Play these 8 The Game Awards 2024 nominees today with Xbox Game Pass

Among all of The Game Awards 2024 nominees are eight Game Pass games which you can play now (and while waiting for Geoff Keighley to take to the stage and bring us his usual TGA shenanigans). Just as you’d expect, there’s a fair amount of crossover with the best Game Pass games out there, so take a look through at which best-of-the-best games you can play right now!The 8 TGA nominees on Game Pass right nowThe Game Awards nominations include every category from “best debut indie game” to “most anticipated game.” The event itself takes place next week on December 12 to award the best games in each category (and with countless announcements and world premieres, no doubt). Xbox Game Pass has had a good ol’ shuffle with its way of doing things, so while all the games below are Game Pass titles, we’ve included which Game Pass tier it belongs to and what kind of game it is so you can get a good idea of what you’ll be playing!Age of Mythology: RetoldI’m pretty happy we get to talk about this one first, since the original Age of Mythology is one of my all-time favorites, and Age of Mythology Retold is shaping up to be just incredible. Imagine setting out on an epic campaign across a mythical world encompassing the Greek, Norse, Egyptian, and Atlantean pantheons. Combine that with excellent real-time strategy elements, the powers and monsters of these deities, and Age of Mythology’s wonderfully wonky dialogue and sense of humor, and you’ve got a winner.The visual improvements alone are worth a look, but there are other changes like the new Arena of the Gods game mode, as well as more expansions and pantheons on the way. Age of Mythology is a great pick whether you’re a new player looking for a great game or an Arkantos veteran looking for a hefty dose of nostalgia and the sounds of those iconic sassy villagers.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Battle after the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 achievementsNominated for: Best Audio Design, Innovation in Accessibility, Best Action Game, Best multiplayerPlatforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, WindowsGame Pass tier:Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassCall of Duty Black Ops 6 is available to play right now via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and, while you can fault Call of Duty all you want, there is no doubt that Black Ops 6 is one of the series’ best entries. Featuring the same high-tempo gunplay and a new omnidirectional movement system that opens up gameplay just enough in multiplayer lobbies, this is an easy recommendation to make FPS fans.Black Ops 6 also happens to feature a really great campaign, with developer Treyarch doubling down on some of the aspects that made Cold War such a good entry. You’ve got an intense political landscape contextualizing the usual Call of Duty bombast, but with additional high-class stealth sections that really add something novel to the series when handled this well. Plus, if you love multiplayer, you can lose hundreds of hours to it making Black Ops 6 great value for money!Diablo IVDelve into a dark world for the Diablo IV achievementsNominated for: Innovation in Accessibility, Best OngoingPlatforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox OneGame Pass tier: Xbox Game Pass UltimateIt’s unsurprising to see Diablo 4 nominated this year, as its recent Vessel of Hatred expansion and the current Season of Hatred Rising have blown new life into the action-RPG. Any stagnant water Blizzard had found itself in since Diablo 4 launched last year has been washed away in a flood of new content and some re-worked systems that were greatly needed, and it’s safe to say that the demon-filled game has never felt better.If you’re yet to step foot in Sanctuary, or haven’t returned for a while, now is the perfect time to dip your toes back in; and you don’t need to splash out on the new expansion to see what’s up, either. The Season of Hatred Rising is available to all Diablo 4 players willing to start a new seasonal character and sees you taking down huge monstrosities called Realmwalkers for hordes of loot and other bonuses. The levelling system has been re-worked too, offering new Torment difficulty tiers — and some new grindy Diablo 4 achievements — alongside an increasingly difficult dungeon called The Pit. Forget visiting family during the holidays and travel to Sanctuary, it’s a devilishly good time!Frostpunk 2Get to grips with winter while facing down the Frostpunk 2 achievementsNominated for: Best Sim/StrategyPlatforms: PCGame Pass tier: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassIf you remember shivering your way through Frostpunk (both because of its frozen setting and its impossible decisions) then you were likely keen to try your hand at the sequel, which mercilessly upped the challenge.You have the familiar, terrifying setting of a frozen post apocalyptic world and have to juggle the needs and demands of your city’s citizens. This means keeping them warm, fed, and content enough that everything doesn’t fall apart, while also juggling its factions, managing city districts, and trying to expand into the wilderness. It’s a gruelling job, and yet one which has it nominated for Best Sim/Strategy.Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the GoddessThe Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess achievements take you on a wild ride as you work to defend Mt. KafukuNominated for: Best Sim/StrategyPlatforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PCGame Pass tier: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess was another solid win for Capcom this year, offering a a gorgeous action-strategy experience as you cleanse Mt. Kafuku of demons known as Seethe. The game is dripping in Japanese-inspired art, and as you slowly rid the demonic defilement in each location, the areas explode into vibrant colors, signifying light’s victory over the darkness.Playing as Soh, each level sees you carving a path towards a demonic doorways during the daytime hours for your princess, preparing traps and other defenses ready for the onslaught that awaits you when the day ends. During the night-time, the doors open, allowing a plethora of Seethe to enter the realm of the living and giving you an opportunity to unleash Soh’s combos and control your small force of villagers as you defend the princess from your adversaries. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is both relaxing and exciting, deserving of its nomination at this year’s Game Awards.Manor Lords (Windows)There aren’t too many Manor Lords (Windows) achievements as yet, but with it still in Game Preview, we can hope for moreNominated for: Best Debut Indie Game, Best Sim/StrategyPlatforms: PCGame Pass tier: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassManor Lords is still in Game Preview and it’s a big feat to see it up in the nominations for Best Sim/Strategy and Best Debut Indie Game. Manor Lords dives into the world of medieval strategy with a determination for historical accuracy, and doesn’t hold back from the nitty-gritty: you’re sorting out city-building, resources, and economics, but you’re also having to deal with rivals and leading your people into battle. Your life as a medieval lord takes you through all these dangers, not to mention the worry of many city-builders: the approaching winter. Manor Lords is already an enticing combination of strategy, city-building, and tactical aspects, and we’re hoping for more medieval greatness as it continues along its Early Access journey.No Man’s SkyGoing after the No Man’s Sky achievements will no doubt have introduced you to its frequent updatesNominated for: Best Community SupportPlatforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PCGame Pass tier: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox Game Pass Standard, PC Game PassIf you’ve spent any time in No Man’s Sky over the years, you’ll have seen the game’s constant reinvention with new updates and new ambitions for the game. No Man’s Sky sees you exploring planets across the galaxy, and has seen a whopping amount of content and updates added since launch with new story content, expeditions, ships, tools, and more, as well as general improvements. As a result, No Man’s Sky was definitely due a nomination for Best Community Support.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade IIIt’s an unsettling but excellent experience going after the Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II achievementsNominated for: Best Narrative, Best Audio Design, Games for ImpactPlatforms: Xbox Series X|S, PCGame Pass tier: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game PassIt was a case of a long wait well worth it with the Hellblade sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. This next part of Senua’s tale sees her heading to Iceland to face new horrors, with a better understanding of her psychosis. Ninja Theory had created something entirely different with the first game, and the sequel continued that incredibly atmosphere and sense of unease. The game’s binaural audio design once again played a massive part there, so it’s not surprising to see Hellblade 2 up for the category of Best Audio Design. It’s a natural fit for Best Narrative and Games for Impact, too, so it’ll be interesting to see how Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II fares at The Game Awards.Those are all the Game Pass games which have been nominated for The Game Awards this year, although we have another link to an excellent Game Pass game with the Like a Dragon: Yakuza show nominated for Best Adaptation. Have any of these been among your favorite games this year? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to take a look through all the upcoming Game Pass games to see which new favorites might be on the horizon!



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