Amid all the big-name releases of today and tomorrow onGame Pass, it’s easy to forget that the library includes a ton of old classics and hidden gems. Today, Game Pass is probably the best value for your money on the gaming market: you get an ever-evolving library of games old and new,plus day-one releasesfrom the many studios under Microsoft’s umbrella. There’s always something new, big, and flashy on the Game Pass homepage, which is how the service has managed to stay viable during what certainly seems likeMicrosoft’s gradual bowing-out of the hardware game.
Buried beneath that homepage, though, isa treasure trove of half-forgotten classics, a monument to Microsoft’s storied history in the gaming space. There’s all manner of excellent games just waiting to be discovered: fromDOOMtoMorrowindtoFalloutto the new retro classics library, there’s something for just about everyone on Game Pass. But I’m here to tell you about a lesser-known Game Pass title, one that isn’t part of a well-known franchise, never got a sequel, and has largely fallen by the wayside compared to Game Pass' more prominent releases - and even then, you should still give it a chance.
Day Of The Tentacle Remastered Is On Game Pass
A LucasArts Point & Click Classic
Day of the Tentacledidn’t get the same fanfare as some ofGame Pass' bigger releases,but it’s an excellent game that holds up well all the same. Developed and published by LucasArts (now known as Lucasfilm Games) in its PC gaming prime,Day of the Tentacleis a rowdy point-and-click adventure through time. With hand-drawn art, full voice acting, and a delightful little romp of a story, it’s worth checking out - especially since it’s on Game Pass.
It starts with a cartoonish premise: the titular Purple Tentacle escapes the lab of Dr. Fred Edison, drinking from a pool of toxic waste and transforming into a much more powerful version of itself, bent on world domination. Aided by the friendly Green Tentacle, Bernard Bernoulli attempts to build a time machine to stop it, but an error causes him to scatter his assistants throughout time.
The version ofDay of the Tentacleon Game Pass is newly remastered, with redrawn art and improved audio quality.
As Bernoulli journeys to rescue them,he solves a series of puzzles in classic point-and-click style: you’ll select from a series of commands, use an inventory of items, and interact with the environment in order to forge a way forward. It lies somewhere between edutainment and pure, chaotic fun, something that few (if any) games still manage to do today.
Why You Should Play Day Of The Tentacle Right Now
An Unparalleled Classic
There’s really nothing out there likeDay of the Tentacleanymore. Point-and-click games have mostly ceased to be, largely because they’re seen today as outdated. The closest thing I can think of today is the puzzle-solving and interactivity in atmospheric horror games likeAmnesiaand evenResident Evil, but these lack the cartoonish aesthetic and sense of humor of classic ’90s adventure games.
Beyond being unique,Day of the Tentacleis at least a little historic: it’s a fairly early example of voice acting in a video game. Although it wasn’t the first game to be voiced, it was acknowledged for the quality of its acting and animation, setting a standard for the rest of the industry.
So, if you’re nostalgic for it, thenDay of the Tentacleis worth revisiting now that it’s on Game Pass. But even if you didn’t grow up in the era of the point-and-click adventure game, you’ve got nothing to lose but the couple of hours it takes to beatDay of the Tentacle- it’s in a category of its own.
