The Best Xbox Game Pass Games In 2025 https://ift.tt/eqgwBXr
What games should you play on Xbox Game Pass?
With so many options to choose from, narrowing down the best Xbox Game Pass games currently available can be a challenge. The subscription service has grown in size, offering a massive library of big AAA games, new day-one releases, and even overlooked gems--early 2025 Game of the Year contender Blue Prince is now on the service, having launched on day one. The library is so expansive that you're almost guaranteed to find at least a few games you'll love and classics from yesteryear, thanks to the recent addition of Retro Classics.
To help you navigate the ever-shifting landscape, we've rounded up the very best Game Pass games available now. There are plenty more excellent games on Xbox Game Pass than the ones we’ve listed below--the service is loaded with worthy games. These are just the games we think every Xbox owner should play, and we regularly review this list to make sure we stand by our choices and rotate in newer releases. We'll continue to update this list as the Game Pass library adds new selections. Every month brings new games as well, and in case you missed it, here's what you can download and play in May.
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Keep in mind that Xbox Game Pass comes in various tiers at different pricing levels, and the tiers can be somewhat tricky to navigate. Xbox Game Pass Core offers a smaller selection of games along with the online play functionality that used to be Xbox Live Gold for $10 per month. Xbox Game Pass for just the Xbox library is $15 per month, while Xbox Game Pass for PC is $12 per month. The best value by far is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which includes both the Xbox and PC libraries, along with cloud gaming functionality to play the Game Pass selections on your mobile device, for $20 per month.
For the purposes of this list, we looked at the whole Xbox Game Pass library available in the Ultimate tier, so if you're subscribed to one of the other tiers--especially Core--not every recommendation may be available. And while this list is a good place to get started, the library of games is even more expansive, and more games will be added throughout the year. Be sure to check back for updated recommendations.
The Alters
Some of the best games on Game Pass are the ones that push the limits on what a genre is capable of, letting you sample ambitious ideas for the cost of your subscription. In the case of The Alters, you're getting a fascinating blend of survival, base-building, and resource management. The catch here are the human resources you have to work with, as protagonist Jan Dolski's mission to escape an inhospitable planet is aided by his alternate selves, reflections of who he could have been if he'd made a different choice in life. The end result is both mechanically and narratively fascinating in this ambitious fusion of ideas from the studio behind This War of Mine.
Read our The Alters review.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
The first Plague Tale was an unexpected hit from a relatively small developer punching above its weight. The sequel could have expanded its scope, but instead, Asobo Studio kept its narrative tightly focused on telling a human story set in an alternative French history. Though the rat-controlling mechanics have been expanded, the story is still concerned primarily with the family dynamics between Hugo and his protective older sister, Amicia. It's also a downright beautiful game, with lush environments that rival those from the biggest AAA studios.
Read our A Plague Tale: Requiem review.
Avowed
Following a dip into sci-fi with The Outer Worlds, Obsidian's return to an RPG fantasy setting is one of this year's biggest surprises. Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, you play as a godlike--one who has been touched by a god leaving you marked in a way that's visually distinct to everyone around you. Your journey through the Living Lands makes a point to streamline some classic RPG systems, while giving you an incredible amount of flexibility in others. Combat is a particular standout, as you can mix and match just about any variety of weapons and abilities, and easily respec to experiment with new combinations.
Balatro
Balatro was a breakout release last year--in fact, it was one of our favorite games of 2024--and the one-more-round roguelike poker game has only gotten better with subsequent updates. It's now available on Xbox Game Pass, and came alongside a new Friends of Jimbo pack that lets you change the face cards to crossovers with games like Civilization VII, Assassin's Creed, Fallout, Bugsnax, and more. If you've never caught up with the incredibly compelling and clever game, now is the time.
