33 best Xbox Game Pass titles you need to play today

Diablo IV

Diablo IV took its time to come to Game Pass, but with developer Blizzard now belonging to Microsoft it was always destined to arrive eventually, and now is a great time to jump into the latest entry in the iconic ARPG series. Diablo IV makes some big changes to the tried-and-tested formula, going open-world for the first time and introducing some MMO-like elements to the experience. But at its core it’s the same fiendishly addictive dungeon crawler it’s always been, and a blast to play alone or with friends in tow. 

Blizzard has really leaned into gothic horror in the fourth entry, with a much darker story than its predecessor and suitably depressing locations to fight demons in. A selection of new and returning classes let you craft the perfect build for your playstyle, and with the promise of regular new seasons and events to go with what’s already a very generous end-game offering, there’s enough here to keep you looting and monster-slaying for hundreds of hours. 

Psychonauts 2

A full-blown sequel to Double Fine’s hugely underrated (or at least underpromoted) 2005 debut release, this 3D platformer sees you dive into and adventure inside its characters’ psyches, battling inner demons and accessing hidden memories.

This not only allows for some brilliantly engaging and creative gameplay mechanics and level design, but enables the developers to explore themes of emotional health and psychology in a genuinely interesting and novel way.

Compassionate, witty and heartfelt, this is another fantastic Game Pass day-one release, and it serves as a real credit to the platform and concept.

Cocoon 

As one of the chief brains behind indie classics Limbo and Inside, big things were expected from the Jeppe Carlsen-directed puzzle adventure game, Cocoon, and he delivered one of the best puzzle games we’ve played in years. It’s hard to describe Cocoon, but try to imagine old-fashioned Zelda-style exploration blended with some of the break-your-brain genius of Portal’s puzzles, and you’re on the right track. 

You play as a small bug creature that can carry orbs on its back. These orbs contain entire words that your character can jump in and out of, bringing other worlds with you as you go. It sounds confusing, and the game will definitely leave you scratching your head at regular intervals throughout its tight runtime, but it wisely guides you through its mysterious alien locations on a mostly linear path so you never feel totally lost, and you need only use just the one button for the entirety of the game. Masterfully designed, gorgeous to look at and exactly the right length, Cocoon is a game you need to play while it’s still on Game Pass. 

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor 

There was a lot to admire about Respawn Entertainment’s first stab at a Star Wars game, which boldly asked, what if Metroid, Uncharted and Dark Souls (somehow) made a baby and gave it a lightsaber? But it was very much a first draft with some rough edges, many of which its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, does a good job of smoothing out. You play once again as the red-headed Jedi, Cal Kestis, whose kind are still very much endangered and outnumbered by the Empire. Luckily, the former Padawan can now wield double-sided and dual saber variants from very early on in the game, and later on he even adds a blaster to his arsenal. That’s right, they really gave a Jedi a gun.

Like the first game, Jedi Survivor feels like a bit of a grab bag of influences, but it all hangs together really well and tells a pretty great Star Wars story to tell to boot. At launch, the game had some well-documented performance issues on all platforms, but it’s in a much better state as it arrives on Game Pass, so if you haven’t yet jumped in, now is the perfect time. 

Jusant 

Like running, jumping and falling to your death, climbing has been a feature in games for nearly as long as the medium has existed, but rarely has it been executed as well as it is in Jusant. Very much the climber’s climbing game, your left and right hand are mapped to the triggers, turning the mysterious tower the silent protagonist must scale into one big puzzle. You can’t die in Jusant, but the game still manages to capture the thrill of leaping daringly towards a hold and just about making it. You’re constantly managing a stamina meter too, adding another layer of strategy to each climb. 

There is a story here, told mostly through notes left by the tower’s former inhabitants. But you’re free to ignore it completely if you want and just let your imagination do the work. With its chill vibes, excellent climbing mechanics and striking art, Jusant is yet another low-key Game Pass gem. 

