Xbox Game Pass is the gift that keeps on giving. Microsoft continues to flesh out the service's catalog of AAA titles, indie classics, party games, and other exciting content. Everyone who thinks of themselves as a gamer, die-hard or casual, should consider looking into Game Pass, as there's something for everyone on the platform.
While gaming is often best experienced with others, there's always a time and place for solo, immersive gaming sessions. Playing a game alone lets players take things at their own pace and form a deep connection with the art, unrestricted by the fear of letting a teammate down. The best single-player games on Xbox Game Pass stand out for their authenticity, replayability, and creativity.
Updated on July 7, 2025, by Guillermo Kurten: Xbox Game Pass continues to add a fresh mix of single-player games to diversify its library. From remakes of beloved classics like Gears of War to indie hits like Little Nightmares II, gamers are well-stocked with great options. This list has been updated to include five more of the best single-player games available on Xbox Game Pass.
Oblivion Remastered Gives a '00s RPG Classic a Refresh
After much speculation, developer Virtuous's The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was shadow-dropped to immediate critical and commercial success. The remaster breathes new life into the story of the prisoner-turned Hero of Kvatch. At the Emperor's command, they travel across Cyrodiil to save the land from the hellish evil that the Mythic Dawn cult wants to unleash. It features a massive overhaul to the 2006 title's graphics and quality-of-life changes to its gameplay mechanics.
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Oblivion Remastered is effectively a remake on the visual front. The graphics on Unreal Engine 5 have brought it impressively up to standard for the current console generation. However, it makes some meaningful adjustments to combat and leveling while staying true to the original spirit. Combat has some more satisfying feedback to it, and the revamped leveling system finally gives players the freedom to improve all skills (not just major ones) while still contributing to level progression. This addition makes tailoring character builds more flexible, which also means less time optimizing and more time experiencing some of The Elder Scrolls franchise's best side quests, from the Dark Brotherhood to the Fighters Guild.
Gears of War: Reloaded Revitalizes an Xbox 360 Classic
The Gears of War series became one of the faces of the Xbox brand since the original’s 2006 launch on the Xbox 360. This gruesome third-person shooter pitting humans against subterranean attackers earned acclaim for its action, and it's getting a remake in the form of Gears of War: Reloaded. Players will get back into the boots of soldier Marcus Fenix and the rest of his Delta Squad comrades as they desperately fend off the brutal Locust forces.
Gears of War: Reloaded is co-developed by The Coalition, Sumo Digital, and Disbelief to breathe new life into the game’s campaign with 4K resolution and 60 FPS performance, with 120 FPS targeted for the multiplayer. After the June 2025 beta, the game is available as of August 26, and while the online capabilities certainly give this game longevity, its single-player campaign is worth the price of admission. The original Gears of War was one of the best sci-fi action games of its era thanks to its cover-shooter gameplay, and it was all bolstered by a high-octane, blockbuster-style story. It's exciting to see this action-packed experience modernized in stunning 4K.\
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Offers More Souls-like RPG Action
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is already available on the Xbox Game Pass library to satiate Souls-like action RPG enthusiasts. Developed by studio Leenzee, this game is set in a dark fantasy version of Ancient Shu in China, revolving around the journey of pirate Bai Wuchang. Players take the amnesiac pirate through these war-torn landscapes, at the same time that the mysterious Feathering Disease morphs people into maddening monsters.
The formula of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers’ gameplay loop might not feel mechanically novel, but it has the solid fundamentals needed for an engaging Souls-like experience. The combat is intense and more than tough enough to satisfy players eager for a gritty challenge. Wuchang’s character progression offers the player plenty of room to tinker with different ways to overcome these obstacles, and the distinctive art direction gives them plenty of stunning visuals to appreciate along the way.
Assassin's Creed Mirage Provides a More Concise Experience
Ubisoft’s 2025 release, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, finally brought the mainline series to Japan, and in an open-world format. Still, players wanting a more contained and somewhat nostalgic version of the series’ gameplay loop will be pleased to have Assassin’s Creed Mirage available on Xbox Game Pass. The game serves as a smaller-scale spinoff of 2020’s Valhalla and stars Basim Ibn Ishaq in 9th-century Baghdad. From street thief to skilled assassin of the Hidden Ones, Basim steps into the shadows to fight for freedom against the oppressive Order of the Ancients.
While Assassin’s Creed Mirage doesn't revolutionize the 18-year-old franchise’s formula, the game earned a positive reception for its return to the series’ fundamentals when it comes to gameplay. The game is also set in an open sandbox, but the world design is much tighter, which should satisfy players who might feel overwhelmed by the scope of previous entries. Assassin’s Creed Mirage also brings a renewed and welcome focus to cathartic stealth combat that defined the franchise’s roots.
Rise of the Tomb Raider Is the Best of the Reboot Trilogy
Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series remains one of the most iconic female leads in gaming. And while fans are still anxiously waiting for good news to come from the development of Crystal Dynamics' upcoming game, Xbox Game Pass players can enjoy the team's Rise of the Tomb Raider. The game is the sophomore entry in the reboot Survivor trilogy, following Lara's exploits in discovering the fabled city of Kitezh while fending off a paramilitary group.
Rise of the Tomb Raider has garnered a strong critical reception for its balanced blend of combat, exploration and puzzle-solving sequences. The mix of stealth and ranged combat has a gritty, visceral feel, which also aligns with this hardened take on Lara's early years as an explorer. Its use of resource gathering and crafting also complements the survival-like atmosphere of its semi-open-world locales. Of course, players can expect a series of engaging puzzles in the tombs of Rise of the Tomb Raider's sandbox, as well as challenge tombs to encourage further exploration.
Little Nightmares II Combines Scares & Platforming
Games like Tarsier Studios’ Little Nightmares series show how the horror genre continues to succeed in indie spaces. Before playing Supermassive Games’ upcoming Little Nightmares III, releasing this Halloween season, Little Nightmares II will offer plenty of fun, challenge, and scares on Xbox Game Pass. The player takes Mono and the original game’s protagonist, Six, as they make their way through the unsettling Pale City.
There, they traverse creepy areas containing everything from porcelain, rabid bullies of a school, to a hospital’s mannequin patients. Little Nightmares II is an engaging and imaginative mix of the puzzle-platformer subgenre and survival horror. The game continues what its predecessor started with its haunting world design and art direction, backing it with delicately paced stealth and puzzle-solving sequences.
Trials of Mana Remakes a '90s JRPG Classic
Though Xbox isn't best known for hosting JRPGs, Xbox Game Pass has steadily expanded its library to include several noteworthy titles. The remake of Trials of Mana from developer Xeen is among them, breathing new life into the original 1995 Super Nintendo game. This JRPG cult classic is set in a high fantasy land where players control three characters on a quest to forge the Sword of Mana. With it, these heroes hope to repel foes known as the "Benevodons," monsters capable of great destruction, from laying waste to their world.
Square's original version of the game didn't become available internationally until the Collection of Mana compilation was released in 2019 for Nintendo Switch. That said, Xeen's Trials of Mana is a mechanically and graphically tasteful remake that's well worth playing for Xbox fans. The overhauled visuals are vibrant and keep the spirit of the original game's charm, complementing the story's delightfully whimsical nature. Trials of Mana's party-based and real-time combat also allows for a fun mix of action thanks to each character's class-specific abilities.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Is Retro Platforming, Modernized
Following the success of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy remaster from Vicarious Visions, studio Toys for Bob finally developed the next mainline Crash game. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time sees the titular Crash and his sister Coco embark on a world-hopping adventure to stop the villainous Doctor Cortex from enacting his latest scheme. Cortex and his cartoonishly evil partner in crime, Doctor Nefarious, are trying to gather the resources for a multiversal takeover.
Crash Bandicoot 4 is a wildly fun romp for nostalgic platforming fans. The controls feel tight and responsive, and the level designs and obstacles are clear throwbacks to the nail-biting challenges of the original Crash trilogy. But the way Crash Bandicoot 4 maintains the essence of its retro gameplay loop through modern presentation and controls means this should appeal to any fan eager for a challenging platformer.
The Alters Brings More Variety To the Survival Genre
The Alters from the development team 11 Bit Studios has been one of the most inventive game releases of 2025. This survival sci-fi game puts players in the role of Jan Dolski, a builder who takes a job aboard an AllyCorp mining ship to an inhospitable planet. Desperate to escape the traumas of his Earth-bound life, he must now make clones of himself on this hostile planet to survive and mine a mineral called Rapidium to appease his corporate overlords.
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Alongside the premise, The Alters' survival and exploration features make the gameplay loop feel refreshing and innovative in a genre that already offers plenty of options. The game's resource-gathering elements are straightforward enough to feel accessible but deep enough to be consistently engaging. There's plenty of incentive to explore this visually dazzling, hostile planet while interacting with these survival mechanics. Moreover, the base-building side of The Alters and the interactions with Jan Dolski's clones will keep players coming back and give the story some emotional weight.
Lost In Random: The Eternal Die Is Another Exciting Rogue-Like
Smaller game developers have continually shown their skill in the rogue-like genre, and summer 2025's Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is no exception. This game is a spin-off/sequel to the 2021 action-adventure game Lost in Random, this time putting the latter's antagonist front and center. Queen Aleksandra finds herself trapped in the pocket dimension created by the Black Die she used, and must fight her way out of this eternal plane of existence.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel when it comes to the rogue-like gameplay formula, but that's a plus in this case. This spin-off nails the genre's fundamentals by delivering a fast-paced and cathartic hack-and-slash combat system. The game's weapon variety, upgrade features, and even using Aleksandra's sentient dice companion as a projectile all help to ensure the action stays fresh throughout a run. Plus, The Eternal Die's mesmerizing art direction keeps the game's dark fantasy setting visually interesting as well.