Which games on the Xbox Game Pass are most worth your while? Well, we've compiled a list of amazing games for you to play and get lost in, all available on the Xbox Game Pass.
The Best Games on Xbox Game Pass
The Xbox Game Pass grants you access to hundreds of games per month but you're not going to have enough time to play them all. If you're looking for the most bang for your buck, we've compiled a list of the best games available on the Xbox Game Pass so you can spend your time playing the best instead of wasting time playing the rest.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Come one come all to Dreamlight Valley, where your wildest, most vivid dreams come true! We’re starting our list with Disney’s attempt at a life simulator, complete with just about every licensed character that they could throw at you. This game is an absolute blast to play, especially if you’re the kind to just pick up a game and go about your day. Resource collection, furniture customization, and story quests galore will occupy your time here in Dreamlight Valley.
This is truly a life-simulation game that you should be looking into, doubly so if you’re a Disney fan like me. Unfortunately, unkept promises and questionable monetization schemes from the developer prevent this game from being as good as it can be. So much for a pinky promise, Dreamlight Valley!
Party Animals
Who let the dogs out? And the hens, tigers, bulls, and sharks too?! Party Animals is the perfect party game for a rowdy bunch of friends just looking to have a rough time punching the living daylights out of each other. There’s no shortage of fun with the vast selection of minigames and maps available in this fast-paced family-friendly roughhousing game. This game has bar fights, football games, and even a catapult fight to boot.
Having friends around to play is a must, though, and they’d also need their own Game Pass to play, so accessibility might be a bit of a problem if you’re looking to fill your lobby.
The Outer Worlds
Yes, it’s Skyrim in space. All jokes aside, The Outer Worlds is a fun FPS roleplaying game set in a uniquely art-directed universe full of capitalism and…well…more capitalism. While this game doesn’t gain any points for subtlety, it more than makes up for it with its amazing art style, smooth gameplay, and memorable story. Besides, you can cruise all over space in your own spaceship while doming aliens with your Spacer’s Choice rifle.
Do you want to know the best part? The elevators aren’t loading screens and your companions are worth investing time into. Eat your heart out, Starfield.
Sea of Stars
Never have I ever seen a game exude so much "instant classic" energy while still being less than a year old. Sea of Stars blends the nostalgia of old-timey turn-based RPGs with the polish and game design of modern gaming to deliver a fun and memorable RPG experience. Some have likened the characters to cardboard cutouts, and there’s merit to that criticism for sure, but the game also boasts tried-and-tested RPG mechanics that’ll get your min-maxing urges rolling before long.
Having all that while looking like a masterclass in pixel art earned this game its spot on our list.
Dead Cells
Let’s keep that pixel art train going with the most frenetic hack-and-slash metroidvania roguelike on this side of the island, Motion Twin’s roguelike Goldenboy, Dead Cells. This game has everything a metroidvania fan could ask for. Amazingly smooth platforming? You bet. High-speed hack-and-slash goodness? Got that by the buckets. Iconic story and art direction? You bet your Hand of the King that this game has it.
What’s more, is that Motion Twin never let this game go despite its half a decade of existence, constantly updating it with new weapons, skills, and collabs as the days go by. This game was packed to the brim with enemies and levels to begin with and now it's positively engorged with content for you to hack your way through.
Vampire Survivors
It’s all about the numbers going up and getting that dopamine hit from our next entry on the list, Vampire Survivors. This game was released in 2021, but you could never tell from its retro graphics and gameplay. Just bubbling under the surface is a genre-defining game, however; one that’s collected accolades for years for its ingenious design and oh-so-addicting gameplay loop. What’s more is that this game is constantly being updated with new content and collaborations, with the latest one with Among Us.
If you’re one to watch numbers go up and are keen to stay on your toes for half-hour intervals, then this is the game for you.
DOOM Eternal
Rip and tear until it’s done with the Slayer himself in our number 3 spot for the best games from Xbox Game Pass, DOOM Eternal. You’re going to have a hard time finding a game half as intense and heart-poundingly difficult as the DOOM Eternal – or as I like to call it, Demon Mulching Simulator. When you’re not cocking your shotgun with malicious intent, you’re parkouring through ridiculously laid-out levels. And when you’re not doing either, it’s an all-day demon buffet for the great Doomslayer.
This game is a modern take on a gaming cornerstone, one you shouldn’t pass by with your Game Pass.
