Xbox Game Pass is kicking off 2022 with a bang. Joining a pair of terrific puzzle games and a hotly anticipated Left 4 Dead-alike is a remastered compilation of all-time classic RPGs. Plus, one of the greatest games of all time (thatâd be Outer Wilds) makes a return. Hereâs everything coming to Xbox Game Pass over the next few weeks.
January 4
Gorogoa (Cloud, Console, PC)
Olija (Cloud, Console, PC)
The Pedestrian (Cloud, Console, PC)
January 6
Embr (Cloud, Console, PC)
Mass Effect Legendary Edition, via EA Play (Console and PC)
Outer Wilds (Cloud, Console, PC)
January 13
Spelunky 2 (Console, PC)
The Anacrusis, via game preview (Console, PC)
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the obvious headline here. Yes, all three games from BioWareâs space opera trilogy are also available to subscribers of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, but itâs a true delight to play them in 4Kâand from the same tidy launcher. Plus, you get access to all of the DLC for all of the games (save for one straggler). Just one word of advice: Donât bother with Mass Effect 2âs Arrival expansion. I ran through it for the first time this weekend and cannot believe no one warned me about it!
Read More: Ridiculously Short, Arrival Sets The Stage For Mass Effect 3
Oh, uh, maybe I shouldâve listened to Fahey all those years agoâŠ
Beyond Mass Effect Legendary Edition, there are two puzzle games worth checking out. Gorogoa is mesmerizing in its hand-drawn beauty. Meanwhile, The Pedestrian is a 2.5D platformer in which you play as the little-human icon of street signs. Fans of shooters should be intrigued by The Anacrusis, which is yet another take on Left 4 Deadâexcept youâre on a spaceship.
Speaking of spaceships, if you havenât tried it yet, Outer Wilds is one of those rare gems Iâd recommend to anyone who plays games. (Outer Wilds defies easy explanation and is best experienced with an ice-cold dip.) The Annapurna-published space exploration simâa perennial favorite of Kotaku staffersâhad been playable on Game Pass for some time, but departed the lineup last June. Who knows when the gods of publishing deals will deprive us of it again?
Meanwhile, you know the drill: Every slew of additions heralds a handful of departures. First, PlayerUnknownâs Battlegrounds will no longer be playable via Xbox Game Pass, on account of it going free-to-play on January 12. But six more games will follow it out the door on January 15:
Desperados III (Cloud, Console, PC)
Ghost of a Tale (PC)
Kingdom Hearts III (Console)
Mount & Blade: Warband (Cloud, Console, PC)
Pandemic (Console, PC)
Yiik: A Postmodern RPG (PC)
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