Best PC Game Pass Games

Guilty Gear Strive

Added to PC Game Pass in March 2023, Guilty Gear Strive is Arc System Works’ latest entry in its anime fighting franchise. While overshadowed by Dragon Ball FighterZ, Guilty Gear is arguably the developer’s primary license, and Strive stands toe-to-toe with the best fighters on the market. Balancing style and substance, the game offers fast-paced and skill-based combat that is immediately enjoyable but difficult to master.

Early entries in the series did not do a great job of introducing beginners to all the games’ systems, but Strive does show improvement in this area. That said, there is still a fairly steep learning curve, particularly if someone plans to jump into the online mode.

Hi-Fi Rush

Christmas came late for Game Pass owners as Hi-Fi Rush randomly debuted on January 25, 2023, and the hack and slash title proved to be quite a delightful surprise. From the developer behind The Evil Within and the polarizing Ghostwire: Tokyo, Hi-Fi Rush is a colorful and high-octane action romp built on music. Through a series of unfortunate events, Chai winds up with a music player in his chest, which means his actions naturally get a boost when he times them to the beat. This proves handy when he is taking on the campaign’s colorful and challenging bosses.

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Hi-Fi Rush pops off the screen with vibrant cyberpunk environments and beautifully designed characters. The game is a looker that also plays and sounds great. The combat system starts satisfying and gradually extends its complexity; when not engaging in stylish battles, players can look forward to enjoyable platforming.

Atomic Heart

Garnering quite a bit of pre-release hype, Atomic Heart struggled somewhat to live up to expectations, although it is by no means a bad game. A first-person shooter set in an open-world based on the 1950s Soviet Union, Mundfish’s title benefits from a unique setting and some rather impressive visuals. While nothing to write home about, the gunplay improves significantly once players unlock most of their abilities.

Ultimately, Atomic Heart will likely not go down as one of the best games of 2023, which is a difficult ask for any developer. However, it is a fine project that fits snuggly on Xbox Game Pass, presenting people who would have otherwise skipped the FPS with a cost-effective way to give it a spin.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Those that played the Warhammer: Vermintide series will definitely want to get their hands on Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, which takes the concepts from previous titles and amps up the action even further. This release features a different story arc by having players step into the shoes of prisoners, forced to clear out enemy-infested zones and complete tasks for their captors. The gameplay remains much the same as Vermintide, with players jumping into missions and joining other cooperatively to battle against hordes of bloodthirsty creatures and powerful bosses.

With a variety of weapons to unlock and multiple characters to play as, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is the perfect release to scratch the FPS itch, especially for those that are looking to slash and shoot their way through tons of enemies.

High On Life

High On Life is a first-person shooter that leans heavily into absurdist humor akin to something like Rick and Morty, which is hardly surprising as Squanch Games is heavily tied to the animated show. As a bounty hunter, the player gets to visit a myriad of worlds, all the while working through a storyline revolving around humanity’s future.

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High On Life‘s gunplay is basic but decent, and it improves as the campaign moves along. However, the game’s humor is its main selling point, and if this style of comedy does not appeal to somebody, they might struggle to find a reason to return following an initial play session. Rick and Morty fans should definitely download High On Life.

Stranded Deep

Stranded Deep lets everyone live their Cast Away fantasy, a concept that is absolutely perfect for the survival genre. Players survive a plane crash and land in an ocean surrounded by a few islands, which they will need to explore in order to see another day. Gameplay-wise, Stranded Deep sticks relatively close to the standard survival formula with a gameplay loop revolving around scrounging for resources, crafting tools and shelter, and monitoring meters.

While it has an end-point, Stranded Deep is about the journey and not the destination. As the map is randomly generated for each playthrough, the game can be essentially replayed endlessly, although the meat of the experience will largely be the same from campaign to campaign.