Blue Prince
You've never played a game quite like Blue Prince. The first-person puzzle game has you exploring an empty mansion, but this particular manor house has a special quality: It's never the same from day to day, as the rooms appear as you "draft" them from a selection whenever you come to a door. The ultimate goal is to explore the mansion and reach the hidden Room 46, but the game's many puzzles and mysteries unfold and interlock in ways that feel constantly enthralling. And since it's on Game Pass, it's easy to recommend with your existing subscription.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The Call of Duty series has been among the top sellers for years, but some CoD games are clearly better than others. This year's iteration, Black Ops 6, is the best the series has been in some time, and the first time that a new Call of Duty game has been available on Game Pass at launch. The campaign is a smart and varied action spectacle that keeps you on your toes as it explores paranoid thriller tropes set against global events in the 1990s. Meanwhile, the multiplayer's new omni-movement makes matches feel fast and fluid, especially with the addition of inventive new maps that let you explore the space in a variety of ways. A revision to the perks system helps you specialize in interesting ways. Call of Duty has earned its reputation for a reason, and this latest release shows why.
Read our Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 campaign review and multiplayer review.
Celeste
An impeccably crafted indie platformer, Celeste is known for its tough-but-fair difficulty and surprisingly emotionally engaging story. As you climb the mountain you'll come face to face with devilish platforming challenges that will test your skill, all while discovering a subtle story of self-discovery and overcoming depression. It has a stellar 94 score on Metacritic, so don't sleep on this one. And don't worry if you aren't a platforming pro, as Celeste has a full suite of difficulty modifiers that let you experience the climb on your own terms.
Read our Celeste review.
Diablo IV
When Microsoft finalized its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it seemed like only a matter of time before the studio's massive library started to come to Game Pass. We're still waiting on a lot of the catalog, but it started with a big one. The latest in the beloved dungeon-crawling RPG series Diablo, Diablo IV, lets you delve into the deep and macabre world of Sanctuary to protect it from Lillith, the demon mother. With deep and immersive character building and a regular cadence of seasonal content to let you further expand your characters with new abilities, Diablo IV is not to be missed.
Read our Diablo IV review.
Doom Eternal
Bigger, bolder, and more brutal than ever, Id Software unleashed hell on Earth with Doom Eternal, much to the delight of everyone who played this sequel. Pure action from start to finish and unrelenting when the armies of the damned were thrown at you, Doom Eternal is a metal journey through the apocalypse that takes no prisoners.
Read our Doom Eternal review.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages feels like a return to form for id Software's iconic series. While Doom Eternal would regularly leave you breathless with its hyper-kinetic gameplay and resource-juggling, The Dark Ages keeps the action grounded by transforming the Doom Slayer into an overpowered engine of destruction. The stand-and-fight mantra guiding this prequel works wonders, while the bullet-hell challenge and shield-bashing gameplay makes ripping and tearing through demonic hordes feel more satisfying than ever.
Read our Doom: The Dark Ages review.
FBC: Firebreak
FBC: Firebreak takes a while to get going, but once all of its pieces fall into place, this co-op first-person-shooter is an exciting stab at the live-service genre. The Control spin-off also makes a statement to the current hamster wheel of FOMO that live-service games attempt to force players to run on, making it a breath of fresh air in an industry where your attention span has become a valuable commodity.
Read our FBC: Firebreak review.
Forza Horizon 5
Between its amazing visuals, myriad gameplay options, and bevy of content, Forza Horizon 5 is a racing game that anyone can enjoy. From a technical standpoint, it’s remarkable what the team at Playground Games achieved--everything from the meticulously detailed vehicle models to the lush virtual recreations of Mexico’s landscapes are visually engrossing.. Better yet, the gameplay is some of the best in the racing genre. Unlike the simulation-heavy Forza Motorsport line, the Forza Horizon series lean towards arcade racing, emphasizing player freedom in vast open worlds. Forza Horizon 5 doubles down on the philosophy, letting players focus on the type of experience they want--be that tense races against other players, single-player challenges and story content, or just chilling out and cruising the open road.
Read our Forza Horizon 5 review.
Forza Motorsport
Forza Motorsport goes back to the series' roots as a simulation track racer, with stunning recreations of high performance vehicles. Car progression and upgrades are streamlined enough for fans to understand, but with the ability to get your hands dirty under the hood with precise fine-tuning. It's a graphical showpiece for the Xbox, making it a great game to try on Game Pass regardless of whether you're a gear-head.
Read our Forza Motorsport review.
