This article is part of a directory: Complete guide to the Xbox Series X
Table of contents

Key Takeaways

  • If you have a new Xbox and need new games to play, you can't go wrong with these picks.
  • For example, Elden Ring's open-world design offers challenges with rewarding exploration opportunities, while Baldur's Gate 3 delivers a complete role-playing experience with compelling characters.
  • I've spent a ton of time playing these games, and trust me, they're the best you can get on Xbox.

As each console generation progresses, the games only improve. It typically takes developers at least a year or two to fully grasp the capabilities of the new machines and start releasing games that fully leverage the hardware. We're comfortably in that phase with the Xbox Series X and S now.

Thanks to robust third-party support, along with a selection of excellent exclusives, the Series consoles have a plethora of amazing titles to explore. This list becomes even more daunting if you subscribe to Game Pass. It wasn't an easy task, but I've undertaken the challenging job of narrowing down the ten best Xbox Series X and S games. I've made sure to include a diverse range of genres and styles so that you can find at least one game that appeals to you.

Related
The best Xbox Series X/S accessories you can buy
The Xbox Series X/S comes with everything you need to get started, but a few accessories can really improve your gaming experience.

1 Elden Ring

An open-world game with soul

ELDENRING_04_4K copy.jpg
Sotfware
Elden Ring

Developer(s)
FromSoftware
Publisher
FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO
Genre
Action role-playing game

There's a reason Elden Ring captivated the world upon its launch. Yes, it's from FromSoftware, pioneers of the Souls genre, which has garnered significant attention for its brutal difficulty. I won't deny that Elden Ring is challenging, but its new open-world design offers more ways to mitigate the difficulty if needed.

Challenge aside, The Lands Between alone is worth the price of admission. It's a masterclass in design that eschews the false sense of discovery prevalent in most modern games by not cluttering your map with icons, waypoints, and paths to follow. The environment naturally guides you to intriguing discoveries, making them feel all the more rewarding because you feel like you're genuinely exploring and finding things, rather than just heading to the next marker.

Related
Elden Ring review: Dark Souls goes open-world to stunning effect
From Software takes its blueprint into open-world territory in typically triumphant fashion. Surely already contender for game of the 2022?

2 Baldur's Gate 3

What role will you play?

Baldur's Gate 3 3
Baldur's Gate 3
Publishers
Larian Studios
Developer
Larian Studios
Genre
Adventure, RPG, Strategy

It doesn't matter whether you've ever sat down at a table with a group of friends, D20s, and character sheets for a classic game of Dungeons and Dragons to enjoy what Baldur's Gate 3 offers. This game is one of the few that genuinely delivers when it promises a complete role-playing experience. You can do almost anything in this game that you can think of, something that no other game allows. You are truly in control of your destiny.

The flexibility and freedom would already earn this game a spot on the list, but I haven't even mentioned the cast of characters yet. If you thought games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age had compelling, likable (and hateable) characters, you haven't seen anything yet. The depth of each character's personality and the performances that bring them to life are of the highest quality.

Related
Baldur's Gate 3 review: A sprawling RPG epic
Larian is back with another top-down role-player, but this time it's got the keys to all of Dungeons and Dragons.

3 Starfield

Explore a sea of stars

Starfield 3-1
Bethesda/ Pocket-lint
Starfield
$32 $70 Save $38
Developer
Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Genre(s)
Action RPG

Bethesda is known for a very specific type of game, thanks to the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls series, that involves a lot of loot, levels, quests, and massive worlds to explore. While Starfield is a brand new IP, it very much follows that same style of RPG, only now you have an entire universe to explore.

Starfield can feel a little limited when compared to the king of Bethesda RPGs like Skyrim. However, it does more than enough to set itself apart as an amazing game. The RPG systems are top-notch, with visuals that are varied and stunning, and options on how to interact with and experience the world as vast as the night sky itself.

Related
Starfield review: A galactic smorgasbord
Starfield is here at last - and it's massive. Find our full Starfield review here.

4 Forza Horizon 5

Gotta go fast

forza horizon everything you need to know image 1
Forza Horizon 5
$37 $60 Save $23

Developer
Playground Games
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Genre
Racing video game

Technically, there is one newer Forza game out there now, Motorsport, but I feel Horizon has more to offer to more people. Unlike Motorsport, Horizon is less of a racing simulation and more of an arcade experience that is far more approachable. You don't have to worry about things like tire pressure and suspension here.

What Horizon 5 nails is the visual presentation. Every inch of the map is somehow just as pretty when parked as it is burning rubber at 100 miles an hour. With so much to explore and so many sights to see and race through, this is a full package that even non-racing fans should give a look.

Related
Forza Horizon 5 review: Kicking the Xbox Series X and S into top gear
The fifth game in the Horizon open-world racing sim is expansive in reach, while delivering familiar and addictive content to entertain for an age.

5 Cyberpunk 2077

Fully upgraded

Cyberpunk 2077 tips and tricks: How to get started in Night City photo 1
CD Projekt Red
Cyberpunk 2077
Developer
CD Projekt Red
Publisher
CD Projekt
Genre
Action role-playing

If I were writing this list the year Cyberpunk 2077 came out, it wouldn't even be close to making the cut. If anything, it would be near the top of the worst Xbox Series X games. That's what makes its rise from the ashes even more impressive.

The world of Night City has been completely rebuilt thanks to constant updates and a full 2.0 revamp. Aside from fixing all the bugs and glitches, entire systems and mechanics have been retooled to smooth out the entire progression. The core story and ideas were never the problem with Cyberpunk, but now they can shine. If you were holding out to see this dystopian future RPG, now's the time to jump in.

