No matter if you own a Series X, Series S, One X, or One S, there’s something for everyone. Whether you prefer shooters, fighting games, or immersive RPGs, Xbox offers a variety of options for all types of gamers. While Microsoft’s first-party lineup has been a bit light recently, the company has been busy acquiring major studios like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, as well as expanding its Game Pass service with a growing selection of must-play titles. This means there’s no shortage of games to choose from, which can be both a blessing and a curse for those who have trouble deciding.
To make it easier, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best games available on the Xbox Series X and S (many of which are also playable on older Xbox One consoles). We’ve included a mix of both new and classic titles, and after spending countless hours with these games, we can confidently say they’re all worth your time.
Neva
Neva is a flawless platformer that tells the story of Alba, a battle-hardened warrior with flowing silver hair, and her wolf companion, Neva, who matures from a cub into a formidable fighter as the seasons change. Alba and Neva share a deep bond, with a button that allows Alba to call out “Neva” in various tones of urgency. Together, they embark on a mission to rid the world of an evil black decay. The game offers more than just a compelling narrative; Neva is a responsive and fluid platformer with precise dodging and slashing mechanics, and its puzzles are a joy to solve. Developed by Nomada Studio, the indie team behind Gris, Neva showcases their exceptional artistry, mechanical design, and emotional storytelling.
Infused with magical realism, Neva blends the familiar with the fantastical, creating a world that feels like a living children’s book. Otherworldly dread lurks at the edges of each landscape, and the game’s animations are as smooth as anime. Visually stunning and equally beautiful to play, Neva is a rare and powerful combination—much like the bond between Alba and Neva.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is incredibly charming, despite a few bugs and awkward animations. The game nails its tone, delivering moments of genuine beauty, and Troy Baker’s impersonation of Harrison Ford is a joy to experience. Every actor in the game delivers a fantastic performance, and the writing, audio, and direction all evoke the classic style of Spielberg and Lucas. The twist? It’s all in first-person, thanks to Wolfenstein studio MachineGames.
The game offers an exciting mix of puzzle-solving, exploration, stealth, and combat, but the real highlights are its cinematic elements. With The Great Circle, MachineGames fully embraces the effortless charm of Indiana Jones, showcasing his snark and the over-the-top, wild scenarios typical of action-packed blockbusters. It’s one of the most visually stunning Xbox games (even on Series S), a blast to play, and arguably a better Indiana Jones film than Crystal Skull. Plus, it lets you punch Nazis in the face, which is always a good time.
Elden Ring
Why wouldn’t we include Elden Ring? The game has many strengths, but what stands out most is how meticulously crafted it feels, despite its vast scale. Elden Ring is enormous, yet it never feels like it’s wasting your time. FromSoftware has created a rich, open world, packed with surprises, delights, and genuine terrors at every turn. I’ll never forget discovering a chest that teleported my character to a cave full of Eldritch monsters—moments like that are scattered throughout the game.
And if you’re worried about the game’s difficulty, don’t be. Yes, it can be punishing, but it’s also FromSoftware’s most accessible title to date. If the combat feels too harsh, try a mage build and attack enemies from a distance, complete side quests, and more. Plus, exploring the world rewards you with experience to strengthen your character, making progress a bit easier. — Igor Bonifacic, Former Contributing Writer.
Dragon Age
Dragon Age: The Veilguard wastes no time showcasing its impressive graphics and epic storytelling. After spending a little time in its excellent character creator, you’ll soon find yourself fighting to prevent the world’s destruction. Solas, the surprise villain from the previous game, is trying to tear down the barrier between the spirit and human realms. His magical ritual fills the screen with a dazzling display of neon lights, colors, and shadows. If you’ve got a modern GPU, prepare for a ray tracing challenge.
As a fan of simple pleasures, I’ll admit that bombastic opening sequence alone was enough to win me over. What kept me hooked, however, was BioWare’s classic blend of compelling characters and sharp storytelling. Despite the missteps of Mass Effect: Andromeda, the ragtag crew in Veilguard proves that BioWare still knows how to craft a great narrative.
What’s truly surprising, though, is that Dragon Age: The Veilguard also stands out as a solid action RPG, with fast-paced, challenging combat that feels more in line with recent God of War titles than traditional Dragon Age games. The skill tree is deep, and you can re-spec without penalty.
For a game that could easily take a hundred hours to fully complete, Veilguard still manages to feel fresh and exciting every time I play. So, even if it doesn’t have the same impact as previous entries or offer as many consequential choices as Baldur’s Gate 3, sometimes it’s just nice to hang out with your fantasy companions and smash a few demon skulls.
