One of the best things aboutGame Passis that it gives you the chance to try games that you wouldn’t play in other circumstances. After all, games are expensive, so if there is a game you’re not sure about, you understandably don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash on it.
However, if you’ve already got access to it through Game Pass, you may as well give it a go. This logic has led to plenty of people falling in love with games they wouldn’t typically try. Here are some of mine.
Before you actually play Firewatch, it is difficult to get a true feel of what the game is. After all, the premise is that you control a guy named Henry, who starts a new job as a fire lookout in a national forest. That premise alone doesn’t exactly scream ‘fun,’ as you’re basically just a guy doing a job.
That said, the game actually ends up being more fascinating than it initially seems. This is because of the conversations and the relationship shared by Henry and his supervisor. The two of them speak a lot throughout the game and have some compelling discussions. Also, at one point, you discover evidence that you and your supervisor aren’t the only ones out there. Once the story started getting going, I was hooked.
I have played a lot ofStar Wars games over the years, from Lego ones to Jedi: Fallen Order. None of the Battlefront games were ever part of my catalog, though. This is because I’m not a huge fan of multiplayer shooters. Yet, Battlefront 2 having a story campaign did make me intrigued. So, I gave it a try on Game Pass and really enjoyed the game as a whole.
The campaign, while not awfully long, tells a solid tale in the Star Wars universe of an Imperial commander beginning to question whether she’s on the right team. I took a liking to the multiplayer, too, as the core gunplay feels great, and you can control a nice range of characters that feel different from one another.
The world doesn’t get treated to enough old-school 2D beat ‘em ups anymore. It’s a shame, as they generally make for enjoyable co-op experiences like the one TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge provides.
The game isn’t incredibly complex. You play as the famous turtles, walk through levels, and beat up every enemy in your path. There are also some unique levels where vehicles or bosses get involved. It’s a short and fun adventure that I probably would’ve never sought out if it hadn’t been on Game Pass.
There isn’t anything about Prey that would’ve made me intentionally avoid the game before I saw it on Game Pass. After all, it is an immersive sim game where you roam around a space station that aliens have taken over. What isn’t to like about that? However, I just wasn’t very aware of the game. I’d heard the name in passing and had enjoyed Arkane’s other titles, such as Dishonored, but I’d never looked into the game until I saw it on Game Pass.
Once I started playing it, though, I was immediately intrigued. There are some interesting story twists early on that immediately get you hooked. Then, slowly figuring out what happened on the station, how everything fell apart, and who you are is captivating. Plus, you’re able to turn yourself into a coffee cup, which is pretty cool.
I played the first Injustice game when it wasavailable for free for a period of time in 2020. As a fan of all things superheroes, I was very interested in the unique story being told that pitted heroes against each other. Yet, I’m not the biggest fighting game fan, so I wasn’t ready to jump into the sequel.
When Injustice 2 came onto Game Pass, though, I was able to see how the story continued with the evil Superman and his allies locked up. The second game’s visuals are naturally a lot better, but I also found myself enjoying the core fighting more. It feels smoother and more satisfying.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an unusual game with a unique aesthetic. You don’t know what you’re getting into until you actually play it, so I wasn’t sure about giving it a go until I saw it was on Game Pass.
I’m really glad that I tried it, as it’s an incredibly gripping game of a woman dealing with her own psychosis and mental health. This allows for a unique style of puzzle solving and the inclusion of voices in your head that serve as a guide and add an extra layer to the main character.
Some people criticize the likes of Life is Strange and various TellTale games for their lack of traditional gameplay. Well, As Dusk Falls is even less interactive than those titles, as you don’t even walk around and interact with things. It is very much like playing a movie where you make decisions that impact the outcome of scenes.
I’m generally a fan of narrative adventure games, but As Dusk Falls didn’t interest me that much. Because it was released on Game Pass, though, I gave it a try. It turns out it’s a really good story-based game that has a neatcomic-like art styleand fantastic writing. Plus, the choices you make throughout the game are incredibly impactful and allow you to really shape the narrative more than it initially seems.
1Yakuza Series (AKA Like A Dragon Series)
The Yakuza games are no longer on Game Pass.
Before I was ever really aware of the Yakuza (aka Like A Dragon) series, it had already had a bunch of entries. So, even though I had an interest in the outlandish open-world crime games, it would’ve been pricy to buy and play through all the early titles to catch up. Thankfully, Game Pass then added most of the instalments in the series up to that point.
This is when I began my Yakuza adventure. In the process, I got toexperience several incredible gamesfilled with hilarious side quests, entertaining beat ‘em up action, and deep storytelling. I have been a big fan of the series ever since.
