The Xbox Game Pass service has been growing strong for over six years now, with universe-exploring RPG adventures like Starfield, or engaging third-person shooters like the Gears series. However, when it comes to sheer ridiculousness, none of its hundreds of titles can hold a candle to Game Pass’ most recent big addition – Goat Simulator 3.
We know that Goat Simulator 3 won’t go down as one of the best Xbox Game Pass games, considering how many heavy-hitters belong on our list. But, what we can say is that the sequel to 2014’s Goat Simulator might just be one of the best co-op games on the service yet, especially for those looking to have some chaotic fun. And it definitely tops the charts when it comes to pure chaos and lunacy.
If you’re unaware of the series, the Goat Simulator games take you into a strange sandbox world where you play as a goat (unsurprisingly). As a livestock animal let loose, you’ll be able to wreak havoc and ruin plenty of citizens’ days in an urban environment, which is definitely a change for a goat’s average farm life. Oh, and if you’re wondering where Goat Simulator 2 is, don’t worry about that – the series is so strange, that developer Coffee Stain North skipped it and went straight to the ‘third’ game.
Goat Simulator 3 keeps the nature of what made its predecessor go viral while expanding on the size of the world as well as the different gameplay features. Most of the time you’ll find yourself licking random objects and seeing what happens, but there’s the occasional shift in gameplay, such as a moment when you play in a parody of Wolfenstein, which is one of the best FPS games ever. The best bit is finding all of the secrets hidden in the world, most of which are references to pop culture hits like the Star Wars franchise or games like The Elder Scrolls Skyrim.
There’s also a series first with an actual story mode in Goat Simulator 3, which was non-existent in the first game. Most of your time will be spent creating your own fun, but there are actually main and side quests to complete as you watch a meta-reality-bending story unfold. It’s strange, all things considered, and not a major selling point of the experience, but it’s nice to have if you want an ending to the carnage you’ve caused.
As for the reviews, the Metacritic score sits at a middling 68 from critics, while users praise the game with a score of 8.1. Considering that Goat Simulator 3’s fun comes from what you want to do within its strange world, it’s no surprise that the best way to find out whether you enjoy it or not is, of course, playing it yourself. Thankfully, as it is now on Game Pass, you can play it on Xbox or PC with your subscription. At least you don’t have to worry about whether you’re wasting your money on something you might not enjoy!
If anything, you should get at least a couple of hours of good fun out of it, and it’s certainly the most ridiculous game Xbox has added to the Game Pass library so far in our view, but there are plenty of other excellent titles arriving as part of the Xbox Game Pass December 2023 games lineup.
If you’ve played its predecessor before, which was on almost every platform at the time, then you’ll know what to expect from the long-awaited sequel. While we’ve grown up since the first game was released, and the Goat Simulator series has lost some of its charm over time, it’s a great experience to mess around with friends in, and it is certainly a hit with kids. What child doesn’t like seeing a goat with a jetpack?
Whether you’re going to give Goat Simulator 3 a try while it’s on Game Pass or not, there are still plenty of great games to play – like the best Xbox co-op games available right now. That being said, if you’re planning on bringing a friend or two over to play some Goat Simulator, we suggest picking up one of the best Xbox controllers.