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Forza Horizon 5 is the Xbox Series X’s crown jewel where racers are concerned and arguably the best arcade racing game ever made. But if you’re less interested in admiring beautiful cars than you are smashing into them at full speed, another all-time great is available on Game Pass via EA Play. No doubt a big inspiration for the Horizon series, Burnout Paradise was the first (and only) open-world Burnout game and feels as good to play today as it did in 2008. 

While swapping tightly choreographed tracks for wide open roads that encouraged you to shortcut your way to the finish line wasn’t a design choice that pleased all Burnout fans, there’s a sense of freedom in Paradise that few games have matched since. And the core appeal of the series, which concerns the aforementioned smashing and crashing, is very much still the order of the day here. Burnout Paradise Remastered includes all DLC add-ons for the original game and lets you cause carnage in shiny 4K. And before you ask, yes, Avril Lavigne’s ‘Girlfriend’ does still feature in the soundtrack. 

Batman: Arkham Knight 

Every game in Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy is superb, but Arkham Knight arguably made less of a lasting impact than Batman: Arkham Asylum and its sequel, Arkham City – with the former introducing us to the excellent combat system that would evolve throughout the series, and the latter being the first to let the Caped Crusader loose in an open world. Arkham Knight also features Batmobile driving sequences that divide the fanbase. 

That said, if you’re looking for the ultimate Batman simulator, the third entry is undoubtedly the one to play today, which is handy given that it’s also the only one on Game Pass. Rocksteady perfected its combat, stealth and exploration mechanics here, and wherever you stand on the Batmobile debate, it certainly looks the part in motion. And while we love the tight focus of the first game and the dense open-world playground of Arkham City, getting to see all of Gotham in Knight was a thrill for Batfans. It’s still a graphical stunner too, despite being nearly nine years old. 

Resident Evil 2 (2019)

Sure, you can opine the lack of originality in today’s games market that saw Capcom reaching back to a more glorious past by remaking Resident Evil 2 – one of its most beloved survival horror games.

Once you’re finished venting, though, do make sure to download and play it. Rebuilt from the ground up for today’s hardware and diverging heavily from the original in terms of design, mechanics and plot, it’s essentially a completely different game. It just happens to have the same name, characters and general storyline as the 2002 classic.

Old and fresh players alike will appreciate the 2019 version’s gorgeous visuals, atmospheric audio, improved characters, reworked plot and superbly refined third-person combat. So, yes, it’s technically a remake. But Resident Evil 2 is scarier, more fun and more involving than its source material – and an absolute must-play for any Game Pass subscriber.

Read our full Resident Evil 2 review

Cities: Skylines II

It might be bit of a controversial pick, given that this sequel to the best city-building game of recent years felt a bit, well, unfinished upon launch – and several months later still isn’t in quite as tidy a state as fans of the genre would hope.

And yet, we’ve still found it an engaging and relaxing way to spend time. Planning out urban development, laying down road and rail, encouraging commerce and industry to flourish and generally pottering about with Cities: Skylines II remains an enjoyable experience even if the game’s core mechanics aren’t quite up to snuff.

Would we recommend you buy this game at full price? Not on your nelly (at least not in its current state at the time of writing). But on Game Pass, where you can give it a whirl without spending any extra cash? We say go for it.

Dead Space (2023)

Much like Capcom and its Resident Evil remakes, EA won’t win any plaudits for originality with this reimagining of the beloved 15-year-old sci-fi survival horror. But while you might baulk at shelling out £70 for a nicer looking version of a game you bought when Gordon Brown was PM and Leona Lewis tearing up the charts, you really have no excuse not to check it out on Game Pass.

And make no mistake, this is one you should check out. Dead Space has been fully rebuilt for modern hardware and, while it faithfully sticks to the 2008 original’s storyline, it does offer a raft of refinements and mechanical shake-ups to deliver an experience much more in line with today’s triple-A titles. It’s beautiful to look at (despite all the body horror on show) and smooth to play, and especially worth playing if you never got to explore the depths of the good ship Ishigura the first time around.

