Best Xbox Series X, S, and Xbox One Games in 2023

Whether you’ve just picked up a precious Xbox Series X/S, or you’re an Xbox One gamer who wants to know what to play next, we’ve got you covered. We’ve listed out the 23 games you must play if you’re an Xbox console owner.

The Xbox Series X is one of the most powerful consoles ever created, and the Xbox Series S is no slouch either. They promise updated graphics and low loading times. That said, there are no next-generation exclusives on Xbox Series X. Not only can (almost) all Xbox One games be played on the Series consoles, thanks to backward compatibility, but every game on this list is also playable on the Xbox One. There may be next-generation exclusives in the future, but at the moment Xbox appears to be keeping game releases as inclusive as possible.

Also, for the sake of brevity, we’re not going to be including backward-compatible games or games available through Xbox Game Pass. We’re only including games you can purchase for your Xbox One or Series X/S now.

So, in no particular order, here are the 24 best Xbox games you can buy right now for your Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S console.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Accept no substitutes. When you want to play the best Microsoft has to offer, an experience you won’t get on a PlayStation or Nintendo console, you start with Halo. The Master Chief Collection includes Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo Reach, and Halo 4. Each game has updated graphics and audio, meaning you’re getting the best version of each game.

The collection gets regular updates, with Halo Reach having been added in 2019, a full five years after the MCC was originally released. As a bonus, Halo 5: Guardians, the only mainline Halo game that’s not currently included in the MCC, is currently available for Xbox One as well, so you can play the whole series before the next game, Halo Infinite is released.

Gears 5

The Gears of War series has been another Microsoft staple -- not as recognizable as Halo, but pretty close. While the original trilogy starring Marcus Fenix will always be the gold standard, Gears has fully transitioned to a new generation with Gears 5. In this game, you play as Kait Diaz and her squad (which includes Marcus’s son JD) attempting to discover the origins of the Locust.

Gears is a series with a very particular style of combat that hasn’t changed very much over the years, and it’s done to perfection in this installment. Like any good Gears game, it has an enjoyable multiplayer component in addition to its story campaign, but you may find yourself spending more time on the latter than you think, considering the series has now gone open world.

Sea of Thieves

If you want a game you can play with your buddies, or if you’ve ever dreamed of adventure on the high seas, Sea of Thieves is the Xbox game to get. Created by veteran studio Rare, Sea of Thieves lets you put together a crew of scallywag pirates to loot and pillage your way across a vast ocean full of treasure.

The game has improved significantly since its launch when it was a little lean on booty. Now, after multiple content updates, there’s enough on the high seas to keep you and your crew sailing for quite some time.

Ori & the Blind Forest / Ori and the Will of the Wisps

I’m including both games in the Ori series for Xbox, because if you want to play a game that will make you gasp at the beauty of what you’re seeing, you can’t do better than these jewel-colored fantasy platformers. You play as Ori, a tiny forest sprite who must purge the forests around it of creeping darkness, protecting the friends it makes along the way.

Blind Forest is a shorter game than Will of the Wisps, so I do recommend players try it first, but if you only have the time for one game you can definitely start with Will of the Wisps and not be completely in the dark. These are among the more visually appealing games you can play on the Xbox One, and they look stunning on Series X/S.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon

The Yakuza series was originally a PlayStation exclusive. However, thanks to Xbox Game Pass, practically the whole series has come to the Xbox. That said, if you’re a newcomer, it’s the latest game in the series where you’ll find the easiest point of entry. Like a Dragon casts the player as Ichiban Kasuga, a new hero taking the reins from the various protagonists of the previous titles, who starts the game having no connection to the previous story arcs. Ichiban’s offbeat and silly personality, and the fact he visualizes his street brawls as turn-based RPG combat is so weird that it has to be played to be believed.

The game is tied to the previous seven games in the series, but not so much that you won’t know what’s going on. If you want a fun Xbox title, this is one you have to experience.

The Outer Worlds

If you’re a fan of the Fallout games or space shooters in general, Obsidian’s RPG The Outer Worlds might be right up your alley. It’s a game set in the future, and you play a random interstellar traveler who has to settle a space colony and figure out where they fit in the vast landscape of corporate conspiracy.

This game is ideal for those who want to both enjoy an RPG and play a first-person shooter. The art design and good humor put Outer Worlds above the rest of the pack, and it’s worth sinking your teeth into. It’s also received two story DLCs since launch, so it has enough content to keep you occupied for a while.

Return of the Obra Dinn

If you’re a fan of mysteries, Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the best games of the generation. You play an insurance investigator trying to discover why the titular ship has arrived at port with none of its passengers or crew aboard. There’s no action to speak of -- in fact, you investigate the boat’s history through the use of a mysterious pocket watch that lets you see still images of the past.

This is a very slow-paced and methodical game, but if you’re interested in something that doesn’t involve shooting guns or swinging swords -- or even if you just want a break from that -- Obra Dinn is a good indie title to buy.

Forza Horizon 4

The Forza series has been an Xbox console exclusive since 2005, and Forza Horizon 4 is the most recent game in the mainstream series. It’s widely considered to be the best in the series, if not the best racing game on the Xbox One full-stop. It’s got a variety of fun game modes, cars, and challenges to keep you busy for days, especially if you get a racing wheel to use with it. Set in the United Kingdom, Horizon 4 lets you race around a dynamic, changing open world with changing weather and seasons.

Even if racing games aren’t your thing, Horizon 4 is still worth trying out for the exploratory element alone. It’s also one of the most beautiful games you can play on an Xbox console.

Psychonauts 2

The original Psychonauts could have been an Xbox exclusive, but it was passed over by Microsoft. Now Double Fine is a Microsoft-owned studio and it’s finally managed to publish the long-awaited Psychonauts 2. This action-platformer game sees Raz finding a new adventure within the Psychonauts headquarters. He must use his whole lineup of psychic powers to combat the threat and dive into a series of brains in order to uncover the truth.

Psychonauts 2 has been in development since roughly 2016, after a crowdfunding campaign by Double Fine. Now the game is finally here, and it's a must-play for Xbox console owners.

Doom Eternal

Doom is a gaming franchise as old as dirt, and yet it’s still surviving and thriving on current consoles. The latest in the series, Doom Eternal, is one of the best action shooters available on current consoles. You play as the Doom Slayer, who’s going to fix the demonic invasion of Earth even if it means ripping and tearing through every hellspawn personally.

If the exciting gameplay isn’t enough for you, Eternal actually has a good story to go along with the action -- though not a particularly serious one. It’s mostly a fun romp, following the Doom Slayer’s murderous journey, with a rare moment of pathos as a bonus.