The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (Xbox One)
Telltale Games' The Walking Dead wasn't just a hit — it changed the company forever (for better and worse), and ended up serving as the blueprint for what all other narrative games wanted to achieve in the 2010s and beyond. This first season is undoubtedly the pinnacle of the series, featuring incredible storytelling and nail-biting decisions that have to be made in the blink of an eye, and you're guaranteed to shed a few tears along the way.
You can access all of the Walking Dead seasons including The Final Season right now on Xbox Game Pass, but the first is undoubtedly the best, and Lee and Clementine serve as two of the greatest characters the video game world has ever seen. It might be a decade old now, but you owe it to yourself to try The Walking Dead... it's that good.
Titanfall 2 (Xbox One)
Why on earth is everyone always prattling on about flipping Titanfall 2?
Well, because it is, quite simply, one of the greatest first person shooty bang-bangs ever made. Respawn's 2016 follow-up to their equally compelling 2014 original mixes beautifully slick traversal mechanics, satisfyingly meaty weapons, a brilliant story and - lest we forget - the ability to jump into a giant mech and tear around the place - to majestic effect. The single player campaign here is wondrous, the online multiplayer stupendous, and together they form one of the most perfect FPS packages of all time. If you've yet to experience this one, drop everything and hit download.
Tunic (Xbox Series X|S)
We've been waiting impatiently for the arrival of Andrew Shouldice's sublime action-adventure ever since we first clapped eyes on it a couple of years ago, and now it's finally here and on Game Pass!
Tunic is a fantastically clever adventure with an exquisitely designed world to explore. It's a great big Zelda-esque puzzle-box to probe and prod at as you progress through a story that's got just the right amount of mystery and intrigue about it to keep you hooked in. This one's a surprisingly big, surprisingly challenging experience that was absolutely one of our favourite games of 2022.
Unpacking (Xbox Series X|S)
Witch Beam's Unpacking is all about...well...unpacking, funnily enough. Not strictly a puzzle game, this is more of a meditative experience, if you choose to play it that way, a wonderfully relaxing little game that gives you creative freedom to chill into the rhythm of simply unpacking boxes of possessions into rooms however you see fit.
There's a rather touching narrative that develops over the course of proceedings, your protagonist's possessions changing as time passes, and the whole thing just feels and sounds wonderful, the simple act of placing objects made satisfyingly tactile and addictive. There's also some light challenge here and there in how you're presented with objects to stow away, but overall this an experience about doing it your way, playing with the tools and unpacking how you want to. A unique and beautiful thing and one of favourite experiences of 2021.
Valheim (Xbox Series X|S)
The ultra-popular Valheim made its way to over to PC Game Pass before eventually arriving on Xbox consoles, and no matter where you choose to play it, this is an absolutely fantastic game. This exploration and survival adventure has racked up over 300,000 "Overwhelmingly Positive" reviews on Steam, so that tells you how good it is!
You can play this one alone if you want to, but it's best experienced with a friend or two (it has support for up to 10 people in one game) - just be aware that this is the type of game that you can lose countless hours to without realising it!
Vampire Survivors (Xbox One)
Vampire Survivors is the kind of game that really doesn't look much on the surface, but spend a little time with it and you might just become hooked. In fact, that's exactly what happened to Xbox boss Phil Spencer when the game finally arrived on Xbox Game Pass for console, with Spencer stating that he would "sink hours and hours into this".
We also had high praise for this roguelite bullet shooter in our review here at Pure Xbox, giving the game an "Excellent" 9/10 and calling it one of the best indie games of 2022. If you like the idea of surviving against hordes of monsters for as long as possible and then doing it all again with better abilities, this is the Game Pass game for you.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (Xbox Series X|S)
We had high hopes for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty for well over a year ahead of its day one Xbox Game Pass launch in March 2023, as we knew it was being created by the masterminds over at Team NINJA. Fortunately, it turned out to be exactly what we were hoping for - a fantastic soulslike that may remind you of the brilliant Elden Ring.
Keep in mind that this is not for the faint hearted - a lot of people don't even get past the first boss - but if you stick with it, the rewards are fantastic. You're looking a big, meaty campaign here, and it's one of our favourite Xbox Game Pass additions of 2023 so far.
Wreckfest (Xbox Series X|S)
There are a lot of great racing games on Xbox Game Pass, many of which could have merited a place in this list, but if you're looking to cause as much as vehicular carnage as possible, Wreckfest is the way to go. This is very reminiscent of the old Destruction Derby and Flatout games, but you know what? We'd say it's even better.
The physics for damage in this game are excellent — you really feel the hits and see bits of car flying all over the place after a crash — there's a great campaign mode, a busy online multiplayer scene, and of course, the ability to complete in destruction derby contests where smashing into other players is the one and only goal.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (Xbox Series X|S)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon, deviates from the original series by introducing some kick-ass turn-based combat into proceedings, replacing the franchise's traditional arcade street-slugging with something a little more complex and, in our opinion, engaging.
