What to play on Game Pass: games that blend action, adventure and roleplaying

Don’t know what to play on Game Pass? With literally hundreds of titles available on the service spanning just about every genre out there, it can be tough to know where to start. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with these Game Pass recommendations for those seeking games that have the perfect blend of action, adventure and roleplaying elements.

That is no ordinary feat, but here we have gathered a few of those special games that manage to pull it off. The best thing about the following games is that they each have something that should appeal to just about any gamer.

Hades

Watch the trailer on YouTube

This highly acclaimed roguelike is arguably the perfection of procedural narrative storytelling, something developer Supergiant has explored in past titles such as Pyre and Bastion.

Hades has been universally lauded for its story, characters, art, music, and gameplay. It was the winner of several game of the year awards and was the first-ever video game to win a Hugo award. It also won a Nebula Award for its writing. Hades is a commercial success as well with over 1 million copies sold. It is considered a modern classic, and one Game Pass subscribers would be remiss to overlook.

 

Lost in Random

An action-adventure game with light roleplaying elements and a gorgeous “dark storybook” visual style, Lost in Random also features semi-tactical combat that takes place on game board-like arenas. The game was developed by Zoink, the studio behind another Game Pass adventure game, Fe.

Lost in Random is set in the Kingdom of Random, where the fate of all individuals is decided by a cursed black die when they reach the age of 12.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

Watch the trailer on YouTube

Selected by GameSpot, Joystiq, and GiantBomb as their 2014 Game of the Year, Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor is based on a story from Tolkien’s legendarium.

The game features its touted Nemesis System in which the game tracks enemy AI when an Uruk manages to kill the player or survive an encounter with the player. That Uruk will be promoted to a captain in Sauron’s army, and when the player encounters them again, they will drop a rune upon defeat which the player can equip to a weapon for a special new buff.

It makes for something new, and sets this game apart. Fans of the Lord of the Rings franchise with Game Pass should definitely check it out.

Minecraft

Watch the trailer on YouTube

The dungeon-crawling spinoff to the best-selling video game of all time, Minecraft Dungeons benefitted from a stellar development pedigree with British developer Double Eleven working alongside Mojang Studios on this one. Double Eleven’s resume includes Rust, Crackdown 3, Goat Simulator, PixelJunk Shooter, Little Big Planet, and Limbo.

That’s a pretty impressive roster, and it’s no surprise that Minecraft Dungeons turned out to be the great procedurally-generated hack and slash game that it is. Unlike Minecraft, this game eschews the open world and crafting/building aspects in favor of a more focused experience that emphasizes combat and loot collecting, and exploring the dungeons either alone or with up to four players locally or online.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

That title is quite a mouthful. A quintessential Metroidvania, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth may initially draw comparisons to Symphony of the Night, and that is quite a compliment if anything.

The game is based on the series of fantasy novels dating back to the late 1980s by Ryo Mizuno, which have also been adapted into manga and anime. You don’t need to be familiar with the source material to enjoy the game, though: it covers the origin story of the protagonist, the high elf Deedlit.

Tunic

Watch the trailer on YouTube

Game creator Andrew Shouldice spent years designing, programming, developing and writing a game about secrets. The result is Tunic, an Xbox console exclusive till later this year and a day one Game Pass title.

An isometric action-RPG featuring a tiny fox in a big world, Tunic borrows a bit from the Legend of Zelda franchise, with a touch of Souls thrown in for good measure. Hey, if you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best. The game has been well-received, with one reviewer declaring it a “celebration of long-forgotten design practices,” hearkening back to the classic games of the past.

Wrap up

So were there any personal favorites of yours featured on this list? Let us know about your experiences with these games in the comments section. Games like these prove that Game Pass is the best gaming service out there right now.

If you don’t already have a subscription, you can sign up here, and right now you can get your first month for only $1. Learn more about Game Pass over on its FAQ page. And don’t forget to check out our other “What to play on Game Pass” posts for other Game Pass recommendations.

Featured image from store.steampowered.com.