The Best Games On Xbox Game Pass

Halo Infinite is the quintessential Xbox experience. It captures the spirit that made the original Halo what it was (read: excellent) and brings it up to date with a few new ideas, stunning graphics and oh-so-satisfying gameplay. In particular, the all-new Grappleshot adds new speed and tactics to the battles. Even if youu2019re not that into the Halo narrative, itu2019s worth downloading just to get online and indulge in some hugely entertaining multiplayer.

Forza Horizon 5 is the game that makes PS5 owners jealous. The game has the player hit hyper-realistic Mexican roadways in some of the world's most desirable vehicles. From Land Rovers to Lamborghinis, this open-world racer is a game that's worth jumping into even if you have only a passing interest in motorsport. With mind-blowingly beautiful scenery and excellent physics, there are hours of fun to be had in this title.

With IO Interactive at its helm, the latest Hitman Trilogy has achieved the greatness previous instalments have promised, but fallen just short of. Replying on player knowledge, skill and creativity, the intricate maps are now fully-fledged assassination playgrounds. Endless possibilities make this series endlessly enjoyable and replayable.

Rainbow Six co-op teams have been facing down terrorist threats since year dot. In Extraction, things have changed - terrorists be gone, itu2019s time for some alien parasites. Go it alone or team up with three buddies in this PvE refresh of the beloved Tom Clancy gameplay.

The player controls Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, part of a team sent to retrieve the Nostromo's flight recorder. She soon finds herself stranded on a base alone with hostile humans, androids, and the eponymous alien. The gameplay forces the player into evasion over all-out warfare. The game captures the essence of 1979's Alien, and thanks to the first-person perspective and atmospheric world, lighting, and sound design, the player will never be free of an unrelenting sense of dread.

Hades is an award-winning roguelike. As Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld, players will attempt to escape Hades and reach the dizzying heights of Mount Olympus. There's a considerable amount of hellish and mythical badness standing in the way, but luckily young Zag has got some gods on his side. Plus, he's immortal, so when he dies, Zag can crawl back into existence, right back in the lowest realm of the underworld, ready to start the fight all over again. In addition to getting a better understanding of the gameplay, each loop sees the narrative progress in genuinely interesting and unique ways. All in all, this game is a belter.

For players of a certain pedigree (read: old), 1996u2019s Quake was a defining game, up there with DOOM, Wolfenstein and Unreal Tournament as a must-have early FPS experience. Well, Bethesda has done the gaming world a solid and released an enhanced edition of the classic shooter. Though itu2019s still carrying its beloved retro visuals, theyu2019ve been enhanced to look sharp on new screens. More exciting is the introduction of online multiplayer and co-op, injecting the convenience of broadband into the eight-player deathmatches. Split-screen local modes are still available for that truly vintage experience.

Sable takes players on a stunning adventure across deserts in order to complete a mysterious rite known as Gliding. The world is a delight to explore, the character development is very satisfying and puzzles are full of quirks. To top it all off, the music is superb.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the second instalment of the acclaimed Dragon Quest spin-off series. Drawing from the lore and style of the main JRPG series, the game has players flexing their creative might in a block-building RPG with sprawling potential. More than just a cash-in on the Minecraft craze, Builders 2 carries the unmistakable fingerprints of legendary game creator Yuji Horii in every element.

Sea Of Thieves is a sleeper hit. While its initial performance was underwhelming, today, it's a wonderful title with a rich swashbuckling online community. It's a whimsical pirate simulator and, therefore, has very little in the way of rules or guidelines. It's all about freedom on the high seas, where you and your friends can raid, riddle and scour for glory. All before being ambushed by a far more organised party. The Sea Of Thieves: A Pirateu2019s Life update in June 2021 included a free story campaign, adding Pirates Of The Caribbeanu2019s Jack Sparrow into the mix for some extra swashbuckling credentials.

Frostpunk is a uniquely hostile city-building game, combining strategy and resource management with elements of survival genres. Set in an alternative 1886 where winter has overtaken the world, a small band of Londoners found New London, a settlement with a steam reactor at its centre, a column of heat and power. As the community grows, the player is given control of The Laws and faces tough moral choices. Child labour, martial law and religious oppression might help with survival, but not all citizens will respond well.

The groundbreakingly huge Microsoft Flight Simulator has made its way to Xbox. Everyone wondered how the game, originally a chunky PC title, would fare on the console. The answer turns out to be pretty darn great. Players will take to the sky in a number of realistic aircraft and complete challenges, short and long haul flights, and custom routes. Visually stunning and mechanically satisfying, MFS is worth a spring for newbies and seasoned aviators alike.

Players, prepare to have your mind twisted and visual perception put to the test. Superliminal is a puzzle game that continuously toys with optical illusions and dream theory to great effect and is littered with seemingly impossible solutions. Itu2019s a surreal ride.

