The Second Half of October Has One of the Best Game Pass Line-ups Ever
As we progress through October, you may think that Microsoft would be slowing down on their Game Pass offerings- especially considering the AAA first party games ‘Starfield’ and ‘Forza Motorsport’ just recently coming to the service. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth as the next two weeks look to be some of the best for Game Pass since its inception. Take a look below at what you can look forward to as a subscriber:
Image by Paradox Interactive
Cities Skylines 2- October 24th
On October 24th, all of you PC Game Pass subscribers will be able to experience the sequel to one of the most popular recent city builders. With expanded city options, even more choices and, of course, new skyscrapers to build, this sequel is set to be a city manager fan’s dream. Unfortunately, this isn’t coming to console day one but, considering the first game made it over to last-gen consoles eventually, its likely that Xbox players won’t have to wait too long for a port to come to the system.
Image by EA
Dead Space Remake- October 26th
October 26th is set to be a very big day for game pass (as you’ll soon see), but the Dead Space Remake from EA is arguably the biggest. Releasing earlier this year to rave reviews, this was a remake of one of the greatest sci-fi horror games of all time. With the iconic weapon that dismembers your enemies and the body-horror that is reminiscent of ‘The Thing’, this is a perfect game to come to Game Pass in time for Halloween. If you’ve been enjoying Starfield’s space exploration but are craving something more frightening, this is a must play.
Image by Grace Buxner
Frog Detective: The Entire Mystery- October 26th
Previously exclusive to PC, the entire Frog Detective series is coming to consoles (and Game Pass) for the first time later this month. Compiling three critically acclaimed games in which you solve mysteries as the one and only Detective Frog, this short 4–5-hour collection is the perfect palette cleanser after Dead Space. Although available on PC game pass for just over a year now, console players will now finally be able to experience some of the greatest detective-based games ever made (take a look at the Steam Overwhelmingly Positive reviews if you don’t believe me).
Image by Meowza Games
Mineko’s Night Market- October 26th
The game rounding off the October 26th trilogy is Mineko’s Night Market- which is another perfect pick for the spooky season. This business simulation game that celebrates Japanese culture allows players to create items during the day by gathering resources to then sell at the titular Night Market. The presentation of this indie game is fantastic and looks straight out of a storybook. Releasing on PC and Switch last month, Game Pass players will be able to juggle this cute little game with the other two out the same day to really get into the Autumn/Halloween spirit.
Image by DON’T NOD
Jusant- October 31st
Coming on the day of Halloween, you might expect ‘Jusant’ to be a terrifying horror game unlike any other. Well, conversely, this indie project sees you playing as a rock climber in some peaceful and stunning environments- no monsters around at all. A game that’s clearly inspired by the climbing system in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Jusant puts its own spin on the concept with ropes and climbing gear to craft a surprisingly realistic simulation of scaling a cliffside. After the fear and terror of Halloween, this will be the perfect game to put you at ease while taking in the beautiful art style and calming soundtrack.
With such a surprisingly packed end of month release schedule for Game Pass, Xbox fans will have no shortage to great games to play. From AAA horror experiences to indie mountain climbing sims, there’s a lot of variety here and, at the risk of sounding cliché, there is something for everybody. If each of these games land well, October 2023 could be amongst the best years of Game Pass since its inception. Considering the line-up, that outcome looks very likely.
