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5 Xbox One games you need to play before Xbox Series X
A new Xbox is coming, but before you upgrade, make sure you play some of these Xbox One favourites
The next generation of video game consoles is imminent, but even during this past year, the current-gen has never ceased to surprise us. Dozens of exclusive titles have been part of the lineups behind PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch. Microsoft, in particular, has found an interesting way to keep their library alive and ever-growing thanks to Game Pass, which offers hundreds of games from both Xbox One and Xbox 360 through a monthly subscription.
Thanks to the ability to play new exclusive games on launch date, and having them added forever to the library, it’s now easy to pick up a console, jump on Game Pass and play the biggest titles of the gen with ease.
In this list, we'll talk through some Xbox One favourites that will keep you entertained until the next-gen arrives.
1. Forza Horizon 4
Offroad, street races and even racing a train, Forza Horizon 4 has it all
© Microsoft
The Forza series has always been known for its near-photorealistic racing, with the Horizon spin-off often taking players to vast and gorgeous countrysides. While Forza Motorsport's main focus over the years was based on simulation, looking to appeal players that want an experience as close to the real thing as possible, Horizon, which has been growing in scale and possibilities since 2012, is as arcade as it gets.
It still maintains the classy driving feel of the main series, mind, just enough to not scare away Need For Speed fans and to welcome enthusiasts with cockpits with open arms. A long lineup of cars and excellent visuals come along for the ride, but it’s in the seamless open-world freedom and its rebel attitude that Forza Horizon 4 really shines.
At one point you might be ramming up trucks during a heavy snowstorm. An hour later, you might be driving in a Corvette at full speed to break a record, or taking part in an underground street race. The big festival that changes with each season of the year, and the dozens of challenges available, make this game a must even if you’re not a racing games aficionado. UK players will also get a kick out of ploughing around a fairly accurate rendition of the Scottish countryside, smashing through stone walls, or drifting around cobbled streets.
2. Sea of Thieves
"I played Sea of Thieves and all I got was this spooooky skull!"
© Microsoft
At first, the reception for Sea of Thieves was mixed at best.
Sea of Thieves was a beautiful pirate simulator that, aside from a couple of treasures hidden beneath a red X and the occasional message in a bottle, didn’t give players many goals to pursue. Over time, elements like bounties, random enemy encounters, a reputation system, and pages of available cosmetics to purchase with your hard-scavenged in-game gold were added onto the mix, giving loyal players plenty to do.
Right now, Rare’s multiplayer is a completely different game compared to launch. You still get the cartoon aesthetic and vast landscapes to live the pirate life you want to experience, but with the wealth of added content, you now have plenty of reasons to embark on different adventures with several fellow players online.
3. Gears 5
Gears 5 has you fighting all manner of things that go bump in the night
© Microsoft
Gears of War is still alive and kicking. Gears 5 is the second game made by The Coalition, and it builds up from the foundation of Gears of War 4 in many ways. You have your traditional campaign mode that serves as a direct sequel to its predecessor, focusing on Kait Diaz’s personal journey as the Swarm infects the Coalition’s robot army.
If you’re looking for deep and varied multiplayer modes, Gears of War 5 has a wedge of these as well. From the classic co-operative Horde mode where you survive waves of increasingly difficult enemies to Versus, which pits players against each other through both old and new maps.
There’s also a map builder, along with a new co-op mode called Escape, inviting a three-player squad to set a timed bomb inside a Hive and make a run for it afterwards in a tough series of levels, which will tax even the closest of friendships.
Some players might miss the old days of Marcus Fenix, but the action and intensity that the series is known for are still here. It’s worth mentioning that Gears 5 has a big focus on accessibility, too, including full controller remapping, single stick movement, Adaptive Controller support, narrated UI and menus, and improved subtitles.
4. Sunset Overdrive
Sunset Overdrive is video game thrash metal, and it never lets up
© Xbox Game Studios
Way before Spider-Man and its well-received 2016 reboot of Ratchet & Clank, Insomniac Games came up with a new IP that still gets widespread adoration. Sunset Overdrive is Adrenaline: The Game, getting you into the leather boots and damaged jeans of a character tangled in a strange pandemic. The citizens have begun to mutate into terrifying creatures, and an energy drink called FizzCo is the one to blame.
Throughout a flashy and colourful single-player campaign, the hero (who you can fully customise before the game starts) will obtain all sorts of weapons that defy the usual genre conventions, giving you a wilder loadout than anything you're offered in similar action games, and cranks this weaponry up to all sorts of ridiculous levels.
You can see the influences Insomniac carried forwards onto Spidey, as the strongest aspect in Sunset Overdrive is traversal, as your character can use zip lines and bounce on top of vehicles to move around the city while they cause localised havoc in every street, all in the name of saving humanity. As an advantage compared to the recently released PC port, the Xbox One version still offers its co-op mode called Chaos Squad, letting you team up with seven other players to complete additional objectives.
5. Ori and the Blind Forest
Les décors sont un splendide argument en sa faveur.
© Xbox Game Studios
This list wouldn’t be complete without Ori, a charming and breathtaking platformer that makes the most of its 2D perspective. Everything is filled with colour and personality, starting off with a sad sequence starring the main character that sets the tone for the story.
From there, the orphan embarks on a hand-painted journey that is as beautiful as it is unforgiving, demanding precise reflexes and lots of retries from the player.
Despite its cute and inviting aesthetic, it’s probably the hardest game on the list. But if you get through the challenge, you’ll be rewarded with a heartfelt tale joined by an orchestral soundtrack, detailed animations, and a unique personality that is carried throughout the whole game, and which seems to be on the right path for Ori and the Valley of the Wisps, the sequel arriving next year.
If you’re a fan of platformers and you’re looking for a break from the Xbox One’s behemoth AAA titles , we cannot recommend Ori and the Blind Forest enough. Just make sure to have a box of tissues nearby.
