In no other genre is level design so crucial to the very function of the narrative, and this has given way to a number of highly acclaimed games, most evident in side-scrolling platformers. The enduring series of ‘Metroid’ and ‘Castlevania’ have inspired an entire genre of its own, dubbed ‘Metroidvania’ that combines the two series’ unique elements of gripping stories with stellar level design. Ancient Greece has never been realised so well before in a video game, and especially on the Xbox One. Initial reactions to ‘Odyssey’ accused it of being too similar to its immediate predecessor, but Ubisoft Montreal’s latest endeavour would prove everyone wrong with its deep combat and skill progression, its multiple choice-based narrative, and the undoubted betterment of the RPG mechanics ushered in by ‘Origins’ a year ago. While that game was received with acclaim, the larger consensus was that the series’ mechanics had gone stale for the most part, especially in the wake of ‘Unity.’ When ‘Origins’ released last year, gamers and critics alike hailed the new direction that the series had taken, as it introduced new role-playing gaming (RPG) elements for the first time.

Much was made of the year-long hiatus that the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise took after 2015’s ‘Syndicate’ set in London during the Industrial Revolution. With high-octane action and top-notch strategic elements, ‘PUBG’ is surely here to stay. In other words, the company supported the game through its early access program right up to its eventual full release just this September. The game was first brought to mainstream attention in December 2017 when Microsoft released it via its Xbox Game Preview program.

Developed by Brendan Greene, the game took inspiration from a host of cult movies and books, including Japanese auteur Kinji Fukasaku’s ‘Battle Royale.’ While ‘PUBG’ has gone on to conquer almost every other platform, including and perhaps most surprisingly, Android and iOS, Microsoft and Xbox hold a special place in the game’s development.

Without further ado, here is the list of best Xbox One games of 2018.īattle royales were all the rage this year, and ‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’, or ‘PUBG’ as its popularly known, was right at the forefront. Do keep in mind that while rankings are subjective, the list below has given more of a preference towards Xbox One exclusives than third-party games, even when the latter kind has offered arguably better gaming experiences. From flawless racing to frantic battle royales, the Xbox One is still very much a place to be, when it comes to current-generation gaming. 2018 may have belonged more to other systems, but the Xbox One delivered spectacularly on some counts, including delivering high-resolution 4K gaming without any cutbacks.

New video games 2017 xbox one