15 Games That Make Xbox Game Pass Worth Having

Subscription services can be hit or miss these days. With so many of them out there, it’s hard to know which ones are actually worth your time and, more importantly, your hard-earned money. In the last couple of years, Microsoft has been doing a solid job of beefing up Xbox’s services and marketing them from a pro-consumer angle that is becoming increasingly difficult to resist. One of those services is Xbox Game Pass, which boasts over 100 games for just $9.99/month.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is also available for Xbox consoles and will run you a few more dollars at $14.99/month. The Ultimate service includes both Xbox Game Pass and Games With Gold, which allows you access to online and multiplayer features. For Xbox users who may be on the fence about finally subscribing to Game Pass, below are fifteen great games across different genres (and some personal favorites) that make the service worth the investment.

The Outer Worlds

Obsidian surprised everyone when it announced its new IP The Outer Worlds during the 2018 Game Awards.

Created by the same developers of the earlier Fallout games, The Outer Worlds seemed to be a saving grace to the chaos the Fallout series became with the launch of Fallout 76. The Outer Worlds boasts a noticeably similar combat and dialogue system to the Fallout games, as well as an art style that would make any Fallout fan feel at home. Despite the similarities, The Outer Worlds managed to carve its own spot in the world of RPGs with a host of quirky characters, explorable planets and space stations, and a solid character progression system. In comparison to other RPGs that might feel overwhelming, especially to newer players, The Outer Worlds is a manageable experience that takes the classic, well-known elements of the RPG genre and compresses them into a 15-20 hour game.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Hellblade was a standout of 2017, receiving both critical and commercial acclaim for its excellent auditory experience and its handling of themes about mental illness and health. The game follows Senua, a warrior who embarks on a dangerous journey into Helheim (or Hel), which is the land of the dead in Norse mythology. The experience of Hellblade is greatly enhanced while wearing a headset or headphones, as listening to the voices in Senua’s head become increasingly unsettling as the game progresses. Playing through Hellblade will challenge even the best of players and force you to question your instincts.

The Walking Dead Series

If you never got around to playing Telltale’s episodic The Walking Dead series, now may be the perfect time to start if you have Xbox Game Pass, or are thinking about investing in the service. Though it’s based on the comic books of the same name, Telltale’s series features its own unique characters and a choice-based style of gameplay where your actions have consequences later in the game. The series begins the story of Clementine, a young girl at the start of the zombie apocalypse, who soon comes to know the true meaning of survival. Xbox Game Pass currently has the complete Season One, Season Two, A New Frontier, and the miniseries Michonne available to download. The Final Season of The Walking Dead and the 400 Days DLC from Season One are not available on Xbox Game Pass.

Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout: New Vegas is classic. It’s still one of my favorite games in the series and is a must-play for anyone who might be unfamiliar with the series but still interested in diving into its massive world and lore for the first time. Players assume the role of the Courier who, at the start of the game, is shot and has something of importance stolen. What follows is an epic journey through the Mojave Wasteland that makes New Vegas an absolute standout game in this franchise. The game drastically improves on the combat and overall gameplay from Fallout 3, while also modernizing the Perks progression system from earlier games.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

The award for “Most Underrated Game of 2019” must be to be given to A Plague Tale: Innocence. The lack of recognition this game has received should be a crime, because A Plague Tale: Innocence was a solid game from start to finish. Play as Amicia de Rune, a young woman in 14th century France, whose life is forever changed due to the plague that is sweeping through her country. While the game is a linear experience and broken into chapters, developer Asobo Studio has managed to craft environments that feel large in scope and open to exploration. The game combines smooth stealth mechanics with a creative arsenal of weapons for Amicia, and it’s all held together by a narrative and excellent voice acting that players won’t soon forget.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells is a great action platformer- one that I’ve played now on both PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. Though I personally prefer the Switch version of the game, if you’ve never experience Dead Cells and have (or are considering getting) Xbox Game Pass, then it’s definitely worth checking out. You play as a prisoner and must fight your way through an ever-changing castle to unlock new levels, passages, weapons, and personal upgrades. The fast combat and permadeath forces players to adapt to the level and its enemies as quickly as possible, while also learning from past mistakes. In our own review of the game, I wrote, “in the sea of metroidvania-style games, Dead Cells manages to carve a name for itself and is, quite frankly, one of the best action games I’ve played in a long time.” You can read the full review here.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus isn’t a game to be missed. Set in post-apocalyptic Russia, in the year 2036, the game follows Artyom and his group of survivors over the course of a year, as they attempt to reclaim what is left of a desolate world destroyed by nuclear war. Progression through the game is an immersive experience, with well-designed levels that feel a lot more open and expansive than the first two games in the series. Combat in Metro Exodus is gritty and tense, and the level of detail that was put into the different types of weapons doesn’t go unnoticed.

