Top 20 best Xbox One games of all time

Every gamer feels the urge to spend time with a good title. We can help with that. In this article, we’ve compiled the 20 best Xbox One games that will delight many players and steal a few hours of free time.

Minecraft

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Minecraft amazes with its simplicity, endless possibilities. Here, the player can be anyone and do anything, such as building a castle on a mountain peak or an underwater city. Users can also dig deep mines in search of rare resources, fight dangerous mobs, explore mysterious caves, and find treasures.

The coolest aspect of the project is the freedom of creativity. Characters can build any structures they imagine, which then appear on the screen. Exploring biomes, fiercely battling, crafting, and gathering resources can be done alone or with friends, creating entire cities + organizing epic adventures.

The title offers a genuine sense of magic + adventure, making players return time and again to discover something new. Minecraft is where dreams become reality.

FIFA 14

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Readers are invited to immerse themselves in the thrilling world of football. Every match, every victory, and every defeat makes the heart beat faster. The game mechanics allow every player to feel like part of a team.

One of the popular modes is Career, where anyone can build a team from scratch and lead it to the heights of glory. Managing virtual footballers, training,  tactics make the gameplay deep, engaging.

FIFA 14 will appeal to those who love pleasant tension, adrenaline, and the sweet taste of victory. Just try not to break the console after a loss, which is quite possible.

Grand Theft Auto V

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If the previous title didn’t provide enough drive + adrenaline, we suggest getting a rush of excitement in GTA 5 with its amazing open world, extensive opportunities, cool missions, and the ability to play as three characters. Here, you can do anything: from robbing banks to racing fast cars, from practicing yoga to underwater explorations.

One of the best aspects is the story, which revolves around the three main characters — Michael, Trevor, Franklin. Their fates intertwine, each bringing a unique atmosphere, style. Switching between characters adds dynamics, freshness to the gameplay.

The city lives its own life: cars on the streets, people going about their business, stunning sunsets, and the hustle and bustle of the metropolis create an indescribable atmosphere. Additionally, you can take a quest from a random citizen at any moment.

By the way, GTA 5 is also included in our selection of the best open-world games. Follow the link and choose a title for yourself.

Fortnite

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Fortnite is an adrenaline rush, a sea of fun! The game's brightness and dynamics can captivate you from the first moment. A battle of 100 players on a massive map, where everyone's for themselves or in teams, is a real challenge. Who dares to accept it? The building mechanics allow users to create shelters on the fly, providing tactical advantages right on the battlefield.

Another undeniable advantage is the variety of skins + emotes, allowing players to express themselves and stand out among other participants. Weekly updates, new modes, and events ensure you never get bored.

The graphics are vibrant, cartoonish, and the soundtrack and sound effects make each battle intense and thrilling. The game offers not only the chance to fight but also to have fun, enjoying the incredible atmosphere. You might enter for a few matches and end up staying for hours. If you haven't tried it yet, it's time to fix that!

Apex Legends

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A fast-paced shooter with incredible dynamics. Highlights include unique characters with special abilities, a well-designed map with many interesting points, and thrilling gunfights.

Players choose a legend, each with unique skills, opening up numerous strategic possibilities. It’s crucial to work as a team, coordinate actions, and correctly use the heroes' abilities.

During gameplay, you feel like you’re at the center of events, fighting side by side with friends or other users. The sound effects add to the atmosphere, especially during moments when you manage to escape encirclement or clinch victory in the final seconds. This is another title that keeps gamers in pleasant tension (though sometimes it's hard to call it pleasant).

Forza Horizon 5

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This franchise has proven that arcade racing can be captivating for all car enthusiasts. If players thrill at the sight of cool modern cars or appreciate classics, Forza Horizon 5 is definitely worth playing.

What sets this game apart from other arcade racers? It excellently combines elements of realism with simple, engaging gameplay. First, the cars have physics — you can feel the weight of the vehicle, without it feeling like you're controlling a plastic toy. Yet, it doesn't go to full realism, so gamers don’t need to buy a gaming set of a steering wheel, pedals, and gearbox that costs as much as a real car.

Second, FH5 looks stunning! The graphics add realism, making you believe in what’s happening. Third (for many, this is the most important), the game features a massive car park. Classics, off-road vehicles, buggies, hypercars, and even cars you see outside a window — all are here and easily accessible.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

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Looking for the perfect Souls-like game? Most fans of the genre consider Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice to be just that. At these words, a "hollow" somewhere sighs, and The Erdtree withers, but players' opinions remain firm. Why is this project deemed perfect? It’s simple — Sekiro functions as a Souls-like should, without the ability to complete the game in your underwear, playing on drums.

Unlike FromSoftware's flagship title, Sekiro features a specific main character with unique traits. You won’t be dropping a giant meteor on a boss’s head, as the protagonist's main weapons are speed, stealth, agility, and a sharp katana. Stealth is a constant necessity, as often it’s better to sneak past hordes of enemies than to engage in a massacre. Fortunately, the locations are well-designed, allowing tactical choices.

