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2023 was a wild yr for video games–with improbable titles throughout all the key platforms–and Xbox followers had their share of console-exclusives to take pleasure in. A few of these video games have been extremely anticipated and years within the making, whereas one specific gem was launched with zero preamble in any respect. Whether or not you might be searching for a practical racer to cap off the yr or are extra within the temper for an epic-scale RPG, the perfect Xbox console exclusives of 2023 have you ever lined.
Beneath, we picked 5 of our favourite Xbox video games of 2023. The listing is in alphabetical order, and all the video games on the listing are console exclusives. This implies these video games may additionally be accessible on PC, however they aren’t accessible on Nintendo Change or PlayStation techniques. Be sure you try our high 10 video games of 2023, in addition to GameSpot’s decide for Sport of the Yr.
Forza Motorsport
After a six-year break from the racing sim department of the franchise, Flip 10 Studios returned to the monitor with a sort-of reboot for Forza Motorsport. By dropping the quantity from the title and shifting the collection to an evolving sport format, Forza Motorsport is extra of a platform for Xbox’s racing sim, but it got here out of the gate as an entire and satisfying racing expertise.
Essentially the most significant change is within the RPG-style development system that naturally pushes you to change into a greater driver. Each nook and each sector is graded on a scale, and also you’re given driver XP accordingly–and so, with every lap, you try to do higher and study out of your errors. Earlier than you realize it, you are weaving via a course and getting probably the most out of your automobile as you overtake the competitors. Upgrading your automobile is a extra private endeavor, too. Not do you grind for cash and slap on a bunch of upgrades to burn everybody on the monitor. Incomes automobile XP ensures you perceive the basics of driving that individual automobile, and whereas that will sluggish issues down, figuratively and actually, it creates a extra significant driving expertise.
Within the GameSpot evaluate of Forza Motorsport, writer Alessandro Barbosa wrote, “Forza Motorsport has been gone for a very long time, nevertheless it’s evident that Flip 10 has used the time to reevaluate its formulation and implement some hanging adjustments that may seemingly ignite a brand new ardour for simulation racing for petrolheads and herald a swathe of latest gamers.” — Michael Higham
Hello-Fi Rush
When Microsoft acquired Tango Gameworks as a part of its large Bethesda buy, it was a studio that had confirmed its acumen within the horror style. It seemed set to be all scares, on a regular basis, however Tango shocked everybody with 2023’s Hello-Fi Rush. Decidedly not horror, Hello-Fi Rush is a very authentic tackle hack-and-slash and rhythm video games. It is approachable sufficient for anybody to start out taking part in and instantly have a number of enjoyable bashing robots’ bolts in, however mastering the to-the-beat motion is far more troublesome. Do it correctly, and protagonist Chai is sort of a maestro of destruction, swinging his guitar made from trash via the air and directing the world’s most violent rockumentary.
Hello-Fi Rush was a surprise-launch in January, arriving with zero earlier announcement and a wholesome dose of confusion that the Evil Inside studio had made this sport. The place have been the not-undead and monsters to shoot within the face? However that bewilderment shortly turned to please, as a result of Hello-Fi Rush is likely one of the most joyously enjoyable, uplifting, and hilarious video games of the yr. Tango Gameworks has absolutely established itself as a wild-card studio able to a lot greater than horror, and so long as nobody cuts the brakes, its future seems to be very brilliant.
In GameSpot’s Hello-Fi Rush evaluate, Richard Wakeling gave the sport a 9/10. He wrote, “It feeds on the ability of nostalgia by evoking video games like Jet Set Radio and Viewtiful Joe with its old-school vibes and contagious power, nevertheless it’s additionally utterly recent and thrilling in its personal proper.” — Gabe Gurwin
Celebration Animals
Years in the past, an surprising subgenre of social gathering sport was born: squishy little fellas doing foolish stuff. I do not actually know what to name this style which homes issues like Gang Beasts, Human Fall Flat, and lots of extra, however Celebration Animals is the most recent of them–and arguably the best. Launching on Sport Go, Celebration Animals is instantly the prettiest of all of the video games prefer it, with every of its goofy anthropomorphized animal characters having a stage of constancy that counterparts have by no means approached. However visible constancy is merely a pleasant bonus to what’s most significantly a beautiful social gathering sport.
