Xbox Game Pass Adds Day-One Open-World Game

Highlights

• Creatures of Ava is now available on Xbox Game Pass.
• This day-one release is an open-world action adventure that tasks players with saving a bunch of endangered species and uncovering the secrets of a mysterious alien planet.
• Early reviews of Creatures of Ava are largely positive, with many critics praising the game’s cozy atmosphere, varied gameplay, and environmentalist message.

Xbox Game Pass has added another day-one release in the form of Creatures of Ava. This is the first title to reach Microsoft’s subscription service in August 2024, and the 97th overall addition to Xbox Game Pass since the turn of the year.

What Is Creatures of Ava?

Developed by Valencia, Spain-based Inverge Studios, Creatures of Ava is an open-world action adventure with a focus on exploration and creature collection. Its players assume the role of Vic, a nature adventurer who embarks on an expedition to planet Ava in order to save its fauna. The once-peaceful creatures of Ava are suffering from a mysterious infection that makes them aggressive, which the local inhabitants, Naam, call “the withering.” Taming the planet’s fauna, uncovering Ava’s mysteries, and confronting her own troubled past are all part of Vic’s quest.

Creatures of Ava Gets Day-One Xbox Game Pass Release

Xbox Game Pass members can play Creatures of Ava as part of their subscriptions starting 10am ET on August 7. The cozy open-world adventure is available on the Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Creatures of Ava also offers day-one Xbox Cloud Gaming support for those who subscribe to the Ultimate tier of Microsoft’s service. The game is roughly 10GB in size, depending on the platform.

Ahead of its release, publisher 11 Bit Studios lifted the action adventure’s review embargo on August 6. The first batch of Creatures of Ava reviews is predominantly positive, as underlined by its 79 aggregate score and “Strong” rating on OpenCritic. Many reviewers praised the game for its vivid art style, cozy atmosphere, varied gameplay, and poignant environmentalist message, among other qualities.

All Xbox Game Pass August 2024 Games

The arrival of Creatures of Ava kicks off the first wave of August 2024 Xbox Game Pass additions. This release will be followed by Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Mafia: Definitive Edition, which are scheduled to reach the service on August 8 and 13, respectively. Sandbox survival game Core Keeper is then set to follow suit on August 27. Whimsical adventure SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato has also previously been confirmed for an August 2024 Xbox Game Pass debut, although it has yet to receive a precise release date.

Meanwhile, four titles are planned to leave the subscription service on August 15, including Shadow Warrior 3 and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Around that time is when Microsoft is expected to announce the second wave of August 2024 XGP titles, which is rumored to include another nature exploration experience called Expeditions: A MudRunner Game.