Summary
Spanning three console generations - the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S - the2010s had many gameslaunching exclusively on team green. From third-party exclusives to games developed and published in-house, many of these games were the best to launch in their respective year.
Only one game per series will be allowed to keep the group of games interesting; as such, the entries on this list range from titles in pre-established major franchises likeGears of Warto smaller-scale indie games. The 2010s were a rough decade for Xbox, but they still provided players with enough quality exclusives to keep the fun flowing.
The final Halo game developed by Bungie before 343 Studios took on the mantle, Bungie went out with a bang withHalo Reachand itreceived critical acclaimwhen it launched in October 2010.
Seen as a culmination of all of Halo’s mechanics rather than a re-invention of the formula, it greatly pleased veterans of the franchise whilst welcoming new players onto the battlefield and into the Spartans.
The game that connects the datedThe Witcherand era-defining RPGThe Witcher 3, theWitcher 2continues the story of Geralt of Rivia as he recovers from the events of the final book and the first game.
Including many memorable faces to fans of the books, including Triss and Foltest, this game is a continent-spanning adventure that deserves to be known as more than just the predecessor toWitcher 3.
Released in a year when attention was turning towards the next generation of games and the ill-fated Kinect,Trials Evolutionwas launched via Xbox Live Aracde to universal acclaim.
Arguably the best arcade game of its time on console,Trials Evolutionimproved on its predecessor with far more content and a generally slicker-controlling experience. It was a must-buy back in 2012 for those in any way curious about the genre.
Dead Rising 3was released in November 2013 as the pick of the bunch in terms of launch titles for the Xbox One. It was set in a vast open world that dwarfed the comparatively small shopping mall settings forDead Rising 1and2.
Players were offered the same sort of mayhem in gameplay that they had come to expect by this point, and at least in this regard, the third entry in the series did not disappoint.
Titanfallwas the result of years of development from the team that had revolutionizedthe FPS genrewithCall of Duty Modern Warfare. They sought to do the same withTitanfallby introducing movement mechanics never seen before in an FPS multiplayer game and the mechs known as ‘Titans’.
Although somewhat underappreciated, the formula ofTitanfalllives on in its 2016 sequel and other Respawn Entertainment games likeApex Legends.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, legendary developer Rare decided to release many of its classic titles in a single game. This included classics from the 90s likeBattletoadsandBanjo-Kazooie andeven games from the early 80s such asJetpacandUnderwurlde.
Despite the licensing issues that preventedDonkey Kong CountyandGoldeneye 007’s inclusion,Rare Replayprovided a worthwhile trip down memory lane and proved a return to form for Rare.
Throughout the 2010s,Forzaproved to be the acein Xbox’s back pocket on many occasions, andForza Horizon 3was no exception. Set in Australia, players were given an expansive open world in which to have fun.
It was also one of the best-looking games on the Xbox One up to that point, and, in particular, the outback region of the map looked spectacular whether playing at night or day.
Taking inspiration from the art style of classic Hollywood animations made famous by production companies like Disney,Cupheadis a run-and-gun side-scroller that can be played with a friend. Simply put, a deal is made with the devil, and players have to deal with the consequences of that decision.
AlthoughCupheaddid eventually come to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation in 2019 and 2020, respectively, it was exclusive to Xbox and Windows in 2017.
Letting playersfight, steal, and exploreacross a Caribbean-like setting proved a success at launch and has only improved over time with the game’s somewhat light content being enhanced.
WithGears of War 4generally being seen as a bit of a misstep for the franchise, Xbox was counting on one of their formerly reliable game to pack a better punch.Gears 5didn’t hit the heights the series had previously reached, but it was still a great showing.
The moment-to-moment gameplay is its best-selling point with the tight over-the-shoulder combat still enjoyable to play for long periods. Add in a story that does the job andGears 5was unsurprisingly the biggest first-party launch for Xbox sinceHalo 4.
