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The Best Xbox One Games Right Now
Thursday, 13 September 2018 | Mike Leano
It's been a rough console generation for Microsoft. Sony's PlayStation 4 console quickly outsold the Xbox One and the chasm is currently at 2-to-1. Fortunately, Microsoft seeks to close that gap with shiny new hardware and more games. But until the likes of Crackdown 3, Gears of War 5 and Halo Infinite arrive, fans will have to wait.
The Xbox experience isn't entirely empty, however, because the system does have quite a number of great titles. Below, we've listed 12 of our favourite Xbox One games (in no particular order). It's a diverse mix of platformers, action-adventure titles, shooters, racing games, compilations and more. Have fun collecting them!
Forza Horizon 3
If you haven't heard of Forza Horizon, it's essentially an open-world racing game set in Australia. Like other entries in the genre and series, the game provides:
- Incredibly detailed car customisation.
- Hundreds of cars you can race.
- Different kinds of races like cross-country contests and sprints.
- A four-way cooperative multiplayer campaign.
Forza Horizon 3 is a bit more varied than its simulator-focused Motorsports brethren. There are outback roads that seem to stretch forever, wet cityscapes and off-road jungle trails, among others.
The controls and racing mechanics are tight, and the visuals are arguably the best that Microsoft's console has to offer - especially if you play it on the higher-end Xbox One X, which renders the game in glorious 4K with various other eye candy.
Halo 5: Guardians
If the fifth numbered Halo has a major weakness, it's this: the single-player campaign is over too soon, stretching a mere 6-8 hours. However, this shouldn't be a problem for the multiplayer-focused Halo 5: Guardians. In fact, the best way to play the story campaign is through four-player co-op.
As for multiplayer itself, it's as amazing as always. This time, it's even bigger with the massive and chaotic 24-player Warzone mode. Did we mention Halo 5 runs at a rock-solid 60 frames per second? Pretty impressive in this day and age of "cinematic" 30 frames per second games.
Ori and the Blind Forest
Have you ever seen an interactive watercolour painting before? Try playing Ori and the Blind Forest, a 2D platformer by Moon Studios - it's gorgeous with hand-drawn art in buttery smooth motion. Not bad for an indie studio's first attempt.
The game isn't just pretty, however; Ori and the Blind Forest is easily one of the best platformers out there. It's easy to learn but tricky to master, with all the new abilities that you regularly gain and the steadily increasing difficulty.
Combine the refined platforming with breathtaking visuals, a brilliantly orchestrated score, and a simple yet emotionally engaging story and you have easily one of the best games on the system.
Gears of War 4
There's something innately satisfying about the Gears of War gameplay loop:
- Hide behind cover.
- Flank your foes.
- Shoot them in the face.
- Reload your gun using the Active Reload mechanic.
- Rinse and repeat.
This addicting loop lives on in Gears of War 4, the latest entry (so far at least, because 5 is incoming) in the long-running Xbox series. It's as bombastic as its predecessors - especially that epic ending in the story campaign.
But the real reason to play Gears 4 is multiplayer, as always. Our favourite modes are back - particularly Horde, which perfectly balances collaborating with teammates and destroying alien foes.
Sea of Thieves
This pirate-themed swashbuckling adventure is a combination of mystery and awe. The cartoonish visuals are jaw-dropping, especially when you first see the sun rise or set behind the deep waves.
But Sea of Thieves is more than just outstanding graphics. It captures that uncertain feeling of being out in the ocean but without the seasickness. Traveling between islands in your ship feels like a grand voyage. And when a battle erupts between galleons, you need to:
- Steer the ship.
- Train and fire your cannons.
- Angle the sails to turn the ship and keep foes within cannon range.
- Plug holes.
- Bail water to keep your ship from sinking.
And there's nothing quite like following a flock of birds to a shipwreck, and within is a written riddle in a bottle, whose solution leads you to a buried treasure. The sense of wonder that Sea of Thieves provides is unbeatable.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
As of this writing, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - or PUBG - is still pretty rough on the Xbox One. It still needs work as frame rates drop to single digits when you parachute in, and the inventory isn't optimised for the controller. But that's mainly because PUBG is in Game Preview (i.e. it's unfinished).
When you get a taste of the gameplay, all its issues are forgotten. The game is a PC port and it isn't some dumbed-down version. You get the whole thing: 100 players in a match, a huge open-world map, tactical realism and absurd action.
