After a series of rumors, two absolutely incredible remakes are officially coming to Xbox and PC Game Pass. Mafia: Definitive Edition and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy are being added to the service in August, giving you a chance to play two truly excellent modern retellings of some classics. That’s not all, though, with even more games on the way and the opportunity to unlock all agents in Valorant at no extra cost.
A close second to GTA, the Mafia series is one that shouldn’t be missed. Trading Grand Theft Auto’s modern satire for early 20th-century crime, Mafia: Definitive Edition is a remake done right. The story and backdrop of America’s great depression remain intact, but there are now 4K visuals, even more activities, and motorcycles. The 2002 original is more alive than ever, as our 8/10 Mafia: Definitive Edition review attests.
The open-world game is reserved by modern standards, with a limited mission structure and closed-off sandbox to explore, but that’s precisely why it’s such a breath of fresh air. Open-world RPGs ask for far too much of your time these days, so if you’re looking for a shorter but more meaningful experience, Mafia is the way to go. While Mafia was a rumored Game Pass addition for a while, that dream is finally a reality.
Then there’s Crash Bandicoot. The N. Sane Trilogy follows a similar philosophy to Mafia in that it gives a classic game a facelift while leaving the bones intact. The Crash trilogy is still hard as nails at times, but it’s also brimming with a charm you don’t see much anymore. The music is immaculate, the jumps are tight, and the death animations still put a smile on my face.
Xbox and PC Game Pass August lineup
With quite a few games spread across the next few days, here are all the Xbox and PC Game Pass releases announced for August.
- Creatures of Ava (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – Wednesday August 7
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (Cloud, PC, and Console) – Thursday August 8
- Mafia: Definitive Edition (Cloud, PC, and Console) – Tuesday August 13
If you’ve been playing the all-new Valorant console and are subscribed to Game Pass, be sure to link your Riot and Microsoft accounts. You can now unlock every agent at no extra cost and get new releases on day one, with a 20% match XP boos to battle pass and event content.
If you’re looking for more that won’t break the bank, we’ve put together all the best free Steam games and free PC games you should try right now.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.
