The Xbox One may not being doing as well as the PlayStation 4 in terms of overall sales, but Microsoft’s newest console has still enjoyed a great first year thanks to a strong lineup of games. Everything from sports titles to platformers to first-person shooters are available on the system, offering players a variety of games to pick up and play. There are even notable exclusives you can’t get for any other console.
With so many bundles, price drops and deals, there’s no reason not to dive in and enjoy everything the Xbox One has to offer right now, so we’ve rounded up the best Xbox One games for your convenience.
1. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
In 2011, Microsoft published Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, a high-definition remake of the original Halo from Bungie. Porting the infamous first-person sci-fi shooter to the Xbox 360 proved to be a wise decision, and fans clamored for a re-release of Halo 2 in the same vein. Microsoft did them one better: Halo: The Master Chief Collection takes the four numerical Halo games and puts them in glorious HD for the Xbox One. Players will be able to seamlessly jump from one game to the next while reliving Halo‘s unforgettable campaign and unique multiplayer matches.
Price: $59.99
Buy Halo: The Master Chief Collection here.
Pros:
- More Master Chief than you can handle
- Remade multiplayer maps with HD graphics
- Access to the Halo 5: Guardians beta
- Four thousand Gamerscore
Cons:
- Twenty gigabyte day-one patch
- No Halo: Reach
- No Halo 3: ODST
- Multiplayer achievements
Find more Halo: The Master Chief Collection information and reviews here.
2. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Call of Duty is one series that has withstood the test of time, with releases spanning more than a decade and three console generations. The franchise has tackled everything from World War II-era battles to modern-day combat. The newest entry in the series, Advanced Warfare, takes place in the future, where jetpacks and hovering grenades are staples in military technology. Sure, it might look like Titanfall at a glance, but Advanced Warfare is a title all its own, and it’s bound to be a best seller just like its annually released brethren. I mean, even IGN gave it a 9.1.
Price: $59.99
Buy Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare here.
Pros:
- Futuristic weapons and gadgets
- DLC drops first on Xbox One
- Zombie mode is back
- Kevin Spacey
Cons:
- $50 season pass
- Average campaign
- Set pieces everywhere
- Same ol’ Call of Duty formula
Find more Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare information and reviews here.
3. Sunset Overdrive
What’s great about Insomniac’s latest venture is how it doesn’t take itself too seriously — or at all. Run on walls, grind on power lines and jump off buildings all while trying to destroy the mutants that run rampant after drinking FizzCo’s newest energy drink. The world is as colorful and zany as your fully customizable character, and crazy weapons and funny respawn animations keep the good times rolling whether you’re downing baddies or they’re downing you.
Price: $52.88 (12 percent off MSRP)
Buy Sunset Overdrive here.
Pros:
- Tons of customization
- Fun traversal
- Engaging combat
- Huge, stylistic world
Cons:
- Repetitive missions
- Collectibles
- Fetch quests
- Boring NPCs
Find more Sunset Overdrive information and reviews here.
4. Titanfall
No one can deny the extensive hype Titanfall received leading up to is release. Being one of the first notable exclusives for the Xbox One made everyone perk up and pay attention, and the fact that it was developed by ex-Call of Duty devs just added more to the game’s already robust credibility. Titanfall takes the traditional first-person shooter format and adds parkour and armored mechs to the mix, making for addictive and frantic online death matches.
Price: $29.98 (25 percent off MSRP)
Buy Titanfall here.
Pros:
- Frenzied FPS action
- Recently added co-op mode
- Giant mechs
- Spyglass
Cons:
- Weak campaign mode
- Only a few modes
- Little content
- Snipers
Find more Titanfall information and reviews here.
5. Destiny
When Bungie, the creators of the original Halo trilogy, announced their new sci-fi shooter, the world couldn’t wait to explore a new universe full of aliens, robots and mysterious locations. While the final game disappointed some fans who expected something monumental, what Destiny does offer is best-in-class shooting and looting with only a subpar story and some lackluster missions holding it back. What’s unique about Destiny is its shared world experience where players interact with others during independent single-player and cooperate missions. With limitless multiplayer and a stream of content additions and updates heading its way, Destiny will only get more addicting as time goes on. Oh, and there’s also dancing.
Price: $51.99 (13 percent off MSRP)
Buy Destiny here.
Pros:
- Awesome combat
- A shared world experience
- Tons of loot
- The best skies in any game
Cons:
- Weak story
- Classes too similar
- Small mission variety
- Dinklebot
Find more Destiny information and reviews here.
