The very best single-player games on game pass – TechRadar

There's plenty on offer when it comes to the best single-player games on game pass. Every entry on our list is an outstanding example of its genre and will provide you with a top-notch single-player experience. From triple-A RPGs to indie adventure games, plenty of fulfilling titles can be found on Game Pass if youre on your lonesome.

As fun, as co-op games can be, sitting back and enjoying a game on your own, without such trivial distractions as friends or other people, can be great. Do you really want someone around while bawling at a heartbreaking cutscene? We didnt think so.

Xbox Game Pass boasts an extensive library with all kinds of games. The sheer amount of choice can be overwhelming. Fortunately, weve combed the depths of Microsofts library to find only the best single-player games, hoping it might save you the hassle.

The games on our list come in lots of different shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: great gameplay against the backdrop of a fascinating world that keeps you coming back for more. The worlds and stories on our list vary wildly. Some take you to fantastical worlds and place you in charge of entire armies, while others aim closer to home. Wherever you find yourself, though, each game on this list provides a unique and memorable experience.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youre buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

DOOM Eternal

Use big guns to shoot bigger demons

Released back in 2020, DOOM Eternal offers a satisfyingly violent yet meticulously designed first-person shooter experience. DOOM Eternals rapid, pulse-pounding gameplay marries balletic motion with over-the-top demon-slaying carnage. The title looks and feels incredible. Every gunshot and every guitar riff cohere wonderfully with the back and forth of DOOM Eternals rhythmic gunplay.

Beloved writer Terry Pratchett is purported to have said: Over the centuries, mankind has tried many ways of combating the forces of evil... prayer, fasting, good works and so on. Up until Doom, no one seemed to have thought about the double-barrel shotgun. The late, great author was onto something. Inside DOOM Eternals overblown story of cosmic horror and demonic invasion is a chance to experience real, tangible catharsis. To this day, I am convinced that few things in gaming feel as good as blowing a Cacedemon to smithereens.

Persona 5 Royal

This JRPG is the ultimate coming-of-age story

Being a teenager sucks, and Persona 5 knows this well. However, Persona 5s protagonist is having a worse time than most. Sent on probation to a Tokyo high school for a crime he didnt commit, he soon learns he has the power to venture into the minds of others and steal their darkest desires. In Persona 5, you spend half your time delving into the psyches of dangerous adults and the other half living your day-to-day life, making friends, and just being a teen. The twist: both sides are inextricably connected, and mastering elements of one will help you master the other.

If Persona 5 Royal is anything, its stylish. Vibrant colours mesh with jazzy soundscapes as you navigate Tokyos rain-slicked streets. Even the loading screens are gorgeous, shifting to reflect everything from your location to the weather. Persona 5 Royal enthralls with its singular commitment to aesthetic boldness, seamlessly pulling you into the story and making you part of its world.

Assassins Creed Odyssey

Story-driven adventure in the ancient world

Assassins Creed Odyssey takes you on an island-hopping adventure that spans the length and breadth of Ancient Greece. As a mercenary-turned-assassin, youll soon find yourself in command of your own ship on the tail of a vast conspiracy. Sneak, fight and shoot your way through countless quests to unravel the mysteries at the heart of the Order of Assassins.

Odyssey is an open-world game done right, where side quests and supporting content uplift and complement the main story rather than detract from it. As you progress through the game, you can customize your characters abilities and weapons; allowing you to tailor the experience to your own playstyle. There are also plenty of meaningful dialogue options, allowing you to influence the story and to really immerse yourself in the world and its ongoing stories.

Immortality

A thrilling FMV mystery

Immortality is a little bit different. Youll follow the life of a model-turned-actress as you attempt to solve the mystery of her disappearance using footage from three of her films. The films themselves arent rendered in a game engine but use full motion video, meaning youll have to analyse the behavior of human actors to piece together the mystery. Working through the footage, youll need to figure out the people and items of significance, using every scrap of information you can to piece together whats happening.

Its tough to talk about Immortality without veering into spoiler territory, but rest assured; the title has a gripping story that veers into interesting places. From writer Sam Barlow, the man behind Her Story and Telling Lies, Immortality offers a fresh and dramatic mystery.

Forza Horizon 5

Pulse-pounding open-world racing

When it comes to great racing games, Forza Horizon 5 is the crme of the crop. As youd expect from a racing title, youre offered a wide range of cars to choose from and plenty of exciting locales to race them. What sets Forza Horizon 5 apart is its extremely varied and generous environments. Taking place in a fictionalized version of Mexico, the game has an immense open world map in which you can get thoroughly lost.

The cars themselves look gorgeous and are thoroughly customizable to boot. Fancy paint jobs and full-scale body customization are on the table in Forza Horizon 5. You can lovingly alter and curate your vehicles to make them your own. Theres an absurd amount to do in the open world, and even some whimsical mini-games if you get bored of more conventional racing. If you love cars and going fast, Forza 5 Horizon is well worth a look.

