As enjoyable as an expansive open-world game can be, there is also a time and place for more concise stories. These titles can be nice palate cleansers between meatier packages, or they could be slotted in when someone only has a day left in their subscription. What are some of the best short games on Xbox Game Pass?
Somerville
Coming from one of the creative forces behind Limbo and Inside, Somerville is very much cut from the same cloth as those two masterpieces. An atmospheric adventure game that utilizes environmental storytelling rather than discourse, this 2022 release finds Earth besieged by aliens, an invasion that quickly devastates the planet.
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Telling a smaller-scale personal quest, Somerville focuses on a father who is simply trying to keep his family alive during this testing time. The gameplay largely consists of basic platforming and puzzles, and while these elements are handled well, they are in service of the game’s tone, presentation, and emotion.
A Memoir Blue
Like childhood memories that come and go at a moment’s notice, A Memoir Blue is a fleeting experience that can live a player craving more. Cloisters’ story follows a dissatisfied Olympic swimmer as she dreams about long-gone days that shaped the person she grew into. Naturally, this extends to her key relationships, specifically the one she shared with her mother.
A Memoir Blue is described as an “interactive poem,” which is reflected by its minimalist presentation and lack of dialogue. Featuring very little in the way of gameplay or interactivity, this title lives and dies on the strength of its emotional core. If the story resonates with someone, A Memoir Blue could become one of their favorite projects on Xbox Game Pass.
Firewatch
In the right hands, minimalism can be a powerful tool. Firewatch casts players as Henry, a lookout assigned to a tower in Shoshone National Forest. After returning to his station, Henry discovers he had an unwanted guest while he was away, and he sets out to investigate this turn of events.
Firewatch leaves players to their own devices as they explore the forest while occasionally communicating with Henry’s supervisor through a walkie-talkie. This walking simulator should be experienced blind as the story crafts an intriguing sense of mystery that steadily builds throughout the short campaign.
Metal: Hellsinger
Doom will never free the first-person shooter genre from its shadow, and that is a good thing. The more games that follow in the footsteps of id Software’s franchise, the better. Metal: Hellsinger’s gunplay is undoubtedly inspired by Doom, but the game also brings a fresh spin to the formula.
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As hinted at by its title, Metal: Hellsinger urges players to blast to the soundtrack’s beat, encouraging them to shed demonic blood along with the glorious sound of shredding guitars. This concept is strong enough that the campaign’s short length is a bit disappointing; conversely, the game does not overstay its welcome.
The Pedestrian
An inspired puzzle-platformer, The Pedestrian takes the tried-and-tested genre and throws in a novel framing device and gimmick. All the puzzles are presented on everyday items like signs and billboards, on which players must guide a stick figure toward an exit. This might sound simple on paper, but this process involves piecing together different signs to find a solution. Things get tricky quickly.
The Pedestrian is a fun brainteaser to throw on every once in a while. Compared to some other short Xbox Game Pass games, this project is not necessarily designed to be completed in one sitting.
Inside
Playdead’s Inside is probably the best short game on Xbox Game Pass, and some people might argue that the “short” qualifier is superfluous. Playdead’s project brings to life a nightmarish world stripped of color and warmth, one where robots watch over mindless humans.
An unnamed child heads out on an ambiguous journey awash with danger, and a single wrong move will result in failure. Inside crafts an engrossing sense of mystery that demands exploration and discussion. The answers might not be obvious or necessarily uplifting, but they are worth seeking out regardless.
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