Gears of War: Reloaded
The original Gears of War landed on Xbox 360 almost 20 years ago, and in a testament to its enduring popularity, this updated version of the classic still feels as fun to play today as it was in 2006. The game is still a tightly constructed shooter with plenty of blockbuster moments and one of the best weapons in gaming history, the Lancer chainsaw-rifle. This version polishes it up for modern-day hardware, but the gameplay remains as polished as ever while you work your way through encounters with the Locust army. Or as protagonist Marcus Fenix would say, nice.
Gears Tactics
Gears Tactics cleverly applies the aesthetic and atmosphere of the franchise to a tactics game. Despite being a totally different genre, Gears Tactics still feels like a natural addition to the iconic franchise thanks to sound mechanics and great level design. Many of the notable Gears of War gameplay systems and quirks are adapted into the top-down tactical spin on the genre. With a meaningful progression system, deep but approachable tactical encounters, and a number of great boss battles, Gears Tactics is a can’t-miss experience for Gears aficionados and strategy game fans alike.
Read our Gears Tactics review.
Grounded 2
Obsidian's survival-crafting sequel builds on the strong foundation established by the first game to deliver a vibrant alternative to all of the gloomy survival games on the market today. It's still in an early access phase, but if history repeats itself, we're expecting Grounded 2 to be a bigger and better sequel that remains fun to play while Obsidian continues to fine-tune it.
Read our Grounded 2 review.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
If you’ve never played the Halo franchise before, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is the perfect place to start. The Master Chief Collection comes with six Halo games, including remastered versions of the first two original Xbox entries. Halo features some of the very best single-player campaigns in the genre as well as extremely solid online multiplayer, at least after years of fixes and improvements. Back when the collection was originally released, the online multiplayer was spotty to say the least, but it has come a long way. Halo: The Master Chief Collection offers the best way to play some of the most heralded first-person shooters ever created.
Read our Halo: The Master Chief Collection review.
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush is a bright, popcorn animated adventure from the studio that brought you… The Evil Within? As surprising as that is, what may be even more impressive is that this is an absolute gem of a rhythm-action game. The original IP follows Chai, a good-hearted doofus who signs up for free cybernetic surgery and ends up with a Zune grafted into his chest. He comes out of the other side with the power to defeat corporate ne'er-do-wells to the gyrating beat of the world. It's like Elite Beat Agents mashed together with Devil May Cry.
Read our Hi-Fi Rush review.
Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition
Enchanting and utterly engrossing, Hollow Knight is one of the best metroidvanias ever made. Team Cherry’s adventure stars a nameless knight armed with a nail who explores a labyrinthine world known as Hallownest. With a gorgeous art style and an incredible amount of variation in the environments, Hollow Knight’s expansive world is a constant joy to explore. Challenging combat rewards those with patience and perseverance. Hollow Knight truly stands out in a fairly crowded genre. If you haven’t waded through Hallownest yet, now’s a great time to slay some insect ahead of the sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Read our Hollow Knight review.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
After years of waiting--and several summoning circles--Hollow Knight: Silksong has finally arrived and it's turning out to be an overwhelming follow-up to its predecessor. Team Cherry's Hollow Knight follow-up builds on a successful formula, evolving it to a near-perfect state where you get to explore labyrinthine worlds, challenge powerful foes, and master a nuanced combat system as the protagonist, Hornet.
I Am Your Beast
One of 2024'sbest shooters, I Am Your Beast is the kind of game you boot up when you're looking for quick but satisfying fun. Developed by Strange Scaffold, the studio behind another cult-classic,El Paso, Elsewhere, I Am Your Beast reinvents the movie trope of a retired special forces agent being called in for one last job and transforms it into a stylish gauntlet of danger as you sprint, slide, and shoot your way through entire armies of goons. The fast-paced nature of the game means that you have to think quickly if you want to avoid a bullet to the head, and each successful run is an exhilarating experience.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
MachineGames' take on Indiana Jones is a masterful take on the famous relic hunter. The action is a tightly designed clockwork of action, stealth, and immersive-sim elements that capture Indy's famous improvisational style. The story is rich and engaging and belongs right on the shelf next to some of Indy's other great adventures. And the character and worldbuilding are all top-notch, which helps to sell Troy Baker's take on the famous character popularized by actor Harrison Ford. It's the complete package, and a great reason to subscribe to Game Pass.
