Amid the current announcement of main adjustments coming to the Recreation Go mannequin, including a notable price hike that sparked controversy, it looks like the precise second to replicate on Microsoft’s gaming legacy over the previous decade — particularly the standard of its video games. The Xbox division isn’t often associated with producing extensively acclaimed hits, however there are some plain successes nonetheless.
The entire following titles are critically acclaimed Xbox video games with at the very least a 90 common rating on OpenCritic. The main focus is on Microsoft’s first-party titles developed or printed by Xbox Recreation Studios. Nevertheless, a couple of extremely rated third-party games that launched on Game Pass from day one are additionally included, displaying the strongest examples up to now of Microsoft’s gaming partnerships and unique offers throughout the broader Xbox ecosystem.
Forza Horizon 5
OpenCritic Rating: 92
The present king of the open-world arcade style (at the very least till the release of Forza Horizon 6 next year), Forza Horizon 5 is an exceptional racing title, leagues forward of the competitors. When it comes to visuals, physics, music, and the sheer scale of content material, Forza Horizon 5 looks like a premium launch. Plus, it is merely pleasing besides up and drive round for a couple of minutes.
Some avid gamers imagine that Playground Video games performs issues too secure with the method, making solely minor adjustments from one entry to the subsequent. However nonetheless, there’s nonetheless nothing in the marketplace fairly just like the Forza Horizon collection, as confirmed by its many awards. Forza Horizon 5 was named Finest Racing Recreation at each The Recreation Awards and the D.I.C.E. Awards, whereas additionally incomes a number of accolades for its visible and audio design.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
OpenCritic Rating: 92
Just like the Forza Horizon collection, Microsoft’s Flight Simulator titles occupy a distinct segment of their very own. They provide unmatched scope, high quality, and accuracy of their discipline, largely due to the corporate’s huge assets invested and an ever-evolving nature.
The newest Microsoft Flight Simulator represents the pinnacle of this approach: an final flying sim unlikely to be surpassed anytime quickly. Combining cutting-edge applied sciences suited to academic functions whereas remaining deeply participating as an exploration expertise, the sport was hailed as a real glimpse into the next-gen future, blurring the road between the true and digital worlds like by no means earlier than.
Forza Horizon 4
OpenCritic Rating: 92
The earlier finest (and, for a lot of, still the best) entry within the collection, Forza Horizon 4 is taken into account much more spectacular than its predecessor. This sport is the one which introduced changing seasons and achieved a stage of graphical constancy unmatched by rivals. Forza Horizon 4 is a real paradise for racing followers, combining flexibility, accessibility, and pleasure. Its award-winning observe document, together with a number of Finest Racing Recreation awards and the general Xbox Recreation of the 12 months 2018 title, helped cement its cult standing.
It is value noting that Forza Horizon 4 is now thought-about a legacy title, having been delisted from digital storefronts and the Recreation Go catalog in December 2024. The sport stays totally playable for many who personal it, so it nonetheless deserves a spot among the many finest Xbox video games.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
OpenCritic Rating: 92
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the primary title on this record that wasn’t created or funded by Microsoft’s Xbox division. As an alternative, it represents a typical Recreation Go partnership for third-party releases, and one of the vital profitable examples up to now. As such, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 earns its place right here as the most effective third-party video games out there to Recreation Go subscribers from day one.
The sport turned one of the highest-rated titles of the year and a robust Recreation of the 12 months contender, already securing a number of awards. Because of its inclusion in Xbox’s subscription service, hundreds of gamers had the possibility to expertise it, although it is troublesome to pinpoint the precise viewers distribution throughout platforms.
Hole Knight: Silksong
OpenCritic Rating: 92
Hole Knight: Silksong is in the identical boat as Expedition 33. Whereas this self-published indie title wasn’t funded by Microsoft, it launched as a day-one Recreation Go launch by means of a typical third-party settlement, making it value mentioning right here. Like Clair Obscur, Silksong is anticipated to look on a number of GOTY lists later this yr, and has already been praised as one of the best metroidvanias ever made.
Silksong additionally marks one other sturdy transfer by Microsoft, securing this long-awaited launch for the Recreation Go lineup. Nonetheless, many gamers who had been anticipating Hole Knight: Silksong for years doubtless selected to buy it outright quite than play it by means of a subscription, particularly given its modest launch worth.
Ori and the Blind Forest
OpenCritic Rating: 90
Ori and the Blind Forest was developed by Moon Studios and printed as a Microsoft first-party title, as the corporate acquired the sport a few yr after improvement started). It is a standout gem in Microsoft’s gaming lineup and, together with its sequel, ranks among the many highest-rated and most beloved Xbox titles.
A visually stunning and emotionally charged platform-adventure metroidvania, Ori and the Blind Forest earned a number of prestigious awards within the 2015–2016 season. These included the Xbox Recreation of the 12 months on the Golden Joystick Awards, Finest Artwork Course at The Recreation Awards, and Creative Achievement on the British Academy Video games Awards.
Minecraft
OpenCritic Rating: 90
It is nonetheless debatable whether or not Minecraft needs to be thought-about an Xbox sport, provided that Microsoft acquired it for $2.5 billion in 2014. Nevertheless, since its 2017 re-release, the sport has turn out to be a core live-service first-party title with an enormous viewers. It will really feel flawed to exclude it, contemplating the size of Microsoft’s funding within the franchise through the years.
With Microsoft’s help, the Minecraft model has expanded to incorporate a number of spin-offs, comparable to Earth, Dungeons, and Legends, together with a current characteristic movie that turned a serious field workplace success. Because of its ever-evolving nature, Minecraft stays the definitive sandbox sport, persevering with to draw hundreds of thousands of gamers to its worlds.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
OpenCritic Rating: 90
Staying true to the strengths of the unique, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an equally excellent Xbox title, developed in partnership with Microsoft and launched as a day-one Recreation Go sport. As Moon Studios grew, the sequel’s visuals received a major overhaul, transitioning from 2D art work in Ori and the Blind Forest to 3D fashions set in opposition to multilayered backgrounds. The result’s an much more breathtaking metroidvania that justified its lengthy improvement time.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps obtained comparable common scores to the primary sport. Like its predecessor, it as soon as once more turned a prestigious award winner for Microsoft, incomes Xbox Recreation of the 12 months on the Golden Joystick Awards and claiming a number of NAVGTR awards.
