Ranking the 5 Xbox Exclusives of 2016 So Far

The first half of 2016 has been… interesting for the Xbox One. After showing off what was touted as the “best lineup in Xbox history” at E3 2015, many expected 2016 to be chock full of exclusive experiences. While that may still be the case for the holiday season, the first half of this year has been anything but. The Xbox One has received five exclusives so far this year, and that’s including platform and console exclusives (meaning some are on PC and/or Xbox 360).

That’s a far cry from the amount released on the PlayStation 4, but five is still better than nothing. Still, choices must be made when given options. If you’ve been looking to try out a new Xbox One game but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve ranked this years exclusive releases for you. They’re all pretty fun, but there are a few that really stand above the rest.

Let us begin.

 6. Cobalt

The folks over at Mojang aren’t only about building things with blocks. In February, the studio released Cobalt, a side-scrolling action game with a heavy focus on frantic gameplay and speed. Players can play alone or with others in 5 modes that will test your reflexes. You can use bullet time and clever maneuvering to dodge and deflect bullets. Needless to say, this is a much different game than Minecraft.

It is the lowest rated Xbox One exclusive of the year so far, though. While it is fun, it is a very demanding game and can grow to be quite repetitive. Still, if you enjoy playing with friends and are not averse to some high difficulty, you may find some fun here. 

5. Superhot

Superhot is a very interesting game. When looking at it, especially the above image, it comes across as just a first-person shooter with an interesting art direction. Enemies are a vibrant red, bullet trails fill the screen, and the world is a stark white with a few black baubles for decoration. But Superhot is much more of a puzzle game than anything else, you just get to kill people while solving it. Time in Superhot moves only as you do, meaning you have to plan out every shot and choose your steps through the world wisely. Like your enemies, you will die in a single hit, so keeping track of all of the bullets in the air, as well as positioning is of the utmost importance.

Superhot is also very beautiful in its simplicity. It pulls you in to its world and ensnares you in its simple yet engaging gameplay, making it one of the better experiences to release on the Xbox One this year. While it is technically a timed exclusive, with a release planned for the PlayStation 4 some time in the future, the Xbox One is the only console where you can play Superhot right now, and you should definitely give it a shot. 

4. The Flame in the Flood

The Flame in the Flood can easily be considered just another survival game at first glance. Recently, the genre has been flooded with new games trying to be the next be thing, yet they all seem to suffer the same pitfalls. The Flame in the Flood places you into a beautifully illustrated world with only your dog for company. The beauty masks a larger threat that hides behind the pastels and the peacefully flowing waters.

This game is also a serious challenge for those looking for something more. It will push you, and may very well piss you off, but when all is said and done, you’ll feel accomplished. The Flame in the Flood is not for the faint of heart, this well made survival game will bring out the survivor in you. 

3. Killer Instinct: Season 3

Killer Instinct is a great fighting game. When it was revealed to make a return exclusively for the Xbox One when the console launched, fans were ecstatic. Rare’s classic fighting game was back and it was more intense than ever. Since then, the developers have released more seasons, and this year saw the release of Season 3.

Season 3 keeps all of the same action but throws in some new characters, including a few guests from other franchises. Rash from Battletoads, Arbiter from Halo, and General RAAM from Gears of War help to spice things up a bit. They each bring their own unique flair to combat and that has helped to open the game up. It will be cool to see how Killer Instinct further evolves in the future.

2. Quantum Break

Quantum Break is the first major exclusive for the Xbox One in 2016. Developed by Remedy Entertainment of Max Payne and Alan Wake fame, Quantum Break puts players into the shoes of Jack Joyce. Through an accident at his friends research lab, Joyce gains the ability to control time, but with that power comes the impending end of time itself.

What makes Quantum Break stand out isn’t just Remedy’s signature gameplay, though. Sure, you can explore realistic looking levels that are slowly being corrupted by the breaking down of time, but it’s Quantum Break’s narrative that is most intriguing. While playing this Xbox One exclusive you’ll uncover bits and pieces about what led to the unfortunate events behind the crumbling of time, but it’s through the the live action episodes after each of the game’s chapters that you get to see things through the antagonist’s eyes, along with a few other NPCs.

It was an interesting approach, and a risky one too. Pulling control away from the players is not something that is usually a good idea, but the fact that you can directly control how the live action segments play out by making certain decisions during gameplay is well implemented. Watching the future unfold based on your own input was enjoyable, and the fact that you got to use all of the cool time-bending abilities was an added bonus. 

1. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition

Ori and the Blind Forest was one of the best Xbox One exclusives of 2015. Its beautiful visuals, gripping narrative, and tight gameplay helped this indie game stand head and shoulders above a lot of its AAA competition. So it’s no surprise that the Definitive Edition is also one of the best games of the year it released.

Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition is much more than just a graphical update, though. While it has some of its issues fixed, there is also a ton of new content to be enjoyed. New areas, story segments, and abilities help to expand upon what was already an amazing game. Players were able to dive deeper into Naru’s (the one who took you in at the beginning of the game) past, thanks to the new additions, and that just made everything even deeper. That’s how a definitive edition should be done, and why this game is the best exclusive of 2016 so far.