As for the setting, players enter a world of ancient Japanese myths. Everything around is colorful, stylish, and even a giant white snake fits perfectly into the overall picture.

Devil May Cry 5

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Xbox gamepads are known for their comfort, reliability. Want to test yours for durability? Hack + slash games are perfect for this, and we recommend trying the continuation of the legendary franchise — Devil May Cry 5. The story of demon hunters continues, but this time it’s even more dynamic, expansive, and varied.

Let’s start with the fact that players now have three heroes at their disposal: Nero, V, old man Dante, who just can’t seem to retire. Throughout the story, you'll control each character, and their gameplay differs, ensuring you won’t get bored or too accustomed to one style. V, in particular, stands out, and his combat system is my favorite. However, Dante can take a bike and slice demons with it, which is also cool!

The gameplay hasn't undergone significant changes, which is a big plus. However, the story has evolved — it’s become deeper, more dramatic, and more engaging.

Monster Hunter: World

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A nominee for the title of best food in video games! Seriously though, Monster Hunter: World and its predecessors are unique in their genre (though the food is indeed amazing). Like a hero from an anime, players must wield giant weapons + hunt the most dangerous monsters.

The essence of the game is endless hunting, but often you'll be the hunted. The game world is populated with various monsters, bosses, offering generous rewards in money and crafting resources. As with any RPG, you start small, but through leveling up, creating cool gear, and building character builds, you'll progress through the locations, encountering the local alpha predators. It may sound mundane, but let me dispel doubts.

The gameplay isn't mindlessly slaughtering everything on the map. It’s real hunting, requiring the player to track monsters, create bait, and study their habits, weaknesses. No one will mark the needed creature on a map: you’ll need to find it yourself by gathering rumors, notes.

The second distinctive feature is the combat system. The diverse weapons have vastly different combat styles, shaping the character class. Each encounter with a large enemy turns the RPG into a Souls-like game!

Fallout 4

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After watching the hit series from Amazon, it's the perfect time to return to Fallout 4. At its release, few believed in the game's success, but it now holds the honorable title of the franchise's most popular project.

The difference from its predecessors is huge. The wastelands are more lively, bright, and varied. Exploring the locations is genuinely interesting, as Bethesda's main strength lies in their amazing open worlds. The gameplay has drastically changed, making Fallout a full-fledged shooter with an excellent crafting, building system.

Is everything perfect? Unfortunately, the story hasn't made a leap forward. Once again, you're searching for a relative, getting distracted from the main story by exploration, and encountering questionable motivations to help others. However, some side quests are indeed intriguing, especially those related to companions. Yes, you can now take a companion on the journey, which is cool.

For those unfamiliar with the game, we highly recommend choosing survival mode. Here, Fallout 4 reveals a completely different side, turning into an excellent survival simulator.

Sea of Thieves

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Let’s take a break from solo projects. Call friends, raise the black flag, and set sail to conquer the seas in Sea of Thieves! When announced, all fans of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies were thrilled, and soon, regular players joined in, as this is a unique cooperative project.

There's a sea with many islands, a ship, a hold, cannons, and a thirst for untold riches. What's unique about it? You’re unlikely to handle even your first sea outing alone. Sea of Thieves is entirely cooperative, requiring a crew for the ship and a captain for the crew. Each player has a role: helmsman, gunner, captain,  cannoneer. Working together is crucial: otherwise, your beloved schooner will sink.

There are dozens, even hundreds, of such crews at sea. Other users will compete for treasures, but that's not all. The game features numerous mythical creatures, challenges, puzzles, events.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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Much has already been said about The Witcher’s adventures. At its release, the game became a new chapter in the RPG genre and has since achieved cult status. Although players can’t create their own character, playing as Geralt of Rivia is incredibly engaging. The plot often places you in front of important choices that affect the story's outcome. Sadly, such depth in storytelling has become rare in the industry.

The extensive role-playing system combines with dynamic gameplay. No grid-based steps, miss chances, or tactical pauses. The combat system includes different swordsmanship styles, magic, parries, and dodges, offering something for everyone.

The beautiful open world is also a delight. The locations are vast, with points of interest scattered everywhere. Geralt will visit typical medieval cities, cursed swamps, harsh northern mountains, and the blossoming south.

Red Dead Redemption 2

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Rockstar proved that realism, a vast open world, a cinematic storyline could blend beautifully. RDR2 is a unique gaming experience that is hard (if not impossible) to find elsewhere. The game, especially with the Basic Needs mod, is a life simulation of the Wild West that isn't overly hardcore but is action-packed.

The plot transports players straight into a Hollywood Western with gang conflicts, intense shootouts, chases, drama,  humor. Every mission looks spectacular and is directed like a film! Besides the main storyline, there are numerous side quests, random encounters, and unique events you’ll stumble upon.