Dishonored 2

Dishonored 2 was a great follow up to the first game, with the addition of new combat techniques and the types of powers that characters are able to use. Similar to Dishonored, players have the option to progress through this second game as Corvo. If you want to switch things up, though, Corvo’s daughter Emily Kaldwin is also a fully-playable character. Whoever you choose, it’s up to you to reclaim Emily’s kingdom after her aunt claims it for her own.

ReCore

ReCore has flown far under the radar since its release in 2016. In the sea of Xbox’s long-running exclusives like Gears of War, Halo, and Forza, when ReCore launched, it became one of the few examples of Xbox trying to deliver more narrative-driven, single player experiences to its fans, in the form of a AAA title. In ReCore, you play as Joule, who is one of the only humans on her new planet, Far Eden. With only a mechanic dog for a companion, Joule must set out across Far Eden to unravel its secrets and find out why she’s alone. My biggest issue with ReCore was that it lacked depth in its environments, with many areas not being used to their full potential, or just left completely barren; but the game is pretty entertaining overall and has a surprisingly rich lore to support its story.

Kingdom Hearts III

Early 2019 finally saw the release of the long-awaited Kingdom Hearts III, and while it was a decent game overall, it certainly missed the mark with its messy narrative and a couple of new worlds that were lackluster at best. Forgettable and unnecessary at worst. That being said, Kingdom Hearts III is still a must-play for fans of the series, especially those who have played Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. Though the narrative begins to lose some steam near the end of the game, some threads nicely tie up the stories of characters we’ve grown with since the first game released in 2002. You can check out our full review of the game here.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

If you have the time to sink into an open world fantasy RPG, let it be The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CD Projekt Red didn’t leave a stone unturned, and the massive map is brimming with story and side quests that can easily set you back a couple hundred hours. You’ll play as Geralt of Rivia, a famed monster hunter, who is determined to find a lost child. With a cast of memorable characters and a world packed full of lore, it’s easy to see why The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has lasting power.

My Time at Portia

I’m not big on farming simulators, but there’s something about My Time at Portia that truly hooked me from the moment I started the game. You come to the small island of Portia, armed with the simple task to fix up your Pa’s workshop. What follows is an addictive game full of side missions, building commissions from the Town Hall, quirky characters, and mechanics that will have you crafting new items and mining for resources in the ruins until your character nearly collapses.

Alan Wake

Cult classic Alan Wake was added to Xbox Game Pass to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary on May 21st. The game was originally released on Xbox 360 and follows titular character Alan Wake, a novelist whose wife disappears while they are on vacation in a small town in Washington. During the search for his wife, things get strange quickly, and Alan must unravel the mysteries of the town in order to save her. In Alan Wake, developer Remedy Entertainment expertly blends action and thriller genres with third person gameplay.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar’s epic, open world western Red Dead Redemption 2 is a newcomer to Xbox Game Pass. The game follows Arthur Morgan and the Van Der Linde gang, as they flee from a robbery gone wrong. While on the run and fighting across the vast landscapes of America, players are able to roam freely, explore, and really make the world their own. Build up the Van Der Lindge gang’s campsites and take on side missions, all while trying to maintain the morale of the gang and Arthur’s loyalty to its ruthless leader. Check out our review of the game here.

DayZ

DayZ has been getting new life on Xbox Game Pass, with a spike of hundreds of thousands of new players since it became part of the Xbox subscription service in May 2020. DayZ is an online, open world title where 60 players attempt to achieve a simple goal: survive. Players must survive for as long as possible, without the ability to save, and with no additional lives. In statement to Eurogamer, developer Bohemia Interactive revealed that the “hardcore survival game is flourishing now more than ever, and has become one of the Most Played games on Xbox.”