Best Games On PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass is firmly established as gaming’s definitive subscription service, a reputation built upon years of goodwill. Each month, Microsoft adds a few games to the service, ensuring subscribers always have something new to check out. While slightly overshadowed by its console counterpart, PC Game Pass is a great option for people who prefer to play on a computer rather than an Xbox.

Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass offer many of the same games, which reflects Microsoft’s desire to cater to its whole customer base rather than just those who own consoles. That said, there are differences between the two, including some great titles that are only on the PC iteration. What are the best PC Game Pass games?

Updated September 21, 2024 by Mark Sammut: PC Game Pass has just received a major new game that should delight city-builder and survival fans.

Games are not ranked solely by their quality; for example, newer
PC Game Pass games
will be included at the top for added exposure.

1 Frostpunk 2

An Evolution Of A Rare Formula

Frostpunk is still one of the best strategy city-builders on PC Game Pass, and it is now joined by a successor. Excitingly, Frostpunk 2 introduces so many new ideas and expands the scale so significantly that it feels notably different from its predecessor; consequently, the sequel has not rendered the first game obsolete. That said, if someone loves the original title, they are likely to adore the second entry, as long as they do not go in expecting an identical experience.

Set a few decades after the first game, Frostpunk 2 puts players in charge of New London, a city that is trying to balance progression and survival. As always, leaders will need to find a way to drive the city’s growth while meeting the basic needs of its citizens, which is no easy task when there is the ever-present threat of a shutdown due to unpredictable snowstorms. Although very much a survival game, Frostpunk 2 is first and foremost a city-builder, and players will spend a great deal of time setting up connections and tiles. Beyond that, the sequel focuses quite a lot on politics, very much emphasizing that players are (essentially) running a government that has to take into account various factions with contradictory wants.

Regardless of somebody’s familiarity with the first game, they should consider starting with Frostpunk 2‘s campaign, which should teach them the basics. After that, they can jump into Utopia Builder, which comes with seven starting locations and multiple goals.

2 Age Of Mythology: Retold

More Than Just A Fresh Coat Of Paint On An RTS Classic

While also available on the Xbox Series consoles, Age of Mythology: Retold just feels at home on PC. An updated version of the 2002 cult classic, the RTS game takes the Age of Empires formula and engulfs it in mysticism, creating an experience that sticks fairly true to the mainline entry’s loop while still very much being unique. Retold is mostly pitched as a “remaster,” but that would be underselling the changes since they extend beyond improved graphics. World’s Edge and Forgotten Empires implemented a range of quality-of-life adjustments to cater to a modern audience, all the while trying to respectfully retain the original game’s rhythm and tone. The endeavor was mostly successful, resulting in a project that should hit the mark with both young and veteran RTS fans.

As with nearly any great RTS game, AoM: Retold primarily boils down to effective planning and resource management. Each available myth has well-defined strengths and weaknesses, along with unique traits and god abilities that need to be properly analyzed and mastered. In terms of single-player content, there are campaigns containing unique missions that can keep people engaged for a while. Retold also supported co-op and PvP, with the latter likely determining the project’s longevity.

3 Doom + Doom 2

The Grandfathers Of PC Shooters

• 	Doom (1993)	Doom 2
  Released	1993-12-10	1994-10-10
  Developer(s)	id Software	id Software
  Genre(s)	First-Person Shooter	FPS

At this point, recommending the original Doom games seems pointless. If someone has not played id Software’s seminal shooters yet, they are unlikely to get to them because of the latest re-release. Still, that does not take anything away from their sheer quality, as there is a reason Doom and its sequel continue to be revisited all these years later. They are masterpieces that set the standard for an entire genre, and their influence can still be seen in the countless retro boomer shooters that are released every single year.

The DOOM + DOOM 2 compilation includes the core games along with a plethora of upgrades and updates that have accumulated over the decades, including a weapon carousel, improved visuals, an incredible range of maps, local split-screen, and so on. Players who know these games inside and out might not find too much to get excited about from this package, but it is always great to have them available at the click of a button.

4 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Technical Showcase With Strong & Challenging Writing

2024 has not been stacked with Xbox console exclusives so far, but Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 stands as a proud and powerful exception. Similar to its predecessor, the fantastic Senua’s Sacrifice, the sequel is very much a unique beast that focuses on telling a character-driven story, with combat and puzzles taking a backseat throughout most of the campaign. That’s not to say players will be just watching a glorified movie play out, as they will find themselves engaging in some fairly intense battles throughout Senua’s journey. However, the combat exists entirely in service of the narrative and is only marginally better than the first game.