Tunic

A little fox on big adventures

Tunic is a classic adventure game in the mold of old-school Zelda. You play as an adorable fox who navigates a charming isometric world. Youll fight enemies, solve puzzles and unearth ancient mysteries. In short: its got everything youd expect from an adventure game.

In a particularly delightful flourish, Tunic has you reconstruct the games manual as you progress through the world. Mystery and adventure are baked into every aspect of Tunics gameplay, design, and presentation. Beneath all that, however, lies a deceptively technical and engrossing combat system. Overall, its a great solo experience, a fine choice for anybody looking for a good old-fashioned adventure.

Total War: Warhammer 3

Armies clash across a dark fantasy world

Set in the classic Warhammer Fantasy setting, Total War Warhammer 3 has you take command of one of the worlds myriad factions. Raise armies, build cities and engage in an all-out war with your hated foes as you campaign across the Old World. The game takes place in two layers. Theres an overarching strategy layer where you manage your empire, and theres the battles themselves, which take place in real-time and have you take command of companies of troops.

Thanks to the fantastical nature of the setting, factions come in all sorts of different flavors. Yes, you can be bog-standard humans, but why do that when you could be rat people or a faction of deamons made of the raw stuff of madness itself? While the diplomacy element of the strategy layer isnt particularly deep, the game offers a tremendously rewarding experience regarding its battles and army management. Ive spent hundreds of hours in Warhammer 3s gritty fantasy world, and I loved every one of them.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition contains the entire Mass Effect trilogy, but with graphical improvements and quality-of-life changes that give the classic series a new lease on life. In Mass Effect, you play as Commander Shepard, a spaceship captain in the 2180s. Youll have access to a deep and rewarding RPG experience from the get-go. Youll meet an intriguing ensemble of supporting characters, each with a story to tell. Youll jet about the galaxy, fighting baddies and solving mysteries. Youll also be forced to make tough choices, selecting from dialogue options that meaningfully impact the story.

As with any great sci-fi, Mass Effect uses its setting to explore difficult themes and then uses those themes to set up a compelling and surprisingly dark central narrative. As you make difficult choices during the games core missions, youll be forced to confront the consequences of your actions down the line. Ive lost count of the number of times Ive played through the Mass Effect trilogy, but thanks to the games emphasis on player choice, each playthrough has always felt personal and bespoke.

Alien: Isolation

In space, no one can hear you scream

Personally, I lack the courage to play Alien: Isolation alone. Assuming the role of Amanda Ripley, you find yourself on the dilapidated space station of Sevastopol on a mission to uncover the truth behind a disaster that befell her mothers ship 15 years ago. Suffice it to say Sevastopol is far from welcoming. As well as the occasional ornery human survivor, Amanda has to reckon with a terrifying xenomorph thats loose on the station. Youll need all your wits, survival skills and cunning to make it out of there alive.

This first-person horror game is a masterclass in atmosphere. Everything from the sound design to the dingy 1980s-inspired visuals reinforce the tension and fear at the heart of the gameplay experience. As horror games go, Alien: Isolation is one of the best solo experiences out there. The title goes out of its way to make you feel alone and vulnerable. Its not for everyone, but if youre a horror fan and have Game Pass, Alien: Isolation is well worth checking out.

Slay the Spire

Rougelike card battling galore

In Slay the Spire, you select a character and attempt to ascend a tower full of monsters and threats in a sequence of dialogue choices and card-based combat. Each character starts with a different deck of cards. You use your cards in turn-based battles as you progress up the tower. Defeat enemies and find treasure to unlock new cards and passive abilities. Build the best deck and see if you can complete the climb. Perish, and youll have to start all over again.

Slay the Spire offers a more-ish roguelike experience. Every one of your decisions matters, and, in the likely event your character meets their end, you may find yourself going back and wondering what you could have done differently. Herein lies Slay the Spires trump card. Simply by starting another run, you can put your theories into practice. You can try a different approach and see where it lands you. This gives Slay the Spires gameplay loop an organic ebb and flow, keeping its fans returning for more.

This is a tough one, since video game enjoyers come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes with all sorts of different preferences. However, when it comes to the games on this list, some have broader appeal than others and cross genre boundaries in interesting ways.

Assassins Creed Odyssey is a profoundly generous title, offering a staggering breadth of experiences. It has elements of RPGs, action games, exploration games, and even dating simulators. Its a great demonstration of what modern gaming has to offer. I spent almost 100 hours in Odysseys rich take on ancient Greece and would strongly recommend the title to anyone looking for a great single-player experience.

Unless you purchase a game through Xbox, you will lose access to all of your Game Pass games should you cancel your subscription. However, those with Game Pass enjoy a significant discount on most of Microsofts library and, therefore, can purchase titles more easily.

90 days from a given games launch, Game Pass members receive a 20% discount on the title. Members also receive a 10% discount on add-ons and consumables. Though these discounts cannot be redeemed for cash and are not compatible with other offers, it is nice to be able to purchase a title that catches your fancy for a reduced rate.

Round up of today's best deals

Follow this link:

The very best single-player games on game pass - TechRadar