There’s no denying that Game Pass is the best deal in gaming currently out there. However, with new games being added every month and Microsoft buying more and more studios to sweeten the deal, there can be quite a few single-player games to sort through. From imaginative platformers to fast-paced shooters and low-key simulators, there are so many different genres to explore. There seems to be no end in sight for all of the best single-player games on Game Pass that are added to the service on a regular basis.
Don’t fret though, as we have you covered. We’ve gathered the cream of the crop so that you can hit the ground running if you are a new subscriber or maybe help you reconsider a title that you’ve been passing over for the past few months. Here are the best single-player games on Game Pass for Xbox Series X & S and Xbox One.
The Best Single-Player Games on Game Pass
15. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was a revitalization for this classic series. On the search for his wife Mia, Ethan Winters is taken captive by the Baker family, who have something “off” about them. They appear insane, unpredictable, and cannibalistic.
Instead of its traditional third-person perspective, Biohazard chose a more immersive first-person perspective and upped the horror elements back up to 11.You have to wander around the Baker family property, confront each family member, and learn the tragic history of what happened. The gameplay retains many of the best parts of classic Resident Evil such as secret switches, safe rooms, and horrifying monsters.
Biohazard is a night you won’t forget, but you might want to play this one with the lights on.
14. Halo Infinite
Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
343 Industries’ latest crack at Halo’s campaign was a roaring success as you return to fight as the Master Chief with a new gang of allies on a new Halo ring in Halo Infinite.
For the first time, Halo is largely an open world which has changed the level of freedom the player has in navigating objectives. You can use an assortment of vehicles from the humble warthog to the high-flying wasp to traverse but at the end of the day, you’ll probably favor the new grappling hook.
With it, you can swing into enemy strongholds or scale entire mountains and it feels great – really great. You can fight to stop the Banished in the main campaign and experience one of the best stories in the series, help liberate the UNSC forces that are sprinkled around the map, or take down enemy leaders and take their unique weapon.
With Game Pass, you can even play all the other Halos if you are worried about not getting Infinite’s story with the Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
13. DOOM (2016)
Developer: id Software
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
DOOM (2016) was a reboot for the classic series and one that proved just how well the original FPS king worked in modern gaming. The story is nothing to write home about: You are the Doom Slayer trying to stop a horde of demons that are pouring into the UAC facility on Mars, but that’s not why we play DOOM.
It’s instead all about the opportunity to run around hellish landscapes using a variety of sci-fi weaponry to rip and tear through the demons all while jamming to one of the best soundtracks in gaming history. Each arena-like level will encourage you to find a rhythm as you learn the enemy spawns and create your own circuit of chaos to the heavy metal riffs.
It’s a wild ride and one that will have your adrenaline pumping from start to finish. And if you find that you need more demon-slaying fun in your life, the sequel, DOOM Eternal, is also on Game Pass.
12. Alien Isolation
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: Sega
Alien Isolation is one of those rare licensed games that prove it’s possible to adapt movie properties into phenomenal gameplay experiences.
You play as Amanda Ripley (yes, the daughter of Ellen Ripley) as she and her team investigate the location of her mother’s flight recorder on the space station, Sevastopol.
However, soon after trying to transfer to the station, everything goes wrong. It’s then up to Amanda to traverse this floating tomb while dealing with the paranoid inhabitants who keep muttering about a “monster” lurking in the shadows.
The entire experience is tense from the word go and dealing with the xenomorph when you finally meet face to face is something that will haunt your dreams for weeks to come.
11. NieR: Automata – Become as Gods Edition
Developer: PlatinumGames
Publisher: Square Enix
If you’ve only seen screenshots of NieR: Automata, you probably have no idea what kind of game it is because it utilizes several genres without breaking a sweat. There are elements of shoot ‘em up and hack and slash all wrapped up with a JRPG ribbon. All of these gameplay elements are intertwined perfectly without ever feeling shoehorned in. It can often aid in the sense of scale of the bosses as perspective and style change to fit the moment – making boss fights feel like gargantuan tasks.
