Since its launch in 2017, Xbox Game Pass has become one of the best deals in gaming, providing access to a diverse library of hundreds of games for a monthly fee of $10 USD ($15 if you want access to both the console and PC libraries). And with new (often excellent) games added each month, its value has continued to increase over time.
We originally ran this list
three years ago, but since then the Game Pass library has more than doubled, now offering over 250 games on console and nearly 200 on PC, according to Microsoft. With so many around the world staying home to help
contain the spread of COVID-19, we’re updating this list so you can get the most out of your subscription. Here are the 28 best games you can play right now on Xbox Game Pass, listed alphabetically.
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Crusader Kings 3
Xbox Game Pass (PC)
In IGN's Crusader Kings 3 review, we called it "a superb strategy game, a great RPG, and a master class in how to take the best parts of existing systems and make them deeper and better." Its strong grand strategy mechanics are propped up by meaningful human stories that emerge as you build and sustain a dynasty. It earned a 10 in our review, which crowned it the "new king of historical strategy."
Read IGN’s
Crusader Kings 3 review.
Dead Cells
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
Thanks to its ever-changing level design, each run of Dead Cells feels fresh. The fast and fluid action-platformer provides the promise of something new at the start of each run, creating a loop of discovery that alleviates the frustration of failure; with each death comes an eagerness to see what surprises the next run holds.
Read IGN’s
Dead Cells review.
Destiny 2
Xbox Game Pass (console)
Game Pass subscribers on console now have access to Destiny 2 and all of its current expansions, including Forsaken and Shadowkeep. It's a great time to dive into the ever-evolving shooter, as its next expansion, Beyond Light, will launch day and date on Game Pass in November.
Read IGN’s
Destiny 2 review.
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Dishonored 2
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
Dishonored 2 is all about player choice. It’s clear from the very beginning, when you’ll choose between two playable characters, and extends throughout the roughly 12-hour campaign, which allows you to tackle each mission with any combination of stealth, smarts, and violence. And it’s all set within some of the best-designed levels in recent memory.
Read IGN’s
Dishonored 2 review.
Doom Eternal
Xbox Game Pass (console on October 1, PC "later in 2020")
Doom Eternal is the first Bethesda game added to Game Pass since
Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media earlier in September. A sequel to id Software's 2016 Doom reboot, Eternal is one of the finest first-person shooters in recent memory.
Subscribers have a lot to look forward to with Microsoft's big Bethesda acquisition, as the publisher's existing and future games, including heavy hitters like Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI, will launch day and date on Game Pass.
Read IGN’s
Doom Eternal review.
Fable II
Xbox Game Pass (console)
One of the all-time great Xbox 360 exclusives, Fable II is filled with well-written and fully realized characters and stories, loads of quests, and moral freedom in how you interact with the fantastical world of Albion. In our initial review, we called it “a captivating, unforgettable experience,” and that still holds true to this day.
Read IGN’s
Fable 2 review.
Fallout: New Vegas
Xbox Game Pass (console)
Another massive open-world RPG, Fallout: New Vegas is a take on the apocalyptic wasteland painted with developer Obsidian Entertainment’s signature wit and charm. A branching main story and excellent side quests keep you moving through the Mojave Wasteland, where you’ll encounter memorable characters (its dialogue is
particularly brilliant) and creatures. Game Pass also includes Fallout 4, but if you don’t mind the 360-era graphics, New Vegas is our go-to for a Fallout fix.
Read IGN’s
Fallout: New Vegas review.
Forza Horizon 4
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
Playground Games has established Forza Horizon as the premier open-world racing franchise. With stunning visuals (highlighted throughout its shifting seasons), remarkable sound design, hundreds of customizable vehicles from over 80 car manufacturers, and a host of events—from racing and rally to drift and drag—Forza Horizon 4 is a must-play racer.
Read IGN’s
Forza Horizon 4 review.
Gears 5
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
Gears 5 may be the second game in the series’ new saga, but it feels very much like a first; The Coalition’s latest shifts its story focus to new protagonist Kate Diaz, introduces a more open world, and the new Escape co-op mode. However, not all is new: Gears 5 retains (and sharpens) the excellent cover-based shooting and visceral up-close combat the series was built on.
If you’re new to the series, we recommend you start at the beginning with
Gears of War Ultimate Edition, as the entire series is available on Game Pass. If you’re put off by the time investment, at least start with Gears 4; it includes some important context to understanding the story of 5.
Read IGN’s
Gears 5 review.
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Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
Xbox Game Pass is arguably the industry’s best value in terms of services, and within that service lies arguably the best value in terms of software with Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Compiling Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and beautifully remastered versions of Halo 2, 3, ODST, Reach, and Halo 4, The Master Chief Collection includes one of gaming’s greatest sci-fi sagas spread across several of its best first-person shooters.
Read IGN’s
Halo: The Master Chief Collection review (2019 update).
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
Hellblade tells an emotional 6-7-hour story, “one of confusion, sadness, fear, and loss [that’s] punctuated by moments of beauty, and strength,” as we said in our review. Its HUD-less display immerses you in a gorgeously realized Norse hellscape as protagonist Senua, whose perception of the world infiltrates your experience in imaginative, unsettling ways. The brilliant binaural audio design makes playing with headphones a must, as the voices in Senua’s head echo through yours. Even if it’s just to prepare for
the sequel on Xbox Series X, Hellblade is a must-play.
Read IGN’s
Hellblade review.
Hollow Knight
Xbox Game Pass (console and PC)
One of the best Metroidvanias in recent memory (and the first of two on this list), Hollow Knight is a stylish 2D platformer that prioritizes exploration and rewards those patient (and brave) enough to venture into its depths with a surprisingly developed story, challenging combat, and plenty of secrets to uncover.
Read IGN’s
Hollow Knight review.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Xbox Game Pass (PC)
Microsoft Flight Simulator uses real-life mapping data to turn the entirety of Earth into an aviation playground. It's a technical marvel that provides endless opportunities for exploration and discovery, with flexible settings that cater to novices and aficionados alike.
