Xbox Game Pass Adds Surreal 2020 Game With Unusual Mechanics

Xbox Game Pass has added Shady Part of Me to its ever-growing content library. This is the 11th new title to reach Xbox Game Pass in January 2025.

Developed by Paris-based studio Douze Dixièmes (French for “twelve tenths”), Shady Part of Me is a puzzle platformer that was shadow-dropped at The Game Awards in December 2020. Publisher Focus Home Interactive released it for the PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.

2:01

Related

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Adds Day-One Game With Zelda, Monster Hunter DNA

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate adds two day-one titles, including one that looks like a combination of Monster Hunter and The Legend of Zelda.

Four years later, Shady Part of Me made its way to Microsoft’s subscription service, reaching it on January 29. Aside from PC and consoles, the puzzle platfomer can also be streamed via Xbox Cloud Gaming, an exclusive perk of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. But since it’s not a day-one release, Shady Part of Me is also available on the Standard tier of Xbox Game Pass.

Shady Part of Me Is an Unusual Game in More Than One Way

The game itself has players controlling a little girl and her shadow on a journey through surreal, dream-like environments. On a mechanical level, one of the most distinct features of Shady Part of Me is its combination of 2D and 3D traversal and puzzle-solving. The game also features a time rewinding mechanic that’s conducive to experimentation, while its protagonist is voiced by Hannah Murray, best known as Gilly from HBO’s Game of Thrones. Shady Part of Me generated positive buzz on release, as reflected in its “Strong” rating on OpenCritic, derived from an average score of 77 and a 77% reviewer recommendation rate. Critics praised it for its emotional story, varied puzzles, and watercolor-style visuals, among other qualities. Shady Part of Me has hence earned a reputation as one of the best horror puzzle platformers in recent memory.

Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games

Shady Part of Me is the last title to join the Xbox Game Pass Standard library in January 2025. The PC and Ultimate tier of the service will receive two more games before the end of the month, both of which are day-one releases. The first of those is Sniper Elite: Resistance, which is scheduled to arrive on January 30. It will be followed by Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector a day later.

Shortly after the Citizen Sleeper sequel reaches Xbox Game Pass, six titles will leave the service on January 31: Anuchard, Broforce, Darkest Dungeon, Death’s Door, Maquette, and Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem. The XGP library is then set to expand on February 4, when it will add Ubisoft’s Far Cry New Dawn.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.