As Xbox fans, we have a big weekend ahead of us. Summer Game Fest is well underway, but the real attraction comes on Sunday with the Xbox Games Showcase. There are tons of rumors swirling about what games will be shown. We already know that The Outer Worlds 2 will get its own dedicated direct, but who knows if we might see more of Fable, Perfect Dark, or State of Decay 3. Plus, could it be time for a new Halo? Sunday is right at the end of the weekend, so that leaves us with plenty of time to kill with some hot Game Pass games. There’s even a good chance that Xbox will drop, or at least announce, a new game coming to Game Pass during the show so I wanted to make sure to put these games on your radar for this weekend just in case a surprise drop does come.
Crypt Custodian
I love it when Xbox supports smaller indie games by giving them the spotlight in Game Pass. Similar to Tunic years ago, Crypt Custodian is another delightful Zelda-like adventure where you play as a cat named Pluto who is hit by a car and sent to the afterlife. Using a broom as your main weapon, you will become the afterlife’s custodian. Mixing in equal parts action and platforming, this is a perfectly tuned and paced adventure. You will explore detailed environments, unlock new abilities and moves, and face off against tough bosses. You can spot its many inspirations, from action RPGs and Souls-likes to Metroidvanias, but it has such great vibes that you won’t mind the familiarity.
Crypt Custodian is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
Symphonia
Sticking to smaller games that are well worth your time, we come to Symphonia. This is a pure platformer that weaves music into every moment. You take control of a violinist who is revived into a dying world with the goal of bringing music — and thus life — back. Your violin and bow act as a weapon and a way to traverse the world. Both the soundtrack and art style are eye-wateringly beautiful. That’s important because this isn’t a simple platformer and will give you a real test of your reactions and skill. It isn’t overly long, which you can take as a positive or a negative. My personal take was that it was just the right length for what it needed to be, and a perfect weekend game.
Symphonia is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
State of Decay 2
I’m going out on a bit of a limb with this one, but I predict we’re about to see a lot more of State of Decay 3 at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase. This game has been in the works for years with almost no updates or showings for way too long. So, either playing the last game now will get you more excited for what we see of the third game, or it will help ease the pain of yet another showcase with no news. That’s a win-win, right? Part of why this series has such a hungry fanbase is that there’s just no other zombie survival game quite like it. It is especially fun if you can grab a couple of buddies to go scavenging with or playing the horde mode.
State of Decay 2 is available now on Xbox One and PC.
