The Game Pass catalog is made up of both blockbusters and games produced by independent studios. As 2022 draws to a close, we look back on some of the good and little-known games that have made their way to the service. Microsoft in the last 12 months. So get in command.
The best Game Pass games have already been covered
You can find our pick of the best Game Pass games of 2022 here.
As twilight falls
First introduced at Xbox Games Showcase 2020, As Dusk Falls is a storytelling experience that draws on different themes – family, forgiveness, loyalty – to deliver a moving story. With an original art direction, with 2D characters embedded in 3D environments, it is recognizable at first glance. Its restrictive gameplay that removes any direct player control of the character will not reconcile those allergic to interactive cinema to the genre, but it allows the creation of INTERIOR/NIGHT to focus on the essentials. With choices that very often lead to real consequences, As Dusk Falls does this better than many other titles in its class.
sleeping citizen
Largely ignored despite its great qualities, Citizen Sleeper is a narrative RPG set on a decaying space station. In the skin of aSleeperAs a digitized human mind in an avatar, you must be on the run from a corporation that wants you back. To do this, you will have to work on construction sites, serve in bars or even haggle in the markets in the hope of surviving until the next cycle. Inspired by paper role playing games, Citizen Sleeper includes dice, dials and options, as well as lengthy discussions. with the protagonists present. But beware: the game is chatty and entirely in English.
Gorogoa
Behind this strange title is an original, poetic and well-constructed puzzle game. Gorogoa, published by Annapurna Interactive, actually offers an experience that surprises every moment. The principle is simple: the user has to explore images and solve various puzzles with different functions. Playing with shapes, cutouts, planes and colours, the title imagined by Jason Roberts stirs our gray matter in a pleasant way. Very short, this splendid puzzle game is definitely worth a few hours of your life.
no one saves the world
Known for having made both installments of Guacamelee, DrinkBox Studios abandons metroidvania to try the action-RPG/dungeon crawler adventure peppered with rogue-lite. With Nobody Saves The World, the ambition is to make a complex transformation system (eighteen shapes in total) coexist with a vast open world including various dungeons and characters. Each transformation has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as its own missions. From rats to turtles to bodybuilders, the player will have to master a wide variety of skills and adapt to the challenges that come their way. Playable cooperatively, Nobody Saves The World is a must-try title.
Repentance
As soon as it was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2022, Pentiment generated a lot of interest. And what could be more normal, the title is designed by Josh Sawyer, one of the fathers of Fallout New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity. Set in the Benedictine Abbey of Keirsau in 1518, Andreas Maler is an artist who works on his life’s work in the monastery’s scriptorium before immersing himself in an epic mystery. Trying to solve a series of murders over several years, the hero will have to solve puzzles, debate and, above all, make decisions that will affect his progress. Described as a historical RPG thanks to some impressive documentation about the period, Pentiment is an exciting title. but talkative. It is clear that it is not for everyone despite his enormous qualities.
Contempt
What better than a ladle of cryptic terror to accompany this year’s turkey? Combining exploration and puzzles with a touch of action, Scorn is a very contemplative first-person game, even if what you see is repulsive. Lost in a hostile universe made of disgusting structures, the player must solve various puzzles in a visual frenzy reminiscent of the work of HR Giger.. Flesh and metal serve as the basis for a narrative that is supported exclusively by the environment. Immersive in its sound design and haunting in more ways than one, Scorn allows itself the luxury of being beautiful. Ebb Software has produced a particularly compelling experience with an unhealthy atmosphere.
signaled
Attention, alarm! Developed by the German studio rose-engine, Signalis is a survival-horror designed for fans of the first Resident Evil. Set in a dystopian future, this old-school title tasks you with traveling through ominous places in the suit of Elster, a Replika technician. The heroine awakens from cryostasis on an icy planet. Signalis focuses on the old school feel, which means that the player has to navigate structures with lots of rooms to visit, find keys to open doors, complete puzzles, and most importantly, go back and forth a lot due to the very limited inventory.. Ammo and healing kits are in short supply, forcing you to manage your resources efficiently. An excellent surprise that deserves to be given a chance.
Somerville
Announced at Xbox Showcase 2021, Somerville made quite an impression on audiences thanks to its careful art direction and what seemed like a sophisticated setting. Imagined by Dino Patti, one of the former bosses of Playdead (Limbo, Inside), Somerville is a narrative adventure set in the middle of an alien invasion. The player must find his family members and find a way to survive this hellish situation. Written and directed by Chris Olsen, the game mixes adventure and puzzle. Somerville has its flaws, like fickle handling and basic puzzles, but the experience is still worth it if you like epics on the brink of reality.
The pedestrian
Released in 2020, but hitting the Game Pass library in 2022, The Pedestrian doesn’t lack for originality, as we embody a small billboard character moving from billboard to billboard. To progress, you have to arrange the different signs, create links and solve puzzles. Approachable and witty, The Pedestrian has many challenges to keep his brain in knots. Thanks to its slick graphics and ever-changing scenery, The Pedestrian is a puzzle game with a platformer twist.
surviving vampires
At first glance, Vampire Survivors might seem like a sick joke. With its NES-like graphics and crudely animated 2D sprites, it doesn’t favor the retina. But the interest of the title lies elsewhere. As for the gameplay, it couldn’t be simpler: the player only controls his protagonist with the left stick, with automatic attacks. He has to destroy enemies that earn him experience points, XP that allow him to unlock new weapons or increase the power of acquired skills. This simple yet addictive principle is enough to keep you captivated for hours.. Thanks to the feeling of constant escalation, the title constantly captures the attention of the player. Trying it is embracing it (at least for long minutes).