Stardew Valley
Yet another valley lands on your list of best games for the Xbox Game Pass, only this time, it’s got that indie charm mixed in. Stardew Valley is up there with Undertale as an indie legend among games. What else is there left to say about this game that hasn’t been sung across the internet by its many fans? This is, bar none, the best farm life simulator you’re going to find in terms of charm, volume of content, and polish.
If you’re looking to find a game where you can lose yourself in the daily life of a farmer, or heck, just fight some monsters or go mining, this is the game for you.
Slay the Spire
Only genre-defining games up here near the top of the spire, and we’ve got one that revolutionized roguelike deck-builders all by its lonesome. Slay the Spire isn’t just a roguelike deck-builder, it’s THE roguelike deck-builder. Three classes, three acts, all moving in perfect harmony to give you the thrill of an arduous climb across the spire. And when you’re done, why not go for another spin?
Near-infinite replayability, gold-standard game design, and probably the most cathartic boss fights you’re ever going to get from a deck-builder; all these await you when you gather your gear and head out for yet another dangerous journey to Slay the Spire.
Forager
If it's time you're looking to kill, then have I got the best resource-gathering island-hopping game for you. Forager is a labor of love from a single developer who just wanted to scratch their resource-gathering itch. This game is exactly what it says on the tin: You forage for things. When you're done with that, you process what you foraged, then you forage some more. If you're looking for something light, fun, and easy to pick up, Forager is one of the best games out there.
The Lamplighters League
It's a pulp adventure version of XCOM 2, what's not to love? The Lamplighters League is a turn-based strategy game where you control members of the titular league to stop the occult from taking over the world. Although the game does pose a few balance issues that won't be fixed anytime soon owing to its developers disbanding, the game is pretty good as it is now. Its combination of real-time strategy and turn-based combat really sells the adrenaline rush of a pulp adventure book. As old-timey newspaper boys would put it, it presents a story and aesthetic that is both fast and fun!
ASTRONEER
Space adventure, an adventure in space! ASTRONEER (yes, it has to be capitalized) is a space exploration/base-building game where you play the role of a gatherer. You'll be harvesting planetoids for all they've got and putting what resources you can find to good use by building up your station. Of course, both oxygen and energy are in short supply, so you can't just go wandering off. This game is as fun as it is charming, although it can get a little repetitive if you're looking for a more complex base-building experience.
We Happy Few
New to the Game Pass for January is We Happy Few, a Bioshock-adjacent look through a fictional world where only the joyful are permitted to be free. This game's setting and premise are both unique enough for an extended playthrough, and I cannot recommend it enough for anyone looking for an out-of-the-box experience. Although some may find its lore and gameplay clunky, I think it's serviceable enough to play, even if only for its story.
Palworld
Palworld is an open-world adventure where you can discover and capture over a hundred unique creatures called Pals. To address the proverbial Donphan in the room, yes, Palworld superficially looks like a certain monster-catching game ending in "mon." Looks are where the similarities end, however, as Palworld focuses more on open-world mechanics, base-building, and a real-time combat system closer to Monster Hunter's than Pokemon's.
Persona 3 Reload
Persona 3 Reload is a remake of the genre-defining 2006 RPG Persona 3. Players assume the role of a high-school student enlisted in the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), a group of students investigating the Dark Hour,
an anomaly occurring in their physical world. During the Dark Hour, SEES members can access Tartarus, a tower inhabited by creatures known as Shadows. The protagonist collaborates with fellow students Yukari Takeba, Junpei Iori, Akihiko Sanada, and Mitsuru Kirijo. Throughout the game, SEES takes in other characters, including Fuuka Yamagishi, a female android named Aigis, Ken Amada, Shinjiro Aragaki, and a dog named Koromaru.
Read our review below to see our thoughts on this masterpiece.
Cocoon
Embark on a mesmerizing puzzle-solving, non-euclidian journey with Cocoon, a visually stunning puzzle platformer that transports players to surreal landscapes filled with enchanting mysteries. With its captivating art style, immersive sound design, and challenging puzzles, Cocoon offers an unforgettable gaming experience that will captivate players from start to finish.
Shifting perspectives and changing shapes guide the eye to a feast of puzzles and mysteries in Cocoon, available on the Xbox Game Pass.
