Highlights
- Xbox Game Pass surprises subscribers with the addition of Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2, two well-received action RPG titles.
- Both games have gained a strong following, with Remnant: From the Ashes achieving cult status and Remnant 2 surpassing Baldur's Gate 3 in Steam sales.
- It is recommended to jump into the newer release, Remnant 2, as it is likely to have a larger player base for co-op gameplay, but playing the first title is not necessary.
Without any prior announcement, both Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2 were quietly added to the Xbox Game Pass library. The subscription service continues the trend of dropping unexpected titles, as Xbox Game Pass added a surprise new game just yesterday in Killer Instinct: Anniversary Edition.
The service has been accumulating titles left and right lately, and it doesn't look likely to slow down as December 7 could be a big day for Xbox Game Pass subscribers thanks to The Game Awards showcase. While The Game Awards are about celebrating outstanding titles from the previous year, the show has also been known to unveil some major world premieres and Game Pass announcements. It doesn't appear as though Microsoft is fully waiting until next week, however, as it has just dropped a couple of titles seemingly out of the blue.
Remnant 2 Review
Remnant 2 expands and elevates everything that made the first game such a hit, but it occasionally is a victim of its own ambition.
Xbox Game Pass has added third-person shooter, action RPG titles Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2. Both titles are relatively recent and well-received games. Remnant: From the Ashes was one of the surprise hits of 2019, and even with some heightened expectations, Remnant 2 managed to outdo its predecessor in terms of sales and critical reception. Remnant 2 was launched in late July 2023 to great success and went on to be nominated for the Best Action Game category at The Game Awards 2023.
Despite being quietly added to the subscription service, both games have cultivated quite an audience. Remnant: From the Ashes achieved cult status after positive word of mouth, leading to Remnant 2 becoming a Steam bestseller ahead of launch. It even surpassed Baldur's Gate 3, this year's surprise hit game, in Steam sales for a period. So, while Game Pass added both games without warning, it certainly wasn't due to the titles being bad or unpopular.
For those looking to check out the Remnant franchise for the first time, both games – often referred to as Dark Souls with guns – are worth downloading, but it isn't required to play the first title before moving on to the sequel. Seeing how the games are best played in co-op, it might make sense to stick with the newer release as it is likely to have a larger player base.
It seems wild that Xbox Game Pass would add games of this caliber without announcing them first. Still, the service has been providing excellent value as of late, with games like Persona 5 Tactica, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Jusant being recently added. Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2 are just the latest examples of Game Pass adding to its ever-expanding library of worthwhile titles.
Remnant 2
The sequel to Remnant: From the Ashes, Gunfire's Remnant 2 is a Soulslike RPG that primarily plays like a third-person shooter. Focusing on co-op while still supporting single-player, the game features hard-as-nails bosses, an upgrade system, multiple classes with their own abilities, and dynamically generated dungeons that enhance replayability.
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- July 25, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Gunfire Games
- Publisher(s)
- Gearbox Publishing
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike , Third-Person Shooter
