Xbox Game Pass September 2021: The best games to play this month

September 13th, 2021 Jordan Oloman Xbox Game Pass

Gamescom has been and gone but Xbox is not letting up with its additions to the Game Pass library. The Xbox Game Pass September lineup isn’t laced with heavy hitters compared to previous months, but it has plenty of variety, and given how strong August was we bet there’s plenty of catching up to be done for those of you who are signed up for the service. In this article, we’re going to dig into what games are on the way in September and offer a few recommendations for some games that you should check out that are already part of the growing Xbox Game Pass library. Let’s jump into it!

The Artful Escape (Console and PC) – September 9

After being in development for many years, The Artful Escape (of Francis Vendetti, if you want its extended title) is finally launching this September and it looks absolutely fascinating. You play as… Francis Vendetti, a musician who embarks on an incredible platforming odyssey. Overshadowed by the celebrity of his uncle, he sets out on a rhythm game-infused alien journey to find himself and embrace his musical identity. If you’re a music lover with a desire to shred your heart out, you don’t want to miss this one. Especially when the voice cast is stacked with talent like Lena Headey and Carl Weathers!

Quake (Cloud, Console and PC)

The legendary 1996 shooter Quake has had a fresh lick of paint thanks to the folks at Nightdive Studios and the fact that the remaster is on Xbox Game Pass is the perfect excuse to check out this deeply influential game. It oozes 90s cool with its spooky enemy designs, crunchy guns and remarkable Trent Reznor soundtrack. If you like Nine Inch Nails (and shooting nailguns at interdimensional beasts) then you should definitely give Quake a shot, even if it came out before you were born… I was too young to play it as a kid but upon revisiting it last month I have fixed that blindspot, and yup, I can confirm It’s a classic!

Myst (Cloud, Console and PC)

Another classic game that has inexplicably made its way to Xbox Game Pass is Myst, the iconic Cyan adventure game from 1993. This is another one that you might have to ask your parents about, but it’s well worth looking into if you want to turn the pages of video game history. It’s a point and click game where you explore a mysterious island and solve puzzles, and this remake, in particular, has a tremendous sense of atmosphere. It might be something to do with the fact that it is an adapted flatscreen version of the virtual reality remake that launched on the Oculus Quest platform in 2020!

Viva Piñata (Cloud and Console)

Here’s another blast from the past that’s well worth checking out if you need something completely fresh. Viva Piñata is a garden management video game where you nurture and breed a variety of candy-themed animals and Piñatas. It’s terribly cute and surprisingly challenging when you start taking care of tons of creatures with various needs, all the while tending to your plants and structures… and keeping out intruders who want to eat them.