It's a unique Yakuza title that infuses its JRPG combat and systems into a contemporary modern day setting. Exploring the streets of Japan has never felt more immersive and the emotional story resonates, right up to its heart-wrenching conclusion. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is one of the very best in the series and a perfect entry point for newcomers who have been put off by the long list of previous titles in the franchise.
Got any thoughts on this list of the best Xbox Game Pass games? See any particularly egregious omissions or disagree with some of our choices? As always, let us know in ye olde comments below.
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Comments 30
You don't have any of the Dishonored games or Prey on here.
That's illegal I tell you! (No Arkane love)
Again, this is another of those guides where everyone should feel free to throw suggestions in the comments — we'll add to it accordingly in the future
Hollow Knight is my favourite 'picked up on a whim on game pass' game. One of the greats and not just within its genre in my opinion.
Nier Automata and resident evil 7 would round out my top 3 suggestions, but others are dead cells, tetris effect, the forgotten city, nobody saves the world, halo collection, deaths door, pyschonauts 1 + 2, dead space, dragon age, mass effect trilogy, fallout 3/NV, doom + eternal... Basically a lot 👍.
Edit: I forgot what remains of Edith Finch, lumines and Limbo.
Forza Horizon 5 has pretty much been a desert island game for me, I already logged hundreds of hours, one of those games I could play forever. Halo Infinite is another obvious hit, best FPS I have played in a long time. Outside of that I just love to check out some of the occasional indies, but I have also loved playing No Man's Sky.
Prey and Dishonored 2 are truly 2 gems that deserve to be in this list
I would add Remnant from the Ashes. It is even better than Outriders in his genre.
Artful escape is amazing. Easy to play and what an experience.
Yakuza 3, 4, 5 and 6 say hello.
@homme_parametre besides both being third person shooters they're hardly the same? Typing this the complaints about Outrider's difficulty sprang to mind, something which I definitely didn't mind and sure as hell wouldn't make me class it as a soulslike, the way remnant from the ashes is. But it is a great game and should definitely be in this list.
@Kurt101 you're right about that, it's short, pleasing to the eye and jam full of good songs. My goty of last year, such a surreal experience.
@PureXbox You should have us rank ‘em with some votes. Always fun to see how NSO games rank on NintendoLife. I think it’d get really interesting.
Not agreeing with every game on this list, obviously - so many people and so many tastes - but in my book, the first Gears of War and Forza Horizon 4 should absolutely be in this list.
@Nf157 What Remains of Edith Finch is beautiful indeed, despite the terrible performance in the first stages of the game.
@Bartig I forgot about the performance issues until you mentioned it. Probably a telling sign of how good it is.
@Cherip-the-Ripper Sure both games aren't exaclty the same (Remnant is basically a Souls-like with guns...) but i would put them both in the "looter shooter" folder imo.
Dovahkiin and Streets of rage.
GamePass has a huge value, still I consider it as a "try" platform: if I play a game on the service and I like it, I will eventually buy it using the 20% GP Offer or another sale due to respect and incentive to the developers.
Can we rate the games ourselves so the list is based on community preferences like the lists they make on NL and PS?
Really want them to add some 360 games like The Witcher 2
@everynowandben I remember the ac list on p+ being terrible so maybe not that good of an idea.
@everynowandben Yes, it's something we want to look at doing at some point - bare with us!
@Chaudy The Witcher 2 on 360 was awful. Loads of framerate issues and fog everywhere. I had a PC by the time it released so I played it there but for consoles we need the superior Xbox One X Enhanced version of The Witcher 2 on Game Pass, not the 360 version.
Im currently playing banjo tooie again. On my phone with xcloud gamepass. Having a great time! I just have to wait till nobody is in the house as xcloud won't work very well
I finished or played for a good chunck (at least 5/10h until I retired them) 22 out of those 75 although some of them I completed on other systems prior (for instance desde cells, dragon quest or Skyrim). Let's see If the number evolves with time
@EliJapan Great spot, thank you!
Chorus is one of my favorite game this year , beautiful graphics, fast action with all the powers you acquire dog fighting is a blast to play unlike other flying/space games, if you like space shooter you will fall in love with chorus.
Good list. Personally I’d also add - Tinykin, Hellblade, Forza Horizon 4&5, Halo Wars (both), Master Chief Collection, Halo Infinite, GRID Legends & Dishonoured
Will there be a review for The Legend of Tianding? I’m curious as to whether or not it will make this list.
Few more games added to / removed from the list!
@FraserG I would like a series of weekly brackets of 10 games each poll us on our three favorites and the top 5 move on to the next round
@themightyant Love Arkane. (Dishonored 2 is on the list, PREY should've been on it also.)
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