Best Xbox One Games

When it comes to the next generation of consoles, almost out of the gate the Xbox One got the short end of the stick. The PS4 and Wii-U both seemed to get more attention from critics. Hell, no one even owns an Xbox One in Asia. For many gamers, they might feel almost saddled with a console like this.

But fret not! There are a ton of great games available for the Xbox One. Tons of masterworks that you might be overlooking. Truly unique titles to break up the monotony of FPS games.

Quick note: some games, like Overwatch and Skyrim, are not included only because you really need to play those on a PC. What are you doing, playing Overwatch on console? Shame on you.

Still, that doesn't change that these games are among the best Xbox One games ever made.

This first-person dungeon crawl may not have been a triple-A title, but it occupied a major hole in the Xbox One's library: the need for roguelikes. Rogelike games are highly popular on Steam and PC. In order to draw in the PC Master Race players, the Xbox One required a roguelike game. Thankfully, this fun though simple game occupied that niche, combining FPS elements with the qualities that make roguelike fans salivate.

So the game features solid game play. Is there much else this game offers? Is this one of the best Xbox One games? Well... some games are all game play and atmosphere, which this game has to offer. It offers an experience. Its story is not very deep. But it sets players out on an adventure, and, for a game like this, that's all that matters.

Funded on Kickstarter, this sequel to the classic 1988 game Wasteland had to live up to the expectations of its numerous backers and longtime fans of the original cult classic game. While the game was released across all consoles, the Xbox One version remains one of the most unique titles on the console's limited library.

Of particular note was the game's story. It's branching storyline offered players a truly unique gaming experience, with numerous alternate paths and settings to explore.

The game adaptation of the beloved science fiction film franchise, Mad Max is something of a Fallout franchise knock-off... ironic, considering that Fallout drew from Mad Max to create its world. Interesting how it all connects like that, yes?

In any event, this brutal game features fun game play that puts you in the shoes of Max in this vast expanse of chaos and insanity. Crazy characters engaged in mortal combat? Yes. Sign me up. Now, most movie tie-in games tend to disappoint. Thankfully, this buckled the trend by having a truly devoted crew of developers hoping to bring the nuclear wasteland of the Mad Max franchise to digitized life, creating one of the best Xbox One games.

Now, from the outset, I know this game looks like a generic puzzle game with shiny colors, silly imagery, and just an all around generic appearance, but puzzle games are a niche that appeals to that casual gamer. So kudos to the Xbox crew for putting out an inexpensive puzzle game for their lot.

...Okay, admittedly, a lot of people are going to be pissed off by this selection, and I can't even blame you. This doesn't scream "best Xbox One game" from the onset.

But when looking at the whole of Xbox's library of games, you need a variety. Puzzle games are an important niche. There is a universal appeal to them. And you'd be lying if you didn't want to just play some fun puzzle games on the console. And, until they bring HuniePop to the Xbox Library, this is the console's best offering for puzzle games.

Dark Souls III is not just one of the best Xbox One games. It is one of the best games. Period. The Souls franchise (Demon Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls II, and Bloodborne) is consistently challenging, hard, and damn good fun. The game play of these games is merciless. You will die if you don't focus. Running into combat isn't gonna help.

Use your brain. Be smart.

Those core essentials do not change in this game.

Gamers looking for a fun, hack-n-slash game may be disappointed. Then again, with so many games in this franchise, I don't know what you were expecting...

Indie games are often under represented in the console gaming scene. A focus on simple, refined game play. Made by a limited crew. These games are passion projects.

The Banner Saga is one of the better indie games available for the Xbox One. Then again, it is an indie game developed by former BioWare developers, so you should expect a definite craftsmenship that other indie games made by, say, teenagers trying to make their first game, would be less adept to create.

A Viking-inspired war strategy game, it breaks the stereotype that all indie games are nostalgia trips to the days of the NES. Easily among the best Xbox One games.

Okay, now we're talking. Fallout 4 is commonly regarded as a high point in this gaming franchise. One of Bethisda's flagship franchises (along with the also incredible Elder Scrolls franchise), Fallout takes gamers to a nuclear wasteland where they have to struggle to make it to the next day.

Fallout 4 doesn't change the formula of Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas that much... except for the new system of making home bases. That's pretty neat. And your dog becomes an active participant in combat. This really develops the game play by a massive quotient.

Again, this is not an Xbox One exclusive. Buuuuut... it's one of the best games of this generation, so who cares? It's among the best Xbox One games.

This game has won awards for its originality. While a lot of Xbox players may be seriously irritated by the lack of FPS shooters so far, you need to remember how important these platform games are. They have something of an eternal life span on the console, as, unlike shooters, which often rely on cutting-edge graphics, platformers are all about that game play.

This cooperative platformer's melds color and game play in a truly creative piece that is, for the most part, original for this console. Please, I know it looks cartoonish, but that's part of Kalimba's charm. Give it a play, and you'll fall in love with this game. Hopefully.

What's the first game you think of when you think of a first person shooter? Call of Duty? Halo? Try Wolfenstein 3D, the first major FPS game to ever exist, closely followed by Doom. Both games are amazing, and both games had pretty awesome revivals in the last couple of years across all consoles, including the Xbox One. Which, you guessed it, makes it one of the best Xbox One games.

