There was a time when Xbox was boasting about the fact that Game Pass had over 100 games in its library, and those days should be well and truly over at this point, as the service now features more than 400 titles in total.
We're all aware of the many, many incredible games you can download with Game Pass for console, PC and Ultimate, including all first-party titles on the day of release and the entirety of the EA Play library (with PC and Ultimate), and with Christmas fast approaching, we'll undoubtedly see many more gamers joining the Game Pass revolution.
So, with that in mind, we're keen to know what your recommendations are for the first games someone should be downloading when they sign up to Game Pass this winter. Feel free to split your recommendations into genres if you like (to suit all preferences), and by all means throw some hidden gems in the pile as well.
You don't have to just pick one game — go ahead and wax lyrical about your Game Pass picks in the comments!
What would you recommending downloading first on Game Pass? Let us know down below.
Comments 77
Right now, probably Halo Infinite, but I'd really like people to try out Gears Tactics. If that were to get played enough, firstly we might get a sequel (please!), but we might even get one in the Halo Universe, which would also be awesome...
Depends. If you like racers, fh5. Fps, halo. RPGs, dqxi. Absurdity, sunset overdrive. Etc.
If you're looking for something first party then Halo Infinite.
If you're looking for something first party and really meaty Halo MCC or Microsoft Flight Simulator.
If you've not played it yet download Slay the Spire. Finally a hidden gem is TABS.
Halo MCC, Hades, Slay the Spire, Hollowknight, there are so many great games to choose from honestly
That's easy. Forza Horizon 5. Nothing will wow you more at the moment. Especially if you've never had an Xbox before.
Prey
Thinking being there's no point recommending Halo, Forza, Gears as they will likely be playing those anyway.
Give the sleeper hits some love
Honestly I'm going to be a negative Nancy on this one. Can't recommend any game, simply because it may be gone by time you have chance to play it.
That is my biggest complaint about game pass - next to that majority of games are basically 8 bit Nintendo games - by time have chance to play a game it's gone or on its way out.
Forza 5 or Flight Simulator or Sea of Thieves. Cars, Planes and Boats
Depends on the person's tastes, id recommend forza horizon 5 and the gunk, then maybe try scarlet nexus
My top picks would be Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Rocket League, and Gears 5
The first games I played were ori and the Will of the whisps (I had already played the first one) and the fable trilogy as it was my first Xbox system and they are totally worth it nowadays.
My favourite game so far is nier automata and it was a total surprise.
Also any mass effect or dragon age of you missed those
For weird and whacky, the Artful Escape or Genesis Noir
Depends on the person of course, but if I had to choose just one regardless: Forza Horizon 5
@GuyinPA75 developers are happy to offset expenses by launching on game pass, and they frequently sign 6- to 12-month agreements with Microsoft. The fact that there is so many doing so that you didn't get to play everything is not a drawback. Indie devs, are out there trying to make a livelihood, they will have to sell their games outside of the game pass ecosystem at some time. If you miss a game, they are constantly adding new ones to the Game Pass.
For me it was Halo: The Master Chief Collection as I had only ever played a bit of Halo 3. So that would be my first game download recommendation.
I'm going to go against the grain and say dont try FH5 or halo because if you are asking the 'what do I play first' question it's because you don't tend to play these games. .
Stay away from Flight simulator. It'll take days before you can play your Xbox while you wait and there's a very high chance you'll delete it after one go on it.
In response to 'try everything' I'd say don't. Google 'whats leaving game pass soon' and check in case you start something that is lost shortly. Also save the first party til last as they will be on there indefinitely I think. Avoid 3rd party large games. You won't get through them in time unless you play nothing else - which is a waste if you have GP.
So in summary. Stick to 3rd party short games first.
So my recommendation would be It Takes Two, Firewatch, Hades or Control for the moment although be warned once you start Hades you'll not play anything else for a while either.
