The Xbox One is a fantastic console, one packed with all the media functionality we could ever need, and plenty of games to boot. After all, that’s why the console graces our entertainment stands–to play awesome games. Whether your still deciding between buying a PS4 or Xbox One, the question stands: what games should you play if you have an Xbox One?
There are many enticing upcoming Xbox One games we can’t wait to get our hands on. But if you’re looking for something to play right now, I have ranked the top 5 games out of the many I have played. Starting with…
5. Battlefield 4
The first-person shooter genre is defined by its seminal moments. There’s Doom’s corridors. There’s Quake‘s multiplayer modes. There’s Tribes‘ breadth and scale. There’s Modern Warfare‘s online progression. And now, there’s Battlefield 4’s “levolution.” Sure, the name is awful and its creator should be shot. But the idea–taking an online multiplayer level, and through player action, fundamentally altering that level–will be the new industry standard for the biggest and most lucrative genre in gaming. That fact alone puts Battlefield 4 near the top of this list of the best Xbox One games.
And even setting aside levolution, Battlefield 4 offers one of the finest–if not the finest–large-scale multiplayer components available on any console. With 64-player maps, Xbox One owners are getting the same experience PC gamers have held over them for years, one that’s defined by an expertly crafted mix of infantry interacting with ground, air, and sea vehicles. Add in a wholly competent (if not inspired) single-player campaign, and what you’ve got is one of the best interactive experiences currently available.
4. Sunset Overdrive
It’s felt like ages since Insomniac Games has put out something that dazzled us–we were starting to worry that we’d never see the creative spark that was the heart of, say, Ratchet and Clank. Thankfully, Sunset Overdrive put those fears to bed in an colorful explosion of tongue-in-cheek insanity.
Grinding around Sunset City to reach our next destination Jet Set Radio-style never got old, while our arsenal of wacky guns and cheeky one-liners kept us grinning throughout. The vibrant world is downright gorgeous–a comforting reminder that game palettes aren’t limited to mud–and our player-created, aging punk rocker fit it like a glove. If you think creativity in AAA gaming is dead, Sunset Overdrive is one of the better ways to change your mind.
3. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Prepare yourself, we’re about to make a bold prediction: Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is going to be just as influential to games as Max Payne or Gears of War. Why, you ask? Just like bullet time or third-person cover shooters, we expect Mordor’s Nemesis feature to become the new flavor to dominate games over the next few years.
Enemies affected by your actions? A dynamic social structure within the game world? Gameplay that responds to the actions of the player? Honestly, it’s the kind of stuff we thought all open-world games would have years ago, but to see it in action is just so, so satisfying. Then again, we could be wrong–if so, we’ll just have to wait anxiously for a sequel.
2. Destiny
Forget the haters–Destiny is a game that’s all about innovation. Bungie tied the class system, loot grabbing, and multiplayer raids you’d find in an MMO to their trademark FPS gunplay in a way that had us dying to jump in time and time again.
Actually, that’s something of an understatement. We’ve played Destiny a lot. Our Xboxes stayed on throughout launch week and our game discs kept spinning until the sun came up. We maxed out a character, then immediately fired up the next one. We’ve even managed to delude ourselves into believing that Peter Dinklage isn’t just a Guilty Spark knockoff with a new accent. Despite any hiccups along the way to an FPS/MMORPG hybrid too beautiful for our mortal minds to handle, Destiny remains an addictive experience that’s hard to match.
1. Alien Isolation
So often are we the aggressor that we almost never experience the other side of the coin. The most popular games always cast us as the badass, the champion, and every other form of unstoppable hero–why is it only horror games that are willing to knock us down a peg?
Case in point: Alien: Isolation made us fear for our lives, squealing like little girls when the titular extraterrestrial made mincemeat of our fragile human form. It’s the Alien (note the lack of “s”) game we’ve always wanted, an atmospheric survival simulator starring a beast that’s just as intelligent as it is unpredictable. If you don’t believe us, just hop on board and see how long you last. We’ll be here hot chocolate and hugs when you need us.
Those are the top 5 Xbox One games that I have chosen. Hope you enjoyed, and I hope I have enhanced your gameplay!
