Constantly touted by Microsoft as “the world’s most powerful console”, until the arrival of next-gen consoles later this year, the Xbox One X can comfortably live up to this claim. Most modern games (both exclusive and multi-platform) simply look better on this souped-up machine, treating those with a 4K televisions with greater environment detail, improved lighting, and the ability to render games at a much higher resolution.
But what exactly are the best Xbox One X enhanced games that take full advantage of the console’s improved power? After all, developers are patching their titles all the time so it can be tough to keep track of, but luckily we’ve put together the ultimate list to help Xbox One X players better enjoy eye-widening 4K visuals and HDR lighting. Let’s take a look…
10. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Released late last year as one of the first single-player games set in George Lucas’ sci-fi universe in quite a while, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order makes this list because it looks drop dead gorgeous on a standard Xbox One, but even better on an Xbox One X. A lot of this is due to the inspired art direction, which sees protagonist Cal fight his way across several beautiful planets like Dathomir, Zeffo and more. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order might not feature enhanced 4K visuals but this, combined with some smart HDR lighting implementation, makes for the best way to play this sprawling adventure.
9. Forza Horizon 4
Most players agree by this point that the Forza Horizon series is now the benchmark for high-quality arcade racers. The fourth and latest entry released in 2018 proved this yet again, setting players off within an incredibly detailed rendition of the UK across all four seasons. Forza Horizon 4 on Xbox One X further takes this up a notch, fully playable in 4K enhanced Ultra HD resolution and HDR to render streets, cars and locations more beautifully than ever before. The fact you’re able to witness this at a fast-paced at a steady framerate speaks to the power of the Xbox One X.
8. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
From Assassin’s Creed to Rainbow Six, Ubisoft has done a fantastic job of retroactively supporting the console’s power capabilities since the Xbox One X’s release. So much so that all their franchises now look and play better than ever. Online squad shooter Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is a good example of this, combing enhanced 4K resolution with in-depth HDR lighting to make this run-down version of Washington DC look oddly stunning. The Division 2 looks so good on the X you’ll wonder how you ever managed before.
7. Devil May Cry 5
Few action games are as stylish as Devil May Cry 5. However, thanks to the unique capabilities of the RE Engine first used with Resident Evil 7, Capcom released a game that both looked great and played just as amazingly all in one package. Plus, you get an utterly bonkers story on the side. The Xbox One X takes full advantage of all this, implementing both 4K Ultra HD and authentically contrasting white and black shades to render this world of angels and demons as beautiful as possible.
6. Battlefield V
First-person shooters might be all the rage, but it was only recently that games of this ilk ventured back into the historical horrors of World War Two. Battlefield V was one of these games, seeing players fight on all fronts of the war as multiple different characters. The game was a looker anyway thanks to Dice’s beautiful Frostbite engine. Imagine, then, how this gritty anthology of war stories looks when played on an Xbox One X as tanks explode, you wade through the dirt and infiltrate Nazi war camps. 4K resolution and HDR integration both layer on top of this, hence why it makes our list.
5. Doom Eternal
The most recent game on this list of the best Xbox One X enhanced games is also one of the best, rendering the chaotic destruction of hell and mars in luscious HDR. Doom Eternal might not be presented at true 4K resolution, but this is primarily to allow the game to maintain a reliable 60 fs to truly make the action feel fast and punchy. The game still looks amazing thanks to some strong art design. Plus, the HDR integration alone adds a new element of visual depth to the Doom Eternal experience. Do yourself a favour and play it on Xbox One X.
4. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection might seem like a weird candidate to place on a list of the best Xbox One X enhanced games. After all, every one of the games featured here aren’t native to the Xbox One and therefore will be unable to look as good as any modern game. We at Gaming Deals would beg to differ, though, particularly in Halo 2’s case where the game was entirely remade from the ground up using new assets. New 4K resolution and HDR integration lets you experience these classic FPS titles in the best light yet and are therefore well worth replaying on an Xbox One X.
3. Metro: Exodus
The third entry in the cult classic Metro series varied wildly from the previous games as it let you venture above ground. No longer were you confined to the dank corridors of the Russian subway system, now able to soak in the sun while hopefully still managing to avoid the radiation. A much wider variety of environments better allowed Metro Exodus to expand its visual landscape, and this is an aspect best taken in on an Xbox One X. It ranks so highly on this list because this post-apocalyptic world looks gorgeous in 4K, helped further by deeper blacks and brighter whites (thanks HDR).
2. Gears 5
Gears 5 is easily the best first-party Xbox game to enjoy on a One X console, particularly because this allows it to maintain a steady 60fps framerate while still being rendered at 4K resolution. It helps that Gears 5 takes full advantage of a diverse suite of weather effects – from dust storms to snow sliding – to really hammer home the beauty of Kait Diaz’ follow-up adventure. HDR integration is, of course, also there to offer addition depth to the games lighting, which means that gunning down legions of Locust and Swarm looks unbelievable.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
While it’s hard to imagine how one of the most beautiful and detailed open world games ever made can be made even more engrossing, Red Dead Redemption 2 tops our list of the 10 best Xbox One X enhanced games because it handles 4K resolution and HDR lighting near perfectly. It’s nature to lean into the cinematic greatly benefits from these visual improvements, making it easier than ever to lose yourself on a long horse ride, feel threatened as part of a shootout, amongst plenty of other tasks. Up until the PC release last year this Xbox One X version of Red Dead Redemption 2 was the definitive best way to play. It still is for home console players.
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