Xbox Game Pass has come a long way since its 2017 launch. When it debuted, Xbox Game Pass was home to just over 100 games, with some of the biggest being Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, Saints Row 4, and NBA 2K16. Seven years later, Xbox Game Pass is now home to almost 500 titles, many of which can be played on consoles, PC, or on a variety of devices thanks to Xbox Cloud streaming.
Xbox Game Pass gets better every year, and 2024 has been a testament to that. Long-awaited first-party sequels, huge AAA third-party releases, and countless great undie games have all arrived on Xbox Game Pass this year, many on launch day. Listed in chronological order, these 12 Xbox Game Pass day-one titles are the best of the best this year.
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Palworld – January 2024
Check Out Palworld on OpenCritic
Released back in January, Palworld was the first major surprise of 2024, at least in the gaming world. An open-world game that merged the survival mechanics of games like Rust with the creature capture mechanics of Pokemon, Palworld gained a lot of publicity right away. One of Palworld‘s biggest highlights was its cooperative multiplayer, something that its release on Xbox Game Pass helped foster.
Persona 3 Reload – February 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Persona 3 Reload Review
2016’s Persona 5 gave the long-running JRPG franchise a newfound sense of popularity in the West, and publisher Atlus has continued to capitalize on that popularity at every turn. Back in February, Atlus released Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the 2006 PS2 original. The remake received acclaim from many critics and fans, with its updated visuals, menu UI, and gameplay vastly improving an already-beloved game. Persona 3 Reload was Xbox Game Pass’ first major AAA day-one hit of 2024.
Another Crab’s Treasure – April 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Another Crab’s Treasure Review
Flashing forward a few months, Another Crab’s Treasure may not have had the same AAA luster as Persona 3 Reload, but it showed just how important indie games can be for Game Pass, filling a void in the service’s day-one line-up. Developed by Aggro Crab, Another Crab’s Treasure was a vibrant, engaging, and genuinely funny Soulslike with a fairly strong environmentalist message. The fact that its hard bosses were absurd, its story was heartwarming, and protagonist Kril was genuinely relatable carried this game all on its own, but it definitely had a symbiotic relationship with Game Pass.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 – May 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Review
The first of just a few major Xbox first-party releases this year, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 hit Xbox Game Pass back in May. After five years of anticipation, many fans had lofty expectations for Hellblade 2, and it still achieved a great deal despite them. Hellblade 2 set a new bar for video game graphics, its character writing was solid, and its use of binaural audio elevated the entire experience.
Dungeons Of Hinterberg – July 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Dungeons of Hinterberg Review
July 2024 was a good month for Xbox Game Pass, and Dungeons of Hinterberg was one of the service’s best additions that month. Though it’s categorized as an action-RPG, there’s more to Dungeons of Hinterberg than meets the eye. From slaying monsters to increasing social relationships to hunting for better gear, Dungeons of Hinterberg has plenty of unique gameplay elements to keep players engaged.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess – July 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Review
Capcom’s hot streak continued this year with Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, an action-strategy game that released on Xbox Game Pass back in July. During the day, players will explore villages, rescue townsfolk, and set up traps. At night, they’ll lead their makeshift armies in an intense fight against evil spirits. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess earned some excellent reviews, and it became the first in a long line of excellent 2024 Xbox Game Pass strategy titles.
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Age of Mythology: Retold – September 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Age of Mythology: Retold Review
2002’s Age of Mythology was an acclaimed spin-off of the Age of Empires franchise, which traded the original series’ historical battles for mythical ones. This year’s Age of Mythology: Retold remakes the beloved 2002 RTS, bringing updated visuals, control schemes, UI elements, and refined gameplay mechanics to the table. Checking it out for the first time or revisiting it via Xbox Game Pass is a novel experience.
Frostpunk 2 – September 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Frostpunk 2 Review
Set 30 years after 2018’s Frostpunk, Frostpunk 2 is a post-apocalyptic city-builder and survival game that sees players manage and expand one of the last cities of mankind. In this new ice age, any and every decision can be life and death, and it’s up to the player to make those impossible decisions. Frostpunk 2‘s scope is grand, its setting is bleak, and its strategy mechanics are complex, making it somewhat tricky to recommend to newcomers of the strategy genre. But Frostpunk 2‘s place on PC Game Pass means subscribers/newcomers can jump in without risk, while veterans have plenty of fun hardships ahead of them.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – October 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Review
The biggest Xbox Game Pass debut of all time, according to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was undoubtedly one of the biggest and best Game Pass additions of 2024. With a fully-fledged campaign, the return of round-based Zombies, and a plethora of original multiplayer maps, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 felt like the complete package for the first time in a while, and Game Pass subscribers got it all for no extra charge.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl – November 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl Review
In spite of an ongoing invasion in their home country, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl‘s developers managed to finally release the long-awaited sequel last month. Though its launch was plagued by technical issues, STALKER 2‘s hand-crafted world design, colorful cast of characters, engaging survival mechanics, and terrifying creatures all came together to make STALKER 2 a worthwhile experience that lives up to expectations.
Nine Sols – November 2024
Check Out Nine Sols on OpenCritic
A somewhat overlooked indie gem of 2024, Nine Sols is a 2D Metroidvania that features Sekiro-inspired combat. Along with an incredibly unique Taopunk aesthetic, Nine Sols features some top-notch world-building and atmosphere, which goes hand-in-hand with its fluid exploration and traversal mechanics. Though Nine Sols released on PC back in May, it made its console debut last month when it arrived on Game Pass day one.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – December 2024
Check Out Game Rant’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Review
Closing out Xbox Game Pass’ year with a bang, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle exceeded expectations earlier this month. A superb central performance from Troy Baker, some crunchy combat, some impressive graphics, and a strong adherence to the spirit of the source material, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a faithful, fun, and memorable adventure that the franchise desperately needed.
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