The desolate world that NieR: Automata depicts is one of the most fascinating and depressing to come out of any studio in recent years. From seemingly abandoned theme parks to robotic towns set in the trees, the locations in this title are memorable and worth exploring for every detail.
The combat is also very smooth with plenty of options to customize how you prefer to fight the robot army while you begin to puzzle out just how this war came to be in the first place.
10. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
Developer: Moon Studios
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Ori and the Blind Forest is a visual treat with vibrant forests and picturesque horizons.
You play as Ori, a guardian spirit as they work to restore the forests back to their prime. Throughout the game, you’ll be navigating the forest’s Metroidvania map and as you collect new abilities for Ori, you’ll be able to experience more of this beautiful world.
Don’t let its visual charm fool you, though: Ori and the Blind Forest can be challenging as you run to escape crashing waters and confront fierce enemies. There will also be times where you’ll kick yourself over a particularly difficult platforming section. However, the journey is worth every restart because Ori and the Blind Forest is one of those games that won’t let you put it down until it’s been beaten.
9. Prey
Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
If you’re a fan of the BioShock games and have always wanted an iteration in space, Arkane Studios’ Prey might be just what you are looking for.
You play as Morgan Yu as you explore the space station, Talos I. After an early twist introduction, you must arm yourself against the Typhon organisms that have taken over while searching for a way to deal with the outbreak and the research that caused it.
Don’t worry you’ll have access to traditional guns and melee weapons as well as abilities and a skill tree. Prey gives you plenty of ways to decide how you’d like to survive aboard Talos I. The environmental storytelling is also one of the best things about it as you read computer logs, study the overturned chairs and forgotten projects laying around, and watch as many of the few survivors you do find meet a grisly end. You’ll want to pay attention to every detail in this world.
8. The Evil Within
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
The Evil Within is a true survival horror game where you feel like every decision you make needs to be calculated and perfected or you risk certain death. You play as Detective Sebastian Castellanos as he tries to get to the bottom of the recent surge of supernatural horror that has taken over. The Evil Within’s monsters are some of the most creative and visually disturbing in any horror franchise and will definitely leave you second-guessing going to sleep.
Many enemies will force you to get creative in defeating them. You’ll need to learn when to use the environment, sneak around, and be as aggressive as you can. The strategy that works best for you will probably differ from others, too. You’ll have access to standard weapons such as shotguns and a burst handgun, but it’s the little things like matches that might be the most useful because you might feel like you have to burn bodies to ensure your own safety.
If you want to feel like every moment is a fight for survival against terrifying monsters in disturbing locations, The Evil Within will deliver. Its sequel is also worth checking out.
7. Hollow Knight
Developer: Team Cherry
Publisher: Team Cherry
One of the best single-player games on Game Pass also happens to be the new standard in Metroidvania games.
Hollow Knight follows the adventures of a bug known only as “The Knight” who must traverse the complex map of Hollow Nest and defeat the Hollow Knight. Hallownest itself is one of the most beautiful 2D environments, right up there with Ori with gloomy observatories, decrepit tombs, and lush greenery.
The soundtrack will have you reflecting on this tragic kingdom constantly, at least, when you aren’t fighting for your own survival because this game is tough. From the bosses to the platforming, you’ll constantly be challenged to sharpen your skills as much as your trusty nail. Every boss fight is a puzzle that you need to figure out and master, and there is no greater feeling of pride than beating the foe that had you up against the ropes for the past few hours.
6. Stardew Valley
Developer: ConcernedApe
Publisher: Chucklefish
If some of the previous games felt a little too sweaty for you, Stardew Valley is the pinnacle of chill gaming. In Stardew, you have just moved out to Pelican Town where your grandfather has left you a plot of land and an old farmhouse. Here you’ll be able to raise crops, care for livestock, and create artisan goods, but that isn’t nearly everything.
If farming isn’t your style, Stardew Valley offers other ways to spend your time such as fishing, exploring the nearby cave system, becoming the most popular person in town, or running a major conglomerate out of town. Throughout the in-game year, there will be community events that help to add to the excitement of the seasonal changes.
