Between major exclusives, long-awaited sequels, surprise indie hits, and premium third-party releases debuting on Series X, Xbox’s library has proven its quality in 2025. The future of Xbox’s hardware has been questionable, but there’s no question about the wide variety of games within the Xbox ecosystem. It’s quite the eclectic lineup of games. Open-world RPGs, high-octane action games, survival base-builders, faithful remakes, and competitive FPSs all excelled in 2025.
With so much landing at once, finding the true must-plays can feel overwhelming. But after digging through everything 2025 has to offer, these 15 titles rose above the rest.
The nominees for the best Xbox games of 2025 are:
The Outer Worlds 2
If you liked The Outer Worlds 1, you’ll absolutely adore the sequel. The Outer Worlds 2 triples down on what makes the setting work so well by translating a lot of that directly into gameplay. The Shrink Ray is a great example of that, and so are the many guns, among plenty of other oddities. Beyond the expanded gameplay suite, the quests now offer more varied routing and decision-making than before, placing you firmly in the driver’s seat as you navigate the corporate dystopia within the colony of Arcadia. And thanks to Game Pass, you don’t even have to pay full retail price, giving Xbox a clear leg up over other platforms.
Keeper
Keeper is an indie game that absolutely deserves more attention. Its blend of genres—base-building, mystery, and survival—is executed with smart quality-of-life features and genuinely fun mechanics. Keeper is also a visual standout. The painterly art style and atmospheric music elevate an already addictive gameplay loop, making it easy to lose entire evenings to it. Even with all the AAA blockbusters dropping in 2025, Keeper keeps pulling us right back in.
Battlefield 6
Well, DICE has finally done it—they’ve knocked a Battlefield out of the park for the first time in what feels like ages. This large-scale objective-based FPS recaptures everything players loved about Battlefield 4, with improved squad play, and smartly designed maps that reward coordinated tactics. Paired with phenomenal graphics and impressive performance, Battlefield 6 represents a true return to the glory days of this tactical warfare genre.
Clair Obscur: Expedition
Expedition does just about everything you could ask for in a video game. Its art direction is striking and original, the turn-based timing mechanics add an addictive twist to the classic formula, and the story and characters deliver all the emotional punch RPG fans crave. It’s a masterful consolidation of what makes games unforgettable, making it an obvious frontrunner for multiple game awards.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
I can’t say enough good things about this game, so I’ll be brief. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is simply the most impressive open-world RPG released in recent memory. It sets a new benchmark for main storylines in open-world games, and its side quests are absolutely worth seeking out. You again play as Henry, the down-on-his-luck everyman trying to survive in medieval Europe, and the grounded role-playing systems make this feel like a true immersive-sim experience. From herb brewing to blacksmithing and countless other mechanics, it’s a dense, reactive world. It’s also a visual powerhouse that shines on the Xbox Series X.
Ninja Gaiden 4
You’ve gotta appreciate how unapologetically “video gamey” Ninja Gaiden 4 is. It’s a full-throttle return to the hardcore character-action games of the 2000s, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. The standout highlight, of course, is its buttery-smooth, lightning-fast combat. Few games in 2025 were as rewarding to master as Ninja Gaiden 4’s combo-heavy battle system. Add a story that respects the series’ lore and a crisp graphics/performance package, and you’ve got an easy fan favorite.
Atomfall
In a year with many RPGs, it’s somehow a lower-scale release from the Sniper Elite studio that stands out. This retro-futuristic RPG benefits from Rebellion’s reliably strong gunplay, while its crafting and survival systems create an engaging gameplay loop that encourages all the looting you could want. But it’s the clever environmental storytelling and branching narrative that make this one warrant multiple playthroughs. If you like Fallout in any capacity, you owe it to yourself to give Atomfall a shot.
Elden Ring: Nightreign
Nightreign may not be what the purely single-player crowd hoped for, but it proves that FromSoftware is more than capable of branching out from their usual formula. Yes, the game still takes place in a familiar though dramatically rearranged Lands Between, but its wild new bosses and fast-paced co-op structure make it hard to put down once you start.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
If you’ve never played a Musou game before, this is the place to start. It’s a reboot that refines and enhances everything about the series while telling the Three Kingdoms narrative from a fresh cinematic angle. Battles are as massive as ever, with hundreds of enemies on-screen posing a threat to your larger-than-life warrior. Seeing all the familiar Three Kingdoms characters fully voice-acted with lengthy scripts is a genuine delight; this is some of the strongest character work the franchise has ever seen.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
It’s been a long time coming, but a feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed has been finally delivered. Classic AC stealth is represented through the shinobi Naoe, while Yasuke the samurai offers a more arcade-y brawler playstyle. The dual-protagonist structure broadens the narrative while executing the most robust gameplay suite the series has ever featured. But the true star is the setting. Sixteenth-century Japan looks spectacular thanks to the dynamic weather, day/night cycle, and diverse biomes.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
I don’t know how, but id Software continues to reinvent Doom’s gameplay with every installment. This time, the Doom Slayer arms himself with medieval armor and a brutal flail, turning the familiar demon-slaying chaos into something both fresh and ferocious. Between the heavy metal soundtrack and the medieval enemies, Doom: The Dark Ages feels new while still preserving everything fans love about the genre.
Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 may largely stick to the established formula, but it refines its looter-shooter DNA in meaningful ways. The standout improvement is the loot system: drop rates feel more balanced and quality-of-life upgrades like a dedicated legendary icon finally make sorting your haul painless. Meanwhile, combat remains as sharp satisfying as ever. With its biggest open world yet and the strongest gameplay in the series, Borderlands 4 is the 2025’s best looter-shooter.
Black Myth: Wukong
Xbox players can finally enjoy what many considered 2024’s Game of the Year. Nailing the FromSoftware-inspired formula while maintaining a wholly unique identity is no easy task, yet Game Science managed to exceed expectations. The animation work surrounding the protagonist’s transformations and abilities is exceptional, and the setting is truly enchanting. It’s easy to lose track of time battling a tough boss, but the lean, focused level design respects that time without adding any unnecessary bloat.
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 is another smash hit from 2024 arriving on Xbox platforms, and it’s an absolute treat. Servers have been smooth and reliable, and frequent updates keep missions, objectives, and enemy factions feeling fresh. Few squad-based games are as funny, chaotic, and endlessly replayable as Helldivers 2. If you’re on Xbox, now is the perfect time to dive in.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
What an absolute delight it was to see Bethesda shadow-drop a remake of one of their most influential titles back in April. The best part is how faithful the remaster remains to the original while still looking fantastic on modern hardware. Many longtime fans may miss the old bloom-heavy aesthetic, but this remaster nails the lighting and texture work on a technical level. Quality-of-life additions—like a sprint toggle and new combat animations—make this the ideal way to experience Oblivion. Best of all, it releases at a reasonable price and includes all DLC and expansions.
And the Best Xbox Game of 2025 Goes to:
Clair Obscur: Expedition
Expedition is tailor-made for those who cherish the artistic and interactive potential of video games. Its gripping, gut-wrenching story and deep yet familiar battle system keep you hooked from start to finish. It’s a complete experience in every sense. More importantly, it embraces its identity wholeheartedly. The enemies are unlike anything else in modern gaming; you don’t see masked many nightmare inspired creatures in any other RPGs, for example.
Its exploration of themes like fate and sacrifice may sound derivative on paper, but in execution it feels like a classic story reimagined through a unique lens. Only video games can convey this blend of style, timing-based combat, and narrative impact so cohesively. And so, Expedition rises to the top as our favorite Xbox game of 2025. It fires on all cylinders, and does so with a voice that is distinctly its own.
