What’s On Game Pass January 2023

It’s been a slow month for new games on Game Pass. Considering Christmas is the month where we give and receive presents, I’m surprised Xbox have been so lax. I’ve come to my own conclusion: somewhere, there’s a Microsoft server full of great games that have yet to be downloaded for us mortals to enjoy. This mysterious server is frozen over – because of winter – and the games won’t dislodge themselves (that’s how servers work right?).

Despite my conspiracy theory, Christmas on Game Pass hasn’t been all doom and gloom. If you’re willing to take a chance, come with me on a journey through a winterland of games that you might not have considered playing. As reviewed by ScepticPete89, one of these games is: “All about doing nothing. Another trash indie game on Game Pass. Come on!” That review was made up, but I reckon it wouldn’t take you long to find one similar to that in the reviews for at least one of the following:

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

There’s not much that I can say about this. For those of you who love Star Wars or Lego or Star Wars and Lego, this is a great game to relive all the trilogies in Lego style! It’s a massive game that has 45 levels, as opposed to the 6 in previous games and there’s plenty of DLC once you’ve finished.

But most of all, this is a wonderful family title that has enough for the parents and plenty for the kids. The graphics are brilliant and the locations varied. The humour is fit for all ages and the gameplay is straightforward and fun without being overly simplistic.

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

Being a fan of anything Medieval, I obviously wanted to try my hand at potion crafting. I’ve read enough about the goings on in times past to muddle my way through an alchemist’s laboratory… The game takes you on a short tutorial to familiarise yourself with the mechanics of potion creation.

The idea is that you are quite literally trying to figure out what ingredients go well together through trial and error. You are afforded a wonderful allotment that will continue to be your source of ingredients and you combine these in varying proportions to create potions to sell to customers.

The mechanics of the game include: crushing, heating, pouring and stirring. These are the fundamentals for crafting potions. Initially, the game can feel a bit wonky, but as soon as you get the hang of the mechanics and become accustomed to your recipes, things get easier as you start to remember what it is you need to do. Just like a real life alchemist!

High On Life

I can’t comment whether the Rick and Morty aspect of the game lives up to its potential, but what I can say is, I’ve had a lot of fun with High on Life. The breaking of the fourth wall isn’t novel but it’s a persistent reminder of what you’re doing and where the fun in the game is derived from. The devs have probably drawn inspiration from the likes of The Stanley Parable and yet that doesn’t take away from how good High on Life feels to play.

High on Life is a quirky fast paced fps that sees you join forces with a good alien to help defeat bad aliens. The humour is fun and acts as a sort of commentary, but it can sometimes get repetitive. The most fun I’ve had with the game is the combat: the guns are fun to use and they all have a good amount of weight to them thanks to the animations and sound effects. This isn’t a long game and despite the moments where the story waffles on a bit, the game doesn’t seek to send you on pointless errands and waste your time. That said, we don’t need to see a High on Life 2. This is fun for what it is, let it live.

What Have I Been Playing?

There’s a new season in Deep Rock Galactic and some seasonal Christmas rewards, available until 31st December, so I’ve been playing through that with friends. I’ve also been playing Vampire Survivors, which most of you probably know about. It’s a characterful game that respects your time: there’s no fluff, it’s a simple case of press start and play. For those of you who want a pick-up-and-play or something a little more nostalgic, give Vampire Survivors a try and considering its price, be sure to buy it if you keep playing. How do you approach Vampire Survivors? What’s your favourite build? Let us know over on our socials.

We hope you’ve had a wonderful Christmas and wish you all the best for the New Year!