Announced Early today, big games are coming to Xbox Game Pass for both Console and PC this week. Along with these games are some DLC content and BETAs.
Final Fantasy XV - Coming February 6th to Console and later this month to PC, this 2016 Action JRPG developed and published by Square Enix is the 15th installment of their mainline Final Fantasy Series. Originally announced as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, the game was set to be apart of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy series of games (translating to “New Tale of the Crystal”). Though the game’s themes changed somewhat or the original core vision of Fabula Nova Crystallis, it still has various connections between its brother and sister titles, Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Type-0 (originally Agito XIII). The game’s big divergence for the series is its action combat as opposed to traditional turn base combat from prior Final Fantasy games. Along that an expansive open world, various side quest, dungeons, and road trip vibe, Final Fantasy XV is an overall great package of a game and shouldn’t be skipped when it comes to Game Pass this month.
Wolfenstein Youngblood - Also coming February 6th to Console and later this month to PC is Wolfenstein Youngblood. Developed by Machine Games and Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda, Wolfenstein Youngblood is a spin-off title to the new series of Wolfenstein games. Taking place 20 years after the events of Wolfenstein 2, players take on the role of either Jessie or Zofia Blazkowicz, BJ’s two daughters. Unlike previous titles, Youngblood focuses on a cooperative style of gameplay, giving players the choice of playing the entire game with a friend or with an AI companion. Also unlike previous titles, Youngblood features a sort of open world experience for players to traverse and navigate through, complete with bosses, side quest, and Nazis to exterminate.
Death Squared - Coming February 13th to Console, Death Squared is a colored base puzzle game developed and published by SMG Studios. Players take control of colored cube-like robots and must navigate small maps in order to correctly solve various puzzles, or die trying. The game features both a single player and co-op campaign, along with a party mode for quick fun. The game is a party puzzler, designed best to be played with friends in either 2 or 4 co-op play. Ideally meant to be a easy cooperative experience, the real choatic nature of the game is quickly revealed as players can very easily and unintentionally kill each other, creating hours of fun.
Death’s Gambit - Coming to PC later this month, Death’s Gambit is a 2D action platformer with RPG elements developed by White Rabbit and published by Adult Swim Games. Players take on the role of Death’s right hand who embarks on a quest to ensure his will gets carried out. Immortal beings have existed in the world for far too long and it’s your task to put an end to it. The game is heavily inspired by other metroidvania type games, from level design to boss encounters, but the customizable arsenal, of weapons and skills, along with unique enough boss encounters makes it fell a little more fresh.
Along with the news of new games coming to the service this month, Game Pass members also get to experience Ninja Theory’s Game, Bleeding Edge. Starting on Valentines Day (February 14th) and going on until the 16th, players can join the beta and get hands on with Ninja Theory’s 4v4 action brawler. in the same vain as hero shooters like overwatch and team fortress 2, Bleeding Edge features a cast of unique characters, all with their own gameplay styles, abilities, looks, personalities and so much more. Unlike those traditional shooters, this game is not a shooter, it’s a hand to hand action combat game, meaning players have to get up and personal with one another as they fight to the death. Given Ninja Theory’s past experience with action combat, DmC comes to mind, players can expect fluid and masterful combat controls and animations. Given the genre of hero based fighters a fresh new feeling.
Games Leaving Game Pass
Not all news is good news, but Game Pass as a service host a rotating library of amazing games. Part of that is the occasional game leaving the service. These are the following games leaving game pass this month. Should Game Pass members choose, they can purchase these titles within the next month to receive 20% off.
-Disney Epic Mickey 2
-Jackbox Party Pack 2
-Pumped BMX Pro
-Rage
-Shadow of the Tomb Raider