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator has enjoyed a successful launch, and its availability on PC Game Pass has only brought more eyes to niceplay’s project. As suggested by its title, this game revolves around crafting potions through alchemy, a concept that is surprisingly accessible while still offering depth. Players run a shop that seeks to fulfill their customers’ requests, which can range from the obvious to the obtuse.

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Along with acquiring resources, the alchemist will need to experiment with their ingredients in order to craft the desired potions, and the process prioritizes strategy over trial and error. Potion Craft is a relaxing game that still requires players to pay attention.

Pentiment

Pentiment is a grandiose adventure through 16th Century Bavaria. Those looking for a narrative-driven adventure that features puzzle elements should find tons to enjoy about Pentiment. Featuring beautiful and artistic graphics, along with wonderful sound design and an engrossing landscape, Pentiment should keep players on the edge of their seats from the start.

Players will have to explore their surroundings, engage with NPCs, and solve puzzles sprinkled around each plot line to progress through each of Pentiment‘s exciting “acts.”

Grounded

Players who enjoy games like Minecraft and Terraria should definitely consider hopping into Grounded. This microscopic adventure sees players entering a backyard landscape after being shrunk down to a fraction of their former size. Players will have to battle against hordes of vicious bugs to collect various materials to strengthen their armaments and increase their survivability.

Along the way, they will uncover an underlying storyline that will have them traveling all over the backyard to collect a variety of specialized computer chips. Players can embark on this journey by themselves or join in with up to three other friends.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Asobo Studio’s highly anticipated sequel to 2019’s A Plague Tale: Innocence is finally out, and Requiem is just as brilliant as its predecessor. Once again cast as Amicia, players find themselves heading out on a harrowing journey to find a cure for Hugo, the protagonist’s younger brother, during the French Inquisition and black plague.

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A Plague Tale: Requiem sticks close to the blueprint established by the first game, all the while improving upon a few elements. The sequel has a far superior combat system that presents Amicia with a wider variety of options. The story is also fantastic and builds up nicely.

Persona 5 Royal

What once seemed improbable is now a reality – Persona 5 Royal is not only on PC and Xbox consoles but also on Game Pass. Atlus’ turn-based JRPG has style, substance, and enough content to keep subscribers busy for a few months. A Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, Persona combines dungeon crawling and monster collecting with social simulation mechanics; more importantly, every part of the package works beautifully.

Persona 5 Royal follows the Phantom Thieves as they infiltrate people’s Palaces, which are mental representations of a person’s negative thoughts. Split into arcs, P5R‘s story is gripping, dense, and well-written.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 6

With Civilization 7 confirmed to be in the works, this is the perfect time to jump into Firaxis’ previous entry in their highly acclaimed strategy franchise. As suggested b its title, Civilization revolves around leading a society from its minuscule origins to a global powerhouse. There are quite a few ways to accomplish this goal, with the game allowing players to decide whether they want to focus on military strength or, for example, technology.

Civilization 6 is still as good in 2023 as it was on the day of its debut. While hardly lacking in mechanics or depth, the game is one of the more accessible entries in the 4X strategy genre, making it a good pick for newcomers.

Vampire Survivors

After spending almost a year in early access on Steam, Vampire Survivors made its full debut on October 20, 2022. The top-down roguelike has been nothing short of a colossal hit, and the game has received plenty of updates over the last year.

After selecting one of Vampire Survivors‘ available characters, players drop into a stage where they are bombarded by waves of enemies. The goal is to simply survive until the time limit while upgrading weapons, unlocking power-ups, and gaining gold coins. Vampire Survivors is a great PC Game Pass game since its gameplay loop is perfect for a subscription service that encourages playing multiple titles simultaneously.

Monster Hunter Rise

Originally a Switch exclusive, Monster Hunter Rise eventually made its way to other platforms, including PC Game Pass. People familiar with Capcom’s franchise will feel right at home with the 2021 release, especially if they experienced Monster Hunter World; however, Rise is still a unique beast that stands well on its own two feet. Opting for smaller scale maps and missions than its predecessor, Rise strips back some of the fat in order to emphasize Monster Hunter‘s core appeal: the combat.

