The Best Games on Xbox Game Pass for PC
Xbox Game Pass has been a revelation in gaming and it’s also available on PC, meaning you have access to an incredible library of games on your PC for a small fee per month. The following is a breakdown of the best games on Xbox Game Pass for PC.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Plague Tale: Innocence is a great story of brother and sister trying to survive in a harsh world. The game looks fantastic, however, the game is fairly straight forward. It feels like an old school game brought into 2019 with modern technology. The narrative is engaging with some heartfelt moment. I would recommend playing this game if you like single-player narrative-driven stories.
Gris
Gris is a beautiful game about fear, emotions and overcoming grief and loss. The game is a watercolour painting comes to life and a game that energises the sense with fluid movement and a wonderful soundtrack. Gris isn’t a long game only taking a few hours to complete, however, it’s an experience that should not be missed. It’s uniquely beautiful with a combination of art, sound, and movement that all add up to a very satisfying experience.
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a roguelike Metroidvania game developed by Motion Twin. Levels are procedurally generated keeping the game feel fresh each time with random platforms, obstacles, enemies and items. Combat in the game feels so good too with a fluid and fast feel to the action. A key part of the game is how good the game feels.
The pixel art is beautiful and fluid. Since it’s initial release it’s won many awards including “Best Indie Game” at 2018 Golden Joystick Awards, “Best Action Game” at The Game Awards 2018 and was nominated for “Best Independent Game”.
Cross Code
CrossCode is an action role-playing game developed by Radical Fish Games and published by Deck13. The game’s development began in 2012 and was later introduced as a crowdfunded project on Indiegogo in early 2015. CrossCode is a retro-inspired 2D action role-playing video game set in the distant future, combining 16-bit Super NES-style graphics with a fast-paced combat system and puzzle mechanics. Players control a mute character named Lea as she plays a fictional MMORPG known as CrossWorlds.
Following a three-year-long early access beta phase, CrossCode was released for Linux, macOS, and Windows in September 2018, and will be released for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One in 2020.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a compilation of first-person shooter games in the Halo series for the Xbox One and Windows. Originally released for Xbox One on November 11, 2014, the collection was developed by 343 Industries in partnership with other studios and was published by Xbox Game Studios. The collection consists of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4, which were originally released on earlier Xbox platforms. Each game in the Master Chief Collection received a graphical upgrade, with Halo 2 receiving a complete high-definition redesign of its audio and cutscenes that are exclusive to the collection.
Critics generally praised The Master Chief Collection for its updated audio and visuals, as well as its quantity of content, but criticized the multiplayer aspect of the collection due to a significant number of bugs and poor matchmaking experiences. Many of these technical issues were later fixed in a number of post-release patches. On May 30, 2015, the campaign mode of Halo 3: ODST was made available for the collection, with Halo: Reach added on December 3, 2019 alongside the release of The Master Chief Collection for Windows PCs.
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a challenging, beautiful action-adventure game set in the vast, inter-connected underground kingdom of Hallownest. A 2D action game with an emphasis on skill and exploration, Hollow Knight has you fighting a fearsome host of deadly creatures, avoiding intricate traps and solving ancient mysteries as you make your own way through fungal wastes, forests of bone, and ruined underground cities.
The atmosphere is eerie and sometimes unnerving, but there is a good-hearted core of humour and levity in there too, especially when conversing with all of the weird and wonderful NPCs you’ll find along the way. Hollow Knight has beautiful traditional art, fluid and responsive action, challenging but fair gameplay and a bizarre insect world begging to be explored and conquered.
The Outer Worlds
There’s been a void in the RPG space, some wanted it filled with Fallout 76, but when that turned out to be less than desirable the void remained. Obsidian Entertainment has produced some of the best RPGs in the gaming world with titles such as Fallout New Vegas and Knights of the Old Republic 2 under their belt. Since being acquired by Microsoft under the banner of Xbox Studios fans had been eagerly awaiting this release… and Obsidian have stepped up to the expectation.
The Outer Worlds is a fun, rich and rewarding gaming experience. Hopes had been high for this game and they’ve pretty much lived up to all expectations. Also, it’s very cost-effective at the time of writing this article as the game is available on Xbox Game Pass. Right now you can get the game for £3.99 per month for the service which is available on Xbox and PC (Beta). For this price there simply isn’t a choice, go out there and try The Outer Worlds today.
Ori and the Blind Forest
Ori and the Blind Forest is a gorgeous game that’s challenging, fun and hooks you with a heartwarming story. There’s enough here to challenge the seasoned pro among you, but doesn’t stop you in your tracks with ridiculous difficulty levels. Satisfying, beautiful to look at and listen to Ori and the Blind Forest is worthy of your hard-earned money and will offer you a rewarding experience. Originally an exclusive to Microsoft platforms the game is also coming to Nintendo Switch on 27th September 2019.
Unavowed
Unavowed is a great point and click adventure game with unique elements that bring a fresh feel to the genre while being familiar at the same time. Wadjet Eye Games have done a wonderful job with the writing, world-building and pacing in the game which always leaves you wanting more each time you play.
Wargroove
Wargroove is a fun turn-based strategy game from Chucklefish. It’s similar to other strategy games in that you battle on a top-down map taking control of units. However, to say Wargroove is simply a clone of Advance Wars is to not do it justice. It stands on its own two feet, has a fun gameplay loop and has enough content for many hours of post-campaign gameplay.
The original article was written March 2nd 2020 and will be updated as new games come out. Check out more on the Xbox website.