The Golden Joystick Awards have passed, and with The Game Awards only being a few days away, the Game of the Year conversation is in full swing. Everyone is putting together their end-of-the-year lists, and for most of us the upcoming holiday break is an opportunity to catch up on some of the year’s best games.

Not sure where to begin? Backlog too intense? Xbox Game Pass has some of this year’s best and brightest, so take some time over the next few weeks to dive into a new game (or six) and discover your new favorites. Whether you’re into combo-driven hand-cramping action or slower, meticulous strategy games, there’s something for everyone on this list of nominees for The Game Awards (and one big winner from a previous year).

Ninja Gaiden 4

Since the release of the wall-jumping original in 1988, Ninja Gaiden has been known for demanding precision from players. The newest iteration is no exception, requiring that you practice your perfectly timed dodge in order to put your demon enemies in the katana blender. You’ll be putting the new protagonist Yakumo through his paces in brutal, exacting battles that you’ll want to master.

Nominated for Best Action Game, our review called Ninja Gaiden 4 “a vanishingly rare breed of fast, technical, flashy action game that thumbs its nose at the caution, stamina meters, and RPG systems.” It will certainly have you working in the shadows, as any ninja worth their salt does, but you’ll also be grinding rails, riding the air in a wingsuit, and surfing into a neon-soaked Tokyo nightclub. You want over-the-top? Ninja Gaiden 4 will put you there.

The Outer Worlds 2

The first Outer Worlds was a blast, but I think it’s fair to say that The Outer Worlds 2 is an upgrade in every sense. From the art deco, futurist design to the detailed skill tree, there’s something here for every fan of branching dialogue, first-person RPGs. In the style of Obsidian’s other games, you can, of course, approach most quests in a way that suits your playstyle. Which of your six companions would be the best fit for this mission? Is there a dialogue option here that gets you through this fight without drawing your raygun? Wouldn’t it just be easier to go in blastin’?

For some folks, Fallout: New Vegas is the gold standard in first-person RPGs, and developer Obsidian Entertainment has been chasing that standard ever since., expanding the genre while still giving the people what they want. It’s me, I’m people.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Worth the wait, right? Hollow Knight: Silksong, the most nominated game on this list (Game of the Year, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, Best Independent Game, and Best Action / Adventure), lived up to its impossible hype. This sequel to the beloved 2017 action-platformer gives you another incredibly detailed and dangerous bug kingdom to explore. Playing as Hornet, you’ll venture upwards to the Citadel, learning new skills and dying a ton.

The diamond-hard toughness of Silksong is part of the appeal, of course. You’ve got more than 40 bosses, labyrinth passages filled with spikes and traps disguised as spots to rest to contend with. That tension is what makes the game special. You can’t play it absently. It’s a game with sharp edges, as finely honed as Hornet’s needle. It’s not for everyone, but those it is for will fall in love with the challenge of the combat, the feeling revealing new areas of its intricate map, and the dark beauty of the world. It’s one of the highest rated games from PC Gamer this year.

The Alters

The Alters puts you in the unenviable position of having to survive on an inhospitable planet all by yourself. Luckily, you can use cloning technology to create several versions of yourself (called Alters) to help out around the base. You have a limited amount of time in which to explore the planet for resources, develop new technology, and manage your relationship with all of your Alters by watching some good old-fashioned sketch comedy. Nominated for Best Sim / Strategy game, this game is still rattling around in my brain even though I finished it months ago.

Avowed

The Living Lands are experiencing a plague and only you can find the best path for dealing with it. Still… it’s an open-world game, so there’s no real rush. In Avowed, you’ll explore Eora’s diverse biomes alongside some of the most fun companion characters you’ve ever adventured with. Casting Brandon Keener is almost cheating, though. I can’t hear that voice without thinking of my best bud, Garrus Vakarian from Mass Effect. Plus, this open world feels manageable in a way many don’t. There’s something interesting around every corner of the Living Lands. You won’t be wandering for long without a compelling reason to stop and explore a new location.

From our review: “As the narrative unfolds, Avowed evolves from a fantasy-flavoured political potboiler into something verging on Dantean: there are ancient gods, forgotten races, and many bewildering philosophical rants. I begin as a mere messenger, but things inevitably get way out of hand, as they surely must in a game that obliquely traverses a lot of thematic terrain—colonialism, encroaching totalitarianism, environmental disaster—without ever feeling heavyhanded. Obsidian is good at writing fantasy. With Avowed, they have a world already substantiated across two meaty CRPGs, and people who played the Pillars of Eternity games will be amply rewarded with callbacks and lore.”

Hades

Jumping into Xbox Game Pass isn’t just about playing brand new games. Sometimes you have to catch up on the classics you might have missed. A Game of the Year nominee in 2020 and winner of Best Indie and Best Action, Hades is one of the most compelling games of the last decade. You take on the role of Zagreus, the son of Hades, as he battles his way out of the underworld. Along the way, you’ll get powerful boons from the pantheon of gods, build relationships with the various denizens of the underworld, and smash more enemies than you can shake a stick at.

A key game in the recent revitalization of roguelikes, most runs will end with you dying and being sent back to your father’s house to prep for your next escape attempt. The characters are all compelling and layered, and the combat is second to none. The sequel, Hades 2, is nominated for a litany of awards, including Best Score and Music, Game Direction, Indie, and Game of the Year, but if you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing the original, it needs to be a priority. Say hi to Dusa for me!