What Remains Of Edith Finch is a cornerstone of video game storytelling. The player controls someone visiting the isolated and abandoned Finch homestead, uncovering the life stories of deceased family members seemingly struck down by a curse. Though player interactivity is limited, itu2019s often inventive and playful, adapting and changing depending on the story told. At times frightening, funny, unsettling and poignant, the journey is like no other. Even though itu2019s over in under three hours, there are moments of this game that will stay with players for many, many years.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is a violent, bizarre, serious, slapstick, satirical and optimistic tale. Controlling Ichiban Kasuga, a betrayed ex-Yakuza with a heart of gold, players tread the neon-lit streets of Ijincho with a rag-tag band of equally charming characters. Like A Dragon is a notable deviation from the rest of the series in both tone and gameplay - itu2019s the first to adopt a brilliant turn-based battle system. It's also the most accessible instalment of the Yakuza series, as it doesn't rely on you having played any of the other games (though, if you're so inclined, it's certainly worth your time - plus, theyu2019re on Game Pass too).

A masterpiece of platforming and wordless storytelling, Limbo is an icon of the indie game movement. It follows a young boy who is hunting for his missing sister. Presented in film-grain monochrome, the side-scrolling gameplay and light puzzling pull the player through regions of a limbo-like world littered with hostile threats.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is a stirring title, crafting a tale of humanity and horror during the French Inquisition and English invasion of France. The gameplay's combination of puzzles and stealth is perfect for building tension, the storytelling is compelling and immersive, and the world is thick with a desolate atmosphere. This is an experience you do not want to pass up, plus the sequel, Requiem, is releasing in 2022.

Developed by Remedy Entertainment, Control is a unique third-person action-adventure game inspired by the literature of the New Weird. As Jesse, players will step into the Oldest House, home to the Federal Bureau of Control - an agency that takes care of items breaking the laws of physics. Needless to say, things go wrong and get pretty weird.

Thanks to Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media, 30 games from Bethesda Softworks have landed on Game Pass. Now there's no excuse to pass up on Dishonored. In a steampunk world where misery and dark magic bitterly coexist - and looking and playing like a lovechild of BioShock and Hitman - the games' premise is based around the infiltration of secure locations and vengeful assassinations. The mainline titles and DLC are home to some of the greatest level designs of all time.

Grab the Needler and fire up the Warthog - known as the Master Chief Collection, these enhanced versions of the classic original trilogy allow fans to game like it's 2001.

Dead Cells is a brutal little Metroidvania 2D side-scroller. The player battles hard and fast through swamps, ramparts and grand halls with fists, whips and dark magic. Mistakes carry weight, as permadeath looms ever-present, threatening to undo your hard-earned progress. The learning curve isn't gentle either - players who canu2019t keep up will suffer the consequences. For gamers who donu2019t mind a little punishment, this is a must-have download.

Gears Tactics transports the brutal and macho world of the Gears series to the tactical, XCOM-like genre. The developers have managed to marry the fast-paced ethos of Gears to the turn-based world with great success, allowing Tactics to be at once intelligent and visceral. Plus, it looks great.

Doom Eternal is hectic, extra-violent, and thoroughly over-the-top. True to Doom's long-standing reputation, Eternal requires the player to be brave, ceaseless and, at times, a little foolhardy to survive. The onslaught is never-ending, and the player will be left breathless as they attempt to keep from being overwhelmed. This is one of the finest examples of FPS action around.

Carrion comes from the indie team at Phobia Game Studio. Itu2019s a side-scrolling 2D horror game but flipped, with the player taking up control of a fearful, gelatinous creation the grows as it devours - think The Blob meets The Thing. It's a welcome twist on the genre and it's refreshing to be on the other side of the carnage. Just don't go thinking it's going to be easy - you need to apply some method to the madness.

Octopath Traveller is a beautiful HD-2D, retro-inspired title. It has you choose one of eight characters as your protagonist, each with a unique narrative and deep skill set, before embarking on an adventure around a diverse map. Along the way youu2019ll enrol the help of the remaining seven characters as party members, engaging with their story and taking advantage of their specialist skills. The gameplay is a refinement of the old school classic JRPG-style, combining sprite world-exploring and polished, turn-based battles.

Do you remember the first time you stepped out of Vault 101 and onto the post-apocalyptic wasteland? Thanks to Bethesdau2019s 2021 E3 drop, players can now relive the experience. Fallout 3 set the bar of open-world RPG games with its vast map, interwoven choice-based narrative and countless side quests. Even though itu2019s getting on a bit, the game still holds an intoxicating sense of place and adventure. Game Pass carries the Game Of The Year Edition, so all DLC is included.

The Outer Worlds is a quirky space-galivanting FPS RPG from the creators of Fallout: New Vegas and its gameplay mechanics share much of the same DNA. However, the plot is pure sci-fi. Taking place in the Halcyon system, you must work your way through various worlds and colonies to uncover a nefarious conspiracy at the heart of the system. The universe has a nice retro-futuristic edge (yes, like Fallout), which is a joy to explore and behold and makes for some interesting tech to use and discover.

NieR:Automata is a cult action RPG game from the legendary PlatinumGames, set in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by robots and androids. The story follows androids 2B, 9S and A2, who are sent to Earth to destroy the machine force that has exiled humanity from Earth. It requires a couple of playthroughs to properly flesh out, and the combat is deceptively deep and rewarding. On the whole, it's unique, bewildering and utterly compelling.

Worms W.M.D returns to the series 2D roots, adding a few new mechanics and artillery options to spice things up. The turn-based battles now feature tanks, helicopters and boats, which can be controlled and used to attack foes, while buildings provide new forms of cover and interesting close-combat elements. While solo play is a good laugh, Worms W.M.D comes alive when facing off against friends, locally or remotely.