Vote now for April 2024's TA Playlist game It’s time to take a break from the huge, blockbuster AAA epics and focus on a shorter experience in April. Which of these indie darlings from Xbox Game Pass will you choose for the April 2024 TA Playlist?The TA Playlist Team Published 15 Mar 2024 FollowtopicsTA PlaylistCommunity eventThe TA Playlist Team We hope you’re having fun in the futuristic streets of Night City in the March TA Playlist game, Cyberpunk 2077, but it’s time to return to 2024 for a quick break to vote on the April TA Playlist Game of the Month.The last several months have featured some pretty big games, with the likes of Starfield, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and even Thief, all of which have completion estimates of 40 hours or more. There’s nothing wrong with having those epic blockbusters as part of the TA Playlist, especially since it’s usually possible to get through the main story of those games (which is generally what we’re focused on) in a much more manageable time frame.However, it’s still nice to take a break from the huge open worlds and sweeping narratives of those AAA titles every once in a while and focus on some smaller hidden gems that you might be able to knock out in a weekend rather than taking most of the month. With that in mind, we dug through the current Xbox Game Pass offerings for some highly-rated ID@Xbox games that can be polished off in less than ten hours. Even the titles are short, at just one word each! Which of these bite-sized indie hits will be featured next month? Here are the nominees… CocoonStarting with the most recent release on the list, action-puzzle game Cocoon became an instant sensation when it released onto Xbox Game Pass back in September 2023, garnering “near-perfect reviews” from several outlets just prior to launch. From developer Geometric Interactive and publisher Annapurna Interactive, Cocoon earned high praise for its beautiful graphics, lush alien environments, and mind-bending puzzles.Cocoon is a unique take on the puzzle adventure genre, where each world exists within an orb that you can carry on your back. Interact with alien environments and biomechanical devices left behind by an ancient civilization. Journey through unique and diverse biomes, from industrial structures to massive organic caverns, and discover how they are connected to one another. Wrap your head around the core mechanic of leaping between worlds—and combine, manipulate, and rearrange them to solve intricate puzzles. Master world-leaping mechanics to unravel a cosmic mystery.Cocoon has an impressive TA user rating of 4.22/5 and has been played by over 54,000 tracked gamers. Around 24% (just over 13,000 TA users) have gone on to unlock all 17 achievements, which estimates say should take around 4-5 hours. You could likely finish even faster by following the Cocoon Walkthrough from nuxx au to help you find all the collectibles and get past some of the more intricate puzzles near the end of the game, although this is certainly one of those titles where you’d be encouraged to take a stab at it yourself before resorting to a guide. It’s the sort of puzzle game that’s chock-full of those “ah-ha!” moments when you figure out a tough puzzle, so it’s well worth your time. InsideNext up on the list is side-scrolling puzzle platformer Inside, developed and published by Playdead with assistance from 505 Games. While not a sequel to their previous hit (and May 2022 TA Playlist Game of the Month) Limbo, it’s easy to see Playdead’s particular style at work in this game, which released in 2016 and came to Xbox Game Pass in July 2022. Hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project. Inside is a dark, narrative-driven platformer combining intense action with challenging puzzles. It has been critically acclaimed for its moody art style, ambient soundtrack, and unsettling atmosphere. More than 164,000 tracked gamers have played Inside, with just over 62,000 (38%) unlocking all 14 of the game’s achievements. With a strong TA User Rating of 4.2/5.0 and over 100 gaming industry awards under its belt, this game is also well worth the 3-4 hours that estimates say it should take for the full completion. The INSIDE Walkthrough from Unrehearsed will help you knock out all the achievements during your run into the murky and mysterious depths of this strange world.ToemIf the dark and creepy atmosphere of Inside isn’t your cup of tea, you might prefer the cozier vibes of Toem, a photography-based adventure game developed and published by indie studio Something We Made. Toem was a surprise addition to Xbox Game Pass back in July of last year, and while it didn’t make as much of a splash as some of the other games on this month’s list, its hand-drawn graphics, black-and-white style, and relaxing atmosphere have earned it a lot of fans.Set off on a delightful expedition and use your photographic eye to uncover the mysteries of the magical Toem in this hand-drawn adventure game. Chat with quirky characters, solve their problems by snapping neat photos, and make your way through a relaxing landscape!Toem has a TA User rating of 4.01/5.00, with almost 20,000 tracked TA Users having started the game, and over 5,300 (27%) earning all 48 of the game’s achievements. A walkthrough is currently in progress, but guides are available for all of the achievements, none of which are marked as missable. The completion is estimated to take 6-8 hours as you photograph your way through this charming monochrome adventure.FirewatchOur final nominee for the month is first-person mystery adventure Firewatch. Developed and produced by Campo Santo and released in 2016, Firewatch recently returned for its second stint in Xbox Game Pass last August. Focusing on narrative and exploration, the game was praised for its voice acting and immersive storyline.The year is 1989. You are a man named Henry who has retreated from your messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched high atop a mountain, it’s your job to look for smoke and keep the wilderness safe. An especially hot, dry summer has everyone on edge. Your supervisor, a woman named Delilah, is available to you at all times over a small, handheld radio—your only contact with the world you've left behind. But when something strange draws you out of your lookout tower and into the world, you’ll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have.Firewatch has been played by over 120,000 tracked gamers in the TA community, with around a third (~40,000 gamers) unlocking all 10 of the game’s achievements. The completion is estimated to take 4-5 hours, and a Firewatch Walkthrough is available, written by hypobonix, to make sure you don’t miss anything in your exploration. Firewatch currently sits at a respectable TA community rating of 3.96/5.00.So, which of these quick and easy indie hits are you most excited to explore next month? Place your vote and let us know your thoughts in the comments! And as always, if you have any suggestions for future Playlist games or themes, be sure to drop them in the TA Playlist Game Suggestion Thread for possible inclusion in a future poll!Which game should the community play for April 2024's TA Playlist? Cocoon37.41% (590) Inside14.2% (224) Toem18.07% (285) Firewatch30.31% (478) We've had 1577 responses. TA Playlist Written by The TA Playlist TeamThe TA Playlist is a monthly community event. Everyone votes on which of four games to play, and then we all play through it in the following month. There's a dedicated hub to discuss everything about the game, from story beats to gameplay tips – and of course, you can track your achievement progress during the month as well. TA Playlist was created by Mark Delaney and is now run by Miles, Nici and Chewie.