22 best Xbox Game Pass games in 2024 for PC, console & cloud gaming
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Last updated
25th Jan 2024 08:41
Xbox Game Pass is one of the very best services in gaming - stacked to the brim with hundreds of games for you to enjoy. The only problem is, with that many games, it's hard to tell which ones are worth your time to dive into.
To help you out, I've detailed the very best that the service has to offer in 2024. This includes whether or not the game is available on PC, Console, or via the Cloud - and we've also separated the list by whether or not they're multiplayer. Read on to find some new recommendations.
Best single-player Xbox Game Pass games
Starfield
Click to enlarge- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Release date: September 06, 2023
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Immersive role-playing
- Exploring varied planets
- Endless options for how to play
The latest, and some would say greatest, RPG from Bethesda Game Studios has finally come to the Xbox after many years of waiting. Starfield allows players to live out their fantasy of becoming a space explorer, charting new planets and uncovering mysterious artefacts.
There are many ways to play across the galaxy, you can go where you want and be who you want to be. The game features deep storytelling, many worlds to explore, characters to meet and interact with, and action-packed gameplay both on foot and in space.
Cocoon
Click to enlarge- Developer: Geometric Interactive
- Release date: September 29, 2023
- Platforms: Console / PC
- Key features:
- Intricate puzzles
- Stunning atmospheres and environments
- Short and consumable
- Thought-provoking
Cocoon is one of the best games to release in 2023 and certainly one of the least appreciated. In a year full of stacked full of huge triple-As, some of the smaller games may have slipped through the cracks. You can read even more about Cocoon, its amazing visuals, and delicately crafted puzzles in our review.
DOOM Eternal
Click to enlarge- Developer: id Software
- Release date: March 20, 2020
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Blood-drenched, fast-paced combat
- Weapon variety
- Mick Gordon soundtrack
- Rip & tear
No one expected DOOM 2016 to be as good as it was, but when it delivered one of the best shooter experiences of the past twenty years, the sequel suddenly had a lot to live up to. id Software again blew our expectations away, with the most bombastic, chaotic, and blood-drunk AAA shooter ever made.
The combat forced you to switch up your weapon choices and tactics for different enemy encounters, turning it into a frantic, gory puzzle. It may have overindulged in its cosmos-spanning narrative at times, but the tight gameplay, pulse-pounding score from Mick Gordon, and ridiculousness of DOOM in general made for one of the best shooter sequels in recent years.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Click to enlarge- Developer: Moon Studios
- Release date: March 11, 2020
- Platforms: Console/PC
- Key features:
- Gorgeous art style
- Great platforming
- Captivating storytelling
- Beautiful soundtrack
In my opinion, the two Ori games are some of the most beautiful games you can play on Xbox Game Pass. The sequel is probably the best of the two, but I recommend both of them.
As far as Metroidvania games go, the Ori games are some of the best on the market. The level design is superb, and the gorgeous artwork and brilliant soundtrack are the perfect accompaniment.
Crusader Kings 3
Click to enlarge- Developer: Paradox
- Release date: September 1, 2020
- Platforms: PC
- Key features:
- Tonnes of role-playing depth
- Strategic choices
- Play your own way
- Poison your own child to get a different heir
Paradox Interactive’s Crusader Kings III is the apex of the series, taking the grand-strategy role-playing dynasty simulator and perfecting its presentation and mechanics. Your only task in CKIII is to keep your dynasty alive for as long as possible, through war, diplomacy, intrigue, politicking, or manipulation - the choice is yours. It actively encourages role-playing as your current character through a stress system and skill trees.
The Crusader Kings series is one of the more unique titles on Games Pass, and can easily grab you for 100s of hours, as you fight to make your dynasty stand the test of time.
Hollow Knight
Click to enlarge- Developer: Team Cherry
- Release date: February 24, 2017
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Gorgeous art
- Metroidvania design
- Tough boss encounters
- You won't shut up about it after playing it
Soulsborne Metroidvania games are in right now, and of the current crop that isn’t from From Software, Hollow Knight is the best. The first thing that stands out is the really pronounced art style, full of thick black lines and shades of colour. It does well to separate the foreground from the background, making the enemies simple but memorable, against grand backdrops that detail a mystical world.
It’s another game with simple combat and movement, but it rewards patience and skill as the challenge can be immense during certain fights - though it’s balanced enough to never become unfair.
Jusant
Click to enlarge- Developer: Don't Nod
- Release date: October 2023
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Gorgeous art
- Feeling of isolation
- Enjoyable climbing
- Cute frog-like companion
Jusant is one of the more recent editions to the service, that sees players take control of the character pictured above, with their small blue companion and climb their way up into the unknown. As you progress, you learn more about the civilisations that used to occupy the area and complete puzzles along the way. Check out our review to see what we thought of the game.
