The Xbox Series X/S generation of consoles hasn't necessarily started with a bang. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the delay of many of Xbox's plans, never mind the rest of the industry's. As such, the Xbox Series X/S game library is still proving itself, with each new release having the potential to define the Xbox platform for years to come. That's just been shown, it seems, as a new release on Xbox platforms has become its highest-rated release of 2021 and highest-rated Xbox Series X/S game of all time. That game is Hades.
Hades is the 2020 roguelike action dungeon crawler developed by Supergiant Games that collected many of that year's Game of the Year awards. However, it was limited to just the PC and Switch at the time. It took nearly a full year for Supergiant to put together ports for both the PlayStation and Xbox platforms, which launched on August 13. The Xbox Series X/S version of Hades has since accrued an incredible 94 rating on Metacritic.
That 94 rating on Metacritic makes Hades the far and away best-rated game for the Xbox Series X/S release yet. Only one other game for the Xbox Series X/S is rated above a 90, with that being Ori and the Will of the Wisps with a 92 rating. Rounding out the other top games on the platform are Microsoft Flight Simulator with a 90, and then It Takes Two, Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 all with a score of 89.
Hades is also the best-rated game release on all Xbox platforms for the full year of 2021, at least so far. Below Hades on that list are Microsoft Flight Simulator, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, It Takes Two, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, F1 2021, Death's Door, Hitman 3, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, and The Forgotten City. Hades is the only game to score above 90. Of course, there are several months left in 2021 yet.
Some might try to read into Hades topping the list of Xbox Series X/S games and try to make it part of the "console wars." But the truth is that Hades is simply considered a great game. In fact, Hades is also now the top-rated PlayStation game of 2021 and the top-rated PS5 game overall, too. Hades stands out regardless of its platform.
There are plenty more great games to come on the Xbox Series X/S. Hades has set a high benchmark, though, so game developers know they have their work cut out for themselves. As for Xbox gamers, they can just sit back and wait for the next game to meet the quality of Hades.
Hades is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.