Read our full Dead Space review

Titanfall 2: Ultimate Edition

For us, one of the great gaming tragedies is the lack of a Titanfall 3. Respawn Entertainment’s first Titanfall game was a decent enough romp, but its sequel hit so many high notes in both its single-player campaign (arguably the most interesting and best-designed FPS campaign since Half-Life 2) and multiplayer mode that it felt like the start of something truly special.

Why, instead of releasing yet another eight or nine Call of Duty games where the single-player mode felt like an afterthought, couldn’t EA have paid Respawn to make a third one of these? With superb combat (which takes in both on-foot and mech-piloting sequences, and varies gameplay massively in both) and a plot that makes you genuinely care about a huge robot, Titanfall 2 remains the pinnacle of FPSes for many gamers – and we still hold out hope that we might one day get that third game…

Read our full Titanfall 2 review

Lies of P (Xbox, PC)

This dark and edgy reworking of the Pinocchio tale emanates BBBE: Big Bloodborne Energy. Taking clear inspiration from From Software’s suite of action RPGs, Lies of P feels a lot like the Bloodborne sequel we’ve all been craving for years: there’s a similar gloomy gothic city setting, largely deserted due to a mysterious plague that’s left only deranged monsters (in this case, homicidal puppets) wandering the cobbled streets, alleyways and rooftops; any non-aggressive NPCs you do meet speak in riddles, suggesting unclear motives; much of the game’s ‘lore’ is told through item descriptions; and combat is unforgiving, requiring you to master tricky techniques as you progress past a series of challenging boss encounters and deceptively deadly mobs.

Is it derivative? Sure. But while there are plenty of Souls-like games out there, Lies of P feels closer to the spirit of Bloodborne than any other – while still incorporating features and tweaks from other Souls games.

Ghostwire: Tokyo (Xbox Series X/S)

Ghostwire: Tokyo is one of 2022’s most underrated, or at least overlooked titles. This martial arts meets Ghostbusters game takes place in Tokyo (duh), but a version of the city that has been taken over by the spirit world and its ghoulish inhabitants. But what’s this, a twist? One spirit has given you superpowers and abilities that should help even the odds. Ghostwire: Tokyo is unlike other first-person shooter(esque) games like Bioshock.

Tokyo has been beautifully recreated, and exploring its neon streets, convenience stores, and even public toilets feels like the real thing (albeit with more lost spirits roaming around the place). Controlling wind, water and fire elements makes for an incredibly enjoyable combat experience, while sneak attacks allow for some truly horrifying kills.

Hi-Fi Rush (Xbox consoles)

Every so often, a game comes along to Xbox Game Pass that makes the subscription fee an absolute steal. Right now, that game is Hi-Fi Rush. Part Devil May Cry jump and dive action slasher, part Dance Dance Revolution, Hi-Fi Rush has you playing as a character called Chai who must take down an evil organisation.

But the video game world, quite literally, moves to a musical beat, a pulse that dictates everything from your attacks and movements to how enemies come after you. Hit the right note, that is to perform attacks to the music, and your abilities will grow. Crazy fun and incredibly animated, Hi-Fi Rush is an absolute blast.

Sea of Stars (Xbox, PC)

Sea of Stars is both a love letter to 16-bit RPGs and a game that strips out a lot of what was annoying about them. Heavily inspired by SNES classic Chrono Trigger, it focuses on two Children of the Solstice who together can wield the power of the sun and moon, and along with their friend Garl – who has no notable magical superpowers but can cook up a mean mushroom soup – must save the world from the evil Fleshmancer. 

Sea of Stars’ writing isn’t going to win any awards, but everything else is pretty excellent, from the Super Mario RPG-like turn-based combat that has you timing button presses to enhance your attacks and take less damage, to the smartly designed dungeons and absolutely stunning visuals, which merge old-school pixel art with modern lighting effects to head-turning effect. And best of all? No tedious random battles or grinding here, and at around 25 hours in length, this might be an RPG you can actually finish. 