Related
Cyberpunk 2077 review: Can it rise from the ashes?
Amid reports of performance issues, we played Cyberpunk 2077 on multiple platforms. Here's our review after mainly playing it on Xbox Series X and S.

6 Alan Wake 2

Genre-bending horror

Alan Wake 2 review 9
Alan Wake 2
Developer
Remedy Entertainment
Publisher
Epic Games Publishing
Genre
Survival horror

A sequel over ten years in the making, Alan Wake 2 is the best example of what a creative mind can do with the medium of games. This is a survival horror game, yes, but that description doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what this experience offers. You'll get a creepy, intriguing mystery with some puzzle-solving and third-person shooting, but there's so much more.

Without spoiling anything, Alan Wake 2 breaks all the conventions of what you know about storytelling in a game. It might seem a little too obtuse and weird at first, but if you get into the mindset of the game, it will take you on a journey you won't forget anytime soon.

Related
Alan Wake 2 review: Spiralling into madness
Alan Wake is back, and it's looking unbelievably good.

7 Diablo 4

Kill, loot, repeat

Diablo 4 review 6-1
Diablo 4
Developer
Blizzard Team 3
Publisher
Blizzard Entertainment
Genre
Action role-playing, hack and slash, dungeon crawler

If there's one franchise that has made a science out of the loot grind, it's Diablo. There's just something about the way enemies crunch into a mist before colored items pop out like gory piñatas that just hits the dopamine receptors just right. Diablo 4 knows what people want from it, and boy, does it deliver.

Between all the classes to pick from, builds, and seasonal content drops, it's easy to picture yourself playing Diablo 4 essentially forever if you let it get its hooks in you. Whether you're running end-game dungeons with friends or just grinding trash mobs while listening to a podcast, Diablo 4 is perfect comfort-food gaming.

Related
Diablo 4 review: Devilishly good
Blizzard's world of suffering is back and looking more accessible than ever.

8 Psychonauts 2

Psychological platformer

Xbox game showcase screens photo 3
Xbox / Double Fine
Psychonauts 2
$57 $60 Save $3
Developer
Double Fine
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Genre
Platform

Another sequel that took far too long to be made, Psychonauts 2 also makes the cut primarily due to its originality. Double Fine may be the most consistently creative and humorous studio in the business. Every game it releases is full of charm and whimsy, but also a shade of darkness and truth that gives you something deeper to think about.

This platformer, like the first, involves diving into the minds of various characters to navigate and try to help them overcome whatever mental issues or distress they are dealing with. It's a brave examination of mental health and shines a light on something I believe we should all be more conscious of.

9 Street Fighter 6

A modern take on a classic

Street Fighter 6 2
Capcom
Street Fighter 6
$40 $60 Save $20
Developer
Capcom
Publisher
Capcom, Taito (Arcade)
Genre
Fighting

Neck-and-neck with Souls-likes for the title of most intimidating genre are fighting games. Learning all the characters, inputs, and combos has been a significant barrier to entry for years. However, Street Fighter 6 has broken down those walls without alienating the hardcore players who have been loyal since the beginning.

Two key features make this a fighting game worth getting, especially if it's your first. One is the World Tour mode, where you create a character and embark on a complete RPG adventure, learning moves, fighting iconic characters, and getting acquainted with the systems. The second is the new modern control scheme that removes the need for memorization for special moves. All you need to do is learn when and where to use them, not how many times you need to spin the stick before hitting a four-button sequence.

Related
Street Fighter 6 review: The next fighting king?
The latest Street Fighter has the best on-ramp we've tried in a fighting game in ages.

10 Grounded

Honey, I shrunk the kids

Grounded game
Xbox Game Studios
Grounded
$38 $40 Save $2
Developer
Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Genre
Survival

Remember that scene in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids when the kids have to trek through their yard like it's a jungle? Well, Obsidian made an entire game out of that idea, and it rocks. Playing as a shrunken-down kid, you need to craft tools, armor, and weapons to try and survive the pests lurking in the grass.

Bugs are your primary threat here, which includes spiders. Mercifully, Obsidian anticipated that coming face-to-face with a giant spider might be too much for some players and included an accessibility option that turns them into basic blobs. With a couple of friends helping to build your base and exploring, you won't mind being grounded in the yard for a long, long time.

FAQ

Q: How to choose your next Xbox Series X or S game

If you're searching for a new game for your Xbox Series X or S, it won't take long for you to realize how many options there are to choose from. Here are some questions to help you determine the best pick for you.

Are you looking for something chill?

Some of the games on this list are quite active and require considerable attention and even some skill to excel, and while that's perfect for many of us, there are alternatives if you're seeking something more laid back and relaxing. Titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Flight Simulator allow you to cruise around at your own pace, exploring and enjoying sights without the need to tackle numerous challenging objectives to have a good time.

Will you be playing with friends?

Given that so many of us now relish playing games online with friends, it's prudent to check before purchasing a game whether it includes an online component or mode that you can enjoy with your buddies, be it co-op or competitive play.

Have you checked out Game Pass?

Arguably the most significant factor when buying games for your Series X or Series S is Microsoft's own service - Xbox Game Pass. This subscription offers a vast library of games for a monthly fee, and some of the platform's top games are featured, such as Starfield and Halo Infinite. While there's still value in owning your favorite games to ensure perpetual access, exploring Game Pass to sample its offerings is advisable.