(Pocket-lint) – Xbox Game Pass has been a huge change to the way we pay for games over the last couple of years – it’s the ace in Microsoft’s sleeve, and can be absolutely astounding value if you want to play through loads of great games.

• What is Xbox Game Pass, what games do you get and how much does it cost?

However, it’s expanding all the time and the huge roster of titles can actually be a bit overwhelming, especially now that it includes EA Play, and a load of Bethesda’s games have been added. So, what are some particular highlights of Xbox Game Pass that you should check out for your Xbox Series X/S or Xbox One? Read on to find out. 

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Outer Wilds

A space exploration game with a mystery at its heart, the less you know about Outer Wilds before playing, the better. It’s one of the most memorable experiences of recent years to slowly explore its star system, figuring out what’s causing a baffling time loop, and working out how you can get further each time you reset.

If you want something out of the ordinary, and a mystery game that truly rewards players’ creativity and ingenuity, this is it. If only we could play it again for the first time!

Gears 5

Looking more to the mainstream, you can play every Gears game on Game Pass but we think the latest entry will suit most people best. It’s a great continuation of the series, bringing in ever more mobility and options, and tells its story well. 

Multiplayer is a brutal affair but one that’s great fun to jump into, and it all looks brilliant regardless of your hardware, making it an easy recommendation. 

Forza Horizon 4

If you want a racing game, this is the default choice on Game Pass – Forza Horizon 4 is just so insanely fun, and has oodles of content for you to plough through, alongside breathtaking visuals.

It’s great for multiplayer and singleplayer alike, and gives you loads of control over how realistic you want its racing to be, making for a brilliant overall offering. 

Hollow Knight: Voidheart edition

This stunning indie platformer completely captured our hearts and is a must-play if you’ve ever enjoyed a Metroidvania title. Its brilliant hand-drawn art is a charming throughout, and a melancholy tone strikes tender chords as you explore an underground city piece by piece.

Celeste

If you want even more challenge in a platformer, Celeste is a great choice – it’s a lovely tale of perseverence with almost insanely tight mechanics. You’ll become an expert jumper, booster and climber over time, but can scale the challenge to your level really simply, making for a surprisingly welcoming game. 

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Play multiple absolutely classic Halo titles in one place with this quintessentially “Xbox” bundle, and enjoy some of the most memorable campaigns and multiplayer suites ever created. The Master Chief’s tale will carry on, but the story so far lives in amber thanks to the Master Chief Collection.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

A sprawling roleplaying game that might just be the best one ever created, The Witcher 3 is perfect for sinking a few weeks into, with gritty stories to explore and a vivid world to slowly learn your place in. It’s a brilliant game that RPG fans simply have to play. 

Dishonored 2

Arkane’s Dishonored series offers some of the most free-ranging levels in gaming, letting you tackle your sneaky objectives in countless ways, and both full titles are on Game Pass. We think the second is about as good as stealth gaming can get!

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Game Pass has some great titles from older generations, and while everyone and their nan has played Skyrim, we have a particular fondness for its predecessor Oblivion, with its beautiful, forested open world and some really memorable quest lines. If you like Skyrim, try it out for a history lesson, then go even further back and play Morrowind, too.

Carrion

If you’re looking for a game that will only take a few hours to beat, and that’ll be super-satisfying along the way, biomutant breakout sim Carrion is a great choice. You play the horrifying monster in a typical monster movie, slowly breaking out of a huge facility with countless casualties along the way. 

Battlefield V

For multiplayer FPS action it doesn’t get much better than Battlefield V, and we heartily recommend the experience of getting a squad together to play some Conquest on its huge maps. Between vehicles and infantry action there’s loads to get to grips with, and it all looks absolutely beautiful on both recent generations of Xbox console.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

For some lightsaber goodness, try out Jedi: Fallen Order, which nicely expands upon the Star Wars universe and gives you a great combat system to get to grips with. The story is nicely told, and it’s great to get some Force powers to play with again. 

What Remains of Edith Finch

Another short titled, and another game that’s better the less you know about it before playing. What Remains of Edith Finch is perhaps one of the most consistently inventive story-driven games ever created, a gorgeous tale of family ties that’ll have you blown away by the end – it’s an absolute stunner that everyone should play. 

Control

An eery third-person thriller, Control brings paranormal freakiness to frightening life as you explore a fictional government agency’s headquarters to root out the source of an alien corruption. It’s a game that builds momentum brilliantly and gives you some superb tools of destruction, and looks simply beautiful, too. 

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills.