Although Xbox Game Pass this year hasn't been without its quieter months, 2024 has been another good year overall for Microsoft's subscription service. Last month was a particularly good one for Xbox and PC Game Pass subscribers, with great first-person games, e.g Age of Mythology: Retellingand third party names such as Frostpunk 2 having entered service on the respective launch dates.
The September 2024 Xbox Game Pass lineup has been filled with highly anticipated releases. But while the October 2024 Xbox Game Pass lineup doesn't have a lot of day-one launches, it does bring some of the best indie games of the last few years to Xbox, PC, and the cloud.
The October 2024 Xbox Game Pass lineup is packed with must-play indie games
Open Roads – Now available on Xbox Game Pass
Although Open roads wasn't as critical a hit as the two games listed below, it's still an indie game worth playing, especially since it's now available through Xbox Game Pass. Mostly a walking simulator, Open roadsThe gameplay is fairly simple, but its story is engaging and effectively told through hand-drawn cutscenes that play after examining an object in the environment.
Open roads follows Tess and her mother Opal as they embark on a family road trip. For now Open roads“The storytelling is solid, and it's the performances of Caitlin Dever and Keri Russell that really sell the story and its dialogue. Although some critics did not disagree Open roads' overly simplistic gameplay, most praised the game's core relationships and its important internal themes.
Sifu – Available now on Xbox Game Pass
Sifu is probably the most famous indie game on this list, but it still deserves a much larger audience. Sifu is a third-person action game that strikes a unique balance between methodical Soulslike combat and fast-paced beat-em-up. Developer Sloclap took everything he learned from 2017 Absalverand turned it into a polished, immersive experience that leaves fans wanting more in the best possible way.
Although SifuCombat can be punishing, it's fair, and it rewards those who master the game's systems. SifuThe stylized art direction is also a major draw, giving the fast-paced battles an even more frantic feel. In addition to the main company, Sifu there are also many challenge levels that have been added since launch, ensuring that beginners will have plenty of content to work with. with Sifu now on Xbox Game Pass, there's no reason not to try one of the best indie games of 2022.
Inscryption – Available on Xbox Game Pass on October 10th
A real hidden gem when it was first released in October 2021, Decoding finally began to receive the recognition it deserved. Decoding is a roguelike deck builder similar to games like Kill the pinbut has a few unique tricks up its sleeve. The biggest thing that sets Decoding apart from contemporaries, it is a strong horror atmosphere.
Although it is a card game, Decoding can be quite scary at times, with a found-footage aesthetic, brutally challenging boss encounters, and gruesome visuals that always keep the player on edge. There aren't many horror games on Xbox Game Pass right now that are primed for the spooky season, but Decoding is off to a great start, entering the subscription service on October 10th.

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