Psychonauts 2
Click to enlarge- Developer: Double Fine
- Release date: August 25, 2021
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Wacky characters
- Psychedelic and colourful art
- Finely tuned collectathon gameplay
- Seriously, it's very weird
The sequel to Double Fine’s legendary platforming adventure, about diving into dream worlds and the minds of those with mental illness, is a fantastic experience and one of the best games of the year. It’s mechanically solid and approaches its sensitive issues with a sense of maturity that wasn’t as prevalent in the first entry.
The game is dripping with style and humour, with excellent art and character design, that will stick with you well after your playtime is up. It took years to finally get to players, but the wait was well worth it in the end.
Best backwards compatible Xbox Game Pass games
Dishonored
Click to enlarge- Developer: Arkane Studios
- Release date: October 9, 2012
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Streamlined immersive sim gameplay
- Fun stealth gameplay
- Varied powers
- Pacifist run if you have moral scruples with slaughtering people
Dishonored is the premium immersive sim on the market, with tonnes of interconnecting systems that lead to emergent gameplay. It gives the player a lot of choice in how they tackle the game, which can be completed without killing or alerting a single character all the way through if the player wishes.
This is complemented by Arkane’s excellent level design that always prioritises player freedom over linearity, but still feels fluid and natural. The painterly art style also adds a lot to the world, which is fully realised thanks to in-depth lore and excellent characters.
Fallout: New Vegas
Click to enlarge- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
- Release date: October 19, 2010
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Engaging narrative and worldbuilding
- Deep role-playing and choices
- Immersive world
- Long D*ck Johnson
Obsidian was tasked with creating its own Fallout game after Bethesda’s success with Fallout 3, and it’s clear they understood the assignment and then some, going on to blow the previous title out of the water with a modern CRPG masterpiece. New Vegas had the depth of choice fans of the series missed, revelling in the muddied morality of the post-apocalypse with its characters and factions.
The quests were top-tier, allowing for multiple solutions based on the character you carved out for yourself in-game, never pulling punches when it allowed you to be evil. The world of Fallout is a harrowing one to inhabit, and New Vegas is the best modern Fallout to encapsulate that, delivering a narrative on the cycle of violence, power, and how our species’ hubris dooms us to repeat the same mistakes.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Click to enlarge
- Developer: Bioware
- Release date: April, 2021
- Platforms: Console / PC
- Key features:
- A complete story accompanied by upgraded visuals and mechanics
- The best way to experience one of gaming's ultimate sagas
- High-stakes adventure, with huge decisions
If someone says an RPG set in space, the first thing that will come to most people's minds is likely the Mass Effect series. With the first three games now in a handy collection - Mass Effect Legendary Edition - remastered for current-gen consoles, you're able to experience this epic tale in the best way possible, and it’s all on Xbox Game Pass.
Yakuza Kiwami
Click to enlarge
- Developer: Ryu Ga Gotaku Studio
- Release date: January 21, 2016
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Faithful recreation of Japanese locales
- Impactful combat
- Deep story
- Karaoke!
If you've always wanted to give the critically acclaimed Yakuza franchise a try this is a great game to start with. In this first instalment, you play Kazuma Kiryu, who has recently been released from prison after taking the fall for his best friend.
As he emerges into a world that has completely changed you must navigate through the intricate world of the Yakuza, the intricate criminal underbelly of Tokyo that is on the brink of a civil war after ten billion yen has gone missing from the Tojo Clan's coffers.
If you're already a Yakuza fan, Xbox Game Pass also features the Yakuza Remastered Collection, which includes Yakuza 3, 4, & 5.
Best multiplayer or co-op Xbox Game Pass games
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Click to enlarge- Developer: 343 Industries
- Release date: November 11, 2014
- Platforms: Console, PC and Cloud
- Key features:
- Six games in one
- Tons of multiplayer modes
- Co-op campaign
- Custom games browser
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a collection of six different Halo games in one package. All the games in it are available on Xbox Game Pass, and they're some of the most iconic Xbox games of all time.
You can play each campaign in co-op, as well as dive into the various multiplayer offerings from each title. It's the perfect game for fans of the classic Halo games, and the perfect place to get started with the series too.
Forza Motorsport
Click to enlarge- Developer: Turn 10 Studios
- Release date: October, 2023
- Platforms: Console, PC and Cloud
- Key features:
- Unrivalled graphics
- Huge assortment of cars and tracks
- Great accessibility features
Forza Motorsport is always the game that best showcases just how good games can look on your console, and this time around it is no different. If you enjoy racing simulators, Forza Motorsport is a must-play with plenty of different features for you to dive into, while still capturing the joy of ripping it up on some great tracks.
State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition
Click to enlargeImage via Undead Labs
Click to enlarge- Developer: Undead Labs
- Release date: May 22, 2018
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Build your own dream base to survive the zombie hordes
- Tense survival gameplay
- Gruesome combat
- Janky car physics!