Read our Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die wears its Hades influence proudly on its sleeve, but this roguelike action game also has several novel ideas of its own. The roll of the dice plays a crucial part in determining just how well--or poorly-- your next run will go, and with a gripping story to boot, the game puts a fun spin on a familiar genre.
Manor Lords
Though it's still in early access, Manor Lords has quickly gained a following as a deep and engrossing strategy game that encompasses several different types of strategy at once. You'll build a city with complex social and economic systems at play, as well as take part in huge tactical battles against rival lords. Building your civilization from almost nothing and helping it manage trials like an unforgiving winter is so satisfying, and the depth of the game is made even more impressive by it being the work of just one developer.
Minami Lane
Management sims are--by design--a stressful time. Sure, the sense of victory that comes from braving an administrative adventure is second to none, but Minami Lane puts a cozy spin on this genre so that your blood pressure doesn't spike. It's a digestible city-builder with a wholesome vibe that is worth checking out.
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter World introduced loads of new fans to the Monster Hunter series, which up to that point had a niche but enthusiastic audience in the West. That game spent some time on Game Pass, but it's since been removed and you can play the more recent Monster Hunter iteration instead. Rise borrows several quality-of-life improvements that made World such a success, and adds another one: the Wirebug, a new tool that lets you easily and quickly traverse the map by swinging through the wilderness. Monster Hunter Rise is an ideal entry point for franchise newcomers.
Read our Monster Hunter Rise review.
Monster Train 2
Save the Spire saw a new wave of roguelike deckbuilders follow in its wake, and Monster Train was easily one of the best. The bar was set high for the sequel, but Monster Train 2 is a confident follow-up to the first game that builds on its solid foundation and adds a few new twists and a tremendous amount of replayability.
Neon White
A fast-paced first-person platformer, Neon White is a fresh take on competitive speedrunning. You'll have to master tight vertically-designed stages within a stylish afterlife setting, taking down enemies with panache along the way. The breakneck pace is unlike anything else, and it's easy to get lost for a long time promising yourself just one more run.
Nine Sols
Hollow Knight: Silksong is dominating the metroidvania charts right now, but don't sleep on Nine Sols. Beautifully crafted and featuring a rich hand-drawn art style, the game combines its metroidvania influences with Sekiro-inspired combat to create tense and exciting moments in every level you explore. The smooth animation combined with the responsive controls makes for a winning formula, while the "Taopunk" setting gives the game a unique look and feel.
Octopath Traveler 2
Octopath Traveler was a daring new RPG concept from Square Enix in which the story was told non-sequentially, as you could play as any of eight protagonists in any order, experiencing their own unique stories. Octopath Traveler 2 improves upon its predecessor in every way, taking to heart critiques from the first game and making a standout RPG experience. The new cast of eight characters are well differentiated with skills both inside and outside of combat, and their distinct abilities create interesting puzzle scenarios for completing missions and side quests. The combat system is rich with possibilities, letting you leverage their strengths in satisfying ways. And the story ties the eight hero narratives together into a cohesive whole. If the first game was an experiment, this one is the proof of concept.
Ori series
Both games in Moon Studios’ incredible Ori series are worth playing. Ori and the Blind Forest and its 2020 sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps are two of the best platformers available on Xbox. Both have stunning visuals and tell emotionally gripping stories that feed off of the atmosphere and well-drawn characters. While they are similar in terms of aesthetic and feel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is more action-oriented, whereas the Blind Forest largely focuses on platforming and exploration. The Will of the Wisps gives Ori new abilities that help them square off against daunting bosses. Both games are brilliant in their own right, and are must-play platformers on Xbox. You should play them in order to get the full emotional weight of the story.
Read our Ori and Will of the Wisps review.
Pentiment
One of the most unusual games on Game Pass, or anywhere, Pentiment is an adventure game set in 16th century Bavaria. As a manuscript illustrator sent to an Abbey, you're caught up in a series of murders. The decades-spanning story explores the idea of historical narrative and how truth is recorded and remembered across generations. It's really unlike anything else.
Read our Pentiment review.
Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire
The first Pillars of Eternity was a thrilling study in old school RPG gameplay with a modern makeover, but its sequel outdoes the original in almost every way possible. A more confident follow-up that doubles down on its strengths while further refining its formula, Obsidian Entertainment's sophomore effort is an entertaining game filled with rich writing and easily-accessible gameplay for newcomers to the genre.
