Best xCloud games to stream and play while lagging
Bad latency? Not a problem for these xCloud games available in beta...
Xbox Game Pass has blessed us with some amazing mobile gaming recently. If you're a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber that owns an Android device, you can easily download the Xbox Game Pass Beta app and enjoy some xCloud gaming right now.
Streaming games from a distant server to your mobile device is still relatively new, and how good the experience is depends on your internet connection. Just in case you don't have the best connection, we've put together a list of games that don't really need it.
Games like Gears 5 and Halo: Master Chief Collection will require a low latency and a lot of skill to take down enemies - especially if you're playing with others online - but with the games we're going to list here, you can happily and comfortably play them even if you're using 3G or 4G, riding as a passenger in a car or on the bus.
So just take a look below, and if you get the urge for some console gaming while away from home, these are some excellent choices. Almost as good as buying a Nintendo Switch.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
This is a game that's all about the visuals and the story. You'll be moving fairly slowly through the game, avoiding plague-ridden rats, and escaping from, well, disease.
There are enemies to do battle with, but if you're patient you will be able to slip past most encounters using stealth, and that makes it a great game to play on the go.
Use fire to scare rats away and craft the tools you need to survive the evils of the inquisition.
Untitled Goose Game
You are a very naughty goose in a very British village, and that's all you really need to know. Untitled Goose Game is, in my mind, a Hot Fuzz side story featuring the swan. While everyone else is living their lives, you just ruin them.
Rake in a lake, tying up shoes, stealing a golden bell, this is the true goose experience - and thanks to the fact it doesn't quite require twitch-precision, you can play it even while your latency is a bit higher than usual.
I mean, the easy solution is just to play the game on Nintendo Switch, but if you find yourself outside with just your phone and a controller, for some reason, this is a great choice.
Frostpunk
Frostpunk is more of a strategy game than anything else. You'll be working to survive a world that has been frozen over, and talking with the inhabitants of the city you've created to build a better life for all.
Of course, all of that is easier said than done, especially when you're living in the midst of an endless icy tundra.
This game will require brain power to play and dedication to finish, and is a great slow-paced experience to try when you haven't got good enough latency for Halo 5.
Halo Wars
Same idea as the last suggestion really, Halo Wars and Halo Wars 2 are both available on xCloud, and instead of forcing your reflexes to suffer through stream latency, Halo Wars will see you doing battle more tactically.
Taking a top-down perspective on the Halo universe, in Halo Wars you'll be able to usher your troops forward to defeat the Covenant. It's a pretty standard tactical RTS, but with that Master Chief branding.
Definitely a good choice, especially if you want Halo lore without the shooting.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
This is an action game, sure, but it's not quite as demanding as many, and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is one of the better games that you can play on xCloud right now.
Half action combat where you take down mysterious enemies, half puzzle-solving exploration game, Hellblade is definitely a good choice to play, but make sure you wear headphones for the full effect.
This is also a good choice since the sequel will be coming soon, and will likely also be available on Xbox Game Pass, and hopefully xCloud too.
