We’re still coming out of an era when the vast majority of gaming protagonists were thick-necked, sepia-toned dudes, so having a change in perspective is always welcome. From freaked-out nuns to gun-toting badasses to clones on clones on clones, here are six games centering women—and they’re all available on Xbox Game Pass.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Multiple Game of the Year award winner here. Maybe you’ve heard of it? From DICE to the Golden Joysticks to the Game Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is unquestionably the most critically adored game of last year. This JRPG-by-way-of-France captivated various awards committees in a way few other games ever have. The dark Belle Époque setting is gorgeous, and Baldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English is a notable voice talent that draws you further into the story. Clair Obscur “oozes flair” and the intricate combat will keep you busy through the whole of its lauded run.
Indika
Want a one-of-a-kind game you can wrap up in a weekend? Excited about exploring snow-packed 19th century Russia, for some reason? Indika is your game. In this atmospheric puzzle-centric adventure game, the titular Indika is a nun with the voice of temptation in her head. Through this disorienting journey, you’ll be thrown into anachronistic pixel-art mini-games, leveling up attributes like “guilt” and “grief” and fetching water like you’ve never fetched before. An uncompromising and singular vision, Indika is “a bizarre, confronting and darkly funny descent into hell.” Sounds like a great download for the weekend.
Gears 5
Sometimes you just want to blow stuff up. If you’re ready for pure action, Gears 5 is ready to deliver the cover-based third-person shooting you’re used to. Corporal Kait Diaz is at the center of the latest mainline game in the Gears franchise and she’s packing just as much firepower as Marcus Fenix. The story about Kait working to discover the origin of the Locust Horde is fun, but the real reason to show up to a Gears game is the visceral joy delivered by a perfectly timed active reload or any blood-soaked usage of the chainsaw bayonet. As our 2019 review said, “Gears 5 is what Gears has always been: deeply capable, eminently enjoyable and occasionally spectacular.”
South of Midnight
South of Midnight has been on my radar since I saw the gameplay trailer at last year’s Future Games Show Spring Showcase. Steeped in the iconography of the American South, this game crafts a story that is equal parts supernatural and familiar to those of us who live where any non-brand specific soda is still called Coke. Hazel, the center of our adventure, sets out to find her mother after a hurricane washes her house away. The stop-motion cutscenes are incredible and resulted in a DICE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Animation. Our reviewer said the experience of playing it gave her “this feeling I can only describe as … the videogame equivalent of a really big hug.” She even loved it enough to make it her personal pick for Game of the Year.
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
When you think of female protagonists, chances are you think of Lara Croft. She’s one of the most famous characters in all of gaming, and is ripe for a renaissance. With two new games and the Amazon show starring Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner on the way, there’s no better time to catch up on Lara’s past adventures. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition features 2013’s reboot and all the accompanying DLC. Our review called it “visually stunning and meticulously staged.” Don’t stop with this one, though. Follow up with Rise of the Tomb Raider and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The whole trilogy is available on Xbox Game Pass.
1000xResist
A good narrative game can make your breath catch in your throat. In 1000xResist, the first game from developer Sunset Visitor, The Allmother has been killed by one of her many clones. You, also a clone, are tasked with excavating her memories. Through switches in form and tone, you’re taken through a sci-fi journey that asks fundamental questions about what we leave behind. 1000xResist wasn’t just nominated for a bunch of gaming awards, it got attention from sci-fi stalwarts like the Hugo and Nebula awards, even taking home a Peabody. If this isn’t enough to convince you, I’d ask you to give Jess Kinghorn’s piece a read, where she speaks about why 1000xResist is her personal pick for Game of the Year. It’s rare that a piece of art makes you think, “I need to leave more handwriting behind for my family to find when I’m gone.” A great narrative game can do more than take your breath away; it can change your life.
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