The Xbox One has been out for six years now, and many great games have been created for it. While the Xbox is known for classic franchises such as Halo and Gears of War, plenty of great third party titles have released for it as well.
With that said, certain titles are just plain bad. Most games released this generation have been fantastic, reaching unprecedented levels of visual fidelity and technical mastery. However, some games are so poorly made they do not even function. Here are the best and worst games released for the Xbox One this decade based on Metacritic scores (Metascore / User score).
10 Best: Resident Evil 2 (2019) — 93 / 8.4
A reimagining of the original, Resident Evil 2 offers some of the best immersive horror players could ask for. Players explore Racoon City in one of two campaigns as either officer Leon Kennedy or college student Claire Redfield. The game combines tense combat and clever puzzles into a gripping atmosphere.
The game is hailed for its faithful reimagining of the original while still providing meaningful innovations, such as the switch from set camera perspectives to a constant, over the shoulder third-person view. Mixing excellent tension and nostalgia in equal measure, Capcom has shown the industry how to remake a well known classic.
9 Worst: Gene Rain (2018) — 32 / 3.6
Gene Rain is a buggy third-person shooter that disappoints. Buggy combat, dated visuals, and lacking weapons are all on offer here. The little story Gene Rain tries to present is initially promising with its futuristic setting but is quickly shot down by its laughably bad dialogue and vocal performances.
The game was criticized by reviewers and gamers alike for the poor cover mechanics, sluggish controls, and overwhelming amount of bugs. Players should stay far away from this Gears of War wannabe.
8 Best: Celeste (2018) — 94 / 6.7
While user scores are somewhat low, Celeste is a critically acclaimed platformer that tasks players to reach the summit of Celeste mountain. Uncompromising difficulty and tight controls culminate into an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. Add to that the beautiful art style and it is easy to see why critics universally praise Celeste.
However, the difficulty presented can be a turn off for some, hence the lower user score. If difficult platformers is a genre you enjoy, Celeste is worth a look.
7 Worst: Giana Sisters: Dream Runners (2015) — 32 / 4.7
Giana Sisters: Dream Runners should have been a home run. It had a fantastic concept, an interesting art style, and was based on a phenomenal platformer. Instead of a high octane competitive platformer, players instead got a technical mess of a game that does not execute on its vision.
The game pits up to 4 players against each other to see who can complete the level the fastest. Players gain power-ups to make things easier while trying to take their opponents off-screen. While a fun concept, the game neither works as a speedrun title or a platformer, resulting in a game that is just not fun to play.
6 Best: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015) — 95 / 7.4
All controversy about its development aside, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain contains the best stealth in series history. Each mission on offer provides countless methods of approach, allowing players to complete missions in rather crazy ways.
Even with an unsatisfying ending, the replay value provided is immense. Great visuals, near-perfect gameplay, and tons of ways to play, it is no wonder fans and critics alike rate this game so highly.
5 Worst: Ghostbusters (2016) — 32 / 0.5
Ghostbusters is the result of a team of developers creating a game no one asked for and doing so with no sense of passion. This game lacks compared to its predecessors in almost every way. Unsatisfying gameplay can not carry the lackluster jokes and levels.
At $50 retail, Ghostbusters is not worth the price of admission. Critics and users agree this game is repetitive and boring. It is no surprise this currently has one of the lowest user score ratings on Metacritic.
4 Best: Grand Theft Auto V (2014) — 97 / 7.8
Rockstar has become an icon both in and out of the gaming community. Every game they create stirs up hype within the gaming community and worry from uninformed media outlets. Despite the criticism, Rockstar manages to capture lightning in a bottle time and time again. Grand Theft Auto V is no exception.
Scoring one of the highest Metacritic scores possible, GTA V provides a mountain of content for players to enjoy in both its single and multiplayer offerings. This open-world criminal sandbox is as good as it gets.
3 Worst: Soda Drinker Pro (2016) — 30 / 2.8
Drinking soda is not an exciting activity to partake in, yet Snowrunner Games thought it was entertaining enough to warrant a game. Of course, the focus of Soda Drinker Pro is more so on memes and jokes but that does not help the unmatched dull gameplay. The terribly drawn levels do not help with player engagement either.
Soda Drinker Pro is deceptive in that another game hides in here. While that may provide a glimmer of hope to some, the second game hidden here is barely better than the soda slurping action the main game asks of the player. Soda Drinker Pro is a great example of how memes are not enough to make a game enjoyable.
2 Best: Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) — 97 / 7.6
If there is one game every gamer should have in their collection, Red Dead Redemption 2 earns that privilege. AAA western titles are relatively rare, so getting one at all is worthy of excitement. Rockstar making one, though, is worth the hype of almost anyone. And as with Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar has somehow caught lightning in a bottle yet again.
Beautiful graphics and an incredibly engaging story make Red Dead Redemption 2 soar above its competition. The gunplay might be slightly outdated by today's standards, but everything else on offer carries this game into one of this generations greatest games.
1 Worst: Fighter Within (2013) — 23 / 2.8
Fighter Within is the worst game on the Xbox One. Words can not describe how incompetent the Kinect is at registering motion, making this fighter game near impossible to enjoy.
If players can stomach the awful controls, they are left with a terrible story and uninteresting characters. This game is an embarrassment to the Xbox brand and should have never been released.