I’ve recently bought Game Pass on the Xbox and PC. There are quite a few games on there and I have no idea what I want to play. I’m sure for some of you that’ll be the same case. What genre to pick? What game to invest time in? What series? These are the questions that you have asked yourself. There are also plenty of indie titles and big hitters such as Halo and Forza Horizon. For the next few weeks, I will be going through Game Pass. I will then recommend any games that I’ve spent my time with and I have enjoyed.
So here are my top games so far:
- Wolfenstein: The New Order
- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Battlefield V
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection
When I played the first game on the list Wolfenstein the New Order. It took me a while to realise that I’ve already played this game. but, I remembered having so much fun playing it before.
Another title but I also enjoy playing is Morrowind. I already had this on Steam and I’ve also got the physical copy on both PC and the original Xbox. The best perk about getting the PC version is the number of Mods available to the player. Such as Morrowind Rebirth and the Morrowind code patch.
I’ve been wanting to play a shooter for some time. But with Call of Duty being quite expensive I’ve managed to play Battlefield 5. The multiplayer mode is amazing, and the single-player campaign is also good.
Finally Halo The Master Chief collection. This is a collection of all Halo titles excluding Wars. Every single entry into that collection is a masterpiece and I couldn’t wait to play it.
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Wolfenstein the New Order takes place during WWII. The player is put in the shoes of an American soldier during a raid of various gun emplacements. You are then captured along with the rest of your squad. You then are forced into a decision that impacts the rest of the game. But the events don’t stop there as you are blown clear off the building into the ocean. You wake up in a psychiatric ward. Then 14 years speed by. Once he regains his faculties he learns that the Nazis have won the war.
Wolfenstein Gameplay
Wolfenstein the New Order is a traditional FPS title. it mixes open combat with stealth takedowns. it is up to the player which route they take. you have many big guns in your arsenal but so do the Nazis. sometimes it is better to stealth kill many Enemies as they will outnumber you and outgun you.
On top of that, there are also RPG elements. by completing various tasks such as stealth killing many enemies you unlock perks. these perks Grant new more abilities or features. some increase the speed of sprinting others healthy but they are many more. this adds an extra aspect to the game and would be at the back of your mind.
Wolfenstein Presentation
Wolfenstein graphics are great during cutscenes. Seeing the cast rendered at high quality for its time was beautiful. Currently, it doesn’t look too bad yet I imagine in a few years time graphics will appear outdated.
The soundtrack’s pretty good again like other titles it is used to emphasise the atmosphere. sound effects of pretty standards as well. Along with the graphics, the soundtrack shines during cutscenes.
Wolfenstein Replayability
there are various difficulty levels to replay the game in. as well as trying to get all the perks by Tony complete the endgame. There are also many collectables. Such as gold items and enigma puzzle pieces. These puzzle pieces once collected unlock new game modes. There are no multiplayer, which means the developers could focus on the campaign.
Wolfenstein Final Thoughts
I enjoyed playing Wolfenstein The New Order. Nothing about it is outstanding but sometimes you need to play an amazing game. it has a great single-player campaign and I’m already replaying it. especially now that I can unlock the other ending.
For a list of handheld games, you need to play click here.
Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls Morrowind is the third instalment in the Elder Scrolls series. Predating Skyrim and Oblivion. The events take place in Vvanderfell. The birthplace and home of the dark elves or Dumner as they call themselves. Like Skyrim and Oblivion, you are a prisoner.
You are released upon the orders of the emperor. Once released it is up to you what you do. Such as progress with the main quest. Or join the many Guilds available. I would recommend progressing with the main quest up to the point you meet Caius Cosades. He gives you funds to improve your character. At this point I would join a guild. Then make some progress in their quest lines and you’ll start earning money. This will help improve your stats and gain levels.
Morrowind Gameplay
Morrowind’s gameplay is like Skyrim you take on quests and battle enemies. By using the same abilities you gain levels on that skill. You interact with NPCs. Who either give you quests, knowledge, shop services or training. the world is very big especially considering fast travel is limited by the areas that you are in. unlike Oblivion and Skyrim to fast travel we need to find a fast travel provider. this can come in the form of a silt Strider. which is a weird animal that has long legs and is hollowed out for human travel.
Mage Guild guides can teleport you to other major Guilds across the land. finally, some areas are reached by boat. These all cost money. So if you run out of gold and you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere you will have to travel the old-fashioned way.
The combat system is also different from its sequels. In melee combat you hit the enemy with your weapon but depending on your skill the attack may not connect. Hand-to-hand combat reduces the enemy stamina. Once it reaches 0 they collapse allowing you to score free damaging hits. Ranged attacks are similar except you need to aim for the enemy and depending on your skill you may or may not hit them. Magic abilities also work on a chance basis. Each spell belongs to a different school of magic. Depending on your level for that school will reduce the amount of the magic cost. This also increases the chance of a successful spell cast.
A lot of these mechanics can be removed using mods on the PC version. again I cannot recommend Morrowind rebirth enough F2 new players. so it is still very much playable on the Xbox it will be less enjoyable.
Morrowind Presentation
Depending on what system you are playing Morrowind will change the graphics. The best platform to play it on is PC this is due to availability or many mods. The vanilla game graphics are dated by now, but it is still very much playable. But for newer players this is unplayable. If you are on PC mods will improve the look and feel of the game and even improve some of the gameplay mechanics
The soundtrack is very atmospheric and changes depending on many factors. It changes quite when an enemy spots you and is a great indicator that there are enemies nearby. The soundtrack is one aspect that doesn’t need an upgrade.
