Xbox Series X and S are the ninth generation gaming consoles introduced November 2020 by Microsoft. These machines are powerhouses featuring top-of-the-line CPUs and GPUs, memory limits not to be trifled with, and the capability to run games at 4K, 120fps, and raytracing. This list will focus on games that play best on the Xbox Series consoles and come with the “optimized” badge. Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
Best Xbox Series X Games to Play
These are the best Xbox Series X games you can play right now!
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
When Jesper Kyd plays, we all hum. Ezio’s story and the theme “Ezio’s family” left a mark on everyone who witnessed the opening of Assassin’s Creed 2. That was the second game and now, 12 years later, Assassin’s Creed is one of the most popular and revered franchises in all of gaming.
Whether you like the RPG approach or not you have to accept the larger-than-life spectacle that AC games have turned into. Valhalla’s epic tale takes you across England during the Viking age, where you play as Eivor, a Viking from the Raven clan on a journey to find a new home. 4K60fps, that’s the name of the game as this game runs beautifully on such a higher resolution and solid framerate on the Xbox Series X. For all new-gen owners, this is a must-try.
DOOM Eternal
Oh Mick Gordon, you beautiful, beautiful man! I cannot put a number on how many times my ears have been blessed by tracks like BFG Division and The Only Thing They fear Is you. DOOM made its triumphant return in 2016 and what a return it was! Last year, DOOM Eternal was released and it showed all FPS games who the true granddaddy is.
Visuals, movements, gunplay, traversal, FREAKING SUPER SHOTGUN! Every aspect of that game was nothing short of phenomenal. On the Series X, that experience is further elevated as the game takes full advantage of all that power and produces an image that runs at native 4K with options to run it at 120fps and also enable raytracing. Whether you have played DOOM or not, you must boot it up again and replay it on the Xbox Series X again!
Far Cry 6
Exotic locations and heinous villains, these two things define the Far Cry franchise, with Far Cry 6 Ubisoft delivered on both fronts. The island of Yara is exotic, tropical, and beautiful. Ubisoft went for a slightly political approach and tried making Yara so it feels like a time capsule, stuck in the past.
Giancarlo Esposito as the villain was also a bold and solid call as that man knows how to do negative roles very well. Combine all of that and put it on the Series X and explore the beauty of Far Cry 6 in 4k at 60fps. If you were wanting to go on a vacation, Yara will be the perfect spot. Your stay, however, will be a bit on the explosive side.
Forza Horizon 5
When you boot this game up, I’d recommend you to just wait a bit on the start screen and take in the scenery and the serene music on display before pressing A. Forza Horizon 5 is the largest Horizon game to date and is by far the most beautiful. There are moments when this game looks borderline photorealistic.
It’s not just the beauty of Mexico that Playgrounds games were able to capture but somehow managed to capture the essence as well. 4K60, that’s the target and while there definitely is some dynamic resolution at play here, the frame rate is hella solid and unwavering. Forza Horizon 5 is a masterclass in every sense of the word and if you happen to own a Series X then don’t think just jump straight it.
Halo Infinite
It’s Halo and Halo is back. On Series X, the campaign runs on 4K at 60fps, and the multiplayer runs at buttery smooth 120fps if your display can take it. Halo Infinite was delayed for a year and it was well worth it. Whether it was the graphical updates or the incredible feeling gameplay in multiplayer, we love everything about this game. Look, it’s Halo! If you own an Xbox and don’t play Halo then I have a question for you. Do you really own an Xbox?
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Ooga-chaka-Ooga-chaka, you know it, I know it. Guardians of the Galaxy finally got their own game and it’s really really good! While we have all been accustomed to the MCU versions of our heroes, this game and its rendition of the Guardians can give the movie guys a run for their money.
On the Series X, you have to option to play the game in quality mode at 4k 30 fps or performance mode at a lower resolution with 60fps. No matter which mode you choose the game is a jolly good time! Special kudos go to the art team as those guys are the true mad lads! The environments, detail, and colors at display in this game are out of this world and can be experienced in their full glory on your Xbox Series X.
Metro Exodus
Life is the Russian Metro post a nuclear apocalypse is hard. The Metro games did a fantastic job representing the novels written by author Dimitri Glukhovsky in video game form. In the newest entry, Metro Exodus, the protagonist Artyom ventures outside the Metro to find a new home. The spaces are open and vibrant, the combat is deep, and the story is one of the bests.
On the Xbox Series X, you can expect the good old 4K resolution at 60 fps. However, the main draw for Metro Exodus on the Series console is the ray-traced lighting. Everything that is highlighted, illuminated, or produces lights represents lighting in a natural, more organic form. Raytracing truly changes how the game looks and by extension feels and on the Series X this game shine quite brightly.
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
Test your might! Fire or Ice, Scorpion or Sub-Zero, no matter who your favorite is Mortal Kombat delivers. This long-running franchise is no stranger to controversy and is by far the best fighting game that’s available out there.
MK11 Ultimate is the best game in this franchise to this date with a huge roster, easy to pick up, hard to master gameplay, and depth deeper than the Marina Trench. On your Series X, you can enjoy higher resolution and a faster frame rate, and trust me when I Say this. This game looks like a Pixar production on your Series console.
The Ascent
Cyberpunk, co-operative, twin-stick shooter. That’s the ascent in a nutshell. It was one of the first games showcased with the Xbox Series X and boy is it a treat to your eyes!
Amazing resolution, crazy frame rate, and detailed and environmental depth are incredible coming from such a small studio. The Ascent is a small game and can be played with friends if you choose and I’d highly, highly recommend this game to anyone with a Series console.
Watch Dogs Legion
Finally, we have Watch Dogs Legion and here we have the beauty of London amplified, with raytracing. Legion showcases London in its full glory. The rainy ambiance, the blue and dusky hue, the pubs and bars, and since this rendition is futuristic, the neon glow.
Legion’s futuristic London is a sight to behold as everything here at display is crafted with so much care, attention, and detail. The self-driving cars, the street signs, the people all of them with raytracing helps London pop and stand out above other open-world games of the same caliber. Series owners, go pick this game up!
This has been the list of the best Xbox Series X optimized games. If you agree with it or if we missed some of your favorites then don’t worry, we have other lists covering topics here at Gamer Tweak.