The last few weeks of Xbox Game Pass titles have been some of the best we’ve ever seen on the service. We’re still riding the high off Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscure: Expedition 33, and Doom: The Dark Ages. If you’re anything like me, you’ve already burned through all of these games over the past few weeks and have found yourself in need of a new distraction for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Xbox appears to be trying to set some kind of record for the number of amazing weeks it can offer its subscribers. Let’s kick off the long weekend strong with the top Xbox Game Pass games I recommend downloading.
Monster Train 2
Deckbuilding roguelike fans (yes, there are dozens of us) have been waiting all year for Monster Train 2, and now we can grab it at no extra charge on day one through Game Pass. This sequel has the same basic setup as the first, in which you set up your forces and play special cards to defend your train as it moves through the map, but features more clans, cards, enemies, challenges, modes, and more. The original was already very friendly to newcomers to the genre, and the refinements in the sequel only make it more accessible. At the same time, veterans can always push the challenge up by taking on Dimensional Challenges with their own rewards.
Monster Train 2 is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2
Stalker 2 did launch on Game Pass at the PC and Ultimate tier, but is now available for all subscribers. If you held off on the game because of that, or because it was a bit buggy at launch, now is the best time to finally start your adventure in the Zone. This game was already a looker at release, but now runs and plays as good as the team intended. It has similar vibes to a Fallout game, but is much more hardcore and unforgiving. If you enjoyed Atomfall from earlier this year, especially, this is a game that will eat up your entire weekend thanks to the dynamic world events and multiple ways you can complete quests.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
We’ve had a lot of very touching and personal games, but an overlooked one I am glad to give a spotlight to is Tales of Kenzera: Zau. What looks to be a typical Metroidvania is a deeply personal and cultural story about loss. The main thrust of the game centers around a young man mourning the loss of his father by reading his story about Zau, a shaman who is working with Death himself to try and save his father’s spirit. Each step of the journey teaches him another lesson on grief until the climax. There’s also a very solid game here with challenging platforming and a unique system of swapping between masks to alter your powers. You can complete the entire thing in a weekend, and I highly suggest you do.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.