Can’t really answer this properly. There’s so much on GP. Could be anything. The answer depends heavily on am I talking to a fps lover? Racing enthusiast?
The variety inherent in GP allows for a tailor-made answer.
First off, I would want to know the person and what it is they really want to experience or preferred gaming genres. It would be pointless recommending Halo Infinite for example to someone looking for the 'best' Series X game to showcase the Hardware or not interested in First Person Shooters - there are 'better' recommendations to give.
The only thing I would recommend generically is 'Game Pass' itself - specifically Ultimate. Regardless of what the individual is looking for or prefer to play, they will find what they want within the amount of choice and variety on offer. I'd also encourage them to go 'Ultimate' and try Streaming too so they can 'instantly' jump into any game and play instead of waiting for the Download as well as increase the number of games available as you get EA Play too titles added...
Game Pass Ultimate is what I'd recommend to anyone and only recommend specific titles once I know what someone is looking for.
For 'retro' gamers, there is Rare Replay as well as a lot of great BC games - some with boosts to res/frame rates, For RPG fans, you have Bethesdas Elder Scrolls/Fallout games, For FPS fans All the Halo and Doom games, Wolfenstein games, Racing fans have Forza, Gears is great if you like the 3rd person Action games etc etc So many Fantastic games to recommend to 'download' and play First that it only makes sense to recommend Game Pass and let them decide which one they want to play first based on their own preferences.
I’d go with Psychonauts.
Prey.
What. A. Game
Forza Horizon 4.
I think everyone is different and what works for one person won’t work for another. Which is why it is great there is such a good selection at our fingertips.
Games like Minecraft, Skyrim, Forza, Halo, Dragon Quest 11, Psychonauts, a few Final Fantasy games, Rare games, Xbox classics, some Dooms, Fallouts and Dragon Ages, the Battlefield games, Star Wars games, various FIFAs and other sports games from EA Play, plus so many more.
Having said that… Nier: Automata
I would say the entire Yakuza series, but unfortunately some of them are leaving by the end of the year.
Mine was super Luckys tail. I got my Xbox and game pass and was discouraged by the amount of fps. So I don’t get game pass anymore. I just buy games
Remnant from the Ashes. It is the best game I have played this year (even before the next gen patch). It's a wonderful shooter-looter with several biomes. Great gameplay, great visual, in one word : perfect!
Control... or Prey.
Doom (2016) and them Doom Eternal. Best games ever!
Remnant from the ashes ... code vein. True gems
I would suggest Ryse: Son of Rome.
I remember this game coming out and getting a poor reception and relatively poor reviews. I didn’t play it until last year on Gamepass after skipping the One and I enjoyed it so much. It still looks great and the combat is brutal and fun!! I’d love a sequel.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Minecraft and Sea of Thieves. They've got the highest replay value. Honorable mentions to Fallout 4 and Skyrim.
@MyThoughts31 Genesis Noir is brilliant but it weirdly has these game breaking bugs at certain points in the story that has left me unable to actually do anything. Which has led me to uninstall>install and even retry the whole chapter again multiple times which I almost never do. Such a letdown 😭
@StonyKL whilst I agree with your statement, as It Takes Two is a part of EA Play I don't think anyone would necessarily have to start with it ASAP. As I don't see that service leaving anytime soon.
@Halucigens forza 5 wasn't that good, Forza 7 was better
@Cherip-the-Ripper I've not encountered game breaking bugs, holding a and b seems to help with the stuck in a scene and can't leave bits
For anyone in the UK you might want to check out Eneba as I just got 3 months of Game pass Ultimate for around 20 quid. Way cheaper than the 33 quid MS want, and its a 5 star trust pilot website too.
Hi, the forgoten city is the first game you guys should check out.
It is art in every aspect, not something just made to sell. It does not follow main stream, it is actually something new. Everything else is more or less the same stuff you seen a thousand times.
Halo Infinite, FH5, All the Gears games..
