3 Xbox Game Pass games that'll justify your subscription this weekend
This weekend, xbox game pass subscribers can skip the new-release scramble and jump into three high-quality experiences already on the service: Resident Evil 2 remake, Planet of Lana 2 (with the original available as well), and Mega Crit’s Slay the Spire.
Xbox Game Pass picks for the weekend
With big new releases like Pokémon Pokopia, Slay the Spire 2 and Marathon arriving this past week but not on Game Pass, these three ready-to-play titles offer instant value. Resident Evil 2 remake serves as a narrative precursor to Resident Evil Requiem, which has become the fastest-selling game in the series’s history, while Planet of Lana 2 builds on a 2023 indie original that’s also on the service. Slay the Spire is the roguelike deckbuilder that started the recent card-driven trend and remains on Game Pass.
Resident Evil 2: revisit the precursor to Requiem
If Resident Evil Requiem is the talk of the moment, Resident Evil 2 remake is the concrete weekend play that connects to that conversation. As rookie cop Leon, you work to escape Raccoon City police headquarters and unravel the Umbrella Corporation’s secrets; the remake’s pacing makes it possible to devour Leon’s route in a single weekend. The remake is on Game Pass, offering a direct route back into the series while Requiem sits in the spotlight as the franchise’s fastest-selling entry.
Planet of Lana 2 and the original: cinematic puzzle-platforming on tap
Planet of Lana 2 arrives as a stylish, cinematic indie that tells its story largely without recognizable language, using animation and music to carry the narrative. The sequel opens with a recap of the first Planet of Lana, and both games are available on Game Pass, so you can play the 2023 original before or after the new release. New mechanics in Planet of Lana 2, like the companion’s ability to hypnotize creatures, broaden puzzle solutions and deepen the platforming that made the first game a hidden gem.
Slay the Spire: the roguelike deckbuilder that still hooks
Mega Crit’s 2019 Slay the Spire remains a must-play on Game Pass for anyone curious about the recent surge in roguelike deckbuilders. Its mix of cards, characters and run variety keeps players coming back for repeated runs, and it’s the foundation many are using to judge Slay the Spire 2— which had one of the biggest launches of the year but is not on Game Pass. Playing the original gives a clear sense of the mechanics and strategic depth that fueled the genre.
These three picks cover distinct tastes: a tightly paced survival-horror narrative (Resident Evil 2 remake), a wordless, cinematic puzzle-platformer with a freshly released sequel (Planet of Lana and Planet of Lana 2), and a deeply replayable card roguelike (Slay the Spire). All three are available now on Game Pass and can fill a weekend with single-session satisfaction or longer-term runs.
If you’re done with these, note that recent standouts landed elsewhere this week—Pokémon Pokopia, Slay the Spire 2 and Marathon all released this past week but aren’t on Game Pass—so they’re options if you want to buy new launches after a Game Pass weekend. For now, pick one of the three, boot it up, and see whether a single weekend is enough to finish a route, solve a new puzzle, or start a dozen runs.
