Whatoplay presents 10 of the best Xbox One titles from the first half of 2021. All arranged
by playscores. To check out our full list, visit our page on all the best Xbox One games of 2021.
10. Outriders Square Enix’s
looter-shooter was something we didn’t expect from a Publisher known for great JRPG stories.
Outriders had a polarizing launch. On one hand, it was met with praise
due to its focused gameplay and satisfying endgame. But on the other hand,
it was also criticized for being a vague attempt at a shooter with a severe lack of road map. While
it’s not a live service game like Destiny 2 and Warframe, it still has its own strengths to show,
but compared to all the shooters on the market, it’s pretty mediocre with a playscore of 7.65.
9. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 A sequel to CI Games’ glorified
first-person shooter. Contracts 2 puts you right in the face of danger, requiring you to show off
your hardened assassin skills once more. Travel to the Middle East and fulfill your objectives.
If you’ve ever played a Sniper game before, this one’s no different. Take out your targets with
surgical precision from a thousand miles away and use a variety of tools at your disposal.
Mix and match close-quarters and ranged combat to overcome numerous challenges. A playscore of 7.75.
8. MLB The Show 21
This annual celebration of all things baseball gets the optimal experience for Xbox consoles.
The Show 21 is designed for baseball fans who want the complete next-gen experience. Don’t worry,
for old-gen consoles like the Xbox One, the game runs fine even without the visual improvements.
The game is streamlined to cater to new players, with tutorials for all would-be
baseball fans that may not even know what it is. It receives a playscore of 8.32.
7. Subnautica Below Zero Unknown Worlds’ latest
takes us once again into the deep dark underwater abyss. Below Zero takes place
years after the first game and this time it comes with a cohesive story. Help the protagonist find
the answers to all her questions as she survives the harsh and terrifying alien planet. The usual
Subnautica gameplay is still around; scanning underwater creatures, crafting, and running
away from horrifying leviathans never gets old. Subnautica Below Zero gets a playscore of 8.36.
6. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Yoko Taro’s bizarre science fiction series goes
back to its PlayStation 2 roots. The first chapter of the NieR series is more than just a Remaster.
It’s a fresh re-telling of the events before NieR Automata’s story, featuring a not-so-familiar
protagonist for anyone who’s only played Automata. Despite its ‘prequel’ nametag, its combat is made
better by following Automata’s stylish hack and slash action. The story, while impressive, might
leave more questions than answers, especially when you’re new to the series. A playscore of 8.43.
5. Resident Evil: Village
The biggest CAPCOM game in recent memory is a sequel to their first-person survival horror
series. Ethan Winters is back and this time he’s on the hunt to find his missing daughter. Help
him as he navigates around this creepy Village teeming with different kinds of abominations.
The game runs well on old-gen platforms, especially on the Xbox One. The RE Engine
is fully optimized to give players the best survival-horror experience. A playscore of 8.54.
4. HITMAN 3 IO Interactive’s final entry to
their assassination series ends with a bang. It’s the best-looking HITMAN game to grace the consoles
and it offers enough content for players. Travel around the world to fulfill a laundry list of
objectives. There is no correct way to fulfill your mission, and all that trial and error can
give you hours and hours of fun. The game is at its best on the Series X and S machines. But the
Xbox One’s version still runs like a charm from start to finish. It receives a playscore of 8.60.
3. It Takes Two A new cooperative
adventure from the minds behind A Way Out. It Takes Two is a hilarious two-player game
to play with your special someone or a friend. Help Cody and May fix
their marriage problems by finding their way around surreal landscapes,
each with a gameplay gimmick of their own. Work together in a not-so-recommended marriage therapy
by solving puzzles and jumping from platform to platform. It’s a lengthy experience,
so make sure you and your partner find the time to finish it! It receives a playscore of 8.70.
2. Little Nightmares 2 The sequel to Tarsier
Studios’ horror-platformer no longer follows the yellow-raincoat girl we’re familiar with.
Instead, we’re stepping into the shoes of Mono, a secondary character turned protagonist.
Help him make his way around this surreal and nightmarish world and escape from the many
monsters that haunt him. As a sequel, it did give us a new perspective on its universe, but
there isn’t much in the way of innovations, aside from its bigger set-pieces. A playscore of 8.83.
1. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition It’s currently the best game for both Xbox One and
PlayStation 4 consoles. BioWare’s epic three-part space opera is an experience worth diving into.
Any fan of science fiction stories will find something for them in this massive trilogy. Follow
Commander Shepard as he goes on a race against time to save the Galaxy from the Reaper invasion.
Throughout your journey, you’ll meet a memorable cast of characters while traveling from planet to
planet in search of answers. This Legendary Edition provides a complete visual upgrade,
quality of life improvements for old and new players,
and streamlined controls that make it accessible for everyone. A playscore of 9.02.