The best Xbox Series X games in 2024

Previously, we wrote an article about the best games for Xbox One. Now it's time to create a selection for the next generation console. The more variety, the better, as players will have the opportunity to choose something appealing from the options presented. So, here are the 20 best games for the Xbox Series X.

College Football 25

Image: youtube.com/@EASPORTSCollege

This is an American football simulator that may not seem interesting to some. However, consider the game’s sales: the publisher managed to sell over two million premium editions, each costing upwards of $100. An impressive figure, and a surprise even for analysts + EA.

The key feature of the project is the inclusion of over 130 university teams from across the USA. Choose one and start achieving decisive victories.

College Football 25 offers several modes:

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

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Years after the original game, 505 Games decided to release a remake. The story remains the same: brothers who lost their mother in a storm are trying to save their sick father. A village doctor advised them to find the Tree of Life, as only its water can cure their father. The heroes embark on a journey through various regions of a fictional country.

The interaction between the brothers creates many interesting situations + puzzles. However, Brothers is more than a set of puzzles: it’s an adventure, a captivating fairy tale where characters encounter diverse people, creatures, situations. There are funny, sad, shocking moments, and in some cases, the remake’s creators made the scenes more cinematic.

A full-fledged cooperative mode was added, which many players didn't like, but some appreciated the move. It’s much more enjoyable and interesting to spend time with a friend or partner.

Police Simulator: Patrol Officers 

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Police Simulator: Patrol Officers is, as you might guess, a police simulator offering players a glimpse into the daily life of this tough profession. Users wear the badge to patrol the city streets.

Start with the simplest tasks, like issuing parking tickets. Later, new missions open up, involving chases and tracking criminals.

Each player decides how to handle various situations: act tough or find alternative solutions. The main thing to remember is to respect the law. Successfully completing duties earns experience points, allowing users to improve certain abilities. The intuition system helps find evidence and clues, which can also be used during suspect interrogations.

MotoGP™24 

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Racing fans, rev up engines. Players can participate in the MotoGP 2024 season, competing in official categories like MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3.

The title features official lineups, tracks, along with a career mode where players strive to become legends. They will build their reputation in competitions, develop rivalries, and shape the legacy of their chosen team. A new addition this year is the rider market, allowing riders to change teams, creating a dynamic landscape that keeps everyone on their toes.

If you're not used to playing fair, this project might not be for you, as it emphasizes transparency in competitions. Stewards penalize those who break the rules. Customization is a key gameplay feature, with four graphic editors available for players to personalize their rider's appearance with stickers, numbers, helmets. Monthly LiveGP championships allow gamers to compete with the best and fight for glory.

Stray 

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For me, one of the most heartfelt games features a ginger cat as the protagonist (yes, the furry hero adds charm to the project). The story begins when the cat, playing with its friends (or family), falls from a paradise-like place into a cyberpunk world devoid of humans, now inhabited by robots in despair, poverty,  hopelessness.

Each robot seeks a decent life, so they not only communicate but also help the furry hero escape the trap and return to the surface, where the sun shines, plants grow, and life is normal. At some point, the cat gets a robot friend, who fits compactly on its back like a backpack. This robot helps the ginger cat, enduring all the hardships together, and they search for clues to restore the robot’s memory.

The ending personally moved me. The game is filled with meaning + depth, along with a certain coziness (yes, in such a bleak cyberpunk world). A bittersweet yet satisfying aftertaste lingers as the credits roll.

Little Kitty, Big City 

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Another game about a traveling kitty, but this time it will wander through a regular big city. The fluffy hero also needs to find its way home. This project is often compared to the previous one, but they are different. Stray focuses more on the storyline, while Little Kitty, Big City emphasizes adventure + even survival.

The location is vast, fully open. Users can explore various houses, fish markets, knock over trash cans, and try to catch birds. The main thing is to avoid getting caught by the local animal shelter. For mischief, hunting, the cat earns bonus points and special currency. These can be used to purchase various hats and accessories for the pet, making the character more unique, distinctive.

Mortal Kombat 1

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Switching from cute furry creatures to hardcore fighting projects, it’s always fun to smash your friend's face during an intense battle.

It’s simple: one player chooses their favorite character, the other does the same, and they test their skills and button-mashing abilities on the gamepad (do you also press buttons randomly instead of in a specific order?). This title will test the strength of friendships or romantic relationships.

MK1 also boasts a storyline that I personally enjoyed. The actors, narrative, and overall presentation left a good impression. I recommend playing through the story mode before humiliating the friend in combat.

TEKKEN 8

Image: youtube.com/@BandaiNamcoAmerica

Another thrilling fighting title where you have a chance to win and constantly remind your friend or partner about it (we don’t recommend this with the latter, as it might lead to a relationship breakdown).

