Games I Want to Try Out On XBox Game Pass for PC

It’s been a bit since I’ve had an active Game Pass subscription, but I knew a renewal was coming in the very near future as Psychonauts 2 will be available on its release day, which is only a little over a week away. While I had every intention of waiting to get the max number of days to spend with that title, I couldn’t help but poke my nose in to see what else they’d added since I last checked, and well, long story short, my subscription has been reactivated, and I’ve started downloading.

So what are the games that enticed me back early?

I have such a weird mix of feelings when it comes to Library of Ruina. I’m almost sure I won’t like it because it’s a JRPG with a card game battle mechanic, but also, I really want to like it because I very much would like to turn my enemies into books and store them away. I’m fairly certain that the storytelling here is going to be the major tipping point for me between “Oh, yes” and “Oh, no“

Either way, trying it out via Game Pass will definitely let me make a more informed decision if this is something I want in my library, and I don’t expect to actually play through the game while my subscription is active – for me, this one’s a demo.

Monster Train is another title that looks like something I should like, but also, card-based combat. Which is not to say that I never ever like card-based combat, just that it hasn’t worked for me far more often than it has. If I love it, I can pick it up the next time there’s a decent sale. If I hate it, I can stop thinking about it. I plan to give this one whatever time it takes for me to figure out how I feel about it.

So, Boyfriend Dungeon wasn’t even on my radar until a couple days ago, and honestly, there was no good reason why it should have been. But now, I’m curious, and since it’s available, I need to see this genre mash-up of dating sim and action RPG. Another one I’m unlikely to spend a lot of time with, but … I think I just have to see it for myself.

I do enjoy the occasional dip in the mayhem pool, but I find these types of games where you just run around messing stuff up to be so hit or miss. Even if I really like it, Rain on Your Parade is a pretty short game, so I might actually play it all the way through.

Although neither of these titles are actually showing up in the “Coming Soon” section of the PC version of Game Pass, there has been some non-platform-specific news that they will be on some version of XBox Game Pass as Day One releases, so it’s possible both of these titles could pop up over the next few days. I’d certainly be very interested in trying them out if they’re available, but I am not counting on either one.

There are also several other titles I might be inclined to check out, especially if I keep my subscription through mid-October, as I’m currently planning to do, but they’re games I’d say I have moderate interest in, at most. Some, like The Medium look enjoyable, but aren’t as high up on my list because they’re outside of my preferred genres, and others, like Greedfall look interesting, but also, an awful lot like a dozen other games I already own.

I really appreciate the availability of these types of subscription services, and am always willing to utilize them for titles I expect to have little to no replay value for me, or for things I am completely unsure if I will actually enjoy. I don’t feel the need to own everything I play, and when I know I want to revisit something I’ve, well, basically rented, I know to keep an eye out for a deal and don’t feel bad about it.

Bonus Blaugust prompt idea: If you now subscribe (or have in the past subscribed) to Game Pass or other video game subscription services, what do you think about them? Otherwise, go check out the list of games currently available on Game Pass and talk about one (or more) that you would highly recommend.