In terms of exclusives, Xbox’s output isn’t as strong as Nintendo’s or Sony’s. However, people saying there aren’t any games are simply mistaken, as there are plenty, but most are smaller in scale. One exclusive even won a Game Award in 2022, although many didn’t play it.
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Every Xbox generation will be included, and the games must have been overlooked at some point in time. This can be at release or even years later. For example, one particular game was standout at release but has since been overshadowed by a better game with the same title.
10Lost Odyssey
Still, Xbox isn’t seen as a big RPG system.Final Fantasyhas multiple entries not coming to the platform but back in the 360 days, there were several fantastic RPG exclusives, including Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. Lost Odyssey is essentially the realFinal Fantasy 13, as it’s far superior to what ended up releasing in 2010.
For an early-era 360 title, the game’s massive. The story is absolutely phenomenal, but the gameplay won’t be for everyone. Even at release in 2008, the gameplay was a bit outdated, but if you’re down with old-school JRPGs, you’ll love this game.
9Ninja Gaiden 2
Xbox 360 exclusiveNinja Gaiden 2received solid reviews at release but nowhere near the acclaim of the first game and was generally seen as inferior. GameSpot even nominated it for Least Improved Sequel that year. In all fairness, it’s easy to see why when playing on an actual 360. Despite one of the all-time greatest combat systems in any game, the poor performance and bugs held the game down.
However, thanks to backward compatibility, this game runs at a locked 60fps at a near 4K resolution on Xbox Series X. This turns a solid sequel that could have been more into one of thegreatest action games of all time. Sigma 2 is on Game Pass, but please hunt down a copy of the vanilla 360 game, as it’s much better.
8Scorn
One of the more overlooked horror games of 2022 had to beScorn. With a breathtaking and striking horror game world inspired by H. R. Giger, this is an adventure you will never forget. An aspect this game does great is the progression feel of the story.
Throughout most of the title, you are attached to a parasite that, over time, envelops more of you. Due to the amazing graphics, you actually feel disempowered and in danger due to this nasty lifeform. Scorn is rather short and lacks replay value, but it is an amazing playthrough. Perfect for a service like Game Pass.
7Somerville
Somervilleis a game that critics simply didn’t get. Created by Jumpship, a studio founded by one of the founders of Playdead, who madeLimboandInside, Somerville is around the same quality. The main element of Somerville is your alien abilities with the use of the triggers. One interacts with light sources, and another solidifies an alien liquid.
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Both of these lead to great puzzle-solving, and it feels better in ways than Playdead’s two titles. This is mainly because you’re not dying constantly, which can be incredibly frustrating in Playdead’s games. Somerville is quite short, but like Scorn is a great playthrough, and you’ll never forget it. The ending especially is out of this world, requiringsome wild things to get the best ending.
6As Dusk Falls
The interactive movie game, akin to something likeUntil DawnorHeavy Rain, isn’t a genre for everyone. This is perhaps why many haven’t even heard of this game, butAs Dusk Fallsis astellar title in the genre. With a nice graphic novel aesthetic, standout voice acting, and a pulling narrative, you can’t ask for much more.
The game is split into two halves, and the first part is far better than the second, but the latter is by no means bad. As Dusk Falls also features a great selection menu that allows you to easily return to a part of the story and make different choices. The title won the Games for Impact award at the Game Awards due to its powerful themes, and if you’re even slightly into this genre, you need to play it.
5D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die
An often-forgotten Xbox exclusive is the graphic adventure game D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die. Co-directed by Swery, who made one of the biggest cult classics inDeadly Premonition, D4 continues his trademark style of wacky, off-the-wall material. It’s still a very unique experience and, frankly, a breath of fresh air compared to other Xbox One exclusives.
There is one issue, though. D4 is an episodic game with a pretty engaging story, but future episodes were canceled. This leaves the story unresolved, which will be a deal-breaker for some. However, if that won’t bother you, definitely give the game a shot, especially as it tends to go on sale quite often.
4Kameo
Kameo is a solid action-adventure game that tends to get forgotten nowadays. The controls are a bit weird at first. Three face buttons allow you to swap to a different elemental warrior, unique creatures needed for combat, puzzle solving, and platforming. Their commands are on the triggers, and while unorthodox, it just works.
Kameo has a great progression system and great pacing as well. It never really drags like many sixth and seventh gen action-adventure titles, which is a big upside. Kameo is easily the best out of the first few Rare games on Xbox. It’s no surprise Kameo was supposed to be a big GameCube exclusive and even featured on the back of the original GameCube box, but it was one of the titles later moved onto the Xbox.
3Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
The third main installment in theBanjo-Kazooieseries is one of the most underrated games of all time. Many still hate this game because it isn’t a collectathon platformer like the first two, but on its own merit, it’s absolutely amazing. Nuts & Bolts is mission-based, and while they are some bad ones, most are really enjoyable.
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Boss fights remain fun and challenging, and building effective vehicles is a highly satisfying and rewarding process. The Rare humor and personality are still here, plus the same quality music expected from the franchise. Just give this game a shot, and you might think it’s the best Banjo title.
2Prey (2006)
If you’re an Xbox gamer, you’ve likely playedPrey. It’s one of Arkane’s most acclaimed titles, but that’s not an Xbox exclusive. What is, is the 2006 game also called Prey, by Human Head Studios. The 2006 Prey is astandout FPS from the 2000s, with its alien setting, portal usage, and unique Cherokee protagonist.
Taking influence from games likeHalf-Life, you go on a long epic adventure complete with a satisfying ending that unfortunately never continued. Its gunplay is still fun to this day, and overall, Prey has aged much better than other FPS titles of the time, likeQuake 4and Resistance 1.
1Panzer Dragoon Orta
One of Sega’s more obscure franchises isPanzer Dragoon. While the titles have gotten good reviews, they’re not heavily played, likely due to some entries costing four figures to purchase. Panzer Dragoon Orta is the easiest classic entry to play since it’s backward compatible with Xbox Series X|S. The Panzer Dragoon games are mostly rail shooters but with more depth than light gun ones.
you may look and shoot in every direction, plus aiming is required for dodging projectiles since your aim also controls the dragon. This series always gave a unique spin on the genre, and Orta is no different. Be warned that the game’s quite hard, though, and you’ll definitely enjoy it more if you’re already a fan of the rail shooter genre.