TEKKEN 8 is the continuation of the iconic fighting game. The sequel brings back many beloved characters and introduces new fighters. It features a full-fledged story campaign, telling the dramatic tale of the Jin Kazama family.

In addition, players can enjoy various modes, including multiplayer battles, different challenges, local co-op, fighter customization, and more.

Street Fighter 6

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Tired of smashing faces? Well, you’ll have to endure a bit more because the next game for Xbox X is Street Fighter 6.

Street Fighter 6 is also a continuation of the fighting game series but serves as a reimagining of the entire series. The visuals have been overhauled: improved mechanics, more detailed character animations, and much more. Many recognizable characters from the franchise return, and a huge number of new fighters are introduced.

All characters have unique appearances, possess individual martial arts styles. Players need to study the heroes carefully to master their skills perfectly. There are various types of strikes, grabs available, as well as combos + counterattacks. Each fighter has a health meter and an energy gauge.

Goat Simulator 3

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It’s time to transform from a brutal fighter into a goat and live… a goat’s life. Here, players can create absolute madness, chaos that only appears in fever dreams. It might feel like you have a fever because, as an animal, you can destroy everything in path. All that is required from the player is to run around the location, perform crazy stunts, knock people over, explode, destroy.

Goat Simulator 3 features a story campaign, with the return of the goat Pilgor. During gameplay, you’ll need to transform into a goldfish. A series of main and side quests are available. In addition to the main campaign, there are 7 different mini-games with various mechanics + objectives.

The goat can be customized with decorations like toilet paper, various stripes, tea trays, and even jetpacks. There is a vast open world to explore. The core mechanics haven’t changed much: the animal can still use its long tongue to latch onto objects, jump,  climb ladders. However, new, unique mechanics have been added, such as first-person shooter elements.

Halo Infinite

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Halo Infinite formally picks up the storyline from Halo 5: Guardians, where the universe is threatened by a powerful artificial intelligence that aims to establish its own order in the galaxy. In response, human creators have dispatched a platoon of space marines to intercept.

The Halo map is divided into mini-islands, each dotted with outposts. Players need to capture these outposts to gain information about local activities. The mission selection is standard: protect allies, eliminate enemy commanders,  destroy enemy bases. Completing these tasks unlocks new equipment, weapons at the outpost.

Unlike the story campaign, the multiplayer mode offers a variety of locations. There are neon-lit streets, deserts, trenches, and even futuristic vertical gardens. Small 4x4 arenas without unnecessary visual clutter are available, as well as three locations designed for 12x12 battles. Each fighter is always in view, and players constantly face off, yet chaos is avoided.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

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Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a large-scale JRPG, throws two heroes, Ichiban Kasuga, Kazuma Kiryu, into a Pacific adventure centered around destiny or something more mysterious. Players traverse bustling Japan + idyllic Hawaii, encountering a unique mix of quests, tasks. The cities are modeled after real ones.

The gameplay features a dynamic combat system. Players can alternate weak and strong attacks with grabs, blocks, dodges, combining these into combos and chaining them together. Each hit on an enemy fills a heat gauge, which is used for spectacular finishers. Weapons range from swords and baseball bats to chairs, mopeds.

The title offers extensive exploration opportunities, from vibrant Japanese streets to sunlit Hawaiian shores. Alongside colorful characters, players experience unforgettable moments.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

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Late 17th century, America. A vintage ship arrives at night. The ensuing silence seems ominous, a calm before the impending nightmare. Two individuals disembark: Red mac Raith + Antea Duarte. They are Banishers, summoned to these lands to eradicate the supernatural evil that has taken residence. Unbeknownst to them, their friend who requested help has already died and now, as a ghost, deeply regrets the challenge he has set for them.

Throughout the story, the heroes will encounter characters connected to recently deceased individuals. Delving into these tales, players must uncover what happened to them. Why haven't the deceased found peace and instead seek revenge (or something else)? Players must decide if the survivor deserves punishment.

The heroes have attributes that affect the damage dealt, received, health, and spirit points. To enhance these attributes, players must engage in typical genre activities, such as defeating dangerous foes and finding useful items like costumes, weapons, accessories. Each item provides bonuses, improves attributes.

To fully upgrade the heroes, players need to acquire both "physical", "spiritual" skill points, as some skills will remain inaccessible without unlocking others.

Psychonauts 2

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The main character of this sequel is a boy named Razputin Aquato. The protagonist possesses telekinesis + pyrokinesis and is also trained in levitation. He delves into the minds of others and explores their inner worlds. The project stands out with its dark and sarcastic humor.

Gameplay involves exploring the camp and various worlds inside different people's minds. Depending on the personality, Razputin encounters various fears and phobias of other camp members. The title is based on platforming, fighting monsters, solving puzzles, and collecting items. The story begins exactly where Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin ends.

New characters appear in the sequel, including Hollis Forsythe. Together, they face new psychological explorations, such as necromancy.

