While not overabundant, Games Pass does have a few titles that are either associated with an anime franchise or utilize a similar art style. They even cover a respectable range of genres, so this limited selection has surprising variety. More importantly, thebest anime games on Xbox Game Passare also fantastic.
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Personais the ultimate “anime” series, and three of the franchise’s best JRPGs are on Xbox Game Pass. Each title is split into turn-based combat and social sim sequences, and the latter sets Atlus' subseries apart from other genre representatives. These sections allow players to truly become the stories' protagonists as they engage in hobbies, attend school, and go on dates.
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Each entry tells a unique storyline that is split into multiple arcs, similar to cours in anime, and dedicates a great deal of time to exploring the main characters' personalities and backstories.Persona 5 Royalis, unsurprisingly, the most graphically impressive entry in the franchise, and it is a good starting point for newcomers. That said,Persona 3 PortableandPersona 4 Goldenboth have incredible plots that are just as brilliant as their successor’s narrative.
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Similar toPersona,Danganronpais a video game franchisethat has been adapted into anime. The series revolves around “kill or die” scenarios as students are trapped in a setting and must eliminate one of their peers without being caught to escape. Most of the gameplay consists of visual novel sections, although players can also explore in between trial sections.
Danganronpaboasts fantastic writing with a dark comedic edge, and its characters are generally fascinating. The trials get genuinely intense, and some of their outcomes can be horrifying.
Unfortunately,Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc Anniversary Editionwas removed from Xbox Game Pass in January 2023.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
Games adapted from anime are in short supply on Xbox Game Pass, but there is one exception:Dragon Ball FighterZ. Goku and friends have starred in roughly a billion games over the years, and while quite a few of them are fun,FighterZwas the first title to make the franchise a proper competitive option. Developed by Arc System Works, the 2.5D fighter perfectly captures the source material’s aesthetic and penchant for over-the-top action.
Dragon Ball FighterZ’s best feature is its accessibility, which is something that cannot be said for most of Arc’sBlazBlueandGuilty Gearprojects. That’s not to say the game lacks depth, only that it has a low barrier for entry that allows non-fighting fans to enjoy the ride. Although the single-player gets repetitive quickly,FighterZis still one of thebest anime games on Game Pass.
Ni no Kuni Wrath of the White Witch Remastered
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witchletsanime fans live out their isekai dream. Following a personal tragedy, the young Oliver is sent to a magical world to rescue his soulmate; along the way, he mends a few broken hearts, makes a couple of friends, and catches familiars to use in battle.
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Gungrave G.O.R.E
Some anime fans might not know this butGungravebegan life as a 2002 PS2 game. A year later, Madhouse adapted the concept into a cult classic anime; a year after that, a sequel to the game was released. The franchise went quiet after that point, only to be resurrected in 2022 withGungrave G.O.R.E.
A slow-paced but hard-hitting third-person shooter, Iggymob’s title is stylish and satisfying, even if the basic gameplay loop does get repetitive after a few hours. Although not an amazing game, fans of the PS2 titles or the anime might get a kick out ofGungrave G.O.R.E.
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