From Gears 5 to Sea of Thieves, the best Xbox One games let you sail the high seas, take down alien baddies, venture to Valhalla, and everything in between.
The Xbox One might not have the same selection of exclusives as the PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch, but the handful it does have are worth checking out. Some of the best Xbox One games are first-party titles, but you’ll find loads of other quality games from the likes of Electronic Arts, Bethesda, and Ubisoft that comprise a huge library of games worth playing. In addition, many of them look the best on Xbox with the power of the Xbox One X. Thanks to a strong lineup of shooters and racing games, fans of those genres needn’t look any further than Microsoft’s Xbox. It also boasts many great titles you aren’t going to find on other consoles, like Gears 5. Whether you’re looking for a lengthy single-player game with a great story or an online world to get lost in with friends, there is something for everyone. From Control to Rocket League, these are our picks for the best Xbox One games, the bulk of which can also be played on the Xbox Series X. Although Assassin’s Creed Valhalla runs better on the beefier Xbox Series X, it’s still an excellent title on Xbox One (and it supports Smart Delivery, so you can get the Series X version when you upgrade). After a few short hours in the game, it’s easy to see that Valhalla is one of the best Assassin’s Creed games ever made. The game showcases what Ubisoft’s AnvilNext 2.0 engine has to offer, as developer Ubisoft Montreal pushes the tech to its limits. It’s not just the visuals that stand out, either. Valhalla still uses the open-world design featured in Origins and Odyssey, but Valhalla’s world feels denser than its predecessors. Furthermore, Valhalla ramps up the intensity of combat encounters, making each swing of your sword or mace feel more fierce than ever. In many ways, Valhalla is to Odyssey and Origins what Black Flag was to the first Assassin’s Creed games: A familiar experience with just enough refinement to make a difference. Read our full Assassin’s Creed Valhalla review After over a decade of negligence, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater has finally restored glory not only to the Tony Hawk video game franchise, but to skateboarding games as a whole. This remake, which bundles in the first two Tony Hawk entries, tweaks the game significantly. They seriously overhaul the graphics to put them on modern standards, while also modernizing other important areas, like menus, game modes, and characters. What hasn’t changed? The core gameplay. The original games are still remarkably fun to play today, hampered on by their aging graphics and antiquated presentation. Enhancing the games while keeping the experience untouched automatically makes this a must-have title for both fans and newcomers. If you played Tony Hawk back in the day, you’ll love the nostalgic music. If this is your first time, you’ll love the unique skateboarding gameplay that remains without peer today. The other three Horseman of the Apocalypse use melee weapons in the Darksiders universe, but Strife prefers his handguns. In the prequel game Darksiders Genesis, developer Airship Syndicate turned the series into an isometric dungeon-crawler, and Strife’s attacks are reminiscent of twin-stick shooters. He’s joined by the melee-focused War, and the two can swap at any time when playing solo. Darksiders Genesis ditched the open-ended design of the main series for mission-based stages, but they’re stuffed with secret collectibles and new abilities that make it imperative to replay missions. Numerous difficulty levels and unlockable areas ensure it won’t wear out its welcome. Remedy Entertainment fans got a taste of the studio’s potential with the Xbox One game Quantum Break, but Control is a much more refined take on the third-person shooter genre. Set in the morphing headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Control, Control is a “paranatural” mystery that starts weird and only gets weirder. As protagonist Jesse Faden, you’re given the role of director upon your entry and must work to purge the Hiss enemies from the Bureau. You do this with the help of your unique superpowered abilities, which include telekinesis and mind control. Alongside these, you have the Service Weapon, a unique handgun that shifts forms and functions like a shotgun or even a machine gun. It makes Control’s combat satisfying and encourages experimentation. Read our full Control review From Software had the option to release another Dark Souls game. Instead, the legendary studio created an entirely new franchise with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This action game takes plenty of inspiration from Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but the addition of a Posture system for deflecting attacks — along with a resurrection mechanic — help make it feel like a distinct game in its own right. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is ludicrously difficult, which could turn off From Software newcomers. Those who have the time and patience to battle through its boss fights, however, will find one of the most rewarding and addicting action games of the generation. The pain is good, and we want more. Read our full Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review After taking a darker direction with DmC from Ninja Theory (more on that developer in a bit) back in 2013, the original series returns with Devil May Cry 5. Set after the events of the four other games, Devil May Cry 5 puts you in control of three different characters, each with unique weapons and abilities to master. Nero’s brutality contrasts Dante’s flashiness, and both are about as different from V’s demon-spawning style as possible. Devil May Cry 5 feels like the perfect blend of old and new, with a gorgeous engine making it one of the prettiest games on the Xbox One. It hasn’t lost the series’ challenge, however, and a second run on Son of Sparda difficulty mixes up the enemy variety to put your skills to the test. Read our full Devil May Cry 5 review The Coalition outdid itself with Gears 5, a third-person shooter that improves on its predecessor in nearly every way. Combat feels just as perfect as ever, with intense shootouts against both Swarm and robotic DeeBees. More open-ended areas feature side missions that add additional context to the game’s world. Gears 5 is one of the best games in the entire series, with psychological horror elements sprinkled throughout its story and a tremendous selection of cooperative modes. The new Escape game mode is great for aggressive players, and the competitive multiplayer doesn’t change what was already