It’s Labor Day weekend, which means most of us in the U.S. have Monday off from work and school. As such, it’s the perfect time to get a bit of gaming in. If you own an Xbox, but aren’t planning to pick up Star Wars Outlaws, there are thankfully plenty of recent additions to Xbox Game Pass that you can check out. Two of these games are single-player adventures you could beat over the course of this holiday weekend, while the other is a beta for one of the biggest games of the year.
Creatures of Ava
Creatures of Ava came to Xbox Game Pass the day it launched earlier this month, and it’s worth checking out if you enjoy creature-collecting games like Pokémon and action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It finds a nonviolent middle ground between the two, as players survey and save animals on an alien world while also exploring and solving environmental puzzles across its vibrant biomes. It eschews a lot of violent sci-fi tropes too, making it a surprisingly cozy game about being stuck on an alien world. Creatures of Ava is available through Xbox Game Pass across PC, console, and cloud.
Atlas Fallen
Atlas Fallen is a unique fantasy action game that lets players sand-surf around a vast desert. I didn’t like this game when it launched in August 2023, but it recently got an overhaul called Reign of Sand that improved things. It gave a massive overhaul to the world, enemy variety, progression systems, several questlines, and even voice acting. For those who want to keep playing the game after the credits roll, there’s an added New Game+ option, Nightmare difficulty mode, and co-op support. Deck13 and Focus Entertainment brought Atlas Fallen to Xbox Game Pass to promote this update, so check it out on PC or Xbox Series X/S if that interests you. The game is also available on PS5.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta
This Labor Day weekend is a big one for Call of Duty fans because a beta is being held for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. This beta will allow players to check out a lot of the game early, including the fantastic new multiplayer mode Kill Order. Nomrally, you’d need to preorder Black Ops 6 to access its beta. While that works on PS4 and PS5, players on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription can play without spending a dime. While the full game isn’t out until October, don’t miss this early taste of Black Ops 6 this weekend.