Morrowind Replayability
Since Morrowind is a traditional RPG there is plenty of room for replayability. This may require you to start a new character. Depending on how specific you’ve built your character. If you’re playing on the PC you can cheat to improve your stats to focus on the different specialisation. For example, going from a melee fighter to a mage. Another advantage of playing on PC is the modding community. They add quests and many other features. One mod I would recommend is Morrowind Rebirth which adds a lot of content to the main game.
Final Verdict
If you can get past some of its mechanics it is an enjoyable experience. With a lot more options on than Oblivion and Skyrim. This alone and I was me to the past the ageing mechanics. But if these mechanics are far too old for you I’d recommend oblivion. is the game I keep coming back to and one day I will complete the main quest.
Battlefield V
Battlefield 5 is a first-person shooter set in World War II. There are three different modes on this version of Battlefield. the main campaign is cold war stories. then there is a multiplayer mode and fireteam mode. Unlike Call of Duty, War Stories are set over many different locations. The player takes control of many different individuals. Who all contribute to the war effort. In the final campaign, you take control of a Nazi soldier which is interesting to play.
Battlefield V Premise
Since there are many different campaigns, I’m not going to go into too much detail about them. The campaigns will only take you a few hours to complete and you will get connected with the characters. The main draw of this game isn’t the campaign but the multiplayer.
Battlefield V Gameplay
The gameplay is straightforward. It is your run-of-the-mill shooter where you have many tools and weapons at your disposal. This even includes vehicles such as jeeps, trucks, planes, and boats. Since I’m focusing on multiplayer there are many different game modes. These will be very familiar for most online players such as deathmatch and catch the flight.
At the beginning of multiplayer, you do not have access to the majority of the weapons and tools. But as you earn XP you unlock more weapons and tools. There are also challenges that you can take on which will give you bonus XP and currency to spend on new guns. The class progression is the main reason that I love playing this game.
Battlefield V Presentation
The game is a few years old now and the graphics do show their age. They’re not spectacular or amazing by today’s standards. Even when it was released the graphics were average at best. Even so, they do set the tone of each mission. The battlefields are varied and huge. It is easy for enemy soldiers to blend in with the environment. Which brings a greater emphasis on being slow rather than sprinting across the map.
Again, like the graphics, the music is acceptable nothing amazing. During multiplayer, I would recommend having the background music off so that you can listen out for enemy footsteps. The sound effects are of high quality. And you can tell the difference between different weapons.
Battlefield V Replayability
For the main campaign, the only reason to replay it is to get the collectables. Or to beat a higher difficulty to unlock trophies/achievements. The multiplayer mode is very long. You have four classes with which you can rise through the ranks. Then also each weapon has its own levelling up system. You’ll spend many hours in multiplayer mode. It is even better if you have a squad.
Final Verdict
Though Battlefield V isn’t anything special. It is an enjoyable game and should keep you occupied for hours upon hours. But if online multiplayer isn’t your thing, the single-player will have you covered for a few hours.
Halo The Master Chief Collection
Halo has now been in existence for 20 years! Time has flown. The newest entry of the series, Infinity is due out in December. The multiplayer mode is already up and running which can be great with friends.
Halo The Master Chief Collection Premise
Each game follows Master Chief in some form, this excludes ODST and Reach. Master Chief is the result of human experimentation in creating the super-soldier. Captain America, with advanced equipment. Humanity is on the brink of extinction from being hunted by the Covenant. The Covenant is a union of aliens that seek the afterlife for all members of the union. In Halo: Combat Evolved, The Ship Pillar of Autumn escapes the Covenant by warping into space. The crew, including Master Chief, discover a Halo ring. An artificial ring that has its environment and is big enough to support life. Each game has a new Halo ring with the player exploring it to uncover the secrets.
Halo The Master Chief Collection Gameplay
The gameplay hasn’t changed much in 20 years. It is a first-person shooter, set in space. You have access to both human and alien weaponry to combat the Covenant. Master Chief also has access to various vehicles. It’s a standard FPS and the formula is starting to get a bit tired. I hope that Infinity will find a way to refresh the series.
Halo The Master Chief Collection Presentation
The graphical quality for each game differs greatly. The earlier games have had enough graphical updates to be more in line with the newer titles. they’ve tried to make it as realistic as possible with each iteration improving on the last. you can especially see this on the master chief’s armour as the later games lol reflections.
The music is performed by an orchestra and it ramps up during certain sequences when the stakes are high. this is one area that never needed to be upgraded from the very first game. the sound quality and the musical soundtrack I’ve always been of high-quality. and this has continued for the latest country.
Halo The Master Chief Collection Replayability
The earlier game main campaign doesn’t have much reason to replay. but from Halo 3 there are various ways that you can find it. which can change the gameplay mechanics. the other reason to replay these later games is for achievements. So I’m required to take various disadvantages to make the game harder. the completionists this is perfect.
Multiplayer mode has been available since day one of the series. there are many game modes and it makes it very competitive. With this collection. You have every level available to play which increases the enjoyment.
Final Verdict
For anyone who needs the series, this is a must-have. it is a great introduction to the law and gameplay of the game. For returning players it’s great to have them all-in-one nice package. Halo ODST and Reach have only been added recently and I can’t wait to play them again.
Game Pass What’s Next?
This is a small selection of games available on Game Pass. Over the coming weeks and months. I will be getting to know the past very well full stop and will provide further recommendations as I play more. I will add links below to any future posts.
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