The Xbox is turning 25 years old this November. While most of this momentous occasion’s marketing is centered around the original Xbox console, it’s important to look back at every era of the Xbox brand and reflect on how far the Microsoft gaming branch has come over the years.
Arguably Xbox’s darkest age was that during the reign of the Xbox One, as Microsoft immediately lost the momentum of the Xbox 360 by having the third Xbox generation initially focus primarily on TV shows, streaming services, and restrictive internet connectivity.
Despite these issues and troublesome game development during this era, there were still many great exclusive games that launched on the Xbox One and showcased Xbox’s evolution throughout the 2010s.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Microsoft’s Capitalization on the Battle Royale Genre
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Release Date
2017-03-23
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood, Violence
Developer
PUBG Studios
Publisher
PUBG Studios
In the late 2010s, battle royale games were all the rage. While Fortnite has since taken the crown as the most popular BR game, that wasn’t always the case, and Microsoft strived to capitalize on the genre’s popularity by releasing PUBG: Battlegrounds exclusively for the Xbox One in 2017.
Based on ARMA, DayZ, and the 2000 Battle Royale Japanese film, PUBG: Battlegrounds on Xbox One was released as a part of the Xbox Game Preview program before being officially released in 2018 with PC cross-play functionality.
Compared to more modern BR and extraction shooters, PUBG: Battlegrounds may seem rather basic but nearly 10 years ago PUBG stood as one of the most popular multiplayer games thanks to its gritty, realistic, first and third-person shooter gameplay.
Killer Instinct
Reviving a Fighting Game Classic
Killer Instinct (2013)
Release Date
2013-11-22
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer
Double Helix Games, Iron Galaxy
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios
While the Xbox One might not have had a great PR debut thanks to its TV focus, it still managed to have a fairly impressive lineup of launch titles such as Ryse: Son of Rome, Zoo Tycoon, and Killer Instinct, a revival of Rare’s underrated 1990s fighting game series.
Unlike the former titles, 2013’s Killer Instinct didn’t launch with a physical release and instead was a digital Xbox One exclusive in a free-to-play state, with only one playable character available for free on a rotated basis and every other character available for purchase individually.
This sort of free-to-play and unfinished nature would set the tone for the Xbox One era overall, as Microsoft would go on to invest in other free-to-play opportunities and launch games in incomplete states such as its Xbox Game Pass subscription service and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
ReCore
Xbox’s Legend of Zelda-Like
ReCore
Release Date
2016-09-13
ESRB
T For Teen Due To Violence
Developer
Armature Studio, Comcept
Publisher
Microsoft Studios
The Xbox One era overall is marred by its lack of heavy hitting exclusive titles, especially compared to the exclusives that launched on the PlayStation 4, but Microsoft did strive to experiment a bit with brand new IPs and this can best be represented with 2016’s ReCore.
Inspired by The Legend of Zelda and Metroid in terms of gameplay, ReCore was a third-person action-adventure and platforming game following Far Eden colonist Joule Adams and her trusty animalistic corebot Mack as they awake from a centuries long cryo-sleep only to find the colony in mysterious ruin.
While ReCore received mixed reviews overall and never got a proper follow-up, it’s still one of the most creative and interesting exclusives released for the Xbox One and is worth a revisitelves to be a hardcore Xbox fan
Halo Wars 2
An Epic Console-Based RTS
Halo Wars 2
Release Date
2017-02-21
ESRB
m
Developer
343 Industries, Creative Assembly
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios
The Xbox One era was a rough time to be a Halo fan to say the least. Not only did Halo: MCC launch as a broken mess but Halo 5: Guardians debuted with a highly divisive campaign, without several traditional modes, no split-screen functionality, and pay-to-win microtransactions.
Those two games were massive disappointments for many fans, but in 2016 they were given a glimmer of hope when 343 Industries and Creative Assembly launched the long-awaited sequel to the RTS Halo Wars, Halo Wars 2, for PCs and Xbox One consoles.
Here fans were not only to learn about the fate of the lost UNSC Spirit of Fire in its classic Bungie-era art style, but witness the introduction of one of Halo’s most beloved enemy factions, the Brute-led Banished, as they and the Spirit fought over control of the Forerunner installation, the Ark.
Gears 5
The Xbox One X’s Mascot
Gears 5
Release Date
2019-09-10
ESRB
M
Developer
The Coalition
Publisher
Xbox Game Studios
Much like the Halo franchise, Microsoft strove to continue the Gears of War franchise after its original trilogy concluded on the Xbox 360, with the publisher forming The Coalition to oversee the franchise into a new era with Gears of War 4.