Chivalry 2

Chivalry 2 takes you to the battlefields of the medieval age, and boy does this game put you right in the action. In this manic multiplayer, you take control of a medieval warrior with only one aim. To destroy your enemies in ever-changing battlefields. There’s no storyline or special characters. Rather, Chivalry 2 pits player against player in a frantic, yet gloriously fun fight. Will you approach the battle with caution and skill? Or will you simply flail your sword, axe or mace wildly and hope for the best? The choice is yours, my liege.

Monster Hunter Rise (Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4)

The Monster Hunter series follows a pretty simple premise. You live in a world of, well, monsters. Some fly, others breath fire. There are dragons and giant crabs and you, the hunter, have only an array of upgradable weapons and armour at your disposal to deal with them all. Oh, you have friends to help you too. And fighting cats. There’s a dog you can ride like a horse, too. And boy, is it addictive.

In our five star review, we said that Monster Hunter Rise “builds on the accessible streamlining from Monster Hunter World” that offers a “wilder action-packed hunting fest with even cooler abilities.” There’s plenty to offer veterans and newcomers alike too, a game that challenges seasoned hunters while not alienating new players. Now, go out there and hunt.

Pentiment (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

A brilliant little curiosity of a game made by RPG specialists Obsidian (now owned by Microsoft), Pentiment is a narrative adventure set in 16^th century Germany. Players take on the role of Andreas Maler, a journeyman artist working in an abbey and living in the nearby village – places populated by a large cast of well-drawn and convincing characters. After a gruesome murder at the abbey, Maler turns detective and the game becomes a race against time: can you identify the true killer before your falsely accused friend is convicted of the crime?

With its beautiful manuscript-inspired art style, close adherence to historical accuracy and complex themes surrounding myth, religion and the importance of stories, this isn’t a typical game. In fact, it’s the sort of game that probably wouldn’t have been made at all if not for Game Pass, where we hope it finds the audience it deserves. Fantastic stuff for thoughtful players.

Deathloop (PC, Xbox Series S/X)

Taking the exploration, stealth and combat of its previous Dishonored games (also on Game Pass) and throwing in a mind-bending time loop element, Deathloop is a fantastically stylish and entertaining first-person action adventure bristling with invention and confident in its own world-building.

Playing as Colt Vahn, an amnesiac former big shot on the mysterious island of Blackreef, now trapped forever inside a single 24-hour cycle that resets every time you die or reach the end of the day, you gradually uncover the story behind Blackreef’s descent into chaos – and work out how you can escape the loop once and for all (spoiler: it involves killing some bad people).

Read our full Deathloop review

Inside (Xbox, PC)

Inside is not only one of the best games on Game Pass, but quite possibly one of the best games you’ll ever play. Dark, unsettling and unwilling to explain anything to the player, Playdead’s wildly inventive 2D puzzle platformer isn’t a particularly long game, but it’s perfectly designed and there’s barely a sequence that isn’t memorable. And as for the incredible ending, well, people are still talking about that years after the game first released.

If you subscribe to Game Pass and haven’t played this one yet, you have absolutely no excuse not to sort that out.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (Xbox consoles)

Before booting up Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, please be prepared to pump countless hours into this dangerously addictive game. First released in 1999, Age of Empires II was the ultimate strategy title for PC gamers who wanted to conquer Europe with a ferocious army of warriors and, if you cheated, a machine gun toting sports car. Spanning 1000 years of human history across 35 civilizations, will your nation survive? Most likely, no. But you’ll have fun trying.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition builds upon this formula with 4K graphics, improved graphics and a bunch of expansion packs included from the get-go.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Whether you’re a first-time greenhorn captain or a spacefaring Spectre veteran keen for another run through BioWare’s beloved sci-fi adventure, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the best way to experience the game. Featuring the entire trilogy and more than 40 pieces of DLC, it offers enhanced visuals and a 4K resolution, UI tweaks and more. Mass Effect is one of the best story-driven action RPGs in history, giving you the ability to save the galaxy by playing main character Commander Shepard as a goodie-goodie Paragon or a take-no-prisoners Renegade, and having its aging visuals spruced-up is more than enough of an excuse to give it a whirl once more.

