Two great soulslike shooters have suddenly appeared on Xbox Game Pass

Remnant 2
(Image credit: Gearbox Publishing)

Two fantastic soulslike third-person shooters are now seemingly available as part of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription, despite the lack of an official announcement from either Microsoft or publisher Gearbox Publishing.

A cursory glance at the Xbox store pages for Remnant: From the Ashes and its recent sequel Remnant 2 will show you that both games are currently available to play on Xbox and PC as part of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription. This is certainly a little bit of a surprise, as their arrival to the service hasn’t been accompanied by the expected fanfare from Microsoft or Gearbox Publishing.

Although it is not currently clear whether the appearance of both titles on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass is an unfortunate mistake, this is fantastic news for Game Pass subscribers as it stands. Developed by Gunfire Games, Remnant: From the Ashes answers the burning question of “what would it be like if Dark Souls had guns?” Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth on the verge of total collapse, it’s the perfect mix of soulslike challenge and fast-paced third-person shooting.

Its sequel, Remnant 2, expands upon its predecessor greatly and, among other improvements, adds the option to play as a range of new character classes. My personal favorite of these is the Handler, who is accompanied by an adorable dog companion throughout the game. In addition to being a very good boy, the dog can assist in combat and even help revive you in the event that you are downed by an enemy.

Both Remnant: From the Ashes and Remnant 2 support co-op play throughout their respective campaigns, making them fantastic choices if you’re looking for a great Game Pass title to play with friends. They also feature a large amount of procedural generation, ensuring that you won’t run out of things to do any time soon.

Want to learn more about Game Pass? Read our detailed Xbox Game Pass Ultimate review or see our guide to the best single-player games on Game Pass

Dashiell Wood
Hardware Writer

Dash is TechRadar Gaming's Hardware Writer. Before joining TechRadar, he was a print journalist writing articles for some of the UK's biggest gaming magazines including PLAY, Edge, PC Gamer, and SFX. Now, when he's not getting his greasy little mitts on the newest hardware or gaming gadget, he can be found feverishly devouring the latest Nintendo Switch otome.