Xbox Game Pass for Console, PC, and Android

From that Leaving list, I highly recommend checking out both Night Call and Observation before they leave if you haven't. Night Call is a very cool idea for a game even if it's not especially well-implemented, definitely worth completing a run of (which I think can be done in only a couple of hours IIRC). Observation is an excellent adventure game/walking sim in space that I really enjoyed quite a bit, more like a 6-8 hour experience to complete, but definitely worth doing in the next two weeks if it's the sort of thing you're into.

Thanks to Game Pass I learned what Denuvo DRM is, and that it's terrible! I installed the PC version of Maneater (twice!), couldn't launch the game, got a "something went wrong" error that kicked me over to a non-Tripwire support page with a non-working support submission form. You hit 'submit' to submit your ticket, and it does nothing, just like when you try to launch your game! A little Googling revealed that the support page belongs to Denuvo, the maker of the game's DRM, and that there's basically no (legal) way to resolve the issue. Awesome!

I've become so accustomed to PC games just working these days, it's almost nostalgic to have a game that just won't work due to absolute garbage DRM. The "search the internet to discover why my game is broken" metagame! Anyway, I uninstalled it, after burning up a precious hour of my life trying to figure out why Denuvo sucks ass. I was really looking forward to checking out the game, I hope it gets fixed at some point.

I played an hour or two of The Wild at Heart last week. It has the basic gameplay of the Pikmin series - throwing little creatures around to break environmental things, carry stuff around, fight enemies, etc - in the service of solving environmental puzzles. It also has crafting, and town improvement processes. I also really dig the art style, and the story seems like it might be going in some kinda dark directions; it's not the saccharine, overly cutesy game that Pikmin is. It's only a 2 gig download, so quick to check out and dump, if it ends up not being your thing.

Podunk wrote:

Thanks to Game Pass I learned what Denuvo DRM is, and that it's terrible! I installed the PC version of Maneater (twice!), couldn't launch the game, got a "something went wrong" error that kicked me over to a non-Tripwire support page with a non-working support submission form. You hit 'submit' to submit your ticket, and it does nothing, just like when you try to launch your game! A little Googling revealed that the support page belongs to Denuvo, the maker of the game's DRM, and that there's basically no (legal) way to resolve the issue. Awesome!

I've become so accustomed to PC games just working these days, it's almost nostalgic to have a game that just won't work due to absolute garbage DRM. The "search the internet to discover why my game is broken" metagame! Anyway, I uninstalled it, after burning up a precious hour of my life trying to figure out why Denuvo sucks ass. I was really looking forward to checking out the game, I hope it gets fixed at some point.

Denuvo does indeed suck. I'm shocked folks still fall for it.

mrlogical wrote:

From that Leaving list, I highly recommend checking out both Night Call and Observation before they leave if you haven't. Night Call is a very cool idea for a game even if it's not especially well-implemented, definitely worth completing a run of (which I think can be done in only a couple of hours IIRC). Observation is an excellent adventure game/walking sim in space that I really enjoyed quite a bit, more like a 6-8 hour experience to complete, but definitely worth doing in the next two weeks if it's the sort of thing you're into.

We've recently played Observation in the Adventure Game Club (thread here) so feel free to jump into the discussion. I thought it was a very good game.

I'm excited Backbone will be on GamePass. I played the prologue (free on Steam) and it was great.

Maneater is on XBox game pass. You play a shark out for revenge. It is a fun, goofy open world game that doesn't over stay its welcome. Chris Parnell narrates throughout and it is hilarious.

Also if you are a achievement chaser this is a pretty easy 100%

I'm digging Solasta: Crown of the Magister. It's by-the-book 5th Ed. D&D, but I'm enjoying the XCOM-like tactical combat of it.

Jonman wrote:

I'm digging Solasta: Crown of the Magister. It's by-the-book 5th Ed. D&D, but I'm enjoying the XCOM-like tactical combat of it.

Agreed. The animations are wonky (my dwarf's beard keeps dropping down off his face) and the voice acting is pretty bad, but I'm enjoying the hell out of the mechanics.

Nevin73 wrote:
Jonman wrote:

I'm digging Solasta: Crown of the Magister. It's by-the-book 5th Ed. D&D, but I'm enjoying the XCOM-like tactical combat of it.

Agreed. The animations are wonky (my dwarf's beard keeps dropping down off his face) and the voice acting is pretty bad, but I'm enjoying the hell out of the mechanics.

The voice acting feels appropriately bad for the pulp fantasy storyline though.

You do have a point there.

Solasta is probably the most faithful adaptation of D&D rules to a CRPG I've ever seen. You could teach D&D with it.

I'm about to start my first 5e campaign. The rules read to me like they'll play great at the table but might be a little light when it comes to a PC tactics game. I guess I'll download Solasta and see for myself.

More games!

IMAGE(https://news.xbox.com/en-us/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/XGP_Announce-v38-1920x1080-1.jpg)

The Evil Within 2 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon are instant installs for me. I'm just about finished the first Evil Within, so timing is perfect.
Very happy to see Sable on the list too!

I freaked out when I saw Arx Fatalis on that list, but it's only on PC! Fart in a car.

