Xbox Game Pass is a truly special service. For a fairly small fee, you can get access to more than 100 games across a variety of genres, and with games starring some of the best game characters around right now, there’s something for everyone. With that being said, the sheer number of games available on Xbox Game Pass means that some of them are going to be unfairly left behind. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the 10 most underrated games currently available on Xbox Game Pass!
1. Omno
It’s frankly criminal that Omno has been as overlooked as it has. At its core, this is a sort of gentle 3D platformer devoid of enemies or combat; there are a variety of levels to explore, and there’s plenty of mischievous wildlife to meet and catalogue while you leap towards the game’s many collectibles. The overall experience is short, but the narrative of the central character and his adorable little green companion is surprisingly affecting, so try this one out if you’re short of entertainment for an evening.
2. Dragon Ball FighterZ
While Dragon Ball FighterZ certainly isn’t underrated by its community, it’s overlooked by the wider fighting game fanbase, which is a shame. With ultra-tight mechanics, a gorgeous anime visual style, and some of the best sound design in the business, Dragon Ball FighterZ deserves to be played by a much wider audience. If you like the core experience, there are some great DLCs for Dragon Ball FighterZ available as well, so you can expand the roster and get to grips with some new movesets.
3. Pupperazzi
We’re pretty sure that Pupperazzi began as a pun and was expanded out into a full game, but we’re definitely not complaining. Developer Kitfox Games, who also made the excellent Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor, have pulled off a solid dog-photographing (phodographing?) game in Pupperazzi. There are only a handful of levels, but you’ll find plenty of eager doggos waiting to have their photo taken, as well as lots of tricky challenges where you’ll have to line up the perfect shot.
4. Children of Morta
Children of Morta is a hugely underrated indie roguelike RPG. If you’re anything like us, you might just have had your fill of procedurally-generated dungeons and pixel art, but Children of Morta may make you think twice. Its central story revolves around a family tasked with battling back demons using a portal in their basement, but the game is just as much about the family’s dynamics as it is about the wider supernatural plot. The most satisfying moments here come when the family is just kicking back after a run.
5. Torment: Tides of Numenera
We’re not sure how this one got overlooked; it certainly generated some buzz around the time of its release, but then seemed to fade into the background to make way for bigger competitors like Pillars of Eternity. That’s a real shame, because Torment: Tides of Numenera is a worthy successor to the classic Planescape: Torment. It doesn’t have that game’s dizzying depth and complexity, but it has a similar series of chin-strokingly bizarre worlds to explore and characters to meet.
6. Spiritfarer
Another game that seems to have passed a lot of journalists and publications by, Spiritfarer is described by its developer as a “cosy management game about dying”. There’s a little too much management-based busywork in Spiritfarer, but overall, its tale of spirits looking to assuage their final fears before passing on to the afterlife is a beautifully melancholy one. The gorgeous art style is just the tip of the iceberg here; Spiritfarer boasts a cast of excellent, well-rounded characters to meet as well.
7. The Wild At Heart
Combining the aesthetics of a Saturday-morning cartoon from the 90s with the gameplay style and puzzling antics of Pikmin, The Wild At Heart must be experienced by any fans of Nintendo’s critter-based real-time strategy game. The similarities are obvious; you must throw little critters at rocks, enemies, and other obstacles to remove them, and some Pikm-sorry, Spritelings – are better for certain situations than others. Play this one if you like Pikmin and you want a little more of it in your life.
8. Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Bug Fables makes its Paper Mario comparisons obvious; the art style, combat system, and dialogue are all similar. However, we’d venture to say Bug Fables has a depth that Paper Mario can’t quite achieve. Its characters are fascinating and well-drawn, and its locations are gorgeous, albeit more grounded in realism than those of its obvious inspiration. If you’re after a rhythm-based RPG with quirky characters and some surprisingly deep storytelling, Bug Fables will provide.
9. Hypnospace Outlaw
If you like immersive techno-thrillers like Papers, Please or Orwell, you’ll love Hypnospace Outlaw. It’s an achingly accurate simulation of the internet as it looked in the 90s, which means lots of unpleasant fonts, “rad attitude”, and petty small-time drama. There’s also a wider story going on here, one that you’ll uncover as you play through the game, but there’s a simple thrill to be had in just browsing through Hypnospace and discovering new web pages.
10. Unpacking
Since it’s such a small, local affair, we’d be surprised if Unpacking gets a lot of attention, but it deserves to be played. Nominally, it’s a puzzle game; you must unpack your belongings across a series of rooms, figuring out what goes where and how you can stack all your possessions together. As you do so, a story unfolds involving your protagonist and the reasons behind each move. Surprisingly emotionally involving, Unpacking makes a great winding-down game.
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