The Xbox One has entered its 10th 12 months in the marketplace along the PS4, and it is probably not lengthy ahead of Microsoft stages out the previous console utterly in desire of freeing video games handiest on Xbox Sequence X/S. The only factor it has in commonplace with its successor, despite the fact that, is that it has turn out to be the primary console to be carbon mindful because of a brand new firmware replace, which defaults it to an energy-saving mode when downloading video games and updates, amongst different purposes. Now you’ll save calories whilst enjoying your favourite Xbox video games, particularly our number of 25 Xbox One video games.
Those video games have been decided on through all the IGN content material crew (after quite a few interior debate) and constitute what we imagine to be the perfect Xbox One has to supply.
The newest updates have been made in Would possibly 2021.
Extra on the most efficient of Xbox:
25. The Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is also a Sci-Fi recreation, but it surely has a extraordinary form of magic to it. Its open-ended nature may just depart you drifting thru house (and incessantly into planets at literal breakneck velocity) with out a lot concept of what to do, however this hand made sun machine is crammed to the brim with engaging breadcrumbs, tantalizing tale teases, and a few downright implausible points of interest that continuously draw you into one breathtaking second after any other.
It’s an international begging to be explored, and the time loop mechanic at its core each constantly leaves you in need of extra and provides a terrifyingly hectic drive to its in a different way serene exploration. It will take you a second to get your house legs, however Outer Wilds is a trek completely value taking for your self.
Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye, a spread we referred to as “an exquisite go back to the clockwork sun machine of Outer Wilds,” is to be had for $15 USD. A free 4K/60fps update could also be to be had for Xbox Sequence X|S homeowners.
24. Future 2
Destiny 2‘s new seasonal style was once met with a bit of of hesitance in the beginning, however what Bungie has delivered is as an alternative a compelling narrative that intertwines tale beats from season to season. The truth that it’s been added to Game Pass handiest sweetens the deal through bringing extra gamers into the fold. Whether or not you are looking to thrust back the darkness with Stasis or simply shoot issues with cool weapons Future has confirmed the check of time and helps to keep gamers coming again.
The sport’s subsequent growth, Destiny 2: Lightfall, is out February 28, 2023. Its earlier growth, The Witch Queen, was once named 2022’s Highest DLC through the New York Game Awards.
23. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a masterclass of environment, storytelling, and the wedding of mechanical and conceptual design. The care and a spotlight Ninja Idea has obviously poured into Senua and her tale has created one thing superb. Hellblade’s stunning presentation and dense tale support its severe subject material on this brilliant story of harrowing darkness.
Senua’s Sacrifice is now optimized for Xbox Sequence X|S. Our efficiency evaluate concluded that Hellblade for Series X outperforms high-end PCs.
22. Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a modern take at the Yakuza recreation method. Now not handiest does it function a brand new protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, however the collection’ vintage beat ‘em up motion transforms right into a turn-based RPG. Upload in a complete forged of laughably a laugh misfits at the back of Ichiban and hilarious facet missions of turning in method to diaper-wearing gangsters, and Like a Dragon takes Yakuza’s absurdity to the following stage.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon could also be simply as a lot a drama as this is a comedy with its primary storyline revolving round betrayal. The sport additionally touches on issues of those that are marginalized from immigrants to intercourse employees.
The collection’ subsequent mainline recreation, due out in 2024, is formally referred to as Like a Dragon 8. Sooner than then, SEGA and RGG Studio will liberate the prior to now Japan-exclusive Yakuza samurai spin-off Like a Dragon: Ishin! on February 21.
21. Gears Techniques
Simply as Halo ended up making a very good real-time technique recreation within the type of Halo Wars, so too does Gears of War brilliantly take the plunge to turning into an XCOM-like turn-based technique recreation in Gears Tactics. The entire vintage Gears of Struggle gameplay is right here – cover-based battle, up-close executions, e-holes, and a lot more – simply in a extra strategic shape. The method works beautifully, and the tale is lovely excellent too, because of the standard top of the range persona construction and quite a few beautiful in-engine cutscenes. Franchises rooted in a single style do not incessantly take the plunge to an absolutely other one so seamlessly, however Gears Techniques pulls it off.
The unique Gears made our record of the best-ever best Xbox exclusives.