Hellblade 2 should be entered as blindly as possible, especially since most people will probably only stick around for a single playthrough (that will be relatively short). While avoiding specific spoilers, it can be revealed that the sequel focuses more on Senua’s connections with the living rather than the dead. Also, the game is genuinely gorgeous, perhaps to the point of being the best-looking title on the Xbox Series X.

5 Neon White

Stellar Gameplay That Mixes Deck Management With Platforming & Speedrunning

Angel Matrix’s Neon White took the world by storm in 2022, and the innovative platformer is a fantastic addition to PC Game Pass. Now, this is one of those projects that generally must be played to be properly understood, and it is entirely made by its controls, gameplay feel, and seamless blend of mechanics. Still, the core concept revolves around managing multipurpose cards to pick the best action in a given situation, all in the hopes of clearing out stages and reaching their endpoints.

While the story is kind of weird, Neon White nails pretty much everything else. The visual style is slick and eye-catching, while the gameplay is fast-paced, satisfying, and strategic. The level design is consistently strong and caters to repeat attempts, particularly for players interested in speedrunning.

6 SteamWorld Dig 2

An Impressive Evolution Of The 2013 Original

SteamWorld is an odd duck that refuses to stick to a single genre, with most games seemingly exploring new avenues that are only loosely connected to their predecessors and successors. Despite this suggesting inconsistency, to its credit, the franchise has rarely set a foot wrong, with basically every game having something to offer and being worthwhile additions to their genre. SteamWorld Dig 2 was something of an exception as it was the IP’s first sequel, and it specifically sought to fine-tune the 2013 project to craft an experience that is strictly an evolution rather than a complete renovation.

SteamWorld Dig 2 is fantastic and close to the franchise’s pinnacle, although opinions will depend on the player’s preferred style of game. The sequel is an explorative Metroidvania that casts players as a digger who must traverse a labyrinth under a Western town in search of resources they can then sell off. Naturally, they will have to fight a lot of enemies along the way, all the while unlocking an ever-expanding arsenal of gadgets and abilities.

SteamWorld can seem a bit unapproachable due to its scattershot approach to game design, but Dig 2 is a very solid entry point into the series. There is also no need to play the original, even though it is still a decent game.

7 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Technical Issues Aside, Survivor Is An Impressive Soulslike Take On Star Wars

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order took the most popular sci-fi franchise of all time and gave it a Soulslike makeover. While not perfect (a tolerance for backtracking is required), the marriage was generally fruitful, and the game balanced story progression, combat, and puzzles fairly well. Unsurprisingly, in 2023, a sequel found its way to current-gen systems and PC, and it was arguably an improvement over its predecessor in nearly every area. However, Jedi: Survivor‘s launch was muddied by performance issues, specifically on PC. Although not usually unplayable (although a person’s mileage may vary), Survivor suffered from framerate drops and stuttering, even on high-end systems. Post-game patches improved a few things but hardly everything; consequently, even now, players should be prepared for the occasional glitch.

Now that Jedi: Survivor is on PC Game Pass, people who were put off by the negative press can finally give it a try without worrying too much about wasting their money. Bugs and glitches aside, this title has a lot of things going for it. The story builds very nicely on Cal Kestis’ journey in Fallen Order, expanding not only his moveset but also his character in the process. The campaign features an impressive array of worlds, including returning favorites and new planets, and they are brought to life beautifully. Fine-tuned and improved with a few new options, the combat and traversal mechanics are slightly improved as well, although they are still quite similar to the first game.

8 Manor Lords

Early Access Medieval City-Builder With Endless Potential

Mostly developed by one creator and currently in Game Preview, Manor Lords is a medieval sim that blends a few genres: survival, city-builder, and tactics. While the latter appears in the form of occasional battles with neighboring towns or bandits, the former elements take center stage during most playthroughs, and they are handled with care and creativity. As suggested by the title, Manor Lords is all about setting up a settlement during the Middle Ages, a journey that starts small but ambitious and gradually snowballs into expansive and ambitious.

City-builders tend to cast players as deities towering over their creations, setting them apart from the worlds they rule. Manor Lords shakes this formula up by placing players in the dirt alongside their citizens, all of whom are treated as people with personalities rather than just numbers. Surviving is a group effort that requires everyone to pitch in, and Manor Lords allows players to make the necessary choices to facilitate this mentality and then witness the fruit of their labor. While still a work in progress, this title is already among the most exciting PC Game Pass games.

9 Persona 3 Reload

Impeccable Remake Of A JRPG Masterpiece

Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensei and Persona games are firmly established as cornerstones of the turn-based JRPG world. While the selection is not quite as robust as it used to be, PC Game Pass players still have a couple of Atlus options at their fingertips, including 2024’s Persona 3 Reload. A full-blown remake of the 2006 PS2 classic, this edition retains most of the original’s story beats and mechanics, all the while providing a few quality-of-life adjustments along with far improved visuals akin to Persona 5.

