My time with Game Pass so far

Game Pass is a service that I consume a little differently to others. Where PS Plus Extra is like my every day diet, Game Pass is my treat day – or treat months really. I don’t always have it, but when I do I binge the heck out of it.

I only got a PC within the last 3 years and never had an Xbox, so I never even really knew what Game Pass was until 2020. When I did get my PC, Game Pass were doing codes for a week of free access for first timers. I never jumped in because I wanted to make it count but I couldn’t find the right time. I thought I would save it for a rainy day or a broken leg. Then, they introduced their 3 Months for £1 deal.

To this day I cannot get over how good of a deal that was. Not only that, but there was an extra free month if you signed up to monthly payments (which you could unsubscribe to at any time). And if that wasn’t crazy enough, they did it again! Through all of these deals, Christmas gifts and a month I gifted to myself to make my 12 Days of Game Pass series, I have probably had a year total of access. Since my subscription status is on and off, everytime I do have access I try to make the most of it, as evidenced below.

Played since I first got Game Pass

Games Tried: 69
Games Completed: 34
Games Abandoned: 23

I think this list shows why I only like to have Game Pass in bursts. That is a LOT of gaming. There is an argument that if I had it more often then I wouldn’t feel the need to binge as hard, but 1. I have to pick and choose my subscriptions for income reasons and 2. Along with the joy of having access to these games comes the low key anxiety I get of wanting to finish everything before it leaves. Twice per month a selection of games leave the service and while it is always the same days (the 1st and the 16th), two weeks notice isn’t enough if I am recording/streaming, or if it is a long game. Also, if a game enters the leaving soon list then I know I have to drop everything and play it or miss out, which often dictates what I end up playing.

Regarding the table above, when compared to my PS Plus Extra list, there are a lot more dropped and paused games, particularly that I have made content for. I think it is important to note that this is not a negative. This is simply due to playing the games on the same device that I am making my content. It isn’t because the quality of games is low, it is completely down to convenience. Having access to so many games on my PC (the place I make my content) gives me so much opportunity to experiment without any barriers. I took advantage of that, getting to experience lots of different games and not having to feel bad about dropping them if they weren’t for me. I did 12 Days of Game Pass as I mentioned before, and I have done Game Pass Indie Showcase months too. These are series’ designed to experience a wide variety without having to commit. This explains the drastic difference between the tables I have made.

Secondly, most of the paused games that aren’t for content are multiplayer which is something that I have rarely ever tried on my PlayStation. Again, the convenience is a large factor here, but also more people I know tend to have Game Pass. Partly due to the fact that you could say ‘Don’t have Game Pass? No problem, its £1 for 3 months, get in here and play.’ That era is now over but it did the job of selling everyone on the value of the service.

Finally, the variety is a subject that I would like to bring up here too. Look at all of those different games. So many that I certainly wouldn’t have tried if the opportunity wasn’t there, lots that I wanted to try and got my wish. I was going to pick out some highlights but there are so many that I don’t even know where to start. Some of these games got me through some particularly rocky times and I am eternally grateful for that.

One feature that Game Pass certainly has over Ps Plus Extra is the ability to add games to your ‘Play Later’ list. I still keep this up to date even when I am not subscribed so that I know what I have to look forward to the the time comes. (Once again, these lists are accurate at the time of writing but the games available are ever changing so I will certainly miss some)

Still to play – Online

  • As Dusk Falls
  • Broken Age
  • Deaths Door
  • Dordogne
  • Pentiment
  • Tunic

These are the games that I will would definitely like to make content for.
Total Games: 6
Games started: 3 (As Dusk Falls, Deaths Door and Tunic)

Still to play – Offline

  • Airborne Kingdom
  • The Big Con
  • Chained Echoes
  • Cooking Simulator
  • Coral Island
  • Medieval Dynasty
  • Norco
  • Opus Magnum
  • Peggle Nights
  • Persona 3 Portable
  • Persona 4 Golden
  • Persona 5 Royal
  • Phoenix Point
  • Railway Empire 2
  • Ravenlok
  • Sea of Stars
  • SimCity
  • Slime Rancher 2
  • Solasta: Crown of the Magister
  • Starfield
  • The Wandering Village
  • Zoo Tycoon

These are the games that I will try/play for myself without making content (probably).
Total Games: 22
Games started: 3 (Cooking Simulator, Coral Island, Medieval Dynasty)

Still to play – Online or Offline?

  • Amazing Cultivation Simulator
  • The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales
  • Bramble: The Mountain King
  • Fe
  • Homestead Arcana
  • Hypnospace Outlaw
  • McPixel 3
  • Monster Sanctuary
  • Planet of Lana
  • Quantum Break
  • Sea of Solitude
  • Somerville
  • Unravel 2
  • Venba

These are games that I haven’t quite decided whether I should make content for or not.
Total Games: 14

I am quite passionate about low budget gaming. I don’t feel good about it as games mean so much to me, I want to support the continued development. However, that is a privilege that some people just don’t have. Game Pass has allowed me to play 69 games that I simply would not have been able to if the service didn’t exist. The value for money has been second to none (unless you include Epic Games, then it might be second to one). The big caveat is that it is only this valuable if you actually have time to play the games. That is why, for me, hopping in and out is the best way to go.

If you have enjoyed this read take a look at my similar post about PS Plus Extra!

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