4) Xbox One
146 Console Exclusives
Although much its best content is multiplatform, there’s still plenty of console exclusive games to enjoy on Xbox One. 2015 was a stellar year for the console, in particular (though certainly not “The Greatest in Xbox History”). Forza Motorsport 6 led the way, and of all of its first party exclusives this generation, Forza is the franchise that has enjoyed the most critical success. Both Forza Motorsport 6 and the open-world spin off Forza Horizon 3 were lauded for their excellent driving mechanics and a massive selection of cars.
Other marque IPs such as Halo and Gears of War have both seen successful releases on Xbox One, even if the former didn’t quite hit the high notes of previous entries in the series. Gears of War 4 continued the series excellence, introducing a grittier narrative and a more interesting set of characters in addition to some sweet gameplay features. And Remedy Entertainment, the developer behind the Allan Wake series, also impressed with Quantum Break.
Perhaps the console’s most acclaimed new IP is Ori and the Blind Forest, a gorgeous metroidvania side scroller. This beautiful but tough as nails indie has emerged as one of the big reasons to get on board with Xbox One, and its upcoming sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps is highly anticipated.
Unfortunately, the Xbox One is unquestionably stuck in a rather worrisome dry spell at present. Beyond Sea of Thieves and Crackdown 3, there isn’t much in the way of AAA exclusives for Xbox One gamers to look forward to. Surely, though, Microsoft has something up its sleeve for 2018 to combat competition from Sony’s impressive upcoming selection of its own exclusives.