Stardew Valley (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Bequeathed a dilapidated farm by your grandfather, you ditch your unfulfilling office job for a new life in the fresh air of the countryside – and its direction is entirely up to you. Will you spend your days befriending the locals (perhaps even finding a husband or wife)? Building up a lucrative agricultural business? Exploring the gloomy caverns in search of treasure? Or (and this is the most likely) some kind of combination of all of the above?

While Stardew Valley’s cutesy graphics and music hint at a lightweight and relaxing experience, there’s so much here to do and discover that you may find yourself swiftly and hopelessly addicted to its homely charms.

Unpacking (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

A deceptively simple concept sits at that heart of this indie gem: you unpack the protagonist’s belongings each time they move into a new space over a number of years, choosing where to put the pixel art clothing, crockery, books, toys and sentimental keepsakes, all to the accompaniment of a soothing retro soundtrack.

That’s satisfying, calming and nigh-on therapeutic in itself (Marie Kondo aficionados will embrace that zen feeling of creating a tidy, well-organised home), but there’s something almost profound going on too: the player discovers more and more about this person through these objects and locations, gaining a level of empathy and intimacy you seldom feel for a game character, particularly one who never speaks or is seen.

Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC) 

Admittedly, Forza Horizon 5 plays a lot like Forza Horizon 4, only rather than tearing a supercar with a SpongeBob SquarePants paint job through Edinburgh and Ambleside, you’re doing it in a decidedly sunnier Mexico. But when Playground Games’ open-world racing formula is as damn near perfect as it is, the last thing we want is a dramatic series shakeup. Which isn’t to say the fifth Horizon game doesn’t do anything new.

The new “adventures” that you play through to unlock a fresh series of races not only give you the full Horizon experience, but also add a narrative element that works surprisingly well. And as if the ludicrously generous amount of races and events already built into the game aren’t enough, Playground now lets you design your own, too. Best racing game ever? You could make a strong argument for it. 

Yakuza: Like A Dragon (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

The Yakuza games are all brilliant, but there are so many games in the mainline series that it can be difficult to know where to jump in at. Which is why we’re very grateful for Yakuza: Like A Dragon, the series’ breakaway from the story of Kazuma Kiryu, which spans a whopping seven games. It introduces a new character, Ichiban Kasuga, who is released from an 18-year prison sentence for a murder he didn’t commit and faced with a world he doesn’t recognise.

Like all the Yakuza games, Like A Dragon is a violent and frequently hilarious soap opera packed with mini-games and bizarre side quests. Once it gets its claws into you, there’s no escape. And while not everyone will like the transition from beat ‘em up combat to very deliberately JRPG-inspired turn-based battles, this is a great entry point into a beloved series. 

Lonely Mountains: Downhill (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Sometimes, less is more. In Lonely Mountains: Downhill, there’s no soundtrack, there are no opponents to race, and no pyrotechnics to admire as you cross the finish line. It’s just you, your mountain bike, the occasional chorus of bird sound, and a series of masterfully designed mountain ranges to tackle.

To unlock new gear and harder tracks, you will need to ride fast and purposefully in Lonely Mountains, but the game is at its best when you’re taking things at your own pace, admiring the gorgeous low-poly graphics and deliberate absence of, well, most things. Here it becomes an almost meditative experience. This is a game about enjoying the tranquility of nature, something everyone has come to appreciate in recent times, and it’s probably the most relaxing experience you’ll find on Game Pass – even if you are smashing into a fair amount of trees.

