Xbox Gamepass is a relatively cheap way to get a large variety of games for around $10-12 per month. With over 100 games available as well as a constantly changing inventory, from every generation of Xbox content. From very sought after games to some truly dreadful, there is something for everyone. The real downside to this system, aside from some completely awful games, is the fact that after you cancel your subscription, you lose all the games that you had previously downloaded and played. So, say goodbye to your play and return style of gameplay, unless you plan on dishing out another subscription.
Whether you are an avid Xbox gamer or not, even you can appreciate some of the games on this list, as well as scratch your head in confusion on why some of these games even made it here. From the best games, some being such an incredible and cheap deal, to the must-haves and even release date games. That being said, there are also games that make you go “Wait, why?”. Regardless of your reaction on these games, Xbox Gamepass is a great deal, even if it’s just to laugh at some of the absolutely cringe-worthy games.
Best: State Of Decay 2
Embarrassing: Gears Of War Judgement
Best: LIMBO
Embarrassing: Disneyland Adventures
Best: Payday 2
Embarrassing: Castlestorm
Best: Sea Of Thieves
Embarrassing: Resident Evil 6
22 Best: Ninja Gaiden Black
This original Xbox title was ripe with a great story, graphics (for its time), and very high replay value. Ninja Gaiden is an incredible game for Xbox Gamepass, no need to pull out your dusty old original Xbox, with its clunky controller. Now you can use the beautifully designed Xbox One controller and your quick launch Xbox One to hop right into some ninja slaying goodness. Its precise controls and clean gameplay just go hand-in-hand with Xbox Gamepass
21 Embarrassing: DMC Devil May Cry: Definitive Edition
Don't get me wrong, I love a good remastered game, but this game was barely remastered. It was really just a port from the Xbox 360 version, but with another set of achievements and the DLC. So, if you hadn't played it on the last generation of consoles, it might be worth a little of your time. As it only really entertains you for about half the game and the game seemed very tedious and repetitive.
20 Best: Fable II
Fable is a beautiful, well put together game, with a great storyline. It's easy to find yourself running through this game multiple times, in a variety of ways. Xbox's Backwards compatibility really sold it with Fable 2, and if you haven't played the first, don't worry, the entire trilogy is also on Xbox's Gamepass. As an easy to get into series, great controls, and riveting storyline, this is definitely worth grabbing!
19 Embarrassing: KYUB
KYUB is not a very well known game, and there is a reason for that. From its dreadful repetition, boring gameplay, and its awful controls, this game was supposed to be a puzzle-style game. Unfortunately, its controls were much too confusing and felt like they were ever-changing based on the camera, it was a struggle to try to get through and after messing up due to the controls and needing to start over, it really got you to just give up on the game. It's a really questionable choice by Microsoft to include this on their subscription system.
18 Best: ReCore
ReCore is an extremely underrated game. Give it a spin — you'll be surprised how enveloping it is. The beautiful scenery, extravagant controls, and the Zelda-like game-style had me hooked, and talking about it to all my friends. Who, in turn, then picked up the game and indulged countless hours into the game. It is a real shame how poor this game did at launch. ReCore is an incredible get for the Gamepass subscribers.
17 Embarrassing: Homefront: The Revolution
Don't even get me started on the Homefront series. This game was riddled with countless bugs, barely usable controls, and a bland story. With over 100 1 star reviews on Xbox, it's truly embarrassing that this game even managed to get into the Gamepass.
The previous games in its series never did well, but they continued making them, regardless. Deep Silver should know better.
16 Best: Guacamelee
This is a side-scrolling action-platformer at its best. With similarities to Castlevania and Metroid, this game's incredibly fun levels and powerups keep it interesting front to back. Paired with a captivating aesthetic, and impeccable sound design, Guacamelee is not to be missed. With a sequel set to release later this year, there is no better time to check it out this luchador-filled Metroidvania.
15 Embarrassing: Comic Jumper
Right after a great platformer comes this monstrosity. The best part about this game is its comedic value. Which, if you have played it, is extremely lacking. Developer Twisted Pixel have made a handful of games (some big hits — and some big misses), but sadly, Comic Jumper is not one of their better video games. It tries to be endearing and ends up falling flat. The concept is neat — but this one ends up feeling remarkable dated and altogether embarrassing.
14 Best: Steredenn
If you are a video game enthusiast who enjoys rogue-likes such as The Binding of Isaac or Enter the Gungeon, you will love this game. Steredenn is a highly difficult side-scrolling spaceship shooter (or Bullethell) like classic SNES games in the vein of Super Nova and Darius Twin. It will have you trying new weapons and powerup at the drop of a hat. With its large variety of weapons, items, and bosses/enemies, Steredenn offers an incredible amount of replay value. Just get ready to lose A LOT before you finally make it through some of the bosses.