While Doom is a great revival of a classic franchise, Wolfenstein: The New Order felt a little fresher. Doom recycled much of the iconography of the original... but Wolfenstein's franchise had faded from public awareness just enough to feel super fresh and original upon release. Point is, they're both great experiences for older, nostalgic gamers... and gamers who just freaking love to shoot Nazis and demons in the face.

I'm not gonna lie... this title made me cringe hard when I first heard of it. Guacamelee? What kind of idiot comes up with such a cringey, silly name? Shuffle ware games use this kind of name to draw old people who think "Oh! I get it! It's a pun! My kids will love it!"

...but yeah, this game doesn't actually suck. In fact, it's actually kinda fun, and I still feel residual cringe from my initial judgement on the title while writing that.

Why? Like all great games, game play. This game is a masterful platforming game. It has a unique aesthetic (so long as you aren't offended by the merciless appropriation of all things Mexican) that actually is refreshing in a genre filled with 8-bit throwbacks. It's all about timing your jumps, aiming, balancing combat with puzzle solving. It reminds me a lot of Shovel Knight in that the title is really weird and goofy... but the game play makes it a must-play. I recommend the updated version, as it adds a lot more content.

Are you shocked? You really shouldn't be.

Yes, GTA V started as a game for the Xbox 360, but the Xbox One port is the superior version. More content, better graphics. Rockstar Games continue to support and add patches to the newer port, while the older 360 version has sort of fallen to the wayside.

But enough comparisons. This game is awesome. Among the upper rankings of the best Xbox One games. GTA V really needs no introduction. I don't need to explain the game play nor the concept nor the plot. As this is one of the highest selling games of all time, there's a good chance you already own this.

Yes. There's a lot of indie throwbacks to older genres. For whatever reason, these games stand out far more than the FPS game of the week for me. Possibly because these are smaller passion projects by enthusiastic nostalgics for the days of forgotten gaming franchises.

In this case, the original Golden Ax series.

In many ways, this digital download game is the Dark Souls of nostalgic throwback games, as the intense difficulty will make you die. A lot. You will die, die, and keep dying. But, if you learn how to play the game and learn the robes of the level design, you should be rewarded. It's hard, but not unfair.

Titanfall was one of the flagship games of the next-generation of consoles. One of the Xbox One's launch titles, Titanfall drew a lot of attention for its mecha-focused combat, intense energy, and just cool factor.

So the sequel took all of that, and added more... more.

Titanfall 2 is one of the coolest games for the Xbox One – one of the best Xbox One games. While the game play is familiar to many FPS junkies, the fact you're piloting a giant freaking mecha really adds a sense of "Wow" to everything you do. There is weight and heft behind every action that makes you feel just... in awe. I'm hoping that the Titanfall franchise will continue to improve over the years. There's a lot of potential for this series that, honestly, has yet to be tapped.

...this game was one of the biggest disappointments for me on release. The game play felt repetitive, the level design uninspired, and, for a follow-up to Bungie's flagship franchise Halo, it felt underwhelming.

But all my friends told me "Listen! You gotta get back to it! It's gonna be great! Trust me!"

So I did.

...yeah, it got better.

This is a game that sucked on release, but has grown into something of a space epic. I mean, it isn't Mass Effect or Halo in terms of epic sci-fi action, but everything from the game play to the level design to the story itself has been improved as Bungie tinkered with the game over time. I get it if the initial release of the game burned you too bad for you to revisit it. I was right there with you. But it has improved.

It's better than any of that Call of Duty crap.

One of the most played games on Steam made its way to the Xbox One. By the time it came out, some of the hype had settled down... but that doesn't make Warframe any less of a class-act.

Take Monster Hunter. Add sci-fi elements. A co-op system that encourages players to work together. A PvE mode that pits you against some intense challenges. The aesthetic alone is slick and gorgeous enough to draw in any newbie to one of the best Xbox One games on the market.

This is the weakest Metal Gear Solid game. That still means it's better than 99.9% of every game ever made. It certainly makes it rank among the best Xbox One games.

While the game is weaker on plot and contains some questionable characters (try explaining to your mom why Quiet needs to dress like that), it makes up for that with its expansive game play and open world styling. The side missions are sometimes so involving that you forget that there is a main game play.

And the game is beautiful. It blows you away with how beautiful it all is to take in. Any chance to return to the Metal Gear Solid universe, I take. It's a shame that Konami sucked the soul out of all their franchises. I would have loved to add Silent Hills to this list IF IT EXISTED. I look forward to seeing what Kojima has in store for future games.

This incredible role play game is, yet again, a throw back to an older era of RP games. It received almost unanimous acclaim upon release, and, to this day, is still one hell of a game.

The great thing about this roleplaying game, though, is that, unlike a lot of other RPGs, you can play them co-operatively with friends. This really generates the kind of roleplay comradery you usually don't see outside of a Dungeons and Dragons session. For a lot of roleplay game fans, this game is a treat.

Oh, and it's getting a sequel. I hope it's awesome. I really want this to be a franchise...

Based on the long-running dark fantasy series, The Witcher 3 is the pinnacle of immersive role play gameplay. It takes some of the best elements of games like Mass Effect, Skyrim, and Dragon Age, and just... does all that better.

The characters feel real. The conflicts feel tangible. You see monsters that are truly horrific. The romances between characters feels tangible and real. The point of all this is that you NEED to play this to really get it. Just understand... you will be lost in this game. If you own an Xbox One, you owe it to yourself to experience possibly the best Xbox One game available.