But one of the best parts of Stardew is easily the relaxed sense of progression. Players grow crops, find romance, assist the locals with their various problems, dive into the mines to fight monsters and liberate riches, and more over the course of their stay in the Valley. With dashes of dating sim and retro action-RPG thrown into the mix and sealed up in a charming 16-bit aesthetic, SDV tasks players with moving out to the countryside to restore their grandfather’s farm after inheriting it - as one does in a farming sim. That’s quite a statement when discussing farming sims, but really, it’s so much more than that. Stardew Valley is easily one of the most zen experiences to be had in its genre. Altogether, it makes for a fun and engrossing cooperative experience. The game features some basic-yet-solid progression mechanics in unlockable guns, attachments, and consumable items to continuously tempt you back into the fray. It’s clear that this title in the Alien series takes its inspiration from James Cameron’s space-marine-laden film, and while shooting them down by the hundreds can certainly detract from the Xenomorphs’ “scare factor” significantly, they do certainly make for satisfying cannon fodder for you and your friends to chew through. In Fireteam Elite, players are tasked with selecting one of four playable classes and mowing down hordes of the titular Xenomorph, complete with particularly problematic variations of the alien peppered throughout. Though nowhere near as terrifying as its distant cousin, Alien: Isolation, Aliens: Fireteam Elite offers a thrilling romp through the same universe. The game’s best played with colleagues and friends, as there’s nothing more entertaining than knowing someone’s tells and desperately trying to suss out the truth when they claim they were on the other end of the level when a body’s discovered. The game ends in one of three ways: the crewmates complete all tasks, the murderer is identified and ejected, or the imposters manage to wipe out the crew. The catch? One (or more) of your crewmates is an imposter with the sole purpose or murdering you and everyone else. The premise is simple - several players find themselves on board a spaceship (or remote research facility) and are provided with tasks to complete, ranging from cleaning out dirty vents to blasting asteroids out of the ship’s way. It just took that extra step to plant itself on the Game Pass roster.

Having swept into immense popularity due to its accessibility across platforms and omnipresence in streaming and YouTube communities, it was only a matter of time before it made the leap to living room consoles. Among Us is the indie hidden-role game that could.

Game pass ultimate list