Hey, have you heard about this ‘Xbox Game Pass’ thing? We’ve been trying it out for ourselves and we’ve got a potentially controversial take: we like it a lot! Here’s what we’ve been playing this week.
Tom – Lead Writer
The Pedestrian
- Playing on Xbox Game Pass
I’ve not had a lot of downtime this week, so I was looking for something I could play in short bursts. Coincidentally, I happened to recover my old Xbox Gamertag, and as a result was offered a month of Game Pass Ultimate for a mere £1. This tier of Game Pass allows you to stream games without even owning an Xbox console, perfect for trying lots of games out at a very low cost. The lag inherent to streaming isn’t ideal for something like Halo Infinite, but it works great for a puzzler like The Pedestrian.
The Pedestrian is exactly the kind of visually striking, thought-provoking puzzle game that I’ve been getting extremely into over the last year or so. You play as a little stickman or woman, the kind you’d find on a bathroom door, as you travel through signage across warehouses, subways, rooftops and more. Puzzles require swapping different signs around, connecting their various entrances and exits to find your way through various obstacles and move on to the next location.
The combination of 2D and 3D graphics is really unique, and there’s a lovely original score too. More than anything, The Pedestrian is a perfect ‘snackable’ game; it’s equally as enjoyable when played for 10 minutes as it is when played for an hour. This has been a perfect accompaniment to my lunch breaks, and I can’t help but think I’m going to miss it when it’s over.
Joe – Editor & Lead Writer
Mass Effect 2 (Legendary Edition)
- Playing on Xbox Game Pass
After finishing the first instalment of the series, I’ve taken the nearest Mass Relay straight to Mass Effect 2, driven by a hunger to be a part of that world again.
In last week’s post, I talked about how some of the mechanics have dated and gameplay can feel a little cumbersome, despite the excellent face-lift in the form of the remaster. But any issues I had with the first game have been swiftly dealt with by Mass Effect 2. You want some kind of objective marker? Sure, no problem. What about a map that isn’t buried in the Start menu? Can do. And maybe fewer missions in the Mako? We got you!
As much as I love the first game, Mass Effect 2 feels way more confident in itself. The variation in mission styles is a welcome addition, as are all the tiny details like scanning planets for resources and actually driving the Normandy across the Galaxy map.
I’ve still got a way to go, but I’m really enjoying my time with it. Hopefully soon I can report back on the final game of the trilogy. Watch this space.
Death’s Door
- Playing on Xbox Game Pass
Okay, so Mass Effect has sapped most of my time recently, but ever since Death’s Door came to Game Pass this week, I’ve been itching to play.
So far, it’s living up to the hype. Aside from the fact that it’s incredibly beautiful and charming, Death’s Door sits just on the right side of ‘Difficult’ for me. Rather than being a strenuous experience from the outset, the game has a gentle learning curve which never feels punishing in a sadistic sense. Combat feels fluid and responsive, and the excellent level design keeps you constantly on your toes.
Also, a quick shout-out to the developers, Acid Nerve, who hail from our hometown of Manchester, U.K – it was lovely to spot a few Mancunian phrases littered about the place!