While Rise has something of a story, it is merely there to guide players toward the end game when they can focus on grinding monsters to unlock better loot (which can then be used to grind even deadlier monsters). This gameplay loop has worked for decades, and Rise is no exception.

Amnesia: Collection & Rebirth

Added to PC Game Pass in time for Halloween 2022, Amnesia: Collection contains The Dark Descent and A Machine for Pigs. The former is an influential first-person horror game set within a castle. Along with piecing together the events that led the protagonist to this situation, players must also manage their sanity meter while solving puzzles.

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A Machine for Pigs tends to be overshadowed by The Dark Descent, but it is an intense and memorable horror experience in its own right. Last but not least, Amnesia: Rebirth is the most recent entry in the franchise and comes very close to capturing the magic of the first game.

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord

Mount & Blade 2 is an ambitious game that blends ideas from the management, strategy, and action RPG genres. Such a wide scope unsurprisingly results in a few missteps, but the overall experience is still a positive one. Set on a massive map, Bannerlord casts players as nobodies but gives them the resources to become rulers, and that journey is defined by trade, war, and relationships.

Mount & Blade 2 can be overwhelming, particularly for those who did not play the franchise’s previous releases; however, it is quite unlike anything else on PC Game Pass.

PC Games Pass has five Doom titles, so fans of run-and-gun first-person shooters are well served. Anyone looking for something forged from the same fire as Doom Guy’s franchise should check out Metal: Hellsinger, a game that rewards players for syncing their gunplay with the soundtrack. This brilliant concept is a perfect match for an FPS throwback, and it is executed quite well.

Metal: Hellsinger is a quick sit, with the campaign barely lasting five hours. Consequently, it is a superb PC Game Pass game since it can be completed within a weekend or even a single day.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

In recent months, Ubisoft has been adding its projects to both Sony and Microsoft’s subscription services. PC Games Pass has Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey, two open-world action-adventure games that will collectively keep somebody busy for over a hundred hours. Both titles are fantastic, and personal preference for the games’ settings is likely to dictate which release is considered superior.

Odyssey is gorgeous, ambitious, and narratively engaging. Building on Origins‘ gameplay, Odyssey fine-tunes the melee combat to create a satisfying experience that packs quite a punch.

Two Point Campus

The sequel to Two Point Hospital, which is also one of the best PC Game Pass games, puts players in charge of a university that covers a ludicrous plethora of courses, ranging from the mundane to the magical. While it might have a biting sense of humor, Two Point Campus expects its managers to take their responsibilities seriously since a few oversights and mistakes could lead to total chaos and failure.

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Management sims can be overwhelming for newcomers to the genre, especially ones that cover their screens with stats and resources. Two Point Campus is slightly more welcoming than the genre’s average entry, and it allows players to settle in before throwing out the proper challenges. That said, the game is still challenging in its own right.

Turbo Golf Racing

Released into early access, Turbo Golf Racing might attract comparisons to Rocket League, but the similarities are mostly surface-deep. Essentially, this game puts people in cars and sets them loose on golf courses as they race to get their ball into a massive crater at the end of each track. The journey tends to be chaotic, short, and competitive.

As fun as the core concept sounds, Turbo Golf Racing would be nothing without solid controls, and the gameplay delivers in that area. While still early days, this multiplayer game is one to keep an eye on.

Total War: Warhammer 3

Debuting directly on Xbox Game Pass, Total War: Warhammer 3 maintains the brilliant standard set by its predecessors. Combining real-time tactics with turn-based strategy, Warhammer 3 serves as the triumphant final chapter of Creative Assembly’s trilogy, delivering a high-fantasy campaign that embraces its tabletop source material.