20. No Guy’s Sky
No Man’s Sky Subsequent is the tale that all the business issues to when on the lookout for a comback story and it is smartly deserved. Hi Video games controlled to proceed supporting No Guy’s Sky with a number of updates that added high quality of lifestyles options, like Expeditions that upload a brand new set of demanding situations you’ll play with your folks, or the overhauled house stations, new enemies, cross-platform bases, and a ton of alternative group asks. Hi Video games actually does deserve credit score as a result of what they have created is loved through gamers far and wide.
No Guy’s Sky additionally made our record of the best survival games.
19. Elder Scrolls On-line
There are many splendid causes to play Elder Scrolls Online on Xbox. One, it is a very good on-line RPG that continues to recover with every new content material replace (facet notice: Morrowind is in right here!). Two, it now formally takes benefit of the Xbox Sequence X. 3, with Todd Howard and Bethesda Sport Studios onerous at paintings on Starfield, we would possibly not be seeing The Elder Scrolls VI for fairly a while. And in spite of everything and possibly maximum awesomely, ESO is on Xbox Sport Move! It is an MMO that may be dipped out and in of at will; no wish to deal with it like a 2nd task. Simply soak your self on the earth of Tamriel and experience!
On January 25, Zenimax published a roadmap right through Xbox’s Developer_Direct detailing upcoming expansions during the 12 months. Shadow Over Morrowind will release with the Scribes of Destiny DLC on March 28 (March 13 on PC). Zecrom drops on June 20 (June 5 on PC), bringing you the Arcanist elegance and 30 hours value of recent tale content material set in Japanese Morrowind.
18. Megastar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order does an important task making you grasp the artwork of battle with completely timed parry’s that you’ll stick with up with a flourish of your lightsaber or the drive energy of your opting for. That is particularly rewarding at the more difficult difficulties as you’ll wish to grasp your entire skills to overcome the numerous foes after Cal Kestus. Along with excellent gameplay Fallen Order provides a cherry on best within the type of a memorable tale that may have you ever travelling around the galaxy some distance some distance away with a band of misfits through your facet. A super tale, stellar gameplay, and quite a few Empire baddies to slice away at anticipate you in this journey.
Cal Kestis’ tale was once meant to proceed on March 17 on Xbox Sequence X|S, PS5, and PC, however EA delayed Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s release date to April 28 with a purpose to toughen its efficiency.
17. Titanfall 2
The unique Titanfall was once nice, however the sequel delivered the whole thing the primary recreation didn’t: an impressive single-player marketing campaign and a few meat on Titanfall’s robust however in a different way thin multiplayer bones. The multiplayer phase was once glaring: extra Titans, extra recreation modes, extra maps, and so on. And Titanfall 2 delivered there. However that marketing campaign virtually got here out of nowhere. It won’t have had a lot of a tale, however it is one of the vital best shooter campaigns of this era at the again of its good, variety-is-king design. You can see once we imply while you get to *that* gameplay twist.
Take a look at our newest Art of the Level function for a deep dive into Titanfall 2’s fourth project, Into the Abyss.
16. Apex Legends
Respawn’s slick gunplay got here to lifestyles in an exhilarating new approach when its struggle royal Apex Legends first introduced in 2019, and because then, it is only gotten higher. Apex Legends’ common seasonal content material drops are spectacular. Now not handiest are we able to be expecting a brand new Legend entire with tale content material and a neat equipment, there is incessantly additionally map adjustments (and on occasion a complete new map), a weapon or mechanic, and high quality of lifestyles updates along the battlepass. The ones common updates plus the occasional vacation match and addition of quests stay Apex Legends in our rotation.
Apex Legends Season 16: Revelry introduced on February 14. You’ll get your arms at the Nemesis Burst AR, compete in Workforce Deathmode, and enjoy a brand new elegance machine.
15. Steel Equipment Cast V: The Phantom Ache
Steel Equipment Cast V – each The Phantom Pain and its precursor Ground Zeroes – is, with out query, probably the most formidable access within the Steel Equipment collection, each relating to its gameplay mechanics and scattered (some may say incomplete) tale. That includes what’s without a doubt some of the complicated sandboxes in gaming historical past, The Phantom Ache offers gamers an enormous arsenal of guns, automobiles, devices, and AI partners to way missions creatively. As all the time, stealthy tactical gameplay is rewarded closely, but when a project is going sideways (or in the event you’re feeling squirrelly) the sport doesn’t punish you for purchasing loud and messy. Whilst the entire scope of Hideo Kojima’s final imaginative and prescient could have been stymied through ingenious variations with Konami, Steel Equipment Cast 5 continues to be a fully profitable journey for open-world stealth lovers.
14. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps alternatives up the torch that Blind Forest lit in 2015 and carries it to new heights. The root was once already there, however Moon Studios spent the 5 years between video games construction out a livelier international, a fully-loaded moveset with a brand new emphasis on battle, and any other serving to of bittersweet tale. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is without doubt one of the absolute best platformers you are going to in finding on any platform because of its ingenious puzzles and classes of racing platforming punctuated with soulful moments that give its characters a possibility to respire and shine.
IGN spoke with Moon Studios in 2020 to speak about the opportunity of a new Ori game, despite the fact that Microsoft is reportedly no longer working with the studio following what was once stated to be a “tricky courting.” The studio is now running on a new action-RPG in partnership with Take-Two’s Non-public Department publishing label.
13. Forza Horizon 4
Forza Horizon 4 is not just the most efficient Forza recreation ever made, it is the unmarried largest automobile recreation of the decade, and perhaps of all-time. With its four-season fictionalization of gorgeous Nice Britain and concentrate on socially fueled a laugh reasonably than hardcore simulation racing, it’s the identical of an ideal, breezy, 72-degree summer season day distilled into online game shape. It has a big, numerous number of automobiles , its seasons exchange the feel and appear of the enjoy, and its soundtrack is brilliant, cheery, and sure to place you in a excellent temper. Someway, Forza Horizon helps to keep getting higher, which appeared all however unimaginable after the chic Forza Horizon 3.
The collection’ newest access, Forza Horizon 5, was once topped IGN’s 2021 Game of the Year.
12. Gears 5
Gears 5 loses the “of Struggle” a part of its name however completely none of its third-person cover-based shooter gameplay excellence. The chainsaw gun-wielding infantrymen go back and it’s in spite of everything time to discover the thriller of Kait Diaz’s previous and unravel the cliffhanger from the tip of Gears of War 4. The tale of Gears 5 is heartfelt, private, and attractive, whilst multiplayer is as soon as once more a blast, too. The staple As opposed to and Horde modes are joined through the fascinating new Get away mode that demanding situations a crew of 3 to get the heck out of a map ahead of a deadly poison cloud envelops them. Deliver on Gears 6!
Gears developer The Coalition is operating on “multiple new projects” the use of Unreal Engine 5. The studio has additionally partnered with Netflix to increase a Gears of War movie and an grownup animated collection. Gears 6 is rumored to be in development together with the Gears Final Assortment, in keeping with The XboxEra Podcast. Then again, the builders haven’t showed the legitimacy of the rumor.
11. Halo: The Grasp Leader Assortment
This number of six Halo video games stands tall for the campaigns on my own – in particular the utterly remastered Halo 2 Anniversary – however now that developer 343 has up to date the once-maligned multiplayer suite together with new options, improvements, and an total stage of polish, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is an absolute must-own that simply helps to keep getting higher 12 months after 12 months. That is the quintessential Halo enjoy that has in spite of everything fulfilled all of its huge doable. If you are an established fan of the Halo universe or a newcomer who has no concept the place to begin within the lengthy saga of the Grasp Leader, you’ll’t do higher than this.
Halo Limitless’s limited-time event “Noble Intentions” introduced on February 7 and can run thru February 21.
10. Sekiro: Shadows Die Two times
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice provides a thrilling dose of what FromSoftware does absolute best with new, skill-heavy battle techniques that require precision and perfection to grasp. The supernatural tackle Eastern historical past makes Sekiro’s mandatory moody environment and cryptic tale stand excluding its Souls-Borne siblings, and the brand new additions to traversal and battle be offering distinctive and welcome updates to the already-excellent playbook of combating enamel and nail for each and every inch of development. Its particular emblem of motion is probably not for everybody, however those that stick it out will in finding Sekiro to be an immensely rewarding adventure.
FromSoftware’s newest recreation, Elden Ring, is without doubt one of the best-reviewed games in modern history. It was once topped Game of the Year through IGN and The Sport Awards.
9. Within
We outline a ten out of 10 as a “masterpiece,” and Inside is each and every bit of 1. The non-sequel follow-up to the chic Limbo took six years to make, and it seems like 5 of the ones have been spent on polish. Each pixel, animation, ray of sunshine, and audio cue feels regarded as – to not point out the puzzles themselves. Within would possibly not pressure your mind too onerous, however its impactful non-verbal tale will depart you considering what all of it manner for days after you end it. Within is just unforgettable and will have to now not be overlooked.
In line with a 2021 task record, developer Playdead’s next game is a “Third-person science fiction journey set in a faraway nook of the universe.” It is going to be published by Epic.
