From its debut in 2001 to its current reign, Xbox has always been one of the three biggest gaming platforms. Across each generation of Xbox, unforgettable experiences have played out. Each console era was filled with innovative games that pioneered new mechanics and pushed the hardware to its limits.
Videos by ComicBook.com
In the early days, games like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Ninja Gaiden helped audiences embrace Xbox as a brand. Whereas in more recent memory, blockbusters such as Gears 5 and Halo Infinite are what have made players stay with Xbox for so long. Having said that, every console era has had at least one game that was special. A game that revolutionized its genre and left a mark on history. So, whether you’re bringing out the original Xbox from the attic or just hopping on your Xbox Series X or S console, these are the best games from each generation.
Halo 2 – Xbox
Picking Halo 2 as the best Xbox game is a no-brainer. Halo 2 is the best-selling Xbox game of all time, with over 8 million copies sold, and there are plenty of reasons why it reached that number. Halo 2 was one of the first games to feature full online multiplayer. It had LAN support, co-op, online multiplayer, and split screen. Pretty much all of the multiplayer aspects were covered.
Halo 2 was also the first game to introduce skill-based matchmaking. It was at a basic level, but it helped pave the way for future competitive multiplayer games. Because of it being a big multiplayer shooter, Halo 2 massively appealed to audiences of the time. It had amazing graphics, vehicles, the ability to dual-wield guns, and online multiplayer.
At that time in 2004, Halo 2 became the holy grail of video games. It was an Xbox exclusive and helped the brand establish a presence within the industry. Halo 2 showed that the Xbox was here to stay, and it could compete with the PlayStation 2. There simply has never been a stronger case for a game to represent the Xbox generation.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – Xbox 360
While Xbox had plenty of great exclusives throughout the Xbox 360’s life, the best game to grace the console was a third-party title. When The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim came out in 2011, it was the biggest RPG of the time. It had a vast open world, near-endless questlines, and addictive role-playing elements. Despite being so massive, Skyrim ran smoothly on the Xbox 360’s hardware, which couldn’t be said about the PS3. The 360 had a modest amount of power, yet Bethesda intelligently crafted the open world so the experience would be seamless.
There were a lot of loading screens in Skyrim, but they weren’t too bad, and the scale of the world justified them. An object you had placed hours ago in a random corner would still be there when you got back. Hundreds of NPCs were voiced and had unique quests to offer. There was a huge variety of crafting equipment, magic spells, and melee combat weapons.
Visually, games like Metal Gear Solid 5 and BioShock: Infinite surpassed Skyrim later in the Xbox 360’s life cycle. However, Skyrim was inarguably bigger than both, and its scale was too massive. It almost felt unreal how a game like it could run on a machine like the Xbox 360. So, because of the way Skyrim pushed the limits of the open-world genre, it’s the best game to spawn from the Xbox 360’s life.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – Xbox One
There are a lot of noteworthy games from the Xbox One generation that can be seen as a technical marvel. For example, Devil May Cry 5 for its diverse combat arsenal and Elden Ring for its revolutionization of the Soulslike formula by taking the genre open world. However, Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 is the Xbox One generation’s crowning achievement.
There are a lot of amazing things about Red Dead Redemption 2. Foremost would be its graphical fidelity. The character models, landscapes, and textures are detailed to the brim. Thousands of tiny intricacies exist within its world. There are long trails of footprints in the snow when you move. Ripple effects in the water and clothes get wet.
Cutscenes play in real-time while the open world dynamically changes as the story progresses. New buildings are built, NPCs age, and storylines evolve. Hundreds of quests, weapons, and points of interest exist within the world. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that drew every ounce of power from the Xbox One. It’s the pinnacle of the Xbox One experience. One that you’ll have to see for yourself. That said, it’s still a wonder to this day how the Xbox One didn’t melt while running it.
Forza Horizon 5 – Xbox Series X/S
Forza Horizon 5 is built with only two audiences in mind: racing fans and Xbox Series console owners. Forza Horizon 5 features an open world. It has over 500 customizable cars, multiplayer, and a gigantic map for you to roam and compete in races. That’s a dream scenario for a high-speed racing fanatic.
But what makes Forza Horizon 5 the best Xbox Series X/S game is that it is designed to take full advantage of the console’s hardware. It has near-instant load times, which is a powerful showcase of the shift to the SSD in this generation of Xbox consoles. You can either play in locked 4K 30fps using the Resolution Mode or choose Dynamic 4K 60fps via the Performance Mode.
Ray tracing is also included within the Photo Mode and car showroom feature. Because of that, Forza Horizon 5 manages to keep a consistently gorgeous visual profile. Though the Xbox Series generation is far from over, there are a lot of heavy hitters yet to come. But until then, Forza Horizon 5 is definitely the pinnacle of the Xbox Series X/S console performance.
Want to stay up to date on the biggest geek entertainment news? Add us as a preferred source in Google – HERE.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Focus Features.