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A riveting story puts players in the hot seat of a number of factions, and it is a fulfilling meal all on its own. Naturally, Warhammer 3 also comes with multiplayer functionality, so this is really a game that can keep someone engaged for months on end.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Prior to its Early Access release, Disney Dreamlight Valley was a difficult project to pin down. Set in a Mickey Mouse-themed world, the sim tasks players with rejuvenating a village by convincing Disney’s iconic characters to move into the area. While the project is still in development, the current version is fun and rewarding.

Ultimately, a person’s appreciation for this title will primarily come down to their interest in Disney and Pixar properties. Non-fans might still enjoy Disney Dreamlight Valley as it is a solid life-sim with adventure elements such as quests, but a pre-existing love for these characters certainly helps.

Inside

Playdead’s Inside is a dark and unsettling 2.5D platformer about a boy traveling across a dystopian world. Utilizing ambiguous storytelling that focuses more on atmosphere rather than twists, this 2016 indie darling is a triumph of level and environmental design.

In terms of gameplay, Inside does not necessarily do anything all that unique, but the game executes its puzzles so well that it still manages to stand out. This is one of those projects that simply needs to be experienced by everyone interested in gaming, and Inside is one of the best PC Game Pass games.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

The heroes in a half-shell are back in a modern beat ’em up that harbors back to arcade classics like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, and this adventure delivers far more than just a nostalgia trip. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge presents a delightful modernization of the side-scrolling brawler formula, one that preserves and enhances that old-school ’90s charm of when these styles of games were inescapable.

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Featuring six playable characters who each feel unique and 16 stages that pay homage to the TMNT franchise, Shredder’s Revenge is a must-play for long-time fans of the franchise or simply any PC Game Pass subscriber looking to try out an awesome title.

Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch Remastered

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an isekai JRPG about a grieving young boy who is teleported to a magical world that is currently in turmoil. As Oliver, players go on an epic journey filled with colorful characters, beautiful locations, menacing threats, and awesome visuals.

Wrath of the White Witch uses a monster-catching system akin to something like Pokemon, although the mechanics behind collecting familiars is quite different from Game Freak’s franchise. The JRPG’s story and cutscenes are fantastic.

Immortality

There is no other game on PC Game Pass quite like Immortality. Split into three movies, players have to scour these sequences to decipher the mystery of Marissa Marcel, an actress who has gone missing. In order to piece this puzzle together, players can pause clips and click on people or items within the scene to acquire more information about them.

Immortality is not only a unique experience but also an effective one. The narrative goes to some strange places as it weaves a tale defined by secrecy, horror, and tragedy. The acting is top-notch.

Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection

Xbox Game Pass subscribers had Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden 2 at their fingertips for a while, but the same could not be said for PC owners. Thankfully, the Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection changed this, bringing this fantastic hack and slash franchise to a wider spectrum of platforms.

This compilation contains Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, delivering dozens upon dozens of hours of Ryu goodness. Now, an argument can be made that the Sigma iterations are not the best versions of these games, but they are still very good. While the third entry has plenty of flaws, Razor’s Edge‘s combat system is a blast when played on the normal difficulty level.

Tunic

Calling back to classic adventure games such as The Legend of Zelda, Tunic wears its influences on its sleeve, and the 2022 release does justice to them. Set in a meticulously crafted world, this adventure tasks players with exploring the land and dungeons all the while collecting new weapons and items.

Do not be fooled by the adorable visuals, Tunic can be quite challenging, both in terms of the standard enemies and the array of bosses that are fought along the way. A delightful indie game that succeeds in feeling modern while paying tribute to classic titles from yesteryear, Tunic is certainly not a game someone wants to miss.

Back 4 Blood

Fans of the Left 4 Dead series have been anxiously awaiting anything new from Turtle Rock Studios and were finally rewarded in 2021 with the release of Back 4 Blood. The spiritual successor to the iconic zombie-slaying series was well worth the wait for most, with Turtle Rock taking the formula and bending it enough to create an entirely new experience that still feels right at home in fans’ hearts.