8. It Takes Two
Admittedly, It Takes Two would possibly not precisely soften your GPU with its graphical depth. Is it a pleasing taking a look recreation with a fanciful, fairy-tale tone and graphics to compare? Sure, maximum unquestionably. However you want to play It Takes Two (with a chum or beloved one both at the sofa or by means of on-line play, in fact, since It Takes Two can’t be performed on my own) as a result of it’s merely one of the vital absolute best and most original multiplayer stories you’ll in finding at the moment. Author-director Josef Fares – sure, he of “F*** the Oscars!” status – follows up the similarly splendid A Way Out with this, a tale a few failing marriage that may simply be capable of be stored because of the couple being became youngsters’s dolls and compelled to paintings in combination to search out their as far back as their human bureaucracy. Play it and we promise you can smile.
It Takes Two has surpassed over 10 million copies sold as of February 3.
7. Keep an eye on
Control gained IGN’s 2019 Sport of the Yr award for excellent explanation why: it’s an outstanding third-person action-adventure that does just about the whole thing proper. Developer Treatment has lengthy been identified for its storytelling prowess, and that’s on complete show right here. Nice characters fixing a fascinating thriller in a ravishing brutalist-inspired atmosphere, plus one of the vital absolute best takes on telekinesis in gaming all mix to make Keep an eye on a can’t-miss enjoy. It’s a recreation that helps to keep you guessing from the outlet to the tip credit, or even then you definitely’ll be in need of to understand extra about its ordinary international.
Treatment is formally running on Control 2 for Xbox Sequence X|S, PS5, and PC. The studio could also be growing a Control multiplayer recreation, the long-awaited Alan Wake 2, a free-to-play co-op shooter codenamed Vanguard, and remakes of Max Payne 1 and 2.
6. Hitman 3
Agent 47’s newest (and for now, ultimate) day out isn’t just a a lot better recreation than its two predecessors, it is a a lot prettier one too. Hitman 3 has some really breathtaking scenes from an eye-candy viewpoint. The primary project in Dubai gets you hooked, however the remainder 5 – together with the second, which is largely like a playable model of the incredible movie Knives Out – will stay your Xbox powered on for hours as you check out the myriad techniques to take out your goals. That is the most efficient Hitman since Blood Money.
Hitman 3 was once not too long ago rebranded as Hitman: World of Assassination, shifting all the trilogy’s content material right into a unmarried recreation. Hitman 3’s freelancer mode is to be had now.
5. Doom Everlasting
Doom Eternal is arguably the most efficient single-player FPS marketing campaign we’ve observed in all the Xbox One era. Its complete gameplay loop is constructed round you being a badass – entire with different characters you stumble upon within the recreation being very, very conscious about your badassery – however Everlasting meets you within the center through throwing actually dozens of demons at you at a time to even the percentages. Because the enemies get larger and nastier right through the marketing campaign, you get quicker, smarter, and extra robust too. It’s an out of this world battle dance that’s fairly merely not like the rest on Xbox One.
Doom Everlasting additionally made our record of the best Steam Deck games.
4. Murderer’s Creed Valhalla
Murderer’s Creed has necessarily advanced from a stealth action-adventure to a full-blown open-world RPG, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is possibly the most efficient instance of its trendy shape but. You can by no means be missing in issues to do inside of its Norse-Viking international, and while you do get into battle, it is as weighty and brutal as it is ever been. What is extra, in the event you’ve by no means performed an Murderer’s Creed recreation ahead of, you’ll leap proper into this one, as although there is a better universe at play right here, there is no pre-required wisdom that may forestall you from completely playing your time right here.
The collection’ subsequent recreation is Assassin’s Creed Mirage, a smaller-scale, extra narrative-focused go back to the franchise’s stealth roots due out in 2023. Someday after Mirage, Ubisoft will release Assassin’s Creed Infinity, a brand new platform/hub for the collection’ long run entries, together with an open-world RPG set in feudal Japan (Assassin’s Creed Codename Red) and Codename Hexe. Murderer’s Creed Valhalla: Break of day of Ragnarok became the first video game to win a Grammy Award for Best Video Game Score.