13 Embarrassing: Mega Man 9/10
This one isn't exactly too much of a jab at the game itself, this is more of a headscratcher about how Microsoft handles their licensing. Xbox Gamepass includes Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 and 2, which is great if you are a Mega Man fan. However, the legacy collections include MegaMan 1-10, which really gets you to question why they included 9 and 10 in the Gamepass. It honestly feels like they were just trying to climb over that 100 game marker so they could say that it includes "over 100 games.".
12 Best: Soulcalibur II
A true fighting classic, this game includes both the Xbox original exclusive character as well as the PS2 exclusive (not GameCube's exclusive —Link— unfortunately). Arguably the best story in the Soulcalibur series, this game was a great one to play by yourself or against friends. With its large selection of weapons, perks, and characters, it always gave you something to do. It's a fighting game classic, and a perfect addition to the Xbox Gamepass repertoire.
11 Embarrassing: Tower Of Guns
I gave every single one of these games I have mentioned a chance, including this one, unfortunately. This game really had me questioning why I was even trying to progress. Tower of Guns is one of the most forgettable games on the list. Simple put: it was not very fun. Its controls were mediocre, and the "story" is cardboard thin. I don't even really understand the purpose of putting this game on the Gamepass, as its really not a selling point or a reason to keep the subscription.
10 Best: Darksiders Warmastered
Aside from its odd choice for an attempted pun of remastered, this game was a triumph. Its Zelda-like gameplay, offered a sense of nostalgia while bringing Nintendo's old formula to and HD system. This is the same game that was released on the Xbox 360, except beautifully remastered, with its enhanced and improved graphics. It makes you feel like you were playing a new —but familiar— game. Which is honestly what you hope for in a remaster. Its a great find on the Xbox Gamepass.
9 Embarrassing: Pumped BMX +
Did you enjoy the Trials series of games? The fun, the difficulty, the reward, the nice bike physics? This game felt like it was trying to build a Trials game, but was staying far enough away so it couldn't be sued. That, and they didn't really know how to make the game function well to begin with. Pumped BMX+'s controls feel like you need to be a hand contortionist just to make it through the level.
8 Best: Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic
Have you ever wanted to be a Jedi ... and play Mass Effect? This game has you covered in all departments. A gorgeous game, with an incredible storyline that (hopefully) hasn't been spoiled for you. Suffice to say: the twist alone is worth it. If you haven't already played it, it is definitely worth trying out, especially if you are big Star Wars fan — this is easily one of the best games in the entire franchise.
7 Embarrassing: Cluster Truck
Cluster Truck is a first person-platformer where you can only touch the tops or sides of trucks, everything else you touch will make you have to start the entire level all over again. That mechanic, coupled with the randomness of the game's physics, create an altogether enraging game.
With no knowledge of where your body starts and ends, the tiniest little thing can put a stop to your run. The only thing that made this game less of a nightmare was the fact that you could unlock powerups like slow-mo or double jump, but even with those, this game is way too difficult for its own good.
6 Best: Fallout 4
With Fallout 76 on its way, now is the perfect time to hop back into Fallout 4. Its beautiful overgrown look, coupled with crisp graphics (and an Xbox One X update) make this such a fun game to return to. The new and improved VATS and skill trees make you want to play this massive RPG over and over again. Now with the availability of mod integration, you can play however you like.
If you haven't played it yet, it is definitely worth your time — the story alone is a treat.
5 Embarrassing: Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
If you enjoyed Banjo-Kazooie or Banjo-Tooie, then don't necessarily expect to enjoy Nuts & Bolts. It essentially took everything that the fans loved about the other two, tossed them out, and changed it to be a building game. Nuts & Bolts may be a fine game in its own right, but it is definitely not a Banjo game. After a 10 year hiatus, Banjo came back in a way that made no sense, in a game that shouldn't have included Banjo in it at all.
4 Best: Halo 5: Guardians
Halo 5 had a rocky start. However, the game has gone through many updates and additions, from forge to firefight, and now truly feels like the game fans were promised from the outset. For anyone who hasn't played it yet, the game feels great. The addition of clambering and dashing made it feel much more fluid than the typical Halo experience. 343 also added many variants to classic Halo standards, like a Scorpion that fires railgun blasts instead of tank shells, as well as the Prophets Bane sword which makes you invisible and lets you sneak behind enemy lines undetected.
3 Embarrassing: Jetpac Refuelled
This remaster of the original Jetpac game looks a lot better. Unfortunately, that's all that this game has going for it. Unless you have a lot of pent-up nostalgia for Jetpac, this classic Rare game probably won't hold much appeal to you. In 2018, there are so many great arcade-style games out there, that wasting your time (and bandwitdth) on this one feels like a mistake — even free on Gamepass.