The Best Xbox One Games of 2018

Xbox made some big decisions this year but how was their lineup of games?

Dec 24, 2018

By: Max Cannon

Though the PlayStation 4 is undeniably the most popular console out there today, the Xbox One has made some awesome last-minute moves to make it a better place to play. With 2018 coming to an end and next year's lineup is looming around the corner, let's look back at the must-have games on Xbox One from 2018.

3. Sea of Thieves

When Microsoft bought Rare from Nintendo over a decade ago, we all wondered about that next big Rare game and what it could possibly be? We got a game here-and-there but we never got our hands on that next big thing from the beloved development team. With Sea of Thieves, it finally felt like we got to see the potential of Rare met with a truly unique game. This is an online open-world exploration game set on the high seas. An online pirate game isn't necessarily anything new but adding in that Rare personality makes the game stand out from the competition.

The gorgeous water in Sea of Thieves makes sailing the high seas an immersive experience.Courtesy of Xbox

Seeing as we didn't get the chance to make a review of this game on its release, this list is a great opportunity to shine a light on this special game. Hopping in a boat with your friends sounds like a fun time but when Sea of Thieves has you turning the wheel, while your friend drops the sails, and another friend fires cannonballs at an opposing ship you truly feel like this game is an original experience. It's satisfying to say that the game's old E3 demo, which you can check out below, really captured the full experience of the game. If you're looking for a standout, family-friendly multiplayer release you'll likely be happy with Sea of Thieves.

Sea of Thieves - 4K Gameplay Walkthrough

2. Forza Horizon 4

I haven't always cared much for racing games, unless they were silly like Mario Kart or Crash Team Racing, but that really changed for me when I played 2016's Forza Horizon 3. Something about the vibrant world and massive list of things to do kept me coming back to play. So when Forza Horizon 4 was announced I remember thinking to myself, "what could they possibly add that was missing from Forza Horizon 3?" Well, the slight change of setting the world in different seasons was such a subtle but effective change that I found myself wondering, "what could they possibly add that was missing from Forza Horizon 4?"T This serious, yet lighthearted, racer opened my eyes to what is so special about this genre of game.

Forza Horizon 4's seasons help it stand out from other entries.Courtesy of Xbox

"Every other Forza staple is here, tons of different makes and models, a ridiculous amount of options to tune your car, and top-tier sound and visuals. If you're a racing fan, I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want to play Forza Horizon 4 and if you're not a fan yet then there's never been a better game to test the genre with." Check out the full review here!

1. Xbox Game Pass

Games are expensive. If you went the normal route to pick up the two games mentioned above you could spend around $120 if you bought them at full price. But Xbox Game Pass is perfectly poised to shake up how you get your games. For $10 a month you have access to a massive library of Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games to choose from and each and every first party game made by Microsoft will wind up on there right when it releases. So rather than pay that $120 for Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 4, you could pay $10 a month to get both of them and a ton of other games.

If you have an Xbox One then you won't go wrong getting Game Pass.Courtesy of Xbox

Xbox Game Pass is also made awesome because it encourages you to try out games you wouldn't normally play. If there's a title that isn't usually in your library, there's little risk to giving it a try through Game Pass. This is certainly the future of games and essential for anyone with an Xbox One.