10 Amazing Games To Play on Xbox Game Pass Right Now

Here are our picks for some of the best games on Game Pass that you can enjoy right now!

The Game Pass has proven itself to be the best value in gaming. No matter what console or platform you've sworn allegiance to, none of them can beat Microsoft's subscription service and its overwhelming catalog of games.

We here at ESTNN have curated a list of titles you should look at, from modern AAA blockbusters to secret gems that have flown under the radar!

All the Yakuza/Like a Dragon Games on Xbox Game Pass

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon games have been amazing for ages, and thanks to their recent renaissance they've finally received the critical acclaim and love they deserve. Sure the newly released Like a Dragon: Ishin! isn't on there yet, but can play the entire mainline series instead.

You can experience the entire story of Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Dojima as he forges his legacy. Witness his 30-year-long journey from his humble beginnings in Yakuza 0 as a low-level thug in Tokyo's underbelly to Yakuza legend.

The Yakuza/Like a Dragon games feature some of the greatest character writing in gaming and charming recreations of Japan's nightlife. And if Kiryu's story seems a bit too daunting to step into, you can skip forward to Like a Dragon: Yakuza and meet new series protagonist Ichiban Kasuga and his friends.

Hi-Fi Rush

If you haven't been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Tango Gamework's breakout hit Hi-Fi Rush. The creative team behind The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, and Ghostwire Tokyo stealthily released this gem on Xbox Game Pass in late January and surprised everyone.

It's a rhythm-based action adventure in the vein of character action titles like Devil May Cry with just a hint of PlayStation 2/Dreamcast console mascot adventure vibes.

You play as Chai, a poser rockstar who stumbles into a conspiracy threatening the world after a botched cybernetic upgrade that was supposed to turn him into a real rockstar.

Now his heart and perception are synched to his MP3 player and he has to fight his way out of this mess. Players have to fight robots and solve challenges all the rhythm of a fantastic soundtrack. Hi-Fi Rush is already a contender for Game of the Year and it manifested out of thin air. And it's included in Xbox Game Pass!

Pentiment

Pentiment might fall into the category of a little too niche for your average gamer, but it deserves all the praise and attention it got. Developed by the good folks at Obsidian as a side project, games like Pentiment make a strong case for the Xbox Game Pass.

In this narrative-driven adventure/roleplaying game, you play Andreas Maler. An artist working on his masterpiece somewhere in Bravaria in the 16th century. After a short introduction, Andreas then has to solve a murder mystery deeply entrenched in the charming town of Tassingen.

If you have any passing interest in historical settings, Pentiment is the game for you. It lets you explore a late renaissance south Germany and portrays the tension between peasants, nobility, and the church in an incredible, well-thought-out drama.

You come for the ‘who dun it' murder mystery, but you stay for the town and its people whose lives you get to shape and influence. All while you live out the ripple effects of your choices and actions. You can read our full review here, but the game is enjoyed best if you don't know what to expect!

Sea of Thieves

There are not enough good things said about Rare's Sea of Thieve. The online coop pirate sandbox has been going strong for 5 years now. And since its release in 2018, it has received numerous updates and baffling amounts of content.

You can set to sea with up to four friends and brave whatever challenge you may come across. Be it chasing the horizon and discovering secrets or battling it out with rival crews. You'll search the titular sea of thieves for treasure and renown, but never know what adventure might await you once the wind turns.

It is an amazing open-ended online title that allows players to come up with the most ridiculous setups and battle encounters imaginable. The team behind the title has turned it from a pirate adventure to one of the best online experiences you can have today. It's the greatest Jack Sparrow Simulator out there.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Both Ni no Kuni titles are on Game Pass but special attention should to go Ni no Kuni II. Not only is it a visual and musical feast, but nothing less is to be expected from the folks behind the Professor Layton games.

But what is Ni no Kuni II? Well, you play the president. After a nuclear missile strike, you are transported into a fantasy realm. And now it is up to you to help and protect the young king Evan and turn him into the king he's destined to be with the power of politics and a gun.

