Xbox Game Pass Review - Hard or Soft?
The Netflix of games...or so that's how I saw Xbox Game Pass presented a few months ago when it was about to be released. A service where you pay a monthly fee to be able to play more than 100 games from both Xbox One and Xbox 360. No streaming, you download full games, then you play them the way they were meant to be played. Is it worth the cost of admission? Read on.
Xbox Game Pass costs $9.99 a month, and you don't need to have an Xbox Live Gold membership to participate. There is currently no other lengths for membership, it is something you pay for every month. I can't really describe the interface because...there isn't any. It is seamless. It is simply a filter on the Xbox store which shows you what games are available.You select a game, download and install, and you're on your way. It is no different than regularly purchasing a game through the store.
I tried both small and large games. I downloaded and played Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, Saint's Row 4, and Mega Man Legacy Collection. Everything runs flawlessly. The games fully install and play like any normal purchase. They have been consistently adding new games, and recently added previous heavy hitters like Dead Rising 3 and Mad Max. I am looking forward to trying out Mad Max, Metro Redux, and Terraria. There is a large variety of games, from all genres, except JRPGs. There are a lot of games I have recommended in the past, such as Garou Mark of the Wolves, DmC, and Mega Man Legacy Collection. They have a good Neo Geo representation, and quite a few games you might have missed during the 360 days. In fact, if you moved to the Xbox One from a Playstation 3, this is an especially good value. It is a bit overwhelming at first. I feel like I didn't download some games because of lack of space, a good problem to have.
So the important question then: is it worth it? I have heard Xbox Game Pass called one of the best values in gaming. I agree. The amount of games available makes the $9.99 completely worth it, if viewed from a pure money to game perspective. However, most people won't have that many games that are must-plays on this list. I feel like for someone who didn't have a 360, and now has an Xbox One and is on a budget, Xbox Game Pass is a hard recommendation on a consistent renewal basis. That is the key right there. This type of gamer can see benefit having Xbox Game Pass for three months or so at a time. Just like any subscription service, planning is key. Unless you are getting something from here consistently you can't get anywhere else, you don't want to pay $120 for the entire year of it.
If you really wanted to, I'm sure you could go through every game you really wanted to play in a month, then cancel. You could then take a look every couple of months, see if there are a couple of games you missed that want to play, get another month, use it, then cancel again. For people like me, who is consistently playing new releases, it is a harder sell. As stated above, I've missed certain games on here that I want to play. However, I'm sure I could get Mad Max for $9.99 if I really wanted to. Same with Metro Redux. I signed up for the 14 day trial, and I don't regret it. Ever since Microsoft Rewards added a year of Xbox Game Pass as a prize to their service, I've been eyeing it, and just got it one week ago. I now have access to Game Pass for one year. Make sure you go here to find out how to do the same, cost is the same as a year of Xbox Live Gold, and I am not aware of any place that sells Xbox Game Pass a year at a time.
As far as longevity, I feel like Microsoft can make a good amount of money from gamers on a budget, who want to catch up with what they missed. I can see a combo of Xbox Game Pass, and a wait for sales/clearance approach on new releases being a great, cost conscious way to play everything. Pay for Xbox Game Pass, and wait a couple of months to get Forza 7 for instance, to pick it up for around $30. Or, as a weird option: a month of Xbox Game Pass every couple of months to compliment your Nintendo Switch or Playstation 4 library. Overall, Xbox Game Pass gets a hard recommendation from me, but only for a few months or a month at a time to maximize value. If you haven't used your trial, look at the list and see if anything catches your fancy, and give it a try, you won't regret it. As a money saving focused site, I couldn't let Xbox Game Pass slip by, as it can be an amazing cost saving alternative for a gamer on a budget.
Get boning!