3. Purple Lifeless Redemption 2
Each a shocking technical success and a brand new gold usual for online game storytelling in an open-world atmosphere, Red Dead Redemption 2 is without doubt one of the absolute best video games Rockstar has ever made, and one of the vital largest video games ever, length. Whilst its tale is a fancy story of honor, loyalty, and loss woven round wealthy characters delivered to lifestyles through nuanced performances, the true megastar of Purple Lifeless 2 is its international. A sprawling and surprising sport of the American south and west, it’s packed so stuffed with element that obtaining from A to B is nearly unimaginable with out going off the overwhelmed trail to a few different distraction. Whether or not it’s searching, fishing, taking up any collection of facet quests for a parade of memorable NPCs, or simply preventing to appreciate the verdant surroundings, each and every unmarried facet of its international is deeply regarded as in its personal proper; offering a bespoke stage of element that makes Purple Lifeless 2 not anything wanting a masterpiece.
In spite of being out for handiest 4 years, Purple Lifeless 2 is already one of the vital best-selling video games of all time.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Few RPGs set up to place forth a bigger chew of subtle content material than The Witcher 3. Its huge open-world spaces provoke, relating to each scope and density. Each and every huge house is generously dotted with nice monsters to slay, tantalizing mysteries to resolve, and private tales to unfurl. It’s additionally some of the spectacular total productions in gaming historical past, with reams of significant discussion carried out through a stellar voice forged, an out of this world authentic soundtrack, visuals that qualify as each a technical and creative success, and a tale with extra branches than you’ll want to shake David Cage at. Bundle all that with two of the most efficient and largest expansions in contemporary reminiscence, and also you’ve were given now not handiest one of the vital absolute best Western RPGs of all time, however a recreation that units the bar for open-world adventures for future years.
CD Projekt Purple is operating on a new Witcher trilogy, in addition to an Unreal Engine 5 remake of The Witcher 1. The next-gen Witcher 3 upgrade, in the meantime, was once launched in December.
1. Grand Robbery Auto V / GTA On-line
Grand Theft Auto V’s sprawling, meticulously detailed map continues to be the high-water mark to which all different trendy open-world adventures aspire. Now not handiest is it massive, it’s impossibly dense with splendid content material – and that’s now not simply the using and taking pictures that make up its marketing campaign, neither is it restricted to the a lot of facet actions that might quantity to a complete recreation on their very own – however one wealthy with the entire points of interest, sounds, and bustling job you would look forward to finding in a town teeming with people, seedy underbelly integrated.
Its single-player tale is an interesting crime epic, person who well conveys Rockstar’s satirical take at the 21-st century American dream thru 3 other playable characters, and while you’ve in spite of everything rolled credit on that – after some 30-plus hours – there’s actually years value of content material to dig into in its multiplayer element, GTA Online.
That includes the whole thing from elaborate multi-phase heists to customized high-stakes racing to flying DeLoreans and Mad Max-style vehicular deathmatches, Grand Robbery Auto On-line provides unprecedented range, and with such a lot to do, discover, and play with, each with pals and by yourself, there’s no query that GTA 5 stays the most efficient Xbox One recreation ever.
Rockstar has formally showed GTA 6 is in construction. It is going to reportedly function a go back to Vice Town and megastar the collection’ first feminine playable persona in a Bonnie & Clyde-inspired journey — main points that have been apparently corroborated through a large GTA 6 leak.
Upcoming Xbox One Video games
Atomic Heart, the Sci-Fi trade fact FPS from Mundfish set in Soviet-era Russia within the Nineteen Fifties, drops on February 21.
Taking a look forward to the start of March 2023, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Workforce Ninja’s new souls-like name set in the dead of night fable model of China’s 3 Kingdoms period, launches on March 3.
Spring 2021 Updates:
Added: Future 2, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Gears Techniques, No Guy’s Sky, Elder Scrolls On-line, It Takes Two, Hitman 3, Murderer’s Creed Valhalla
Got rid of: The Witness, Satan Would possibly Cry 5, The Outer Worlds, Monster Hunter International, Murderer’s Creed Odyssey, Upward push of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 2 Remake, Sundown Overdrive
Shifted: Titanfall 2 (No. 15 to No. 17), Apex Legends (No. 14 to No. 16), MGS 5 (No. 22 to No. 15), Ori and the Will of the Wisps (No. 7 to No. 14), Forza Horizon 4 (No. 8 to No. 13), Gears 5 (No. 11 to No. 12), Halo MCC (No. 9 to No. 11), Sekiro (No. 6 to No. 10), Within (No. 12 to No. 9), Keep an eye on (No. 4 to No. 7).
Additionally make sure that to try our lists of the Best PS4 Games, the Best PC Games, and the Best Nintendo Switch Games.
With contributions from Cristina Alexander.