Resident Evil Village

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Resident Evil Village continues Ethan's adventures from the previous part. The main character managed to escape the cannibal mansion and save his wife. They left the American backwoods to live an ordinary life. However, a few years later, Ethan finds himself in the wilderness again, this time in a snowy area. Chris Redfield himself facilitated his arrival in the mysterious village.

In RE Village, the atmosphere is so well-crafted that the village can be considered a full-fledged character. The protagonist will confront the past, present, and future of the enigmatic settlement near the castle. Besides monsters, he will encounter normal people, such as a merchant named the Duke, from whom players can buy various items.

Additionally, players can hunt animals in the village to later prepare dishes. Consuming these dishes provides certain advantages, such as reducing damage taken when blocking. Treasures + collectible items can be found throughout the village and sold for currency.

Potion Permit 

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Similar to the famous Stardew Valley, but here the player takes on the role of an alchemist. You're given a run-down hospital, which will gradually (very gradually) improve as you complete main quests. Patients will come to the alchemist for treatment of various ailments, but initially, the user will be disliked and distrusted by everyone.

In addition, the player needs to interact with town residents, complete quests, explore dungeons, and gather resources to make potions. Creating magical brews is not straightforward: the user must place the correct ingredients. Of course, the beloved fishing mini-game is also present.

Moreover, the player can build relationships with someone from the town. Whoever you like can become significant other.

Closer the Distance 

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This is an atypical adventure game where players explore a charming town called Yesterby. The story centers around loss and how people cope with it. The player controls a ghost girl who can still influence the lives of those left behind. Closer the Distance breaks the rules, allowing players to explore and interact with the town's residents, uncover hidden memories, and restore broken relationships.

Users have a unique chance to guide people toward the right path, whisper words of encouragement. As you delve into Yesterby, you’ll meet a range of characters, each dealing with their struggles in different ways. The town bears the mark of absence, but through thoughtful interactions, you can help its residents heal.

Nobody Wants to Die

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Set in New York in 2329, where people fly in cars past neon advertisements and towering buildings that block out the light. Only the strong are fortunate enough to live at heights where stars are visible, while the rest huddle in rooms inside apartment blocks amidst smog, noise, and acid rain. However, scientists in this version of the future have discovered the secret to immortality. The problem is, like many other things, it’s available by subscription.

The player steps into the shoes of detective James Carr, who carries the burden of moral trauma. Despite his penchant for brooding over dark memories, his professional skills are commendable. He will need to use them fully when a seemingly simple task turns into a race against death, involving corrupt politicians, crooked cops, and debauched movie stars.

Following the investigation is interesting, especially as the player actively participates in it. The game allows for character development by choosing dialogue options, many of which can influence the story’s outcome. Figuring out which decision is pivotal and determining the ending is no easy task.

Neon White

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Players take on the role of one of the sinners offered a chance to compete in a contest by angels after death. Alongside other sinners (all called neons and assigned different colors), the player must slay demons, with the best demon slayer earning redemption and a place in heaven. The character agrees and meets other neons who hint at being partners in crime, hired assassins during their lives.

Intense interaction with them, the ability to give gifts to improve relationships and unlock new dialogues + memories are key gameplay elements and the core concept of Neon White.

The objective is to reach the exit as quickly as possible, following a speedrun principle, while eliminating all demons along the way. The uniqueness lies in using weapon cards, each with a primary firing mode and an additional ability activated when discarded. The challenge, excitement come from strategically deciding where, how, and which cards to use, alternating them on the fly.

Replayability is high as players will need to retry levels. Access to new story missions requires a certain rank, achieved by getting the shortest times.

Still Wakes the Deep

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The game immerses players in the icy waters of the North Sea on a wrecked oil rig. The user controls an electrician, an ordinary guy caught in a nightmare. A monstrous storm or unprecedented catastrophe has turned the drilling rig into a mangled ruin. Survival becomes the player’s only mission. Running, jumping, and climbing are the best means of protection. The oil rig turns into a metallic labyrinth teeming with unseen threats.

The project does not provide clear answers to the user's questions. Instead, it occasionally plunges players into the protagonist’s memories, where he constantly argues with his wife. It turns out the main character took the job on the platform to avoid punishment for a fight. For a while, it seems the catastrophe is a metaphor for punishment, making its origin and explanation irrelevant.

There are no complex puzzles, but plenty of quick-time events (QTE). Similarly, hiding from monsters follows a consistent pattern. However, these hide-and-seek sequences can evoke fear, disgust,  tension. The gameplay may be somewhat monotonous, but it is compensated by changing scenery — 15 minutes ago, you were hiding under pipes in the stuffy corridors of the engineering section, and now you’re swimming near the pontoons.

These are the top 20 best games for Xbox Series X in 2024. Undoubtedly, many more worthy projects could be added here, which we may do in the future. For now, share your favorite titles for this console in the comments.

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