Game Pass has been around for a long time now, providing subscribers with a wide range of games to play. The collection of titles on the service is always in a state of flux, with games being added and removed regularly.
As a result, it can be hard to keep up with what games are actually on there. That said, it is easier to remember the biggest titles, such as Minecraft and Call of Duty Black Ops 7. Yet, there are also a bunch of hidden gems on there that many people forget about. Here is a collection of those lesser-known titles.
Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an action-adventure game where you take control of a pair of Ghost Banishers. As the name suggests, their job is to go to haunted places and get rid of the ghosts there. However, it’s more complicated than it sounds. You have to investigate what led to the person’s death and the reasons for them still being here. Then, you must decide what punishment they deserve, if any. This leads to some interesting moral dilemmas and plenty of compelling side stories. Without going into spoilers, the main story is equally compelling as it touches on subjects like love and loss.
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Outside of the investigations, you occasionally engage in battle against various spirit enemies. The combat isn’t as engaging as the investigations, but it still provides a unique experience where you get to use both traditional and ghostly powers.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
You don’t get many 2D side-scrolling beat ’em ups these days. Yet, Marvel Cosmic Invasion shows that these types of games still have plenty of charm. Not only does it offer the classic beat ’em up gameplay, but it even has old-school pixelated graphics.
As you’d expect for a 2D beat ’em up, the story isn’t very deep. It’s a simple tale of good versus evil as you try to stop an invasion. Those fighting on the side of good are a collection of heroes from Marvel comics. It has most of the characters you expect, such as Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, She-Hulk, Wolverine, and many more. Each hero plays differently and has their own powers, which adds great variety to the already engaging combat system.
Planet Of Lana 2
Planet of Lana 2 is best described as a puzzle adventure game. In it, you play as a person named Lana and her mysterious creature friend, Mui. You use the abilities of both of them to solve a litany of platforming puzzles. There aren’t many mechanics or controls to be aware of, but the puzzles still manage to be varied, well-designed, and challenging.
Another good thing about the title is the storytelling. The characters don’t speak, but you can still figure out what is going on based on what they’re doing and their body language. It makes for a unique way to tell a story.
Ball X Pit
Ball X Pit is a roguelite game that has you walking and continuously firing balls at enemies in front of you as the screen scrolls. The moving screen means that you keep getting closer to the enemy, who will do damage if they hit or touch you. They aren’t just close-range enemies, either. Some of them do fire projectiles of their own. So, you need to dodge while firing, creating quite a frantic and fast-paced experience.
While you start a run with a simple ball, you unlock various ball types and upgrades as you play. This means you get deadlier as time goes on. Plus, things generally get more exciting. Deep into a run, the screen is filled with projectiles and chaos, which is a big part of what makes this game fun. Outside of runs, there is also a cute town-building mechanic that you can engage with to help prepare for your next run.
Lost Records: Bloom And Rage
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage is developed by Don’t Nod, who also made the original Life is Strange. This is pretty clear when you play the game, as there are certainly some similarities. This, too, is a narrative adventure game where you control teenage friends.
Yet in this title, you don’t just control the teenage versions; there are two stories happening concurrently. One tale is set in 2022, in which the group of friends meets up for the first time in a while. The other tale takes place in 1995 when they were teenagers. The whole story revolves around a secret they made back in their teens. The narrative isn’t just a linear one, though, as you make various choices that impact how the whole thing plays out.
Lost In Random
The story of Lost in Random revolves around a pair of sisters. One is named Odd, and the other is Even. Once they turn 12, they’re both forced to roll a dice. Whatever number it lands on dictates what world they’re going to live in. Because of this, the two sisters are split up, but Even doesn’t accept this and goes on an adventure to reunite with Odd.
There is a distinct Tim Burton feel to both the art style and tone. Characters, in particular, have very unusual and distinct designs. Meeting and interacting with these oddlings is part of the game’s charm. The battle system is equally unusual, as it combines real-time combat with dice rolls and cards. Fighting in this game isn’t as fun as exploring the strange world, but both make this an enjoyable and unique action-adventure title.
Tiny Bookshop
In Tiny Bookshop, you run a small, mobile bookshop in a beautiful seaside town. The advantage of a mobile bookshop is that you don’t need to stick to one place in that town. You can travel to different areas throughout the game to set up your shop, giving you different backgrounds and scenery to admire as you run your business.
It’s a fairly stress-free management simulator that gives you a nice, cozy feel as you play. That said, there is still work you have to do. Every day, you must select how many books of which genre to put on your shelves. To help with this decision, the game lets you know which genres are more popular at that time. If someone comes in looking for a book you don’t have, you will have missed out on a sale. Therefore, there is a bit of strategy to the game. Overall, though, this is a title that allows you to relax.
Replaced
Replaced is a 2.5D action platform game that has you controlling an AI that has accidentally taken over the body of a human. You don’t have too much time to think about the situation, though, as you attempt to escape from the Phoenix Corporation that you once worked for. In the process, you meet the regular people whose lives have been destroyed by that same corporation. Yes, this is a classic cyberpunk tale.
The visual style of the game immediately stands out, with a retro 16-bit art style and plenty of personality. The characters have personality, too, due to the game’s strong writing. As for gameplay, there is plenty of platforming and puzzle-solving. However, there are times when you can’t get out of situations using your brains or leaping ability. So, you must face groups of enemies in close-quarters combat. It’s quite fast-paced, but there is also strategy involved. This is because each enemy type must be taken down in a specific way, which adds a nice challenge to the game.
For The King 2
The story of For The King 2 is fairly simple. There is a Queen who used to be loved but has now become a tyrant, so you need to stop her and free the people. To accomplish that, you must go on an adventure that involves turn-based tactical combat and some roguelite elements.
For much of the game, you travel around the world, completing quests and getting in small-scale battles with opposition groups. The fights are tactical in nature, meaning player position and the use of the correct abilities are important. Yet, no matter how much of a tactician you are, you aren’t likely to win every fight. After all, this is a roguelite, meaning you’re expected to die and restart your run better prepared. Overall, the combat has nice depth without being overbearing. It’s particularly enjoyable to play with friends.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
The title sounds absurd, but Ultimate Chicken House is an excellent competitive party game. The basic premise is that each player controls a colorful animal of their choosing and has to reach the designated end goal. However, if you all reach the end goal, nobody gets any points. So, the real objective is to reach the end goal and make sure the others don’t.
To help with this, every player gets to place either an obstacle or a platform at the end of each round. Therefore, you need to try to make it doable for yourself but hard for your opponents. It’s strategic and entertaining.
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