Top 25 Xbox One Games to Play in 2025

The Xbox One, now in its 12th year, remains a vibrant platform despite Microsoft’s shift toward the Xbox Series X/S. Developers continue to deliver outstanding titles for the console, keeping its library fresh and exciting.

After thorough evaluation and spirited discussion, our team has curated a list of the 25 finest Xbox One games, handpicked from the console’s extensive catalog. These selections reflect the best experiences the Xbox One has to offer. For more budget-friendly options, explore our guide to free Xbox games.

Discover our top 25 Xbox One games below.

Explore more Xbox highlights:

Top Xbox One Games (Spring 2021 Update)

25. Outer Wilds

Outer Wilds blends sci-fi adventure with an enchanting sense of wonder. Its open-ended exploration might leave you floating aimlessly at first, but its meticulously crafted solar system brims with intriguing clues, gripping narrative hints, and awe-inspiring visuals that pull you from one unforgettable moment to the next.

This universe invites fearless exploration, with a time-loop mechanic that keeps you hooked while adding a thrilling sense of urgency to its tranquil discovery. It may take time to find your footing, but Outer Wilds is a journey worth embarking on.

The expansion, Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye, described as a stellar return to this intricate solar system, is available for $15 USD. Xbox Series X|S owners can also enjoy a free 4K/60fps update.

24. Destiny 2

Destiny 2’s evolving seasonal model initially sparked skepticism, but Bungie has woven a captivating, interconnected story that unfolds across seasons. Its inclusion in Game Pass makes it even more accessible, drawing in new players. Whether wielding Stasis to fend off darkness or reveling in the thrill of stylish weaponry, Destiny 2’s enduring appeal shines through, especially with expansions like The Final Shape, available now.

Check our free-to-play guide for Destiny 2 to explore all the no-cost content available.

23. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice masterfully blends atmosphere, narrative, and innovative design. Ninja Theory’s dedication to Senua’s journey creates a profound experience, with stunning visuals and a gripping story that tackle heavy themes with care. This vivid exploration of darkness is unforgettable.

Optimized for Xbox Series X|S, Hellblade delivers performance that rivals high-end PCs. Its sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, is available exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC.

22. Yakuza: Like a Dragon

Yakuza: Like a Dragon reinvents the series with a new hero, Ichiban Kasuga, and a shift to turn-based RPG mechanics. Its colorful cast and absurd side quests, like delivering formula to eccentric gangsters, elevate the series’ signature humor. Yet, its core story of betrayal and themes of marginalization deliver emotional depth.

Sequels Infinite Wealth and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii are also available on Xbox One. See our guide to the Yakuza series for more details.

21. Gears Tactics

Gears Tactics transforms Gears of War into a stellar XCOM-style strategy game, retaining the series’ hallmark cover-based combat, brutal executions, and intense action in a strategic format. With compelling characters and cinematic cutscenes, it delivers a seamless genre shift and a gripping story.

The original Gears ranks among the best Xbox exclusives of all time.

20. No Man's Sky

No Man’s Sky is a remarkable redemption story, with Hello Games delivering consistent updates that introduced Expeditions, revamped space stations, new enemies, and cross-platform bases. These enhancements have made it a beloved survival adventure, perfect for fans of games like Starfield.

Look forward to Hello Games’ next title, Light No Fire, a survival adventure announced at The Game Awards 2023.

19. Elder Scrolls Online

Elder Scrolls Online offers a rich MMO experience on Xbox, enhanced by regular content updates, including the Morrowind expansion. Available on Game Pass and optimized for Xbox Series X, it’s a flexible, immersive dive into Tamriel, perfect for casual or dedicated players.

Our guide to the Elder Scrolls series provides a complete timeline for the franchise.

18. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order delivers thrilling lightsaber combat, requiring precise parries and strategic Force abilities, especially on higher difficulties. Paired with a heartfelt story of Cal Kestus and his misfit crew, this galactic adventure is a standout in the Star Wars universe.

Its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, is available on Xbox One and ranks among the best Star Wars games ever.

17. Titanfall 2

Titanfall 2 surpasses its predecessor with a stellar single-player campaign and expanded multiplayer. Its innovative level design and surprising gameplay twists make the campaign one of the generation’s best shooters, while the multiplayer adds more Titans, maps, and modes for endless fun.

An ex-Respawn developer revealed Titanfall 3 was in development for 10 months until it was shelved for Apex Legends, which is next on our list.

16. Apex Legends

Apex Legends brings Respawn’s polished gunplay to the battle royale genre, with frequent updates introducing new Legends, maps, weapons, and quality-of-life improvements. Seasonal content, holiday events, and quests keep the game fresh, making it a top alternative to Fortnite.

15. Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain offers an expansive sandbox, blending intricate stealth mechanics with a vast array of weapons, vehicles, and AI companions. Its flexible gameplay rewards creative approaches, whether stealthy or chaotic, making it a must-play for open-world enthusiasts.

14. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Ori and the Will of the Wisps builds on Blind Forest with a vibrant world, enhanced combat, and intricate platforming. Its creative puzzles, fast-paced challenges, and emotional storytelling make it one of the finest platformers available on any system.

Moon Studios’ next project, No Rest for the Wicked, a Dark Souls-inspired ARPG, launched in early access in 2024.

13. Forza Horizon 4

Forza Horizon 4 redefines racing games with its stunning four-season rendition of Great Britain, a vast car roster, and a joyful focus on social fun. Its vibrant soundtrack and dynamic world make every drive a delight, setting a high bar for the genre.

Forza Horizon 5, the series’ latest, was named IGN’s 2021 Game of the Year and is available on Xbox One.

12. Gears 5

Gears 5 delivers intense cover-based shooting and a personal story centered on Kait Diaz. With engaging multiplayer modes like Versus, Horde, and the new Escape mode, it’s a thrilling package that resolves past mysteries while keeping the action fierce.

The Coalition is working on Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel, and other Unreal Engine 5 projects, including a Gears of War movie and animated series with Netflix.

11. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo: The Master Chief Collection bundles six iconic campaigns, with the remastered Halo 2 Anniversary as a highlight. Enhanced multiplayer, new features, and ongoing updates make this the definitive Halo experience for fans and newcomers alike.

10. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice delivers FromSoftware’s signature challenge with precise, skill-based combat and a haunting Japanese setting. New traversal and combat mechanics set it apart from Souls games, offering a rewarding, intense adventure for dedicated players.

FromSoftware’s Elden Ring, named Game of the Year in 2022, is among the best-reviewed games ever.

9. Inside

Inside is a masterpiece of minimalist storytelling and polished design. Building on Limbo, its evocative visuals, precise puzzles, and haunting non-verbal narrative linger long after completion, making it a must-play for any gamer.

Playdead’s next project is a third-person sci-fi adventure set in a distant corner of the universe, to be published by Epic.

8. It Takes Two

It Takes Two is a delightful co-op adventure with a whimsical fairy-tale aesthetic. Designed exclusively for two players, it follows a couple transformed into dolls, working together to restore their human forms. Its creative gameplay and heartfelt story make it a standout multiplayer experience.

Hazelight’s next title, Split Fiction, is set to release in March 2025. Check our preview for more details.

7. Control

Control, IGN’s 2019 Game of the Year, excels with gripping storytelling, dynamic telekinesis-based combat, and a mysterious brutalist world. Remedy’s narrative mastery keeps you intrigued from start to finish, making it an essential action-adventure experience.

Remedy’s Alan Wake 2, released in 2023, connects to Control’s lore, with Control 2, a multiplayer spin-off, and Max Payne remakes in development.

6. Hitman 3

Hitman 3 elevates Agent 47’s adventures with stunning visuals and creative assassination opportunities. From Dubai’s skyscrapers to a Knives Out-inspired mystery, its six missions offer endless replayability, making it the finest Hitman since Blood Money.

Rebranded as Hitman: World of Assassination, it includes the entire trilogy. IO Interactive is now focusing on Project 007, a James Bond game.

5. Doom Eternal

Doom Eternal is a relentless FPS masterpiece, pitting you against hordes of demons in a fast-paced, empowering combat dance. Its escalating challenges and slick mechanics make it one of the Xbox One’s finest single-player campaigns.

It also ranks among the best Steam Deck games.

4. Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla embraces its RPG evolution, offering a vast Norse-Viking world brimming with activities. Its weighty combat and accessible story make it a perfect entry point for newcomers and a thrilling adventure for series veterans.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set in Feudal Japan, is the next chapter. See our series guide for more.

3. Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 sets a new standard for open-world storytelling, with a rich narrative of honor and loss set in a breathtaking American frontier. Its detailed world, packed with side quests, hunting, and vibrant NPCs, makes every journey a masterpiece.

It’s among the best-selling games of all time, just seven years after release.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt delivers an unmatched RPG experience, with vast open worlds filled with monsters, mysteries, and personal tales. Its stellar voice acting, intricate story, and massive expansions make it a benchmark for open-world adventures.

The Witcher 4, starring Ciri, and a remake of The Witcher 1 in Unreal Engine 5 are in development.

1. Grand Theft Auto 5 / GTA Online

Grand Theft Auto 5’s sprawling, detailed world remains the gold standard for open-world games. Its engaging crime saga, told through three distinct characters, pairs with a vibrant multiplayer mode, GTA Online, offering heists, races, and endless variety for solo or group play.

GTA 6, set in Vice City with a female protagonist, is confirmed for 2025. See our GTA series guide for more details.

Upcoming Xbox One Games

Exciting Xbox One titles await in 2025, including Little Nightmares 3, Atomfall, and the Croc: Legend of the Gobbos remaster.

These are our top Xbox One game picks. Share your favorites in the comments or create your own ranked list using our tier list tool!

Also, check out our lists of the Best PS4 Games, Best PC Games, and Best Nintendo Switch Games.