Xbox Games Pass is the single best value in gaming today, and possibly any time since the first consoles ever graced the consumer market. Xbox Games Pass even has a PC option that can be purchased separately or as part of the Xbox Games Pass Ultimate.
With so many Xbox PC Game Pass games to choose from, it’s hard to know which game to start with. You may suffer from decision paralysis – but what a huge problem! We’ve rounded up the best picks from the Games Pass library for PC gamers.
Halo: Master Chief
No title defines Xbox gameplay like Halo. If you’ve never encountered games during their glory days, you must go through what is arguably one of the best storylines that a first-person shooter has to offer.
If you did manage to play the games the first time you launch them, the Master Chief Collection is your chance to play again on fully populated multiplayer servers. All Halo games are available, even Reach.
Even if you’re not a fan of first-person shooters, the Halo series is an affordable franchise that has left a huge mark on gaming history. With mouse aiming, the gameplay becomes more difficult. Improved graphics make the already engaging game more beautiful than ever.
Hollow Knight
The Metroidvania genre has grown by leaps and bounds. Some of the best games in this genre are games developed by indie like Hollow Knight. This game combines tough platformer, great graphics and incredible difficulty that will challenge even the most experienced gamer.
Make sure you connect your controller to your computer before starting it up. Attempting to complete Hollow Knight with your mouse and keyboard would be just an exercise in masochism.
Hollow Knight is a huge, beautifully designed world to explore and conquer. It will take a long time, but once you do, the DLC and New Game + mode appear, which will become even more challenging.
Outer worlds
The Outer Worlds is what Fallout 76 was supposed to be, but with a sci-fi twist. Designed by Obsidian, The Outer Worlds has the same control and feel as the Fallout games you know and love, but with a steampunk / retro-futuristic feel.
The feel of the game exudes strong Firefly vibes. You lead the ship and jump between several planets, completing quests and leveling up as you progress. The characters aboard your ship feel real and the choices weightier.
If you’re tired of the Fallout-style games available to you, try The Outer Worlds Xbox PC Game Pass. This is the best game released in 2019 and well worth playing.
Frostpunk
If you’ve never heard or played Frostpunk before, here’s what you need to know: It’s hard. It’s gloomy. It is addictive. The game is a cross between a survival simulator and Sim City. You control a group of settlers who are trying to survive in a new ice age.
Players must control the warmth, hunger, happiness of their settlers, etc. Frostpunk provides players with difficult choices, some of which will lead to the death of the settlers, no matter which you choose. You have to ask yourself the question, what is the result worth the lives of these settlers.
The world of Frostpunk is dark and bleak, as are the many decisions you have to make. This is not a light-hearted game, but it will keep you coming back for more.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire is a roguelike game in which you’ll be chained to the screen for hours. The simple game mechanic of smashing through the tower as far as possible and starting from scratch when you fall is more fun than you’d expect.
The goal of this Xbox PC Game Pass is to defeat the Spire, a multi-level fortress filled with many dire dangers. You start out as the Battleship, the first of four potential characters. Each character can level up five times, and with each level up, new cards appear to help you on your quest.
The only progress that carries over between launches is the cards you unlock. You will also unlock relics, items that give you permanent abilities as you run. There are several game modes and a “challenge” mode that gives you unique conditions, including potential curses.
< Strong> Age of Wonders: Planetfall
If you’re a real-time strategy fan, Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a great game. This is a four-way turn-based strategy game developed by Triumph Studios that features six different factions, each fighting for power and victory.
You take control of one of these factions as your commander and face other factions on the surface of a procedurally created planet. The game takes place in a hexagonal grid where the planet is divided into different “sectors”, each of which provides two separate resources.
The game’s storyline is fickle, but the real appeal lies in the strategic action in real time. The game can be played on the Xbox One console, but is best played on a PC with a mouse for better unit control.
Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a challenging game to learn, but once you get the hang of it, the game is a lot of fun.
What’s your favorite Xbox PC Game Pass game? Let us know in the comments below.
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