Gonner (Xbox One, PC)
I played Gonner for 10 minutes before exiting back out to the Xbox store page to try and figure out what it was exactly, but within that 10 minutes, I was already in love. Gonner is a roguelike shooter/platformer game with weird visual design, a nearly non-existent plot, and mechanics that take some time to make sense. But wow, does it have a strong, and immediately compelling, sense of style. The game is a bit like Spelunky, but far more abstract. You move between levels by letting worms swallow you, collect glyphs to revive upon any unexpected deaths, and overcome challenges by jumping on and shooting various red, blobby enemies with whatever guns you find. You’re encouraged to visit Death for supplies between runs, and you can upgrade your character (a strange little green dude who is apparently doing all of this to please his only friend, who is a whale) as you go. Gonner is a definite hidden gem with a distinct charm that’s hard to explain–which makes Xbox Game Pass the perfect place for it, because you need to try it for yourself.