Game Pass Giveth, and Game Pass Taketh Away (Big Time)

It’s a week of change for Xbox Game Pass (again), with a lone newcomer joining the ranks and a sizeable squad of titles preparing to depart. It is the end of the month after all…

If you’re a Game Pass subscriber, either of the Xbox or PC variety, then you’ll know that the subscription service lives and dies on the sheer scale of games it allows access to. But in order for that to work, thigns must change, with new games getting added and others being taken away, pretty much on a consistent basis.

That’s the case this week, as we welcome in a new game to our libraries. But that does mean a cool NINE games are being shifted out to make space. Let’s take a closer look at the latest movements in the Game Pass library.

New Addition

There’s just the one new addition to Game Pass this week, but it will at least let you hack the planet!

Watch Dogs: Legion (Cloud, Console, and PC) – February 25th

Ubisoft‘s open-world action-adventure Watch Dogs: Legion arrives on Game Pass, offering a unique twist on the franchise formula.

Recruit anyone from the streets of dystopian London to join your DedSec resistance against authoritarian rule. Each character brings their own unique skills and backstory to the table, allowing for diverse playstyles and emergent gameplay opportunities. Hack drones, infiltrate restricted areas, and manipulate the city’s infrastructure as you fight for London’s freedom.

Give our full Watch Dogs: Legion review a read.

Departing Games

Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to a number of titles leaving Game Pass on February 28th. If you’ve had any of these on your “to play” list, now’s the time to dive in!

If you want to know more about them, take in our review quotes and give the full articles a read.

• F1 22 (Console and PC) EA Play – Review Score – 4/5 – ‘If it’s on-track F1 racing you want, F1 22 is the game for you. But just be aware that you may find the smaller supercar side notes and attempted fanciness of F1 Life to be of insignificance.‘
• Gris (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 5/5 – ‘Playing GRIS for the first time, in its Xbox Series X|S format, has been an early 2023 highlight. Its reputation preceded it, so it was never going to surprise us. But we didn’t expect to connect with it as much as we did. What a meticulously crafted platformer it is, and what a fantastic example of Xbox Series X|S prowess it is too. Clear the room of distractions and play it in one go if you can.‘
• Maneater (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 4.5/5 – ‘Maneater on Xbox is bloody brilliant. It’s a massive game with a lot to do and a huge amount of content to discover – the locations or beauty spots are usually wittily scripted, and have quite a few nods to popular culture as well, making them entertaining asides.‘. And here are 6 things you need to know before braving the depths of Maneater.
• PAW Patrol World (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 4/5 – ‘PAW Patrol World isn’t made for us adults. It’s Adventure Bay and surrounding areas, with all of the barriers removed. It’s a glorious playset, the entire TV series ready for kids to reach in and enjoy. That’s something that none of the previous games have managed.‘    
• Space Engineers (Cloud, Console, and PC) – ‘From my time with Space Engineers on Xbox One, it is clear to see that it is a game with a lot of potential. Its complexity could take days or weeks to fully master and that is something that will probably keep me coming back in a few months.‘
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 4.5/5 – ‘Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a hugely enjoyable title; one that will appeal to those who love Warhammer, as well as being just as much fun for those that aren’t into the franchise.’
• Wo Long Fallen Dynasty (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 4.5/5 – ‘There is a real glut of new content included in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition and so should you have not played the game before, this is the edition to go for.‘
• Yakuza 3 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 3.5/5 – ‘Yakuza 3 Remastered on Xbox is the weakest in the series. Its lengthy introduction takes up about a third of the entire story, whilst it also lacks some of the quality of life improvements found in later versions.‘
• Yakuza 4 Remastered (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Review Score – 4/5 – ‘Yakuza 4 Remastered on Xbox isn’t the best game in The Yakuza Remastered Collection but it is a marked improvement on the pacing of Yakuza 3 Remastered.‘

From high-octane racing and demon-slaying action to heartwarming adventures and open-world exploration, these departing titles offer a diverse range of experiences. Be sure to check them out before they’re gone!

As always, the Game Pass library continues to evolve, bringing a fresh rotation of games to keep players entertained. Stay tuned as we continue to bring you the weekly Game Pass changes. Until the next time, let us know what you’ll be playing on Game Pass, or which of those multitude of games you’ll be sad to see leaving.

The comments are below.

Update: Balatro is now also landing on Game Pass this week – in fact, it should well be available as you read this.