3 Xbox Game Pass titles you should play this weekend (May 10-12)

This may feel like an odd weekend to play Xbox Game Pass because it has been such a devastating week for Xbox. It shuttered four studios that fell under Bethesda’s umbrella, with Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks being the most notable closures. Although it can be tough to enjoy playing games during a time when the game industry is so clearly hurting, it also offers us an opportunity to look back at what these developers created and appreciate hard work. That’s how I chose the three titles I’m spotlighting today.

First is the last game from Tango Gameworks, a critically acclaimed rhythm-action game that had the potential to be a new franchise for Microsoft had it not shut the studio down. Then there’s a Tango Gameworks title that’s more in line with the studio’s horror roots and shows just how varied the studio’s game output could be. While Arkane Austin’s reputation has been sullied by Redfall, the last entry on this list is a much better game from the company. It’s a sci-fi immersive sim that played right into the studio’s greatest strengths before it chased the multiplayer game trend.

Hi-Fi Rush

Tango Gameworks kicked off 2023 with the surprise release of Hi-Fi Rush, a rhythm-action game unlike anything the studio had made before. It follows a boy named Chai as he takes on an evil megacorporation called Vandelay Technologies after being cybernetically enhanced and merged with a music player by accident. It’s a fun Saturday morning cartoon romp with a quirky cast of characters, but Hi-Fi Rush shines because of its vibrant visuals and combat. To be successful during combat, players need to hit enemies on the beat, and it’s surprisingly intuitive to get on the game’s rhythmic wavelength.