The beauty of the game is that it becomes an action game whenever users want it to. In free time, you can simply enjoy life, which is wonderful. Explore the vast, diverse world, fish, hunt, catch criminals, or become one yourself. You can visit saloons, take baths, chat with NPCs, play poker, or get into brawls.

Dark Souls III

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Continuing the Souls-like genre discussion, we can't ignore the great Dark Souls III. If Sekiro makes you suffer immensely, this game will be slightly more merciful. The level of torment depends on the chosen class + build since some builds can disrupt the balance.

The dark fantasy atmosphere is incredibly strong here. The entire world is dying before the protagonist’s eyes, and saving it completely is impossible. Everything is soaked in suffering, even the stones and the narrow bridge that will kill you many times due to the not-so-convenient camera.

The gameplay remains unwavering for the entire franchise. Through hundreds of deaths, you'll fight from boss to boss, slicing through endless hordes of smaller enemies. There’s no map, no help, no way to bypass opponents or avoid battles. Strangely, this is precisely what Souls-like fans love.

NieR: Automata — Become as Gods Edition

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Even those unfamiliar with the popular franchise have likely seen the beautiful 2B. The queen of cosplay worldwide came to us from NieR: Automata, and it’s time to talk about it in detail.

This is another hack-and-slash game in our list, but this time the hunt is for rogue machines, though the heroes aren’t human either. 2B, A2, 9S are combat androids with incredible fighting abilities. As per the genre's norms, there’s plenty of fighting, which needs to be done quickly and stylishly, switching between weapon types.

The Pod Support System adds variety to gameplay, helping even beginners handle difficult battles. The plot is intriguing, complex, making it worth exploring.

Gears 5

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Gears 5 is a first-person shooter sequel telling the story of Kait Diaz. Along with her team, she must fight against the Swarm, which has taken control of the robots. The heroes have an extensive arsenal: futuristic guns, grenades, melee weapons, and various contextual enemy finishers. The game offers 10 different modes.

In the campaign, you can play as three characters, including a helper robot. The human gameplay involves completing missions, defeating enemies. The robot has a completely different role, providing support by hacking terminals, making allies invisible, stunning enemies, or even taking control of them. These abilities unlock gradually and need upgrading.

The main advantage of the campaign is its direction. Not just the script or characters, but the cinematic and well-directed action scenes — both in cutscenes and during live combat — make the experience thrilling.

A Way Out

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A Way Out is one of the best cooperative action-adventure games in the history of the gaming industry. Players must dive into a dangerous and realistic setting to escape from it. This escape is impossible without coordinated teamwork, which is the foundation of the entire gameplay experience.

This is the story of two opposite personalities who would never cross paths in the outside world. Each is a criminal, but in different areas of activity. As they get to know and get used to each other, it turns out that both men ended up on the wrong side of freedom because of a common acquaintance, whom they decide to take revenge on at any cost. They plan an escape based on coordinated and synchronized actions.

Rocket League

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In 2008, an unusual arcade game about cars playing soccer was released — Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. Later, the same studio, Psyonix, released a direct sequel with a more manageable name.

Rocket League is soccer on wheels. On the field, there are two teams, with up to four cars each, and a big ball in the middle that players must hit at full speed, hoping it bounces in the desired direction. There are no rules, no role assignments. The controls are intuitive and create no barriers. The camera conveniently locks onto the ball (though it can be unlinked with a button).

There is no place for teamwork, tactics here. From the start, all participants fiercely race towards the ball, resulting in crashes, explosions, and the triumph of randomness.

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition

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The story centers around a small spirit named Ori, who looks like a mix of a fox and a wild cat. One day, the character gets lost but is saved by a bear-like forest dweller who becomes home to the little one. However, the dweller dies in a storm, Ori embarks on a journey to kill the enemy and protect the dying forest. Initially, there are no tutorials or hints. The player must make decisions based on intuition, trying different actions.

Ori’s attacks include "spirit flame" + energy bursts. The former targets opponents precisely, while the latter affects everyone within the damage zone. Initially, Ori cannot attack, moves using jumps, but over time learns to climb walls, dive, glide, and shoot using energy.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

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An excellent game about Vikings, Assassin's Creed Valhalla impresses with its graphical execution. The views are mesmerizing, the locations are worth exploring, and every treasure chest, even if it contains just a piece of coal, feels rewarding. This is accompanied by the constant sound of rustling grass.

Beyond that, the game offers a vast open world, clan conflict resolutions, wars, city conquests, cat-petting, settlement development, and much more. You will travel to Viking territories, England, France.

For most of the storyline, the narrative revolves not around assassins but ordinary people who abandon their previous lives to start anew from scratch without any guarantees in entirely unfamiliar conditions.

These were the top 20 Xbox One games. Of course, there are many more. Which titles do you like? Share your opinion in the comments.

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