Warhmammer 40,000: Boltgun
Hey, wait a minute, this isn’t DOOM! That’s right, it’s a gory and carnage-filled look into the grim darkness of the far future with Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. Dive into a Wolfenstein and DOOM-inspired FPS game where you play as one of the Emperor of Mankind’s angels, a Space Marine. Tear through heretics and demons with ease using your blessed arsenal in this retro-style shooter.
Visceral combat, immersive atmosphere, and rich lore await you in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun with its adrenaline-fueled gaming experience that will thrill fans of the Warhammer franchise and newcomers alike.
Suffer not a mediocre game with Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, available now on the Xbox Game Pass.
Darkest Dungeon
Descend into the depths of despair with Darkest Dungeon, a challenging roguelike turn-based RPG developed by Red Hook Studios. In this dark and unforgiving world, you'll lead a band of flawed heroes through treacherous dungeons filled with eldritch horrors, traps, and psychological stress. Even the darkness itself threatens your crew’s sanity so keep those torches lit and those spirits high, lest you fall to your comrades.
With its unique art style, strategic gameplay, and haunting narration, Darkest Dungeon offers an immersive experience that will test your resilience and decision-making skills. Do you have what it takes to conquer your worst fears in the Darkest Dungeon? Find out on the Xbox Game Pass.
Dungeons 4
Are you feeling a bit dastardly today? Perhaps a tiny bit malevolent? Maybe even a touch evil? Boy, do we have the dungeon-management game for you. Dungeons 4 is a strategy game where players take on the role of a dungeon lord. Build and customize your dungeon, recruit an army of monsters, and unleash chaos upon the unsuspecting heroes who dare to invade your domain.
With its dark humor, addictive gameplay, and strategic depth, Dungeons 4 offers an engaging experience that will challenge players to outwit and outmaneuver their enemies. If all that’s not enough to entice you, the game’s got enough dry-wit and monster shenanigans to keep you entertained whilst you flay these intruders alive. Be your own raid boss in Dungeons 4, available now on the Xbox Game Pass
Frostpunk
Survive the icy apocalypse in Frostpunk, a city-building survival game set in a frozen world where every decision carries weight. As the ruler of the last city on Earth, you must manage resources, make tough choices, and ensure the survival of your citizens against the relentless cold.
So burn us in the furnace, let our souls ignite the flame; use their bones to stoke the embers and their blood to oil the chains. Pray the future that we're building will be worth its weight in lives so take heed but take no pity as the city must survive in Frostpunk, available now on the Xbox Game Pass.
Moonlighter
Be a shopkeeper by day and an adventurer by night in Moonlighter, a unique shop management sim/action roguelike by Digital Sun. Raid the various themed dungeons of your town and bring back whatever you find as prime merchandise for your burgeoning store. Buy upgrades for your gear and your business as bigger and better dungeons reveal themselves to your ever-increasing repertoire.
Golem cores are 50 gold a pop but Moonlighter is all yours when you avail the Xbox Game Pass. Try it now!
Roboquest
Raise your fist and your guns against the AI overlords in Roboquest, a rockin’ renegade roguelite looter-shooter from RyseUp Studios. Step into the shoes of a rogue AI on a mission to liberate humanity from the clutches of an evil robot uprising, blasting through hordes of enemies in procedurally generated levels.
And with an arsenal that can make even a vault hunter drool, there’s a plethora of ways to dispatch any bucket of bolts that gets in the way of your uprising. Don’t be afraid to point a gun barrel at anything that moves in Roboquest, available now on the Xbox Game Pass.
Sea of Stars
All shall fall by the fury of the sun or stars in Sea of Stars, a turn-based RPG from Sabotage Studios set in a vibrant fantasy world threatened by an ancient evil. With its stunning hand-drawn visuals, engaging combat mechanics, and rich storytelling, Sea of Stars offers an unforgettable experience that will appeal to fans of classic RPGs and newcomers alike.
Let the constellations guide your path in Sea of Stars, shining bright on the Xbox Game Pass.
Scorn
Scorn is a unique surrealist horror FPS set in a world that fails simple description. Inspired by the biomechanical creations of H.P. Giger, Scorn is a glacial stroll through the ribbed and revolting flesh tunnels of an alien world wrought with war. Equipped with writhing guns and surrounded by fleshy abominations orders of magnitude more complex than yourself, one can only move forward and see what else this unique experience can offer the senses.
Scorn is available now on the Xbox Game Pass.