6. Minecraft: Xbox One Edition
For those who’ve been living in a cave (or, perhaps more appropriately, a mine) for the past few years, Minecraft is an indie game that became an international best-seller due to its unique and addicting gameplay. Players are dropped into a randomized world of textured cubes and told to survive. Monsters come out at night, so it’s the player’s job to scavenge for resources, construct a shelter and basically build whatever they can think up in what amounts to a world of digital Lego bricks. While the original PC edition of the game dominates, the Xbox One version game is the next-best way to experience Minecraft‘s huge worlds, multiplayer co-op and limitless possibilities.
Price: $19.99
Buy Minecraft: Xbox One Edition here.
Pros:
- Endless exploration
- Limited only by imagination
- Simplified menu navigation
- Bigger worlds than last-gen counterparts
Cons:
- No mods
- Updates come slower to Xbox One
- Still not as robust as PC version
- Sneaky creepers
Find more Minecraft: Xbox One Edition information and reviews here.
7. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
Everyone remembers the Tomb Raider games when they first released. At the time, Lara Croft was nothing more than a polygonal sex object with pointy boobs and short-shorts. Thankfully, Crystal Dynamics decided to reboot the entire series, starting with Croft’s origin story, and what a tale it is. In Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, players get to relive Croft’s coming-of-age tale on new-gen consoles with updated graphics and free multiplayer DLC. If you didn’t play Crystal Dynamics’ retelling of the Tomb Raider’s story when it originally released last year, now’s the perfect opportunity.
Price: $27.95 (30 percent off MSRP)
Buy Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition here.
Pros:
- Satisfying combat and stealth
- Amazing story and characterization
- Interesting puzzles
- Lara isn’t a sex object anymore
Cons:
- Dull multiplayer
- Not much added content
- Somewhat short
- Supernatural elements
Find more Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition information and reviews here.
8. The Evil Within
Anyone who’s played the Resident Evil series knows that horror games are awesome. It seems contradictory, but scaring the pants off yourself is a pretty entertaining way to spend an evening. Shinji Mikami, known for his work on Resident Evil 4, jumped in with a new team to create The Evil Within, a sort of spiritual successor to the iconic survival horror franchise. Mikami is a master of all things scary, so his latest project is sure to surprise, terrify or even emotionally scar you with its claustrophobic locales and disturbing enemies. Make sure you pack your Depends.
Price: $57.76 (4 percent off MSRP)
Buy The Evil Within here.
Pros:
- Horrifying enemies
- Super gory
- Awesome survival gameplay
- Genuinely terrifying
Cons:
- Lackluster protagonist
- Unoriginal story
- Cliches
- Genuinely terrifying
Find more The Evil Within information and reviews here.
9. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Any The Lord of the Rings buff will feel right at home with Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. The game is set sometime between The Hobbit and Tolkien’s famous trilogy about Frodo’s quest to Mount Doom as Talion, a Ranger of Gondor stationed near the Black Gate leading into the evil land of Mordor, is forced to watch his family be butchered by Uruks. What follows is a classic revenge action game dripping with Tolkien lore. What sets Shadow of Mordor apart is its nemesis system, which grants military ranks to Talion’s enemies. The Uruks are constantly vying for dominance, and the player can manipulate them to his will using special powers and abilities, making each play a unique experience.
Price: $49.99 (17 percent off MSRP)
Buy Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor here.
Pros:
- Nemesis system
- Satisfying combat
- Ratbag
- Lore, lore and more lore
Cons:
- Somewhat easy
- Disappointing ending
- Repetitive locales
- Herb collecting
Find more Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor information and reviews here.
10. Far Cry 4
Far Cry 3 was one of the surprises of last generation for me. The slew of sandbox games gave me open world fatigue, but Far Cry 3 managed to pull me into its tribal setting with fun attractions like shark hunting, hang gliding and raiding enemy bases. Far Cry 4 will do more or less the same, only the setting is changing from that of a lush jungle to a city set in the Himalayan Mountains. The protagonist finds himself caught up in a civil war led by a tyrannical ruler (voiced by the legendary Troy Baker). The best part about Far Cry 4 is the fact that players will be able to invite friends — even ones who don’t own the game — to cooperative missions scattered across the enormous play area.
Price: $59.99
Buy Far Cry 4 here.
Pros:
- New wildlife
- Massive open world
- Drop-in co-op
- Free limited edition with pre-order
Cons:
- Unwarranted cover art controversy
- No bonuses for killing war elephants
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Top 10 Best Xbox One Games of 2014