Persona 3 Reload showcases not only Atlus’ license at its best but also serves as a prime example of the JRPG genre’s potential to craft dense narratives with lovable characters, strategic combat, and stellar world-building. Be it the addictive Persona-collecting system, the main story, or the fun social sim side content, P3R is the full package, and it can keep someone on the hook for potentially months.

10 Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition

It’s Minecraft

At this point, Minecraft has become so ubiquitous that it feels like one of those games that has always been around in some form. With the license now falling under Microsoft’s umbrella, the game is obviously available to PC Game Pass subscribers, and the version contains both the original Java Edition and the more modern Bedrock. While they share plenty of similarities, these two versions have more than their fair share of differences, so new players should try them both out to see which one they prefer.

A seemingly endless sandbox designed to inspire imaginative creations, Minecraft can be a liberating experience that just lets players run wild. There is also a survival mode for anyone craving a slightly more intense experience.

11 EA Sports FC 24

Not For Everyone, But The Career Mode Can Be Fun

When it comes to sports games, there seems to be no middle ground. Either they hog all of somebody’s time and energy or they are the worst thing to happen to gaming. If nothing else, these annual releases attract passionate responses, be it positive or negative. Out of all these franchises, EA’s soccer games are arguably the most divisive, something that survived a change in branding (from FIFA to EA Sports FC).

As with most of these yearly releases, EA Sports FC 24 was added to Game Pass as the standard club season ended and the project’s relevancy started to draw to a close, with a sequel likely debuting around September 2024. That said, the EURO 2024 tournament extended soccer/football fever for an extra month, causing the game to receive noteworthy updates for a while longer than usual. Nevertheless, EA Sports FC 24‘s peak has passed.

These Game Pass sports additions are strange since they are targeting people who are, at best, mildly interested in jumping into career mode for a season or two. At this point, players who might genuinely enjoy EA Sports FC 24 have long since decked out their Ultimate Teams; consequently, the game can only really be recommended to lapsed players or newcomers who might be tempted to purchase the next edition. Before investing cash in FC 25, give its predecessor a try to see if it manages to keep your interest beyond a few matches.

12 Palworld

Jack Of All Trades & Master Of Some

Starting 2024 on an exciting note, Palworld launched directly on Game Pass, although it is still in Game Preview (basically, early access). An open-world survival game where players catch monsters and engage in third-person shooter action, Pocket Pair’s title sounds like a fever dream that haphazardly blends inspirations, genres, and selling points to create a malformed mess weighed down by ambition; except, it is pretty great.

Although still an in-development project, Palworld is already an easy recommendation thanks to its addictive gameplay loop, immersive world, a robust selection of Pals, and accessible but engaging survival mechanics. The latter arrives in the form of base building and meter management, both of which are enhanced through Pals that can fulfill roles within their master’s home. Battles are chaotic and fun, especially when played in co-op. While still too early to say, Palworld should go down as one of the best PC Game Pass games of 2024.

13 Dead Space (2023)

Reimagining Of An All-Time Great Sci-Fi Horror Game

Available through EA Play (and Game Pass Ultimate), the Dead Space remake revamps the 2008 sci-fi horror classic, delivering a package that honors its predecessor while still taking enough risks to present a fresh experience. While the story hits most of the same beats, the journey itself can feel wildly different due to the implementation of a more open-ended map and the distribution of items like weapons and suits.

Newcomers who have never played a Dead Space project can jump directly into the remake without feeling lost. Meanwhile, long-time fans who adore the 2008 masterpiece should give the remake a try since it is not simply the same experience with a fresh coat of paint.

14 Diablo 4

Polarizing Action RPG That Has Improved With Updates

Except for perhaps Starfield, no other recent game has had its reputation decline as quickly as Diablo 4. Blizzard’s action RPG had a fairly positive launch, garnering praise for its map, combat, and general aesthetic, the latter of which marked a return to the grimdark style of Diablo 2 rather than its sequel’s vibrant palette. However, a weak endgame and a few poorly received updates chipped away at Diablo 4‘s goodwill, resulting in a polarizing project that is regarded by many to be a disappointment in this day and age.

Despite all of that, the 2023 release is nevertheless a huge get for Game Pass, and it has enough positives to justify a recommendation to people who have been hesitant to take the plunge. Diablo 4 comes with quite a lengthy campaign that balances solid combat with addictive loot and some decent exploration. Even though the story takes a backseat and largely serves as a precursor to the endgame, it is a fun time in general, especially since the gameplay is extremely polished and allows for a fair amount of customization.

