5 best Xbox Game Pass games to download first on Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Game Pass is an incredible subscription service – you get access to 100s of games, especially if you have Ultimate membership.

But, it can be pretty daunting if you're a brand new subscriber and are faced with a wall of icons on your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.

That's why we've put together a short list of five favourite games available on Game Pass Ultimate to download first – they should each help get you started.

Some are obvious – big name games you've likely heard of already – others less so. All are brilliant.

Official Launch Trailer: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - YouTube

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Arguably the best game released on Xbox in the last year, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an action-adventure with the emphasis on the latter.

It is presented almost entirely in first-person, so you can really feel what it's like to step into Indy's boots, and the puzzles are superb throughout.

The game has been developed by a team (MachineGames) that truly understands Spielberg's character and films, and is unquestionably better than the last two movies, in fact.

Vampire Survivors - Console Launch Trailer - YouTube

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Vampire Survivors

A fairly simple game to look at and pick up, Vampire Survivors is nonetheless quite fiendish when you get into it.

Not only does the roguelike shoot-em-up/survival game get harder as levels progress, it is ridiculously addictive.

It's also a really small download – less than 1GB – so you can be up and running in no time, even if your internet connection isn't great.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - Launch Trailer - YouTube

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Perhaps the most obvious choice, but one of the more enticing aspects of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is that it includes day one releases. And you don't get much bigger than the annual Call of Duty.

Now that Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard, Xbox owners with a subscription can play all of the best CODs from the last few years, including 2024's effort. It's also got a pretty good single-player campaign this time, so it's well worth a download straight away.

You don't even need to give up too much of your hard drive this time, neither.

PowerWash Simulator Launch Trailer - YouTube

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PowerWash Simulator

No, really. PowerWash Simulator should be on everyone's download list. It is the most relaxing game out there, effectively tasking you to clean increasingly mucky objects and locations.

You can spend hours playing it and it'll relieve stress in the process.

And, of course, you can also just while away your time drawing giant phalluses in the mud. You can't say that about Halo now, can you?

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - Final Gameplay Trailer - YouTube

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Star Wars: Jedi Survivor

As Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes EA Play, you can play the two Star Wars: Jedi games at no extra cost. Survivor is the bigger and debatably better of the two, but make sure you play the first, well, first. That way you'll understand the plot on the origin of Cal Kestis, the eponymous Jedi.

The sequel looks as stunning as it plays too, when you get to that point, so you have something very much worth looking forward to.

A third and final chapter is in development now, so play this (and its predecessor) to get yourself prepared.