It’s summertime. It’s hot. It’s stormy. It’s miserable outside. As much as I love being poolside with a cocktail and a good scary story, being in the air conditioning on the sofa with a good game is a great time. Fortunately for Xbox and PC gamers, the Xbox Ultimate Sale is happening right now. Through July 31st 2025 this sale is offering tons of wonderful games at incredible prices. While this sale won’t last forever, all the games on this list are worth checking out through Xbox Gamepass Ultimate or by purchasing. The prices listed and availability of each title in this article were found using the Xbox Gamepass app on PC in the US. Many of these titles are available via Gamepass subscription currently.
Dredge $12.49
Dredge is a bit of an oddity. It has a beautiful almost hand painted aesthetic. It’s a cozy fishing sim for most of its introduction. Simple mechanics and fun fishing make it easily accessible for almost any skill level. For those not interested in destroying the cozy gaming vibe, Dredge does offer a peaceful mode that will keep the more dangerous sea creatures from spawning. However, for horror fans, Dredge unfolds into a Lovecraftian cosmic horror nightmare. Like most cozy sim games, Dredge requires some management. The singular most important aspect is time management. After nightfall the dark waters of Dredge become a dangerous nightmare filled abyss. The quaint little islands that make up the hubs for selling fish and grabbing quests in Dredge offer plenty of opportunities to discover troubling lore and piece together the mystery of the madness inducing eldritch creatures that plague you. For fans of cosmic horror and cozy games, this title is a must-play.
Prey $5.99
Prey is brilliant. If you’ve made it this far in life without having the huge plot twist of this story spoiled for you, I won’t be the one to do it now! This is a game where your decisions truly matter. Your choices
during your playthrough lead to multiple unlockable endings. This first-person action horror game sets you in the shoes of protagonist, Morgan. You begin your playthrough by selecting your Morgan. Instead of a traditional character creator this title opts for a selection of premade male and female presenting protagonists. After making your selection, you wake up aboard the Talos I space station. You discover your role and the purpose of this space station is to research and combat an aggressive alien species called the Typhon. As the tension rises and the alien life forms begin escaping containment, all hell breaks loose. Using your wits, weapons and some newfound alien abilities, you must decide what’s worth saving and at what cost. The gameplay is frenetic and tense, and the varied enemy types will keep you on your toes. This one never really lets you feel safe.
State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition $7.49
State of Decay avoids becoming a run of the mill zombie survival game by implementing community mechanics. In State of Decay, you don’t just play as your created character. You also control and can take control of any of the survivor NPCs you meet and ally with along the way. Your community members will suffer hunger, exhaustion, medical issues, mental health issues, and more. As much as State of Decay is a survival horror game about finding food and crafting shelter, it’s also a game about managing a community through the apocalypse. It’s third person action keeps things tight and fast paced. Getting overconfident here can spell doom. Focusing solely on one character’s advancement can mean the end for your community when they die. Whether you want to approach the apocalypse with a machette or a clip board, State of Decay has a lot to offer. The Juggernaut Edition named for the biggest meanest zombie varietal found in game, contains a huge wealth of bonus content added post launch. This game truly shines with friends, and the ability for 4 player co-op keeps things interesting and helps keep it from being too scary. Misery loves company. So go try to survive the zombie apocalypse with a buddy or three.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War $4.99
The Zombie Army series is simply not as well known as it should be. The 4 player cooperative 3rd person shooter series is developed by Rebellion, the developers behind the wonderful Sniper Elite franchise. Zombie War utilizes the same engine and mechanics as it's spiritual sibling. Zombie Army 4 features a fun and campy campaign built around the allied forces destroying the threat of nazi zombies. Tearing through hordes of zombies is always fun, but something about eliminating nazi zombies is just good for the soul. I recommend this game with friends and snacks. It's all about a good time, but not a long time. Thankfully, WWII didn't feature real nazi zombies, but it sure has made for a super fun video game trope! This is one of the better games in this super specific subgenre.
Curse of the Dead Gods $4.99
Curse of the Dead Gods is a rogue like adventure in the vein of Diablo or Fate. It differs in a few key areas. The first is a gorgeous cell shaded art style. Where similar top down view titles with multiple enemies and effects on screen can suffer moments of visual confusion, Curse of the Dead Gods is always sharp and crisp. The game's real genius lies in it's replayability. The curse mechanics are done exceptionally well. The trade off of power or wealth means picking up interesting curses that can limit you or harm you in other areas. This is an infinitely replayable title with interesting mechanics and a gorgeous art style. At this price point it's a no brainer. Which is good considering all the zombies we've seen so far.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite $7.49
Aliens: Fireteam Elite is an excellent cooperative horror shooter. This game excels at making you feel like a colonial marine straight out of the Aliens film. The first time you hear that familiar burst of the iconic rifle, any fan of Aliens will be hooked. Fortunately, it is also a very competent and fun shooter. Comparisons to Left for Dead are inevitable, but not unwelcome. While this title is all about demolishing wave after wave of Alien Xenomorphs it never feels stale. The variety of weapons, playable character classes and Xenomorph forms is engaging. The moment to moment gameplay feels fantastic, and a communicative team will really excel here. The downside is, this game really falls apart as a solo experience. The AI teammates will not provide nearly the same experience as even the lowest skilled players. The AI coop partners are garbage. I'll just say it. Having said it, the rest of this game is good enough to overlook this aspect. For fans of Aliens or just scary frenetic shooters, this game is an absolute must-play for under eight bucks!
This sale may be temporary, but all of these titles are worth checking out at full price. If you're able, grab them on sale now through July 31st! Save some money and have a great time this summer. The sales can be found here.