nearly perfect. Read our full Gears 5 review The most commercially successful video game — or media product — of all time, Grand Theft Auto V deserves its popularity. The open-world criminal action game builds on what Rockstar Games has done well for decades, with a staggering number of side activities to complete and locations to visit. Its three-protagonist main story is both emotional and hilarious, with the psychopathic Trevor often stealing the show with his violent and over-the-top outbursts. It only gets better when you enter Grand Theft Auto Online, which allows you to gain influence in Los Santos and show the world why you deserve respect. Despite being nearly five years old, Grand Theft Auto V continues to get new content updates. We anticipate it will live on for at least another five years. Read our full Grand Theft Auto V review A stunningly well-realized version of auteur director Yoko Taro’s vision, Nier: Automata is a depressing and existential action game that avoids many of the narrative traps associated with android stories. There are no questions regarding what it means to be human, but rather what it means to be yourself. Protagonists 2B and 9S struggle to accept reality, making for some of the most emotional moments we’ve ever experienced in a game. With Platinum Games handling the combat, the Nier: Automata is also a flashy and tight action game complete with twin-stick shooter segments to break up the monotony. Read our full Nier: Automata review It’s rare that a AAA open-world game can surprise us, but Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 manages to do it regularly. The western is a prequel to the 2010 game Red Dead Redemption, but it is far more than a simple retread of that title’s themes. As a member of the Van der Linde gang, protagonist Arthur Morgan must wrestle with his past and his uncertain future as the government hunts down the remaining outlaws in a rapidly changing Wild West locale. Every story mission is absolute gold, never falling into a pattern of repetition. The emergent activities you’ll discover in the open world are engaging enough to keep you busy for hours. Want to cause chaos or just hunt game? You totally can, or you could try your luck at a few hands of poker. The Red Dead Redemption 2 is also available on Xbox Game Pass, sweetening the deal for the subscription service. Read our full Red Dead Redemption 2 review A charming addition to the world of Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons provides a new type of gameplay to the series for those looking for a more focused game. Dubbed a family-friendly Diablo, Minecraft Dungeons is much more than that. It’s one of the most shallow dungeon crawlers, but that also makes it the most accessible. What features are here are built well enough to let players know if this genre is right for them, giving them a stepping stone to more ambitious titles. And while it may be of the same simple design as the main game, the execution has been taken up a notch with exquisite lighting and shading. Simply put, Minecraft has never played or looked this good. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order isn’t exactly the most original or innovative game we’ve played. It’s a blend of elements from big-name game franchises like Uncharted and Dark Souls, but with all the classic Star Wars tropes. Despite this, it excels because it so smartly pulls mechanics and structural pieces that fit the Star Wars formula well. Split between exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, Fallen Order never feels like it’s wasting your time. When you finally get protagonist Cal Kestis outfitted with his best Force powers and a customizable lightsaber, he feels like an unstoppable warrior who can take on waves of Stormtroopers without issue. With brilliant performances and a mesmerizing score, the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of the best Star Wars games since BioWare’s Knights of the Old Republic series. Read our full Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order review If you ever wanted to sail the treacherous seas roleplaying as a pirate with a group of your friends, Sea of Thieves is the Xbox One game for you. Embark on voyages, discover treasure, raid enemy ships, customize your rig, and be the best scallywag this side of the sea has ever seen! Sea of Thieves feels like a lighthearted pirate simulator. You and your friends go on adventures but also work together to accomplish menial things like putting up the ship’s sails and navigating through dangerous waters. The best part? The entire game is cross-platform, so you can play with your friends on PC. Over time, it has grown into a respectable online service game with more content to pursue than ever before, despite its really rough launch. Read our full Sea of Thieves review Resident Evil 2 Remake raised the bar for what a remake could be when it released in 2019. Just a year later and Capcom wowed fans of the series again with its follow-up in the form of Resident Evil 3 Remake. This iteration takes place right around the same time as Leon and Claire’s tale in the previous game, but with Jill Valentine returning as the main character. The same survival horror elements are all here as players have to contend with limited resources and terrifying creatures that are stalking the gorgeously-rendered streets of Raccoon City. That isn’t even taking into account the relentless, gruesome Nemesis who stalks you with some serious firepower. With a bit more action thrown into the mix, you can’t go wrong playing the Resident Evil 3 Remake. Read our full Resident Evil 3 Remake review After over two decades without an entry, Streets of Rage roars back to life with its excellent fourth entry, one that provides a gorgeous visual makeover. Streets of Rage 4 remains true to its roots with sticky combat but modernizes the gameplay by adding features such as special attacks and juggling enemies. The story is paper-thin, as all good beat ’em ups should be, but the game more than makes up for it with addictive mechanics set to a brilliant soundtrack. It also provides quite the challenge, with several levels giving players a run for their money, and forcing them to strategically manage the game’s offensive and defensive systems. Depending on the player’s ability, the Streets of Rage‘s story can be completed in a matter of hours. However, unlockable characters and hidden easter eggs offer tons of replay value as fans of the franchise eagerly await the fifth entry. Some game franchises suffer from fatigue after their first few entries, with later games paling in comparison to the originals. NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat is not one of those series.