15 Lies Of P

Impressive Soulslike With Great Combat & Setting

Lies of P is a Soulslike inspired by Pinocchio, with players taking control of the eponymous puppet as they find themselves in Bloodborne-esque hellscape where death lurks around every corner. Boasting a gorgeous visual style and satisfying combat, Round8’s project succeeds in crafting its own voice despite sharing quite a few similarities with the genre’s most beloved properties.

Set in the city of Krat, Lies of P nails its atmosphere and enemy designs, with the latter producing a few truly terrifying bosses. The combat system rewards fast and aggressive play, and while dodging is an option, guarding is arguably more important. Ultimately, Lies of P is an indie project when compared to FromSoftware’s titles, but it still manages to hold its own against that developer’s masterpieces.

Detailed Management Sim That Is At Its Best On PC

Sega’s Football Manager is arguably the most popular sports sim active today, at least when it comes to the management side of things. Despite being reasonably successful by most metrics, the franchise is still undoubtedly niche since it caters to an audience that loves to get lost in the nitty-gritty details while consuming sheet after sheet of data. If it clicks with someone, FM can be downright addictive and deeply satisfying.

FM24 delivers quite a few considerable changes and improvements, including enhancing things like set pieces, the match viewer, and transfers. While certainly not for everyone, Sega’s release is one of those games that can justify a subscription on its own for people interested in it.

17 Cocoon

Fantastic Indie Puzzle Game

Short but sweet, Cocoon is novel, innovative, and endlessly charming. Players control an insect as it travels through a desert-like world filled with orbs containing their own micro-universe. A cool concept executed brilliantly, Cocoon is a fantastic and well-paced puzzle game that regularly introduces new ideas to keep things feeling fresh.

2023 produced bigger releases than Geometric Interactive’s project, but it didn’t produce many games actively better than Cocoon. If someone is looking for something short to play in between Starfield and Lies of P, this title should be perfect.

18 Remnant 2

Third-Person Shooter Soulslike That Shines In Co-Op

PC Game Pass has both Remnant titles, and they are among the service’s better Soulslikes. They are also third-person shooters that work well with a keyboard + mouse setup, something that cannot be said for most Dark Souls-style projects. As the first entry in the series, Remnant: From the Ashes deserves a mention since it has aged quite well since its 2019 debut. Newcomers who prefer to get the full experience should start with the original title, especially since the game’s rougher edges might seem more pronounced if compared directly to its sequel. That said, Remnant 2 is superior in nearly every way, and it serves as a prime example of a sequel done (mostly) to perfection. Although not completely detached from its predecessor, the 2023 release is accessible to beginners as well.

Remnant 2 sends players on a wild adventure as they visit multiple worlds that are falling prey to the Rot. Utilizing procedural generation, the game is designed to be replayed multiple times since players cannot experience everything in a single playthrough. Fast-paced and action-packed, the gameplay moves at a quicker pace than most Soulslikes and also emphasizes crowd control. When it comes to character build variety, Remnant 2 starts decent and expands from there, and that is just referring to the standard archetypes (classes) and not all the customizable weapons and items that are also available.

19 Guilty Gear Strive

Deep & Stylish Fighter

Guilty Gear Strive is Arc System Works’ latest entry in its anime fighting franchise. While overshadowed by Dragon Ball FighterZ, Guilty Gear is arguably the developer’s primary license, and Strive stands toe-to-toe with the best fighters on the market. Balancing style and substance, the game offers fast-paced and skill-based combat that is immediately enjoyable but difficult to master.

Early entries in the series did not do a great job of introducing beginners to all the games’ systems, but Strive shows improvement in this area. That said, there is still a fairly steep learning curve, particularly if someone plans to jump online. While there is an arcade mode to keep solo players busy, Strive does not have too much to offer in the single-player department. Consequently, this title should only be installed by people who plan to embrace multiplayer.

20 Resident Evil 2 (2019)

One Of Capcom’s Greatest Horror Games

PC Game Pass only has one Resident Evil title; fortunately, the solitary pick is among the franchise’s strongest entries. Although not the license’s first remake, the 2019 release started Capcom’s recent trend of revisiting classics to give them modern makeovers that go beyond just a graphical coat of paint. Transforming the PS1 masterpiece into a behind-the-shoulders horror epic, Resident Evil 2 retains the original’s anxiety and tension while also making it more enjoyable to play (at least, by current standards).

With two main playable characters who each have campaigns, RE2 offers a great deal of content that can keep someone busy for a long time. Unlike some of the franchise’s other recent remakes, this release is a proper survival horror experience with light action elements.