Might still try it, though.

If you had told younger me something like GamePass would exist I never would have believed it. Jesus, what a lineup. I may have to revisit younger me and play Fallout and Fallout 2 again.

Fallout? Fallout2? Fallout Tactics? Forza Horizon 5? Hades? I bought a switch to play Hades. Why did I buy a switch?

Microsoft's spending spree is paying off. I'm not the world's largest shooter fan, but their future lineup is looking a bit like Nintendo back during the 3DS/Wii U days when every month had a big release. Xbox and Game Pass are stacked. Hopefully no duds.

Yeah, Game Pass Ultimate is easily the biggest value in gaming these days.

Though... still no word on Doom 2016? I figured they would've dropped that today.

merphle wrote:

Yeah, Game Pass Ultimate is easily the biggest value in gaming these days.

Though... still no word on Doom 2016? I figured they would've dropped that today. :(

They did add Doom 2016 today on Console and Cloud

pandasuit wrote:
merphle wrote:

Yeah, Game Pass Ultimate is easily the biggest value in gaming these days.

Though... still no word on Doom 2016? I figured they would've dropped that today. :(

They did add Doom 2016 today on Console and Cloud

Oh! So they did! Weird that it's not showing up at all in the PC app. Thanks!

My kids and I have several reasons to be very happy there.

On a side note (pun intended..wait for it), I'm curious why they're calling Left 4 Dead 3 with aliens, "Anacrusis",
because in music theory, this is the "pickup note" that starts a piece right before the downbeat.

Not sure what that's trying to convey, exactly.

The PC app already had The Ascent available for pre-install as of a few weeks ago, but it just updated to allow pre-installing a few more games:

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/WNY1XbG.png)

How does Psychonauts hold up? I love the look of the new one, so I'm trying to decide if I should give the first one a look before it releases.

Anyone else have issues where the GamePass app doesn't load or refresh properly. I often have to exit and reload the app to get all of the buttons to load properly. I love the service but it is a garbage app.

In fact, I don't even know where the games are installed to. They only give you an option of what drive (no path) and I couldn't find the installation directory.

Nevin73 wrote:

Anyone else have issues where the GamePass app doesn't load or refresh properly. I often have to exit and reload the app to get all of the buttons to load properly. I love the service but it is a garbage app.

In fact, I don't even know where the games are installed to. They only give you an option of what drive (no path) and I couldn't find the installation directory.

Almost daily. Often multiple times.

Half the time it doesn't list games installed through EA Desktop. Sometimes it ONLY lists games installed through EA Desktop.

Sometimes it's still showing games I've since uninstalled (particular via EA Desktop)

Dyni wrote:

How does Psychonauts hold up? I love the look of the new one, so I'm trying to decide if I should give the first one a look before it releases.

I’m playing through it now, I think it holds up fine, the cutscenes are a bit low-rez. It’s still one of my favorite games.

Nevin73 wrote:

Anyone else have issues where the GamePass app doesn't load or refresh properly. I often have to exit and reload the app to get all of the buttons to load properly. I love the service but it is a garbage app.

In fact, I don't even know where the games are installed to. They only give you an option of what drive (no path) and I couldn't find the installation directory.

Yeah app is often busted.

It installs games in the WindowsApps folder on the drive. Same folder windows store apps go in. It’s a restricted folder but you can look around in it with admin privileges.

Roo wrote:

On a side note (pun intended..wait for it), I'm curious why they're calling Left 4 Dead 3 with aliens, "Anacrusis",
because in music theory, this is the "pickup note" that starts a piece right before the downbeat.

Not sure what that's trying to convey, exactly.

It's called "*The* Anacrusis," not just "Anacrusis" - I'm guessing that's the name of the ship on which all the action takes place? The Anacrusis (a brief prelude phrase or note in music or poetry) is a pretty sweet name for a huge starship that you're hoping will take humanity to new frontiers!

...or maybe it's just a brief prelude to the alien invasion and extinction of humanity?

Podunk wrote:
Roo wrote:

On a side note (pun intended..wait for it), I'm curious why they're calling Left 4 Dead 3 with aliens, "Anacrusis",
because in music theory, this is the "pickup note" that starts a piece right before the downbeat.

Not sure what that's trying to convey, exactly.

It's called "*The* Anacrusis," not just "Anacrusis" - I'm guessing that's the name of the ship on which all the action takes place? The Anacrusis (a brief prelude phrase or note in music or poetry) is a pretty sweet name for a huge starship that you're hoping will take humanity to new frontiers!

...or maybe it's just a brief prelude to the alien invasion and extinction of humanity?

That's sort of where I was stuck, because in music, it's usually just one or two notes. Ominous? Hopeful? They just like the sound of the name...who knows.

WizKid wrote:
Dyni wrote:

How does Psychonauts hold up? I love the look of the new one, so I'm trying to decide if I should give the first one a look before it releases.

I’m playing through it now, I think it holds up fine, the cutscenes are a bit low-rez. It’s still one of my favorite games.

I really enjoyed the game, but the last level is a huge pain. If you find yourself getting frustrated with the platforming, just YouTube the ending.