Xbox Game Pass Just Added An Unmissable 9/10 RPG

Published Nov 12, 2026, 7:00 AM EST

Paul Farrelly is a Contributing Writer for Screen Rant’s Gaming section and the founder of GeekGasm.org, a site dedicated to celebrating all things gaming, from triple A blockbusters to weird and wonderful indie hits. Based in Louth, Ireland, Paul has spent years writing about games, pop culture, and tech, turning his lifelong love of gaming into a career that lets him talk (probably too much) about what makes this industry so endlessly fascinating.
He’s previously written and collaborated with several entertainment outlets, including LADbible, gaining a wide perspective on how gaming fits into today’s pop culture conversation. His work blends genuine enthusiasm with thoughtful analysis, exploring how design, storytelling, and community have made gaming one of the most creative mediums around.
When he’s not glued to a controller or keyboard, Paul’s usually spinning vinyl, plotting his next horror marathon, or debating which Resident Evil entry really reigns supreme.
 

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With most gamers handing over their hard-earned cash for either Grand Theft Auto VI or The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake this month, it's great to get some quality games for free. Well, not entirely free, but for Game Pass subscribers, November is another stellar month with yet another day one release coming to the platform. Yes, one of the highest rated games of 2023 has finally been released for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get it right now for no additional cost.

This highly rated game from 2023 first released on PC and a year later appeared on the Nintendo Switch. In 2025, it gained popularity on mobile, but it has taken until November 11, 2026, to launch on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5. This real-time strategy game includes tower defense mechanics where players are tasked with defending their small kingdom. It currently has a rating of 'Overwhelmingly Positive' on Steam and a top critic rating of 83 on OpenCritic. All Game Pass Premium and Ultimate subscribers can play the game right now for no additional cost.

Thronefall is considered a minimalist strategy tower defense game, but anyone who has played it is surprised by the level of depth to the gameplay. Easy to pick up but tricky to master, Thronefall offers challenges to new and experienced RTS players alike. While certainly not an original concept, the clean visuals, solid mechanics, day/night cycles and variety of enemies will keep players coming back for just one more go well into the early hours. Thronefall offers a blend of strategy management and tower defense that keeps players hooked in a satisfying gameplay loop not to be missed.

Thronefall features 10 maps to play through, plus 9 unique weapons and more than 50 unlockable perks to keep players coming back for more. During the day, players must manage their gold and decide what to purchase for their kingdom. Fortifying walls and hiring more troops goes a long way to helping you keep your kingdom intact. By night, the hordes attack, and you get to watch your purchases pay off while also running around the battlefield yourself fending off waves of enemies and hopefully preventing your kingdom turning into a pile of burning bricks.

Even though Thronefall has been around on PC since 2023, this is the first time it has hit modern consoles like the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X/S. And with it being available for free to Xbox Game Pass Premium and Ultimate subscribers, there's never been a better time to jump in and give this game a try. Thronefall is one of those games that's easy to dive into for a quick gaming session but can also be a huge time sync once that tasty gameplay loop gets its hooks into you!

With November being dominated by huge titles like Grand Theft Auto VI, it's still great that players can get their hands on a stellar indie title like Thronefall without shelling out any extra cash. So, will November see gamers don a green hat and sink time into The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake or perhaps waste away the early hours defending their humble kingdoms in Thronefall? Only time will tell, but luckily for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, Thronefall won't cost an arm and a leg to play this month.

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