Xbox Game Pass is unquestionably worth the subscription fee, but which of the available games are the best use of your hard drive space?
Microsoft’s Game Pass service is easily worth the price of admission. Many might balk at the concept of having their video game library locked behind a subscription service, but the fact is subscribers get access to an incredible selection of titles spanning from indie darlings to triple-A blockbusters for a surprisingly affordable monthly fee.
With such a dizzying array of fantastic titles on display, it can be a daunting task deciding which ones are worth a player’s time. Given that the cost of entry is taken care of with the subscription fee, the most pressing matter is determining the best use of your hard drive space. Thankfully, the diamonds of this collection are readily apparent. Here’s a look at the greatest games that Xbox Game Pass has to offer.
The selections listed here will include games available on EA Play, which is included with a subscription to Game Pass Ultimate.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
The adventures of the Master Chief have never been as accessible as they are in the Master Chief Collection. This gathering of Halo games is the definitive collection of 343 Industries’ endeavors to immortalize the series. Not only is every mainline Halo game (not counting Halo 5: Guardians) included, but the fantastic Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach were added as well.
From beloved campaign co-op to thrilling Firefight matches to iconic multiplayer modes, the Master Chief Collection has it all. Anyone who thinks of themselves as a Halo fan should consider it a must-play from Xbox Game Pass. And for those who have never completed the Master Chief’s saga, there is no better way to finish the fight.
Keeper
Sometimes you just need a game where you’re in it for the vibes. It’s not a massive time-investment like an RPG, but it’s also not a multiple-runs, mind-engrosser like a roguelike. Keeper is just such a game that’s a remedy for these other titles, a palate cleanser, if you will.
It’s a one-and-done kind of game that is meant to be experienced, enjoyed, and then fondly remembered afterward. In Keeper, you play as a walking lighthouse (you read that right) accompanied by a bird companion, toddling your way through a vibrant world of light platforming and puzzles. And that’s it. That’s what Keeper is. And it’s amazing.
PowerWash Simulator 2
This is the best game in the world. There’s almost nothing left to say aside from that. Am I wildly biased? Perhaps. I played the first PowerWash Simulator to the moon and back (kind of literally since I got the Wallace & Gromit DLC pack), sinking over 480 hours into the game since I got it. So when I say I know my PowerWash Simulator, I know my PowerWash Simulator.
This sequel takes bits from the first game that I didn’t even think could be improved upon and improves upon them. Scaffolds now come with a ladder on the side that can take you directly to the top of the edifice. The soap system is revolutionary and satisfying instead of useless and ignorable. Your home base is not only customizable with furnishings, it’s got cats in it.
I could, hand to whatever literary document you hold sacred, write over 50,000 words in an academic dissertation style about the nuances of PowerWash Simulator 2. I have half a mind to, without any compensation of any kind.