In case you’ve performed video games prefer it, you may see some acquainted sport modes: arcade sports activities, Royal Rumble-like elimination modes atop transferring airplanes, PvP competitions the place gamers rating factors for his or her crew whereas sabotaging others. The controls are essentially unwieldy on this style, as flopping round as these mascots is supposed to be considerably unpredictable, however the good factor is that they’re simply a bit extra dependable right here, making a minor ability hole with out sacrificing the care-free nature of this sort of sport.
Irrespective of how hard-fought a spherical will get or how wheezy your cough might change into because the cartoon chaos unfolds each spherical, it all the time ends with a LittleBigPlanet-like pose for the digital camera, which permits the teams of 4, 5, or much more gamers to climb over, crash into, and headbutt one another as soon as extra to earn the middle of the body. These stills on the finish of every sport completely seize the vibe of Celebration Animals, the place dropping may be extra gratifying than some video games make profitable really feel. — Mark Delaney
Planet of Lana
What if My Neighbor Totoro’s Studio Ghibli and Limbo’s Playdead collaborated on a sport? Absolutely the tip end result would resemble Planet of Lana, a 2D sidescroller with a beautiful sea-tinged colour palette, a family-friendly (although enthralling) story of siblinghood, and an array of platforming puzzles that ought to stump its gamers, however seemingly by no means frustrate them.
In Planet of Lana, a Struggle of the Worlds-like alien invasion is seen via the eyes of a kid whose once-beautiful village is ruined, whereas the creatures seize denizens for functions unknown, together with the sibling of the playable character. With just about no dialogue–and none from a language heard on Earth, anyway–you’ll got down to rescue your sibling earlier than the alien risk leaves together with her. It is slightly darkish at occasions, however by no means greater than Ghibli’s most middle-school efforts.
The addition of a cat-like companion who helps you remedy puzzles is the kind of mechanical and narrative layer that helps get Planet of Lana out of the crowded area of cinematic platformers into a spot the place it will possibly stand as one of many extra particular exemplars of the subgenre. Whereas it is meant to be a mood- and narrative-driven sport in the beginning, the puzzles and platforming parts by no means as soon as get annoying, they usually really feel difficult sufficient to supply satisfaction for having accomplished every part with out ever crossing into aggravating puzzles or unreliable mechanics. — Mark Delaney
Starfield
It appears like an occasion when a brand new Bethesda RPG drops, and that features Starfield. The long-awaited spacefaring RPG from the crew behind The Elder Scrolls and Fallout is undoubtedly an enormous sport, and it is simple to get misplaced in Starfield hopping from planet to planet and unraveling so many quest threads. Whereas venturing out in area itself leaves one thing to be desired, the mixture of satisfying FPS fight, dogfights with customizable ships, base constructing on any planet, and dialogue choices to make all create a movement that’ll have you ever chasing one quest after one other.
The primary story is commonly not the principle course in Bethesda RPGs and Starfield is similar–there’s loads to find throughout the universe like intriguing aspect quests that’ll lead you down unpredictable paths and intense firefights that give you a chance to flex your arsenal of weapons. And thru all of it, the sensation of touchdown on new planets and soaking within the environment persistently instills a way of awe in its spectacular scale. Starfield has its share of shortcomings that maintain it again from greatness, however any Xbox Collection X or S proprietor ought to play it to expertise one in all Xbox’s huge blockbusters.
Within the GameSpot evaluate of Starfield, I wrote, “Its satisfying gunplay makes fight thrilling, particularly when it is built-in into setpieces inside its higher, extra fascinating questlines. And though restricted in its conception of area exploration, there is a novelty in poking across the galaxy to see star techniques up shut and private, and sometimes discovering aspect content material value chasing.” — Michael Higham