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With eight separate Cleaners (with their own abilities) and a slew of cards to change builds and enhance gameplay, Back 4 Blood feels like the “sequel” that Left 4 Dead faithful have been waiting for.

Mortal Kombat 11

Added to Game Pass in December 2021, Mortal Kombat 11 is the latest entry in NetherRealm Studios’ highly-regarded fighting franchise. Ever since the 2011 release, MK has been on a tear, delivering entertaining over-the-top narratives with deep gameplay and a lot of online content.

MK11 slows down the combat considerably, crafting an experience that prioritizes precise and strategic movements over button-mashing. The game’s competitive scene can be quite overwhelming, especially now that MK11 has been out for more than two years, however, the single-player campaign is plenty of fun and can also be completed within a weekend.

Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition

The indie scene has become flooded with Metroidvanias in the last decade or so, and few games have done a better job of capturing the genre’s magic than Hollow Knight. Set in Hallownest, players guide a knight through a complex, beautiful, and frequently haunting world filled with tough enemies, secrets, and lore.

Hollow Knight does not handhold players, opting to emphasize the importance of exploration and discovery. Although not overly complex, Hollow Knight‘s combat system knocks it out of the park and manages to remain enjoyable for the entirety of the campaign’s length.

Life Is Strange: True Colors

The latest entry in the Life is Strange franchise, True Colors introduces a new protagonist in Alex Chen, an empath that can see other people’s emotions as colors. Like its predecessors, Life is Strange: True Colors is a character-driven adventure game that immerses players in a fully realized setting while giving them the tools to impact the people around them, even if the narrative itself is relatively fixed.

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Delivering a gripping storyline with a strong protagonist, this release is not just another great entry in a respected series but also a good introductory point into Life is Strange​​​​​​.

Weird West

An isometric RPG set in a supernatural-themed take of the American Frontier, Weird West guides players through five storylines, each featuring a new protagonist who is introduced when the player jumps into their bodies. It is a quirky concept that works well within this universe, and each narrative does a stellar job of setting itself apart.

Along with solid writing and a memorable roster of characters, Weird West offers intense shootouts, essentially controlling like a more slow-paced twin-stick shooter. While a bit overwhelming at times, this game gets a lot of things right and offers something that is quite unlike anything else on PC Game Pass.

Microsoft Flight Simulator: Standard Game Of The Year Edition

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a niche product that is also one of the reasons to pick up a PC Game Pass subscription. Permitting someone’s computer can run it, Microsoft Flight Simulator offers an experience unlike anything else on the market.

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With Earth as its open-world, the flight sim allows pilots to plot courses and head out into the skies, traveling above vistas that could pass for real-life photographs. Ambitious, complex, and addictive, Microsoft Flight Simulator is a technical masterpiece and a triumphant work of art.

Forza Horizon 5

Playground has yet to drop a dud when it comes to Forza Horizon, and the 2021 entry marks a new high point for the beloved racing series. Set in Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 unleashes players on a massive and varied map filled with races, cars to unlock, jumps to make, and challenges to complete.

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Visually stunning and boasting a respectable soundtrack, Forza Horizon 5 is an arcade racer with almost no peers. Going by previous releases, the 2021 game should have a lifespan of at least a few years, so drivers have a lot of time to enjoy Mexico’s biomes.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

The entirety of the Halo franchise took a lengthy hiatus from PC after its initial outing with Combat Evolved, but all of that finally changed in 2019 — when the Master Chief Collection finally migrated to PC. Now mouse-and-keyboard warriors can follow the whole of Spartan-117’s saga and indulge in the full suite of multiplayer offerings alongside their Xbox brethren.