The popular zombie survival game is back with the State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition, including an added map, weapons, challenges, and cross-platform multiplayer for up to three friends.
State of Decay 2 sets you in Trumbull Valley, an open-world map infested with zombies which you must try to survive whilst hunting for resources to grow your own survival base.
Grow crops, build an infirmary, workshops and more as you try to win against the horde.
Minecraft Legends
Click to enlarge
- Developer: Blackbird Interactive | Mojang Studios
- Release date: April 18, 2023
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Command an army
- Allows you to be creative
- Seamless blend of RTS and building gameplay
- Slaughter an army of the mobs that annoy you the most in Minecraft
Minecraft Legends is a story-mode spin-off of Minecraft which explores a storyline of a Piglin invasion threatening the Overworld which you must stop with the help of a trio of deities.
The game can be played in either single-player or co-op with up to 8 players, it also features cross-platform compatibility.
The core gameplay loop sees you battling different skirmishes as you kick back the Piglin horde and unlock better troops. If you'd like to know more about the game before you download it, check out our Minecraft Legends review here.
Gang Beasts
Click to enlarge
- Developer: Boneloaf
- Release date: December 12, 2017
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Slap-stick fun
- Lots of gameplay variety
- Amazing time with friends
- That friend who refuses to be knocked out
Gang Beasts is a slap-stick game which can be played with up to eight players in online co-op and up to four in local multiplayer.
Gang Beasts use rag-doll physics to pit players against each other in a bid for survival. Outwit other players and be the last person standing in increasingly difficult obstacle course levels and hazardous environments.
Valheim
Click to enlarge
- Developer: Iron Gate Studio
- Release date: February 2, 2021
- Platforms: Console and PC
- Key features:
- Deep survival gameplay
- Viking theme
- Creative building
- Stealing resources from friends
Valheim is a Viking-themed early-access survival game that allows players to build their own Viking hall. Explore the wilds and fight mythical beasts from Norse folklore as you gather materials to grow stronger and build a grand Viking stronghold and ships.
You can play with up to ten others in online co-op, and advance from humble beginnings to staunch defenders of your own base.
Mortal Kombat 11
Click to enlarge- Developer: NetherRealm Studios
- Release date: April, 2019
- Platforms: Console, PC
- Key features:
- Engrossing story mode - one of the best in fighting games
- Plenty of different characters to use with a huge cast
- Fatalities are as gruesome and detailed as ever
Mortal Kombat has really found its form in recent years by releasing banger after banger. MK 11 was released in 2019 and tied up the series so far since it was rebooted with MK 9 and sets up an all-universe for fans to get excited by. The Kombat is fluid, it remains a perfect blend of cheesy and gory, and the story lines are the best fighting games have to offer.
Halo Infinite
Click to enlarge- Developer: 343 Industries
- Release date: December 8, 2021
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Open-world campaign
- Most free-form Halo yet
- Varied and fun multiplayer
- The best teabag in gaming
Halo Infinite was always going to be one of the best Game Pass games, as it is easily one of the services' biggest titles. This highly anticipated sequel sees the triumphant return of Master Chief, with the biggest world the series has ever seen in Zeta Halo.
The multiplayer has finally been given the attention it needed, and you can experience a much more feature-complete game now. It has a lot of great modes to try out whether it's Forge or the new multiplayer playlists like Halo 3 Refueled or Squad Battle, and 343 have settled into a good content schedule so you'll have more to look forward to in the future.
Forza Horizon 5
Click to enlarge- Developer: Playground Games
- Release date: November 9, 2021
- Platforms: Console, PC, and Cloud
- Key features:
- Car customisation
- Progression system
- Open-world driving and racing
- An affordable way to collect classic cars
If you are a fan of Forza Horizon 4 then you'll love Forza Horizon 5. This expansive sequel takes what worked for the previous entry and places it in the tropical setting of Mexico.
With over 500 cars to collect, weekly seasonal content, and an entire world to explore, Forza Horizon 5 is a delight for players who love to hit the open road.
Whether you are playing with friends or drifting around on your own, there is a wealth of content that will ensure that your Game Pass subscription is worth every penny.
Remnant 2
Click to enlarge- Developer: Gunfire Games
- Release date: July 25, 2023
- Platforms: Console/PC
- Key features:
- Fully co-op gameplay
- Souls-like elements
- Fun combat
- Tough bosses
Remnant 2 is one of the better co-op shooters on Game Pass right now. It was added near the end of 2023, and it's easily worth your time if you're looking for an action game to play with one or two friends.
You can play it solo too if you want to, and the game is perfectly enjoyable either way. It's got big bosses to take down and some satisfying combat to get stuck into.
Head to our lists homepage for more game recommendations. We've also covered the best games like Elden Ring, the best card games, and the best free-to-play shooters.