Psychonauts 2 because it'll be criminally under played much like the first was.
I recommend Halo Infinite , Hades , Scarlet Nexus, Conan Exiles
Halo Infinite 👀
@Halucigens i said Forza 5 like you put not Horizon 5
I only use game pass for games that I can't get on disc because I don't support a digital only market, as a life long collector.
Jedi: Fallen Order! If you're coming from the Switch, this game will blow your mind. I think it even got an FPS boost this year!
Forza Horizon 5
Halo Infinite
Doom Eternal
Gears 5
and so many many more...
@Balta666 I feel bad now for not suggesting Ori. My fave two Xbox games from last gen that play even better this gen. Great shout!
Hades, Rare Replay or Yakuza 0 (but unfortunately that last option is leaving soon)
Psychonauts 2
That's such a personalized question it's kind of meaningless. "Whatever one interests you the most" I guess.
But if I'm going to be a snob, Dishonored. Might as well dive into the immersive sims from Arkane that nobody ever plays....
Skyrim… there is simply so much game to be had.
@SlySnake0407 Quantum Break is brilliant, needs a sequel
DOOM Eternal OR Wolfenstein II, great FPS titles!
@Cherip-the-Ripper good point. I was trying to be bit clever with my answer other than standard "Halo, FH and Gears" which to me is like saying "COD and FIFA" I just don't get the hype personally - think I'm just too old for them now! but you make an excellent point. It takes two can wait a bit.
Forza 5 is the easy answer, but I have also been really enjoying Generation Zero. I love Gamepass, I’ve found a lot of great games I would never have tried if I had to pay for them individually.
@MyThoughts31 artful escape was amazing, even better ona surround sound.
First of all, play third-party games because they stay on Game Pass for 6-12 months but consider buying the big ones, e.g., Dragon Quest XI Definitive Edition or Yakuza, and invest the Game Pass time in discovering smaller games (any, you don't know what you'll like). Game Pass means you try games for "free" and you play the whole game if you want. It's incredible.
First-party games stay forever on Game Pass. Diving into the first-party pool, try games like Rare Replay (collection), Halo The Master Chief Collection (FPS), Forza Horizon 5 (racing), Sea of Thieves (simulator/adventure), Gears of War (FPS), Ori and the Blind Forest (platformer), Psychonauts (platformer), Ryse (adventure), Quantum Break (adventure), State of Decay 2 (survival simulator that includes the first game map and it's one thousand times better than the first and brilliant on Series X/S), The Evil Within (survival horror) and Skyrim Special Edition (RPG). I haven't played Hellblade (adventure) yet.
As only a couple people have mentioned, I loved Quantum Break, it’s a pretty unique experience.
I’d also recommend FH5, Plague Tale, Psychonauts 2, Gears 5, Hellblade, Ori and Halo Infinite MP.
Those should cover just about any genre really.
Damn that's a tough one. Ori was fantastic. Pshyconauts was great but 2 for new gen folks would likely be best as not everyone can look past slightly older graphics. Halo infinite is absolutely amazing, but I'd say play MCC first because going back after infinite will just ruin a lot of the experience of MCC with its older feel. Titanfall 2 camping is a must Forza 4 or 5.... just to many to pick from!!!!
@Microbius Ryse son of Rome was mu very first game i played on the series x
I downloaded Bloodstained and Ori & TWotW the same day I got GP.
Tetris Effect
The last one is bloody, bloody brilliant and everyone who hasn't played it yet should find an (online) parter to do so.
@Fiendish-Beaver I love the Gears games but I've never played this one. I'll add it to my list.
Um I would recommend the artful escape and pikuniku. Both titles I wouldn't have picked up otherwise and are brilliant. Neither are like super hard games or anything but both have their own fun little mechanics. So even if it's not something you would initially go for I think all can enjoy. Also they aren't the longest games in the world so can be finished in a weekend or so. Great stories and both very funny.
