack from one of them can be practically heart-stopping.

Peggle

Peggle is a straightforward puzzle game, make no mistake about that. Players shoot a set amount of balls to clear a level of an array of pegs in the center of the screen. That is the gist of the game. However, its simplicity is all part of Peggle’s genius. There is nothing more satisfying than to aim that cannon, shoot that ball, and then watch it bounce from peg to peg.

A further layer of strategy is added to the game when different characters, with different ball-shooting abilities, are unlocked. The basic nature of Peggle’s premise should not deter anyone from playing it. Besides, nothing beats the exultation of hitting that final peg, when the screen zooms in on the ball in slow motion and the triumphant sounds of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy trumpets forth.

Gears 5

The latest mainline entry in the Gears franchise is one of its boldest. Gears 5 rolls right into new territory with a fresh multiplayer mode, a partial open-world experience in the middle of the campaign, and a devastating story twist that has left fans reeling. As with any Gears title, Gears 5 offers a robust campaign co-op experience with up to three players.

The game follows Kait Diaz and her companions as they struggle to hold the line against the encroaching wave of the Swarm. Action is the order of the day any time a player picks up Gears 5, and between roaring a Lancer’s chainsaw at an enemy and diving for cover from an onslaught of bullets, there’s hardly a moment left to breathe. Read our review here.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the best lightsaber game of the modern era. Developer Respawn lovingly combines heavy exploration (think modern Tomb Raider games), with a more nuanced battle system in the vein of God of War or Dark Souls. The game takes place in the fallout of Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith, and puts players in the role Cal Kestis — an untrained Jedi Padawan.

With subtle touches like using Cal’s lightsaber as a flashlight or customizing its hilt, Fallen Order feels like a 21st-century love letter to the Star Wars toys and action figures of decades past. It's also a fantastic action-adventure game. Read our review here.

Frostpunk

11 bit's recent reputation for generating thoughtful, yet heartwrenching conceptual titles holds true with Frostpunk. Set in the late 19th century following the onset of a cataclysmic volcanic winter, Frostpunk tasks players with managing a group of survivors as they struggle to survive the sub-zero temperatures — and themselves.

While the elements are brutal enough to contend with using limited resources and the precise application of heat sources, players will be confronted with ethical dilemmas that demand one sacrifice or another. Implementing necessary policies will disenfranchise, if not outright endanger their population in many scenarios, putting your ideals and humanity in jeopardy as you struggle to answer a singular question: how far will you push the people under your care for the sake of seeing another frostbitten day?

Outer Worlds

Obsidian Entertainment played to its strengths here, and it shows. As the lucky person chosen to be plucked from a derelict colonist ship (unsubtly dubbed “The Hope”) to raise some hell, Halcyon essentially your oyster. Whether you’re a guns-blazing commando or a smooth-talking pacifist, Obsidian’s taken pains to ensure that you’re able to dismantle or decide the delightfully morose corporate deadlock ruling over Halcyon in your own way.

The Outer Worlds excels in terms of writing, features a vibrant cast of characters, and packs in an impressive amount of player agency given how narrative-heavy it is. In short, it’s a fine dose of good, old-fashioned RPG goodness. Read our review here.

Dead Space

Combine the measured horror of Resident Evil 4 with a cold and unfeeling sci-fi environment, and Dead Space is the end result. Players join Isaac Clarke as he traverses the dark, metallic hallways of the USG Ishimura, a gargantuan planet-mining spaceship. Gruesome terror lurks around every corner in the form of Necromorphs, the reanimated corpses of the Ishimura’s crew.

Though Dead Space was first released in 2008, it maintains an unrelenting sense of dread that exceeds the bounds of most modern horror games. Its atmosphere will linger in your memory long after you’ve finished the game, and whispers of “Make us whole” will haunt your worst nightmares.

Minecraft

Is there really any respectably concise way to describe Minecraft? Having managed to reach 200 million sales since its humble 2011 origin, this unassuming little sandbox title pays dividends with the sheer breadth and variance of content it's capable of. Feel like testing your mettle against the elements and an array of hostile creatures that emerge after nightfall? Survival Mode is the place to be.

Into quite literally creating your own fun, or just wanting to channel your inner architectural visionary without limitation? Creative Mode is the answer. Of course, there's also a maddening depth of community-generated content to explore as well. Of all the titillating titles available on Game Pass, Minecraft is the one most likely to never make egress from your hard drive.

NEXT: Best Xbox Game Pass Games For Kids