Having been an avid fan of Sony’s consoles since the diesel-powered PlayStation 3, I had grown to love PlayStation’s trophy system and became meticulous about finishing games in their entirety to build upon my ever-growing ‘collection’ of platinum trophies.
With a pressing need to continue to build on these, I had my heart set on a PlayStation 5. I wanted to continue into the next generation and take with me my near-obsession of platinum trophies. However, as time went on I slowly realized that PlayStation 5s were to be as rare as hen’s teeth. Every day for months I checked stock alert websites and every day for months I was met with a deep disappointment.
Xbox Game Pass – The Reason I Gave in
Destined to play out my days in this loop of daily disappointments, I decided to go for the next-generation console that was readily available at the time- the Xbox Series S. Aside from their availability, I had found myself to be drifting towards ‘The Dark Side’ for quite a while. The reason for this wasn’t the exclusives or even my fast-dwindling patience. I switched for one reason – Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
I had spent months on gaming groups, laying witness to the masses praising it as ‘The Sony Killer’. I simply had to try it. Now. after renewing my three-month subscription, I thought it to be high time that I wrote an Xbox Gamepass Review, to voice my opinions. Is Game Pass really the start of the end of Sony’s reign?
Day One Exclusives Courtesy of the Xbox Game Pass
I feel that the day one exclusives are one of the defining factors of the Xbox Game Pass. The skeptical would be forgiven to think that the selection of such games would be limited to old, indie, or old indie games. However, the fact is that this isn’t the case.
Since I have joined Xbox Game Pass, I have seen some highly-sought AAA games hitting the ‘Day One’ section. Back 4 Blood, Dragon’s Quest XI, Microsoft Flight Simulator and the iconic Gears of War 5 have all graced the Game Pass with their presence from the day of release. Even Forza Horizon 5 came to Game Pass on the first day of release, and that’s arguably the best game of the year.
Furthermore, Halo Infinite has just today landed on Xbox’s subscription service and the future looks bright with upcoming titles such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 and Evil Genius 2. Xbox Game Pass really is, on early thoughts, the gift that keeps on giving.
Xbox Game Pass is Home to a Great Selection of Titles
If the aforementioned blockbusters aren’t enough to whet your appetite, the vast library available to play from the cloud or your console will. The range is both eclectic and full of quality games from Xbox originals to modern-day heavies. I’ve had my Xbox Series S for three months now and the only game I have felt the need to buy was Grand Theft Auto 5. All of the other games I play are straight found on Game Pass.
Moreover, if you’re a member of Game Pass Ultimate (highly recommended), then you have access to the EA Access library.
Cloud-Based or Remote Gaming
If you live in a busy house like mine, you will understand that your TV won’t always be available to you (my kids love to commandeer it). This is where the Xbox Game Pass once again steps in to save the day. I have often played my Xbox on my phone with no noticeable graphical compromise. Cloud-based gaming also means that if I am ever lucky enough to be in my own gaming station, I don’t even have to download games. If you have a poor connection, however, this can be a torturous way to play games.
Summary
The Xbox Game Pass without a doubt offers a lot of bang for your buck. For just over $10 every month you have continued access to all of the games I have mentioned here, along with the rest of the expansive library. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of games on offer, particularly some of the day one releases such as Forza 5 (worth the subscription fee alone). It seems that Microsoft is really going out of their way to give Game Pass subscribers as much as they possibly can and the library is often updated with fresh titles.
Is it the Sony killer it’s made out to be, though? The answer to this is a resounding ‘no’. Despite all the airs, graces, bells, and whistles, I still pine for my trophies and will be picking a PlayStation 5 up as soon as possible. Yes, PS Now isn’t quite as good, but the Game Pass hasn’t purged that urge. If you already own an Xbox owner, a Game Pass subscription is an absolute must. Sell your house, your cat and your grandma and buy as long a subscription as possible; it’s one hell of a package.
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