Gears of War 4 was relatively well-received by critics and fans alike, but Microsoft chose to have its sequel, Gears 5, be more or less the mascot of the Xbox One X to showcase the power of the upgraded console.
While Gears 5’s campaign wasn’t as well received as its predecessor, it was certainly a visually impressive game for the time and featured some of the most visceral gameplay in the entire series as well as one of the best DLC campaigns in the franchise with Gears 5: Hivebusters.
Sunset Overdrive
Insomniac Games’ Underrated Joyride
Sunset Overdrive
Release Date
2014-10-28
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
Developer
Insomniac Games
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios
Insomniac Games is largely known today for its PlayStation exclusive Marvel games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Wolverine, but in the early 2010s the Californian developer briefly worked with Microsoft to launch a brand-new IP called Sunset Overdrive.
Heavily inspired by the funky Jet Set Radio series, Sunset Overdrive is an open-world adventure game following a customizable janitor turned reluctant hero as they strive to flee Sunset City from people turned into hulking mutants after they consumed the new energy drink, OverCharge.
With its comical world design and enthralling parkour centric gameplay, Sunset Overdrive was easily one of the best exclusive titles available on the Xbox One, even if its fun game design didn’t translate to high sales numbers.
Ori and the Blind Forest
A Wondrous Metroidvania
Ori and The Blind Forest
Release Date
2015-03-11
ESRB
E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy Violence
Developer
Moon Studios
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios
Beginning in the 360 era, Microsoft increasingly invested in smaller game development studios to the point of eventual acquisition and publication of their small, typically 2D-focused titles. This method of game releases continued into the Xbox One era with titles like Ori and the Blind Forest.
Moon Studios’ debut title, Ori and the Blind Forest is a rather emotional and frankly wondrous metroidvania following Ori, a small cat-like guardian spirit, as they set out to restore their home, Nibel forest, after a mysterious event caused all plant life to wither away, leading many animals to starvation.
Ori and the Blind Forest might not be action-packed as many of Xbox’s exclusive titles, but it’s still one of the most visually impressive games Microsoft has ever published and is easily one of the best metroidvania games made in the 21st century.
Xbox One’s Best Launch Title
Dead Rising 3
Release Date
2013-11-22
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Sexual Content
Developer
Capcom Vancouver
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios
As mentioned before, the Xbox One surprisingly featured a good variety of unique, exclusive launch titles. While all of them are great in their own right, I would argue that the best Xbox One launch title was Capcom Vancouver’s Dead Rising 3.
Set roughly 10 years after Dead Rising 2, Dead Rising 3 follows series new protagonist Nick Ramos as he strives to escape a new zombie outbreak in California with his friends, only to discover that he’s at the center of a conspiracy that goes all the way back to events seen in the first Dead Rising.
While DR3 did notably ease up on the series’ traditional stress-inducing time mechanics, it innovated upon the series in several other ways, such as introducing a seamless open-world, a plethora of new combo weapons, and combo vehicles, culminating in an overall awesome DR experience.
Sea of Thieves
Rare’s Most Successful Xbox IP
Sea of Thieves
Release Date
2018-03-20
ESRB
T for Teen: Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Developer
Rare
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios
Ever since Rare was purchased by Microsoft in 2002, the British developer has struggled to release universally successful games. While I would consider Viva Pinata to be their best Xbox game, they finally released their most overwhelmingly successful Xbox game in 2018, with Sea of Thieves.
Rare’s 15th game developed for Xbox, Sea of Thieves is a first-person pirate adventure multiplayer game, with players being able to customize their own cartoonish pirates and ships and set sail into monster-infested waters in search of hidden treasure or loot to steal from other players.
As a live service game, Sea of Thieves took time to really shine but after Rare released several expansive updates over the years such as the Sunken Kingdom, A Pirate’s Life, and The Legend of Monkey Island, the game has truly become the definitive pirate multiplayer game.
Cuphead
Xbox One’s Most Creative Exclusive
Cuphead
Release Date
2017-09-29
ESRB
E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
Developer
Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
Publisher
Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
Without a doubt the most unique, creative, and standout exclusive game to launch on the Xbox One, and the best game that defines the overall Xbox One era, is Studio MDHR’s Cuphead.
Inspired by rubberhose-style cartoons of the 1920s and 30s similar to Felix the Cat and Mickey Mouse, Cuphead is a 2D run and gun game following the young brothers Cuphead and Mugman, as they make a deal with the Devil to save their souls by taking down all of his runaway debtors from his casino.
Cuphead is as visually amazing as its gameplay is challenging, in both single-player and two-player co-op, with the game additionally featuring an energetic soundtrack, making Cuphead one of the best overall products ever released on the Xbox One.
