Launched four years ago, the Xbox Game Pass is a fun subscription service that allows its users to stream various video games. It's essentially Netflix for games, and the Pass actually offers some solid titles.
Shooters have always remained a popular genre of video games. They're very easy to pick up and play, and when a multiplayer component is included, they offer near-limitless hours of content and enjoyability. Thankfully, the Xbox Game Pass contains a slew of great options. Some are old, some are new, and many are worth checking out.
Back 4 Blood (2021)
Back 4 Blood was developed by Turtle Rock Studios and is their first mainstream game since the Evolve fiasco of 2015. It serves as a spiritual successor to their iconic Left 4 Dead franchise, which actually managed to make zombies scary again.
It contains very similar gameplay, like four players cooperating to get from A to B while killing zombies and avoiding special types of infected. It's a decent little zombie shooter, and well worth playing for fans of Left 4 Dead.
Control (2019)
Control came and went in 2019 without much attention, barring some industry awards. The game was developed by Remedy Entertainment, which is perhaps best known for Max Payne and Alan Wake. Control shares a lot in common with the latter, including a story based heavily in the paranormal.
Upon release, the shooter earned positive reviews for its graphics, animation, and art design, including the unforgettable brutalist architecture of its primary location. It's well worth checking out.
Destroy All Humans! (2020)
Developed by Black Forest Games, Destroy All Humans! is a total remake of the cult classic 2005 original. There have been some great alien invasion movies throughout the years, and it was about time that alien invasions came to gaming.
This game allows players to control the invading extraterrestrial - an alien known as Cryptosporidium 137. The gameplay is inventive and often results in some hilarious situations, and the 1950s setting provides a beautiful backdrop for the carnage.
DOOM (1993)
DOOM is the very definition of an oldie but a goodie. DOOM is arguably the most influential first-person shooter ever made, revolutionizing an entire genre and launching a variety of "DOOM Clones". The game was released in 1993, so despite its legendary reputation, many modern players probably haven't tried it.
And while it's obviously primitive when compared to Doom Eternal, it is still incredibly fun and fluid. It's the ultimate "pick up and play" FPS, and both casual gamers and gaming historians need to play it.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (2014)
They may be a product of the 2000s, but the Halo games are some of the greatest first-person shooters ever released. The titles have held up extraordinarily well, and the graphical upgrades given to the older games are nothing short of revolutionary.
The Master Chief Collection allows all the nostalgic gamers to get back together and play Halo like it was 2004, and it allows modern gamers to see what all the fuss was about. This is easily one of the Game Pass's greatest and most iconic inclusions.
Prey (2017)
Prey was designed to be a spiritual successor to System Shock, and while it never reaches that game's heights, it is still an incredibly fun ride. But it's not just a shooter, as Prey also combines elements of stealth and RPG while mimicking some of the greatest Metroidvanias that helped define the genre.
The gameplay is richly expansive, allowing players to utilize a variety of methods to attain their goals and explore the beautiful space station. It's not System Shock, but it's the next best thing.
Rage 2 (2019)
Rage 2 came and went without much attention, despite being the long-awaited sequel to a classic. The sequel revamps the identity and nature of the series, offering a first-person shooter that is far more colorful, faster, and more action-packed.
The results may be divisive, especially for fans of the original Rage. But those going in blind, or those more open to the difference, will find more than enough to enjoy in this rapid-fire sequel.
Quake (1996)
Released in 1996, Quake borrowed heavily from DOOM and offered a revolutionary experience in multiplayer gaming. It helped popularize the concept of online gaming and deathmatches, and while it obviously doesn't have the same impact in 2021 as it did in 1996, Quake is still a fun time that is well worth trying.
If nothing else, modern gamers will find an appreciation for the history of first-person shooters and the revolutionary nature of the game.
Sunset Overdrive (2014)
Sunset Overdrive was one of the earliest Xbox One exclusives, taking place in the dystopian land of Sunset City. Players control an employee of a soft drink company who must kill those who have consumed their beverage, as they have turned into dangerous mutants.
It's a ridiculously fast-paced adventure shooter that has a fantastic sense of humor, a great combat system, and a unique way of traversing its beautifully designed city. It didn't get much attention, but it deserves to.
World War Z (2019)
Based in the same universe as the Brad Pitt movie, World War Z takes major inspiration from the Left 4 Dead series. It also concerns shooting as many fast and snarling zombies as possible, and it too contains a heavy multiplayer component.
While it never reaches the quality of Left 4 Dead, it's a great spiritual successor that took over its role before the release of Back 4 Blood. Those looking for a simple zombie shooter will find more than enough to enjoy here.