And that is all I'm willing to tell you about it, it is one of the most charming RPGs you'll find, and if you're a fan of Studio Ghibli movies there is a lot to love here. Just go give it a download.

Persona 5

Persona 5 is pretty great. It deserves to be called the greatest RPG of the last 10 years for a variety of reasons, but honestly, it just works. Persona 5 is more than the sum of its parts and comes together with an amazing, system-driven journey into the minds and hearts of the citizens of Tokyo.

You're a Japanese student who through several shenanigans comes into strange abilities that allow you to steal people's metaphorical hearts. And you do what any student would do in that situation; create a ragtag band of phantom thieves and stick it to the man!

And yes, to some the fantasy of being an adolescent student in japan doesn't sound that enticing, but Persona 5 uses it as a framing device to explore complex themes and get you closer to fantastically realized characters. It's one of the best games on Xbox Game Pass.

Mount and Blade II Bannerlord

If you've ever fantasized about playing a medieval rags-to-riches story, please give Mount and Blade II Bannerlord a try. It is one of the most insanely detailed sandbox titles out there.

Mount and Blade II sets you into the head of an ambitious up-and-comer in a fictional version of early medieval Europe. After an empire fell apart, everyone is now fighting to gain the upper hand, and here comes you. Play whatever character you wish to be and have them suffer through the consequences of your actions.

You can decide to be a mercenary, create a trading empire or you can also work your way up in one of the various factions. Mount and Blade II features astonishing large-scale battles and sieges that have you give commands on the field.

Signalis

Signalis is another one of those titles that make a strong case for the Xbox Game Pass and sadly got lost in the shuffle last year. But with the recent slew of excellent horror titles, it deserves a second look.

It's a horror game in the vein of the old Silent Hill games, set in a dystopian sci-fi future. It does play like the lovechild of PlayStation One Resident Evil and Silent Hill while being heavily influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion and David Lynch.

The result is a haunting experience, where you follow a replika called Elser deeper and deeper into a psychological nightmare. It is atmospheric and incredibly well made, considering this is rose-engine's debut title. If you have soft spot for old-school survival horror, this is for you. 

 Dishonored

The Dishonored Definitive Edition is one of those titles perfect for Game Pass. While the game was released over 10 years ago, a game with an all-star development team like it doesn't come along as often. Helmed by some of the talents behind titles such as Deus Ex and Half-Life.

Dishonored was at the time and arguably still today the immersive sim. You play Corvo who is framed for the murder of the empress and now has to find her heir and restore her to power. You get to explore the beautiful “whale-punk” inspired city of Dunwall which is beset by a mysterious plague.

But the odds aren't stacked entirely against Corvo, after coming into contact with a strange being known as the Outsider. Now equipped with increasingly grotesque powers, Corvo holds the fate of all of Dunwall in his hands.

And the fun doesn't stop out there either, once you've finished the first game you can head on and play its DLC, the second game which is equally as brilliant, and the final chapter of this saga: Death of the Outsider.

Midnight Fight Express

Another one of those games that got lost in the shuffle but hopefully find a better life on Game Pass. Midnight Fight Express is a playable action movie after the school of John Wu and John Wick stuck in an isometric top-down view.

The player takes on the role of Babyface, who is lured back into a life of crime after hearing the sweet nothings whispered by an AI drone. Now you decent upon a town corrupted by crime as a merciless killing machine.

Combat in Midnight Fight Express is excellent, there are not many games that have such an engaging flow of combat. And it's not just hand-to-hand combat either, you're bobbing and weaving out of enemy sightlines and making use of everything you can find in the spur of the moment.

And once you're done, you can replay missions to complete extra challenges and unlock new clothes and special rewards while competing with other players on the leaderboards. Which is even more fun with the number of options and customization options you'll unlock later on.

There it is. Our picks for the 10 best games on Game Pass. Go have a look at them and see what Microsoft's subscription service has to offer. And we'll keep you posted on all things gaming and esports here on ESTNN