Another worthy mention would be Ai: the somnium files. Again something I totally wouldn't have picked up, and being honest still didn't look that great in the trailer but glad I gave it a go. Yet to finish it but I will. Like it's craziness and it's characters.
Enjoyed superluminal, puzzle game, great ending.
Of course Forza Horizon 5. Having a fantastic time with my friends.
Psychonauts 2 has been good what I've played of it. After finishing the first one very recently. Wouldn't recommend that so much as it does become a drag at points as much as I did enjoy parts of it.
As mentioned above Tetris effect if haven't already played on playstation like myself.
Loads to have fun with.
I really enjoyed it, @blockfight, but it is a very different beast to the usual Gears fare. It is similar in style to the Xcom games, in that it is a turn-based game. I've still not attempted it on Insane as I think it would give me a proper kicking if I did. One day though...
I've played a bit of Xcom and enjoyed it. Also played a lot of Mario+Rabbids (as my profile pic shows) which I believe is similar so I'm definitely on for trying that style of game. And Gears is one of my favourite franchises so I can see this appealing to me.
Skyrim it is so impressive now with the latest update.
@Hutchieace I've only ever played Skyrim on the Switch. While I'm loathe to give up motion controls for my archery, I'd love to experience recent graphical upgrades to enhance the immersion. Worth it, you think?
Going outside the normal like Halo or Forza Horizon... I'd say Psychonauts 2.
I would suggest The Gunk
i feel like recommending Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie since they are my most played games on my Xbox one.
i mostly use my Xbox for media streaming and playing DVDs. I prefer playing games on my Nintendo Switch.
@nofriendo oh yes a huge step up from the switch it’s basically the best game upgrade ever.
One of my top games ever is Day of the Tentacle so I'd recommend the remaster on gamepass if folks have never played it.
Was the first game I downloaded when I signed up - and I've played it through many many times before.
@GuyinPA75 I'm sorry but I have to completely disagree I feel as though you haven't taken the time to fully use gamepass not that it matters but to say the least I only game on Xbox I'm an ambassador and within the insider program so Ill take it upon myself to say you're entitled to your opinions but with companies like doublefine, 343 industries, Bethesda, rare, the coalition, compulsion, the initiative, Mojang, obsidian, turn 10, playground games, etc, and that's just under Microsoft any future games and most current games from those developers will release day one or are already on there respectively. Then to add EA play to the mix and tons of other developers there's plenty of AAA games to go around. Also to note most of them have been on there for awhile. is there alot of games you might say don't meet par yes but these all may be games worth trying out for some people small or not and I'd have to say most of the games I see leaving are usually the smaller ones but everytime they leave they're replaced with a refreshment of new ones. I'd have to say games are in there plenty long enough to beat them and if not due to many reasons, all gamepass games give you a 15 percent discount all the way until they leave, now to answer the original question if I had to choose I'd say the opposite play any of them first, the last I counted there were 396 games in the list, surprise yourself, game your heart out, you may just find your next favorite game regardless if it's rated poorly, whether it's small or big there's definitely something for everyone
@TMELTDOWN as a side note to my last post having read some comments about downloading smaller games before games with a larger file size might I add gamepass's inclusion of xcloud which let's you stream games straight to the Xbox or PC or mobile device that you use giving you a chance to try out a game big or small in size before downloading it for a more rewarding experience
Generally if people have a new console they want stuff to show off how great it is so by that token I’d say Forza Horizon 5 and Microsoft Flight Sim.
I’d say that those two games probably give you the biggest wow factor whether you’re on Series S or X. Flight Sim might not be for everybody long term but nothing beats the feeling of dropping a plane over cities you visited in the past and looking for familiar landmarks to buzz. And of course flying over your house.
@Cherip-the-Ripper i 1kd Genesis Noir, had to quit to dashboard a couple of times when it glitched but otherwise fine.
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