



We’re pumping our fists in the air for the arrival of Valheim. No, we’re not talking about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The Viking game that everyone has long been waiting for has made its way to Xbox Game Pass. But once you’ve gotten into the groove, and your cities start to take on the better sides of their characteristics and you know what trees you’re going to invest in, Civilization VI hits its stride, and man, does it keep a good pace.

Maintaining your burgeoning civilization is just the tip of the iceberg, and keeping track of the various systems needed to do so is a monumental task. It’s not the friendliest game a beginner of the genre could turn to, not by a long shot.īut mastering its mechanics is just part of the appeal. And that’s the constant, neverending pressure to play one more turn.Yes, as a turn-based strategy game, there's a rather steep learning curve if you decide to try your hand at Civilization VI. It captures the essence of what makes a Civilization game a Civilization game. On the hunt for even more recommendations? Two great resources are WIRED's roundups of the best Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S games.Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a culmination of a decades-long series. From recent releases to excellent throwbacks, our genre-spanning picks for the best Game Pass games have a little something for all players. To help you choose which ones to download first, WIRED sifted through the Game Pass catalog and rounded up outstanding titles we think you’ll enjoy. (Got a PlayStation or Switch? Check out our guide to the most popular game subscription services.) For gamers not on Xbox, PC Game Pass ($10/month) has many of the same titles. If you’re not interested in online multiplayer games, Microsoft offers a more budget-friendly tier that costs $10 a month. In a year, the cost breaks down to about the price of three AAA games.Īn Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription comes with access to EA Play and Xbox Live Gold. The $15 monthly fee for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate feels worth it because I get to choose from over 100 titles and regularly download new additions. Xbox Game Pass is one of the few subscriptions I’ve kept around while other services got the chop.