When you combine the apprehension of knowing that you might not survive the round, scavenging weapons and gear, seeing the map steadily shrink, facing off against enemies with better guns, and somehow still winning a chicken dinner is pure adrenaline.
Sunset Overdrive
What happens when you combine Jet Set Radio and Crackdown, then pump it full of steroids? You get Sunset Overdrive, a colourfully violent third-person shooter and adventure game.
Traversal is the best part of Sunset Overdrive: you grind on any railing, phone line or fence, and everything else serves as a trampoline. While you chain moves together, you shoot monsters with bizarre weapons, flip around and hurtle at breakneck speed without touching the ground.
The result is rich and gaudy mass destruction that never gets old even after the credits roll. It gets even better when you play with friends.
Rare Replay
British game developer Rare is best known for gems like Battletoads, Conker's Bad Fur Day and Perfect Dark. And guess what? They now have a game compilation titled Rare Replay that contains 30 of their creations from their 30-year history and it has those gems - and then some.
Many of the games included (e.g. Banjo-Kazooie, Jetpac Refuelled, Battletoads Arcade) hold up to today's standards.
Rare Replay has a couple of major weaknesses though:
- Emulation is sometimes spotty. Some control schemes are odd and audio in certain games is poorly compressed.
- Some of Rare's classics are missing, including GoldenEye 007 and any of the Donkey Kong Country games.
Despite these little issues, however, the compilation is a must-have for anyone who loves Rare and their classics.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Whether you missed the Halo games of yesteryear or are an absolute fan who needs an updated version of all instalments in the classic series, you need to own Halo: the Master Chief Collection.
It has Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4 (including Spartan Ops), all rendered in 1080p and 60 frames per second. Need we say more?
Admittedly, this collection's journey into best-of lists has been tricky, to say the least. When it first came out in 2014, matchmaking was such a problem, and the campaign had freezing, audio issues, and various bugs. It's now more functional, but it's still not perfect.
When it comes to overall value in this list, nothing beats the Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Note: As if this writing, an Xbox One X update is in the works, which will improve the game's matchmaking and come with 4K support.
Forza Motorsport 7
If you want to experience the pinnacle of racing games, go for the latest Forza Motorsport; it seamlessly balances simulation and accessible arcade racing. Cars handle realistically enough and have excellent physics, the driving feels so good, and the game is packed to the gills with content.
The main career is a series of championships, each providing a wide range of options. There are endurance races, sprints, and even weird contests like drifting into bowling pins using a limo. There are over 700 cars to drive, including huge racing trucks, small ATVs and iconic sports cars.
Forza Motorsport 7 looks fantastic. It's not as pretty as Horizon 3 in terms of art design, but it runs at a silky smooth 60 frames per second with all the neat visual effects of the current hardware generation.
Quantum Break
Remember Max Payne and Alan Wake? Well, its developer Remedy Entertainment is back with Quantum Break, a third-person shooter with time-bending powers that let you slow down combat, speed up your movement, hurl time-blast bombs at your foes and other cool abilities.
You'll eventually develop a satisfying rhythm to fighting enemies, which is mainly about managing the cooldown of each power. For instance, you can start a firefight and protect yourself with a Time Shield. When it runs out, take cover and fling Time Blasts as your other powers recharge.
Quantum Break also integrates a live-action TV show between levels, where the characters live with the decisions you make in the game. The best part about the game is experimenting with your abilities, seeing how they affect the environment, and enjoying the edge you gain in shootouts.
Cuphead
Cuphead's 1930s animation style and hand-drawn characters look absolutely astonishing. Now combine that with side-scrolling platforming and shooting designed to crush the souls of highly skilled gamers, and you've got yourself a classic.
Clearly, Cuphead is oozing with personality. It's a two-player co-op game starring two characters with cups for heads and a soundtrack that perfectly fits the era. The game runs flawlessly at 60 frames per second on the Xbox One and looks like artwork in motion.
Cuphead is clearly the toughest game in this list, but it's arguably the most rewarding - if you can finish it, that is.
More options
ALLBIDS regularly runs online auctions for Xbox One games. We also provide layers of protection on each auction, which means you can bid with confidence. So look for the platform's best games today at ALLBIDS.
You can also use ALLBIDS to sell your Xbox One console, games and/or accessories. Get in touch with us today to find out how.
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