Read our Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire review.
Psychonauts 2
It's safe to say that there's no game like Psychonauts 2 on the market, as Double Fine's return to the cult-classic world of Razputin Aquato and the titular psychic peacekeeping agency is an absolute mind-blast of imaginative design. Fun to play and packing an emotional wallop with its exploration of several characters and a deep dive into their respective psyches, Psychonauts 2 is both a hilarious and heartfelt effort.
Read our Psychonauts 2 review.
The Rogue Prince of Persia
It's a great time to be a Prince of Persia fan, as not only have we gotten the superb metroidvania The Lost Crown, but also Evil Empire's fun roguelike The Rogue Prince of Persia. After spending several months in Steam Early Access, the full game is a terrific love-letter to classic Prince of Persia action, mixing the influences of the older platforming games with plenty of Dead Cells DNA. Where The Rogue Prince of Persia sets itself apart is in its movement and storytelling, as the game is at its best when you're using parkour to smoothly dodge traps and acrobatic combat to weave between enemies as you build up strength for a glorious run.
Sea of Thieves
A live-service game that's not all about the shooting, Sea of Thieves is Rare's quirky take on a pirate simulator. It's gone through a lot of iterations since it was first released in 2018, so nowadays it's a full-fledged pirate simulator. You can crew your ship and sail the high seas, plunder other ships, find hidden treasure, and even deal with otherworldly pirate ghosts.
Read our Sea of Thieves review.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire marries deck-building with roguelike systems to create one of the best indies in recent years. Throughout your journey up the Spire, you square off against monsters, uncover treasures, and expand your deck of cards. Slay the Spire's card-based combat is easy to get the hang of but requires trial and error to find success. While you have to start back at the beginning each time you die, you gradually earn new cards, which help you advance further the next time. It’s an intoxicating loop that makes it easy to want to try “one more time” before putting down the controller. Each of Slay the Spire’s four playable characters have unique decks, adding a ton of incentive to brave the Spire for subsequent runs after the credits roll.
Read our Slay the Spire review.
South of Midnight
Compulsion Games has repeatedly designed incredible worlds that are rich in atmosphere and intrigue, and South of Midnight is no exception. Set in the American Deep South and inspired by the myths told by the people who live there, South of Midnight encapsulates the sights, sounds, and culture of a place rarely explored in video games and doesn't shy away from delving into the community's hardships and traumas to weave together a fantastical and oftentimes chilling gothic horror tale. The whole experience is brought to life with superb voice acting and a poignant soundtrack, transforming otherwise ordinary moments of combat and platforming into a cinematic experience that's well-worth experiencing.
Read our South of Midnight review.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4
What's old is new again, as the best Tony Hawk games are kick-flipping their way back into relevance. While we're still not sold on the changes made to THPS4 in this two-for-one special, there's no denying that the subtle changes under the hood and the new coat have paint have helped to successfully bring the series into the modern age of gaming. There's also a healthy amount of new content here that doesn't detract from the nostalgic appeal of these games, making it a must-play for veterans and newcomers alike.
Read our Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4 review.
Tunic
Tunic, the long-awaited adventure starring a fox with a sword, is more than just a great Zelda-like. While it harks back to old-school Zelda games in terms of not guiding players toward the objectives, Tunic has its own approach to creating mystery and intrigue. All throughout the world you'll find pages of an instruction manual--really does look like one that would've been packaged with a game in the early '90s--that you have to piece together to learn about the world around you. It does a wonderful job replicating the thrill of discovery found in early Zelda games. Tunic is much harder than Zelda games from a combat perspective, but overcoming each challenge feels like a great triumph. Plus, any combat pains you may have are made worthwhile by gorgeous world that is a joy to explore.
Read our Tunic review.
Wheel World
When it comes to gaming, there's nothing in the rulebook that says a cycling game can't cover topics like the apocalypse and ghosts. Wheel World is a prime example of this, as developer Messhof's delightful tour across a colorful world features multiple elements that mesh together well, like gears on an obscenely priced bicycle. Not only does the cycling feel great, but you're given a chance to pedal your way through gorgeous realms with it, ignite your competitive spirit, and trick it out before you save the world from total ruin.
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