The release of remasters has slowed, as developers move past their courtship with Microsoft's latest gaming console and get the Xbox One to do things they couldn't coax at first. This isn't the last call for current-gen holdouts, but the Xbox One's library of games now includes some spectacular options. We've rounded up eight of the best.
This list will include a few remasters and several multiplats besides the Xbox One exclusive—we're not that far into the console's life yet. The roundup will skip ranking and will just lop the top eight into an arbitrary bundle of the best of the crop. Alright, on with it:
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC)
A swan song of sorts for Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, the Phantom Pain feels unlike any other game the former head of Kojima Productions has made in the past. With the Phantom Pain, the series switches to an open world format that packs in even more play time into a beautiful marriage of gunplay and stealth, gadget and bizarre moments.
Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC)
Developer Rockstar Games pushed the last-gen consoles to their limits. On Xbox One and other modern platforms, Grand Theft Auto V has room to stretch its open world legs without having to rein in the draw distance and other details. This game is pretty—well, violent but pretty.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Xbox One, PS4, PC)
CD Projekt Red hit its stride with the Witcher in the second installment of the series. The third time around, the studio translated that success into a fully open world, and protagonist Gerald can even jump now.
Destiny (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3)
Now is a great time to catch up on Destiny, with developer Bungie having just released a massive expansion for the game and the holidays around the corner. Free time and shorter days are perfect for new "Guardians" to awaken and come to humanity's aid.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PC)
After letting some fans down with its second effort, developer BioWare gets back to what made the original Dragon Age great. Dragon Age: Inquisition is founded on another brilliant, high-fantasy tale that will take all but the most devout gamers months to complete.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Xbox One)
This one is for those new to Xbox and those who want a rose-colored, HD-tinted look back into past Halo games.
Ori and the Blind Forest (Xbox One, PC)
It's a pretty, pixel perfect platformer about an owl, Ori, who tries to save the forest.
Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One)
This one is a vibrant open world shooter that focuses on mobility and run-and-gun tactic. The game is drenched in color and filled with bizarre weapons, all making for a refreshing break away from duty's call and fields of battle. Just don't drink the orange stuff.