Dishonored Definitive Edition and Dishonored 2 (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Cheating a bit, we know, but both Dishonored games are utterly fantastic and neither sold as well as they deserved to, so we’ll fight anyone that objects. A lot of games champion freedom in how you approach your objective, but rarely is this freedom as well realised as in this first-person stealth action series. Do you charge around murdering everyone in sight with an array of specialised weaponry, or sneak about in the shadows so nobody knows you were there?

Either approach is welcome, and no matter your playstyle, it’s impossible not to appreciate Arkane’s ingenious level design and steampunk worldbuilding. The second game arguably sees Arkane at the peak of its powers, but the original is still as fun to play today as it was in 2012. And with the studio’s next game, Deathloop, just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get stabbing.

Fallout: New Vegas (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Developed not by publisher Bethesda (who made Fallout 3) but third-party developer Obsidian, New Vegas feels much closer in tone to the original 2D Fallout games – and it’s all the better for it.

Plunged into a post-apocalyptic Southwestern US, the player becomes embroiled in a three-way power struggle between opposing factions, but is pretty much left alone to explore the world – which, yes, includes the revitalised city of Las Vegas – at their own pace, advancing the story as they see fit and making choices which feel like they matter. Graphically and mechanically it might be showing its age now, but if you’re going to delve into a Fallout game from the franchise’s second gen, we think it should be this one.

Sea of Thieves (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Assemble a crew of your mates and venture out into a fantastical world of sea monsters, skeletal pirates, buried treasure and some of the most beautiful sunsets ever seen on a screen in this diverting cross-platform MMO. Striking a balance between relaxing, casual fun and involving action, Sea of Thieves is perhaps the perfect title for our current times: when we’re mostly stuck at home, unable to socialise, games like this really come into their own – especially if you can find a regular group to team up with.

Microsoft Flight Simulator (PC, Xbox Series X/S)

The latest in a series of “games” Microsoft started almost 40 years ago, 2020’s edition of Flight Simulator (which launched on PC only but is now available on Xbox Series X and S and working like a charm on console) is a technical marvel. Tapping into Bing’s vast vault of map data and some clever terrain algorithms, this version essentially allows you to fly to any point on the globe. Some places look more detailed and convincing than others, true – but the ability to spot your neighbourhood from high up in the air (where you’ll hopefully be) is undeniably appealing. The downside to all this is data: the base game is a huge install, and much of the map data will need to be downloaded prior to each flight, which means a superfast broadband connection is pretty much a must-have.

The flight simulator itself is reassuringly flexible and granular. If you want to go all-in, you can set it to ultra-realistic and spend ages prepping for flights, tweaking each individual setting and enjoying what seems like the ultimate in cockpit recreation. Alternatively, set everything to the simplest mode and it becomes more akin to an arcade game, with the bulk of operations taken over by the AI.

Slay the Spire (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

You might think the only card game that has a place on your PC is that free version of Solitaire that comes with Windows, but Slay the Spire will change your mind – and likely sap hundreds of hours out of your life.

You’re tasked with ascending the titular Spire – a many-levelled fantasy fortress populated with deadly monsters, strange but sometimes helpful citizens and covetous shopkeepers – over a three-act structure, with a boss fought at the end of each act. As you progress through the randomly generated quest, you build a deck of cards and collect magical relics in order to both survive the journey and beat the final boss. This indie gem’s mixture of RNG, roguelike and deck-building gameplay is beautifully elegant, while its brisk pace gives it a just-one-more-go feeling that’ll have you battling beasties until the early hours.

Hollow Knight (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)

Hollow Knight asks the question: what if Dark Souls was a cute Metroidvania platform game? The answer is: it would be brilliant, addictive and challenging – and one of the finest indie titles you can download on Xbox Game Pass for PC!

Explore a vast interconnected world as a mysterious silent protagonist, fighting monsters, negotiating devilish challenges and learning new skills as you uncover the story behind a civilisation’s decline and fall. With its pixel-perfect controls, melancholic presentation and superbly designed environments, Hollow Knight is a game that every fan of old-school platformers should try.

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