The MCC is virtually a crown jewel on the Xbox side of Game Pass, and it loses very little of that status in its transition to PC. All the entries hold up well and rank among the best console FPS games of all time.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite launched simultaneously on Xbox and PC, with the multiplayer being free for all. The single-player campaign debuted on December 8, 2021, and it is a notable improvement over Halo 5: Guardians. While there are the typical missions found in all Halo games, Infinite also includes open-ended sections so that players can take on side-quests and explore Zeta Halo.

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The gunplay is as satisfying as ever, both in single-player and multiplayer. The campaign is substantial and long, while the online modes ensure people will keep on playing Halo Infinite for years to come.

Among Us

Nothing beats getting a bunch of your friends together to play round after round of Among Us. Players assume the role of either a hapless Crewmate who has to complete tasks and survive or an Imposter hidden among them. Imposters have to eliminate all Crewmates by either murdering them outright or getting them to accuse each other and vote innocent people away.

Among Us relies on a mix of player communication, deductive reasoning, and bravado to make each match simultaneously hilarious and harrowing. This indie title has taken the world by storm, and it’s not hard to see why. On both computer and mobile spaces, Among Us is the go-to party game for large groups of friends.

Wasteland 3

Given that Fallout’s departure from its core CRPG roots alienated quite a few fans of the original two games, inXile Entertainment essentially targeted that market when reviving the franchise’s spiritual ancestor, Wasteland. In Wasteland 3, players are once again placed at the helm of a squad of Desert Rangers to navigate an uncompromisingly deep role-playing experience.

Only this time, Wasteland 2’s Arizona desert setting is traded for the ravaged, frozen expanse of post-apocalyptic Colorado. The tense, turn-based action and the sheer depth of RPG mechanics are sure to satisfy any long-time fan of the genre.

Deep Rock Galactic

If someone is looking for a bombastic and lighthearted cooperative shooter that manages to avoid sacrificing depth or action, then they need to look no further than Deep Rock Galactic. Players saddle up as one of four distinct classes of deep-delving Dwarves to plunge into various intergalactic caverns and plunder them of their valuable resources.

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Of course, said caverns are usually inhabited by voracious alien species that have a taste for Dwarf flesh — but it’s nothing an impressive arsenal of weapons and repurposed mining tools can’t handle. Deep Rock Galactic is an absolute blast and a must-play for weekend gaming groups and dedicated co-op partners.

Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire

Pillars of Eternity (and more specifically, Pillars of Eternity 2) is for gamers that either missed out on or are looking to relive the golden years of Baldur’s Gate’s heyday. Taking place several years after the first installment, players return to the role of a “Watcher” (a sort of spiritual medium in the game’s world of Eora) to hunt down a vengeful god.

As mentioned, Pillars of Eternity evokes strong nostalgia in the vein of classic CRPGs, featuring satisfyingly deep role-playing opportunities and progression mechanics alongside smartly developed skill and attribute systems.

No Man’s Sky

Thanks to numerous updates, No Man’s Sky is not the game it once was when it was first released; it is so much more. PC games excel as living titles that are updated regularly, and no game has made such a comeback thanks to this work-in-progress model than No Man’s Sky.

Players can take to the stars and explore countless planets at their leisure, building bases and searching for resources the entire time. The freedom afforded by the scope of No Man’s Sky’s universe is breathtaking. Being able to explore the far reaches of space all from the comfort of your gaming chair makes this game a must-play title in the Xbox Game Pass library.

Gears 5 Game Of The Year Edition

Gears 5 Game of the Year Edition includes the base game, the Hivebusters expansion, 30 days of Boost, and the Halo: Reach character pack. Building on the fourth entry, Gears 5 blends the franchise’s hard-hitting third-person shooter gameplay with a couple of open sections similar to Halo Infinite, albeit nowhere near as vast as that game.

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Kait Diaz takes center stage as the franchise’s new protagonist, and Gears 5 does a stellar job of exploring her connection to the Locust. Along with Gears 5, PC Game Pass also has Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Gears of War 4, along with the Gears Tactics spin-off.

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