Game Pass has been around for a long time and provides subscribers with a wide variety of games. The collection of titles on the service is always in flux, with games being added and removed regularly.
As a result, it can be hard to keep up with what games are actually out there. This means it's easier to remember the biggest titles like Minecraft and Call of Duty Black Ops 7. However, there are also plenty of hidden gems that many people forget about. Here is a collection of the lesser known titles.
Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an action adventure game where you take control of a pair of Ghost Banishers. As the name suggests, their job is to go to haunted places and get rid of the ghosts there. However, it is more complicated than it sounds. You have to investigate what led to the person's death and the reasons why they are still around. Then you have to decide what, if any, punishment he deserves. This leads to some interesting moral dilemmas and plenty of compelling side stories. Without going into spoilers, the main story is just as compelling as it touches on themes like love and loss.
I never would have played these games without Game Pass and now I love them
There are many great games to discover through Game Pass.
Outside of investigations, you'll occasionally engage in battle against various spiritual enemies. The combat isn't as engaging as the investigation, but it still provides a unique experience where you can use both traditional and spooky powers.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
You don't get much 2D side scrolling these days. Still, Marvel Cosmic Invasion shows that these types of games still have a lot of charm. Not only does it offer classic beat 'em up gameplay, it even has old pixelated graphics.
As you'd expect for a 2D beat 'em up, the story isn't very deep. It's a simple story of good versus evil as you try to stop an invasion. Those who fight on the side of good are a collection of heroes from Marvel comics. It has most of the characters you expect like Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, She-Hulk, Wolverine and many more. Each hero plays differently and has their own abilities, adding a lot of variety to the already engaging combat system.
Planet Lana 2
Planet of Lana 2 can best be described as a puzzle adventure game. In it, you play as a person named Lana and her mysterious creature friend, Mui. You use the abilities of both to solve a litany of platforming puzzles. There aren't many mechanics or controls to be aware of, but the puzzles are still varied, well-designed, and challenging.
Another good thing about the title is the narration. The characters don't speak, but you can still tell what's going on based on what they're doing and their body language. It's a unique way to tell a story.
Ball X Pit
Ball X Pit is a roguelite game where you will walk around and constantly shoot balls at the enemies in front of you as the screen scrolls. A moving screen means you keep getting closer to an enemy who will deal damage if they hit or touch you. They're not just melee enemies. Some of them fire their own projectiles. So you have to dodge while shooting, making for a pretty frantic and fast-paced experience.
While you start out running with a simple ball, you unlock different types of balls and upgrades as you play. This means that you will become more deadly over time. Plus, things are generally exciting. Deep into the run, the screen is full of projectiles and mayhem, which is a big part of what makes this game fun. Outside of the runs, there's also a cute city-building mechanic to engage with to help you prepare for your next run.
Lost Records: Bloom And Rage
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is being developed by Don't Nod, who also created the original Life is Strange. This is pretty clear when you play the game as there are definitely some similarities. This is also a narrative adventure where you control teenage friends.
Still, you're not just controlling teenage versions in this title; two stories take place at the same time. One story takes place in 2022, in which a group of friends meet for the first time in a while. The second story takes place in 1995 when they were teenagers. The whole story revolves around a secret they concocted during their teenage years. The narrative isn't all linear, though, as you make various decisions that affect how the whole thing plays out.
Lost In Random
The story of Lost in Random revolves around a pair of sisters. One is called Odd and the other is Even. Once they turn 12, they are both forced to roll the die. Whatever number that number lands on determines what world they will live in. This causes the two sisters to split up, but Even doesn't accept it and goes on an adventure to reunite with Odd.
There's a distinct Tim Burton feel to the art style and tone. The characters in particular have very unusual and distinctive designs. Meeting and interacting with these oddities is part of the game's charm. The combat system is equally unusual, combining real-time combat with dice and card-based combat. The combat in this game isn't as much fun as exploring the strange world, but both make it an enjoyable and unique action-adventure title.
A small bookstore
In Tiny Bookshop, you run a small mobile bookstore in a beautiful seaside town. The advantage of a mobile bookstore is that you don't have to stick to one location in a given city. Throughout the game, you can travel to different areas to set up your shop, giving you different backgrounds and scenery to admire as you run your business.
It is quite a stress-free management simulator that gives you a nice and cozy feeling while playing. That means you still have to do the work. Every day you have to choose how many books of which genre to put on your shelves. To help you with this decision, the game will let you know which genres are more popular at that time. If someone comes looking for a book you don't have, you've missed the deal. Therefore, there is a bit of strategy involved. Overall, though, this is a title that lets you relax.
Exchanged
Replaced is a 2.5D action platformer where you control an AI that has accidentally taken over a human body. However, you don't have much time to think about the situation when trying to escape from the Phoenix Corporation you once worked for. Along the way, you'll meet ordinary people whose lives have been destroyed by the same corporation. Yes, this is a classic cyberpunk story.
The game's visual style immediately stands out, with a retro 16-bit art style and plenty of personality. The characters also have personality, thanks to the game's strong writing. In terms of gameplay, there's plenty of platforming and puzzle solving. However, there are times when you cannot get out of situations using your brain or jumping ability. So you have to face groups of enemies in close combat. It's pretty fast, but there's a strategy involved. This is because each type of enemy must be taken down in a specific way, which adds a nice challenge to the game.
For the King 2
The story of For The King 2 is quite simple. There is a queen who used to be loved but now she has become a tyrant so you have to stop her and free the people. To achieve this, you must embark on an adventure that includes turn-based tactical combat and some roguelite elements.
You spend most of the game traveling around the world completing quests and getting into smaller battles with opposing factions. Battles are tactical in nature, meaning player positioning and using the right abilities is important. Still, no matter how much of a tactician you are, you're not likely to win every fight. After all, this is a roguelite, which means you're expected to die and restart your run better prepared. Overall, the combat has a nice depth to it without being overbearing. It is especially nice to play with friends.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
The name sounds absurd, but Ultimate Chicken House is an excellent competitive party game. The basic premise is that each player controls a colored animal of their choice and must reach a designated end goal. However, if you all reach the final goal, no one gets any points. So the real goal is to reach the end goal and make sure others don't.
To help with this, each player places either an obstacle or a platform at the end of each round. Therefore, you must try to make it feasible for you, but difficult for your opponents. It's strategic and fun.
The 8 best action-adventure games on Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass includes some excellent action-adventure games.