Dead Space
The Dead Space remake feels like a warm, terrifying embrace from a murderous necromorph—and we mean that in the best possible way. The 2023 version refines the mechanics that made the original 2008 game so chilling, while avoiding unnecessary modern additions. It features full voice acting, new puzzles, expanded storylines, and introduces a zero-gravity ability that lets protagonist Isaac Clarke fly through certain sections in an incredibly satisfying way.
However, none of these additions overshadow the game’s core loop: stasis, shoot, stomp. Isaac gains the ability to temporarily freeze enemies and acquires a variety of weapons, but he never feels overpowered—he’s always on edge. Mutilated corpse monsters suddenly appear in the narrow, dimly lit corridors of the space station, charging at Isaac from the shadows, limbs flailing and begging to be blasted off. The original Dead Space popularized the idea that headshots weren’t crucial, and the remake stays true to this concept, while keeping the combat rhythm feeling fresh.
The 2023 remake of Dead Space demonstrates that innovative game design is timeless—and so are plasma cutters.
Halo
Halo has always been central to the Xbox legacy, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection brings together five of the series’ most iconic games in one package, including Halo 4 (hey-o)! It’s impressive as a historical compilation, but the games themselves still hold up brilliantly. The original’s campaign remains essential, Halo 2 is a bold and daring blockbuster sequel, and driving Warthogs and blasting foes in Halo 3 or Halo: Reach multiplayer never gets old. While the overarching narrative starts to get a bit wild, it balances goofiness with epic moments. Shooting alien enemies with space guns is still a blast.
The latest entry, Halo Infinite, is also worth checking out. While it’s largely a nostalgia-driven project and its semi-open world feels underdeveloped, the thrill of using a grappling hook is undeniably exciting. The free-to-play multiplayer captures the essence of classic Halo without bombarding you with microtransactions.
The only mainline game missing between these two is Halo 5: Guardians, but honestly, you’re not missing much by skipping it.
Kunitsu-Gami
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess feels like a nostalgic throwback to a time when major developers could release focused, slightly offbeat games without the pressure of supporting endless content updates or seasonal expansions. It blends action, real-time strategy, and tower defense elements, reminiscent of Capcom classics like Okami and Onimusha. You play as a spirit warrior tasked with protecting Yoshiro, a divine maiden, as she moves through stages to rid a Japanese mountainside of evil forces.
By day, you rescue villagers, assign them roles, and purify the land from dark contamination. At night, you fight off waves of monsters trying to harm Yoshiro. It’s a straightforward concept, but one that evolves in fascinating ways as the game progresses. Think of it as a refreshing break from modern games—Kunitsu-Gami feels like a long-lost PlayStation 2 treasure.
Alan Wake 2
Leave it to Remedy Entertainment to take a campy series about a Stephen King-like author battling evil forces and turn it into one of the best survival horror games ever made. Alan Wake 2 divides the story between Alan Wake himself and FBI agent Saga Anderson, who becomes entangled in Wake’s interdimensional mystery and must race against time to save her daughter from being erased from existence.
While it’s less action-driven than the first game, the breathtaking graphics, eerie atmosphere, and creative storytelling more than make up for it. Fans of Remedy’s Control will also enjoy seeing how the developer seamlessly integrates that game’s universe into Wake’s story.
Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 expertly balances depth and accessibility, making it a racing game that’s both complex and easy for anyone to pick up and enjoy. With hundreds of cars to customize to suit your driving style and a variety of courses spread across a stunning fictional version of Mexico, the game offers something for every type of racer. Crank up the difficulty, and one mistake can cost you the entire race, while online competition can be just as intense.
For newcomers to racing games, Forza Horizon 5 does a fantastic job easing you in. The game quickly introduces you to the four main race types (like street racing and cross-country) and includes features like the rewind button, which lets you undo mistakes, such as taking a turn too fast, without having to restart. Simply put, Forza Horizon 5 is a beautiful and enjoyable game that suits players of all skill levels. Whether you want to play a few races and move on or spend hours striving to be the best driver, it offers something for everyone.
Gears 5
Gears 5 attempts to cover a lot of ground, and while it doesn’t succeed in every area, there’s still plenty to appreciate for Gears of War fans. The cover-based shooting gameplay that the series helped pioneer remains satisfying, and while the campaign may not break new narrative ground, it’s well-paced and filled with exciting set pieces to keep you engaged. The multiplayer modes aren’t the highlight, but the campaign alone makes Gears 5 worth playing.
The game is also a visual masterpiece, standing out as one of the best-looking console titles available. Microsoft did an excellent job optimizing it across all platforms, delivering high resolutions and ultra-high frame rates (up to 120fps on Series consoles).
Exclusively from Techbehinds.
