Best Xbox One X games - what to play on the enhanced console

The best Xbox One X games are capable of showing you the full capabilities of the console, which is especially important since the Xbox One X changed the gaming landscape when it was released all those years ago.

It enabled the best Xbox One games to become even better, sharper, smoother, and more detailed, and games could now achieve a native 4K resolution, and the Xbox One X was comfortably the most powerful console on the market for quite some time. However, it's since lost that title since the release of the Xbox Series X, and Microsoft has since discontinued the Xbox One X.

That doesn't mean you should write the Xbox One X off completely, and if you're still playing on the Xbox One X, you're going to need the best Xbox One X games to make the most of the console – especially considering there's plenty of upcoming games that will release for both the Series X and current generation of Xbox consoles. Luckily for you, there are hundreds of Xbox One X-enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 5. 

With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR, or Dolby Atmos.

Best Xbox One X games 2024

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Assassin's Creed Odyssey isn't the most recent addition to the epic Assassin's Creed RPG franchise, but it's become a fan-favorite over the years. Odyssey is set during the Peloponnesian War and sees you stepping into the sandals of either Alexios or Kassandra as they try to uncover the truth about their history while navigating the turbulent world of Ancient Greece as a mercenary. 

Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field, and an overall richer environment. Just make sure you have the time to play it because there are over 100 hours of content to enjoy here.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Not a Call of Duty fan? Then Battlefield 1 might be a good alternative. The first-person shooter takes players back in time to World War One and by doing so completely rejuvenates the once stagnating franchise. 

Battlefield 1's historical setting helps it to stand apart from the rest of the modern military shooters on the market, with all-new weapons, vehicles, and level designs that feel fresh and capture the chaos and brutality of war.

The game offers a poignant and entertaining single-player campaign that sets a new standard for first-person shooters. Broken into six sections, each following a different character and front-line location, the campaign never feels dull or repetitive.

The single-player campaign even feeds neatly into Battlefield 1's multiplayer mode which, while familiar, also benefits from the much-needed breath of life that the change in setting gives.

Graphically impressive, entertaining, and sometimes touching Battlefield 1 is still worth loading up.

What are its enhancements? HDR

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 continues the story of Price, Soap and now Makarov, as they battle it out across familiar locations. The multiplayer is the main draw here, giving players remastered versions of all 12 maps that launched with the original Modern Warfare 2. This means a trip back to Favela, Rust and Terminal, with new maps and modes helping to keep things fresh.

While Modern Warfare 3 is something of a letdown in the Campaign department, Zombies mode is a real treat. You can deploy with a squad of friends, working together to complete objectives before extracting.

What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps

As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation. 

Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.

Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution. 

As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations. 

One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.

What are its enhancements? HDR

Ready to raze some hell? Doom is arguably the best it's ever been. Not only does Doom Eternal boast all the blood-pumping, gore-packed fun we expect from a Doom game, it also adds a bunch of new RPG-like elements we didn't even know we needed. 

If you're looking for a game that doesn't focus too much on narrative and instead throws you into ripping and tearing some demons (all while an adrenaline-inducing metal soundtrack plays), then Doom Eternal is one not to be missed - and it looks incredible with the Xbox One X HDR.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

While the original Forza titles were about pristine driving skills around perfectly kept tracks, the Horizon series has a penchant for trading paint and isn't afraid to have you get down and dirty with off-road races from time to time. 

Forza Horizon 5, the latest game in the series, carries that tradition forward by taking us to the diverse biomes of Mexico and spoiling us with some of the most exotic cars on the planet.

Like any good open-world game, it rewards exploration and offers both a structured campaign mode and plenty of distractions around the campaign.The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 5 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Mexico at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.

If the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture-perfect take of every pothole, volcanic field, and dense rainforest.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD

We'd been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint upon release. 

Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree, and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.

Gears 5 still looks stunning on Xbox's last-gen platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.

What are its enhancements? Performance Mode can boost to 60 FPS

A franchise that has defined Xbox as a platform for a long time is of course Halo, and Halo Infinite is a worthy addition to the series and our list of the best Xbox One games. With both a single-player campaign and the usual thrilling multiplayer combat, this is the Halo game for Xbox One you don't want to miss. 

Though its single-player campaign isn't the best in the franchise in terms of story, this is Halo multiplayer combat at its most fun, and anyone who loves playing online with friends will enjoy what the various modes have to offer.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is developer Ninja Theory's first attempt at publishing its own game and it's quite an achievement. The game follows Senua, a Celtic warrior suffering from psychosis who travels to Hell to rescue her lost lover.

The game uses an interesting mix of binaural audio and innovative visual techniques to communicate Senua's experience with her psychosis to the player, resulting in a game that's likely to be quite different from anything else you've played recently. 

Disturbing, insightful, and extremely enjoyable to play, this is a game worth taking a look at if you're interested in the top Xbox One games.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is the sequel to the accomplished Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and builds upon all of its strengths. Taking up the role of Talion once more, this game takes you back to a beautifully realized world that's bursting with originality. If you were a fan of the original game, we highly recommend that you pick of Shadow of War as it's an improvement in almost every way – and well worth a place on our best Xbox One X games list.

Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality. Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible). 

Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation, and shadows and lighting will be improved.  Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list. 

What are its enhancements? HDR

Minecraft was released many years ago now, but it's still as popular as ever with adults and kids alike. The sandbox survival game allows players to build with blocks in a 3D-generated world, providing a perfect creative outlet for those artistically inclined.

If you're less creative, there's also the option to explore the world, harvest resources, craft items, and square up to enemies. Xbox One X enhancements see the game keep its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), but it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.

Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open world we were hoping for. You play Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing West. 

Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly a game that will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities, and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it. And with Red Dead Online, you can team up with a posse of friends to play.

The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Despite being the sequel to a prequel about the young life of Lara Croft, this still feels like a Tomb Raider game that has grown up. The reboot which saw a brave new direction for the franchise seemed a lot of the time to be little more than a bit of light Uncharted cosplay, but Rise is a far more accomplished game - and we prefer it to the final installment, Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

There are also tombs: yes, that might seem a fatuous thing to say given the name, but the previous game gave them short shrift. In Rise though they are deeper and more plentiful. Rise also has one of the best narratives of any Tomb Raider game, penned again by Rhianna Pratchett, it's sometimes rather poignant.

Rise of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.

Needless to say, Rise of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K. This game really shines on Xbox One X.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

Rare's swashbuckling adventure Sea of Thieves lets players take on the role of a pirate sailing the seas of a fantastical world – either alone or as part of a crew of up to four members. It's up to you whether you choose to focus on trading, treasure-hunting, or plundering the loot of others. This is a great title for those who enjoy playing with others in an open-world environment, it doesn't look too shabby at all.

Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.

That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean. 

What are its enhancements? HDR

FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the extreme mode.

Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.

What are its enhancements? 4K Ultra HD and HDR

The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures. 

Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frames per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world. 

How we made our best Xbox One X games list

The TechRadar Gaming team is one that is fascinated and acutely interested in games and game consoles by its very nature. All of us own multiple platforms and have owned a vast majority of the machines from recent generations - including the mid-generation upgrade Xbox One X from last-gen. 

As a result, we have direct experience of the impact it had with Xbox One games, and what it meant for gamers who took the hardware upgrade. Combine this with plowing hundreds and hundreds of hours into the best Xbox One X games and we know which ones have the best enhancements and can offer the top experience on the console - as a result, you can trust our recommendations.

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