There’s always something to do in Pelican Town, just as long as you are making your grandfather proud.
5. Dishonored 2
Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
One of the most replayable games on this list, Dishonored 2 allows you to navigate each of its levels freely with your main restriction being your own imagination. You play as either Corvo Attano or Emily Kaldwin while traversing the city of Karnaca as you once again try to retake the throne from a usurper.
Each level will have you crawling through gutters, scaling rooftops, and sticking to the shadows as best you can and each encourages you to think outside the box. From the intricacy of Clockwork Mansion to the mind-bending Crack in the Slab, Dishonored 2 offers a playground of opportunity to flex your assassin muscles and utilize the full scope of its sandbox of weapons and superpowers.
You do have to make choices on what to focus on as Emily and Corvo play very differently, so it’s worth playing the game at least twice (if not several times) to truly get a sense of everything.
4. Sunset Overdrive
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
One of the most underrated titles of the eighth console generation, Sunset Overdrive is a quirky third-person shooter with a sprinkle of platforming elements.
Sunset City has been taken over by energy drink-fuelled zombies and you are one of the few people who didn’t drink the “Kool-aid.” You are tasked with shooting these creatures with an array of creative weaponry while bouncing, grinding, and rolling through the metropolitan map.
There is a lot to do from the main quest, score attack modes, side missions, and hundreds of collectibles that will encourage you to master the movement as quickly as possible. When you get the hang of it, moving around Sunset City has its own unique zen that is rarely matched in gaming.
The characters are very upbeat for people living in an apocalypse and some of the jokes are straight out of 2014 pop culture, but it only adds to the endearing charm of Sunset Overdrive. There just isn’t a game quite like it.
3. What Remains of Edith Finch
Developer: Giant Sparrow
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
What Remains of Edith Finch is a narrative-based game where you follow Edith as she explores her childhood home to learn not only more about her family but about herself. Each level is a different family member’s story and each one is as tragic as the last as Edith begins to wonder if there is something to the family curse.
To avoid spoilers, it’s best just to say that each family member’s tale is presented in their own unique way and uses the cast of voice actors to their utmost potential. If you are looking for a good cry, or just another story to think about for months to come, What Remains of Edith Finch could be a new favorite.
Best of all, it’s only a few hours long so you can experience this in one night on Game Pass if you really wanted to.
2. Hades
Developer: Supergiant Games
Publisher: Supergiant Games
What Hollow Knight did for Metroidvanias, Hades did for roguelikes. Hades builds upon its Greek mythology roots to create a compelling story about Hades’ son Zagreus, who is struggling to reach the surface and find his mother.
As Zagreus, you’ll need to work your way through the Underworld, honing your skills, and gaining the favor of the Gods to help you make it to the surface but enemies are relentless. You’ll need to be at the top of your game if you hope to even make it past the Hydra.
However, every failure isn’t a total loss. You will learn and slowly grow more powerful making each trek back up a little easier than before. The best part is that characters remember your attempts and overall progress so the conversations that you have with them will evolve over time, making the Underworld feel more like a living breathing world. And they are all so darn likable (even those that are supposed to be hated).
1. Psychonauts 2
Developer: Double Fine
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Easily the best single-player game on Game Pass, Psychonauts 2 takes everything that made the original such a cult classic and modernizes it.
Raz and the Psychonauts are returning from the events of the Rhombus of Ruin when they realize that there is a cult that is trying to revive a long-gone foe of the psychonauts. Psychonauts is a charming and legitimately funny game that will make each cutscene worth the watch. The levels though are where Psychonauts 2 proves that it’s more than just a normal platformer.
Each level is centered around an individual’s psyche so it’s populated with things that symbolize their mental state. The levels are one of the best ways to learn about the different characters in this game as they will reveal insecurities, anxieties, and dependencies that you might have never have been able to learn in the overworld. Learning new psychic abilities and exploring every crevice of these worlds is so much fun you’ll constantly be finding charming details that expand the universe.
Just don’t ask where Sam got the milk.
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