The Xbox Series X|S has loads to offer gamers straight from the jump. With Xbox's amazing Game Pass subscription service, gamers have more games at the ready than ever before. In gaming past, the launch of a new console meant players only had a couple of so-so launch titles and they were then left to wait close to a year for anything truly amazing to release.
After a rough start with the last generation, Xbox is already coming out swinging with making everything about their ecosystem inviting to players, including tons of games at launch. Some aren't the greatest, but let's work our way up the Metacritic list of Xbox Series X|S launch titles.
31 Bright Memory (55)
Most action games are made utilizing the skills of hundreds of different people, but not Bright Memory. A one-man team made this game in its entirety and though it looks great, especially for one person, the critics seem to think it's lacking a bit in quality.
30 Dead By Daylight (58)
Dead By Daylight is an action/horror multiplayer game that puts players in the shoes of survivors one would see in classic horror movies. Also, one player is the overpowered super villain killer with the sole goal of hunting survivors down. It's a game that players seemingly either love or hate, leading to a poor average score.
29 King Oddball (64)
Be a menace to the world and play as a giant sentient boulder that lobs smaller boulders with its tongue at armies and structures, trying to deal as much damage as possible in King Oddball. Though a rating of 64 is not terrible by any means, it does seem the gameplay might have been just a tad bit too simple and repetitive for the critics to rate higher.
28 The Sims 4 (66)
This classic franchise gives players the ability to take control of simulated characters' lives as they grow, live, and become who the player destined them to be. The Sims games have made their way to consoles before, but primarily they have always played best on PCs. This title seems to be no different, with the critics knocking the clunky controlling.
27 The Falconeer (66)
Yet another solo developed game, The Falconeer is a unique air-flying combat experience for the Xbox ecosystem. Though the game is beautiful and extremely smooth at 120 fps, the critics didn't fully enjoy the repetitive nature of the game.
26 Sea of Thieves (69)
Critics unanimously agree that Sea of Thieves is played at its very best when players are with friends, sailing the seas in search of treasure and other players perhaps with a bit too much loot themselves. A score of 69 is nothing to laugh at, but the game was held down for its lack of content outside of the pure pirate experience.
25 Maneater (71)
Players that enjoyed the chaotic mayhem aspects of Grand Theft Auto would love this one. Maneater is a game that puts players in the fins of a literal man-eating shark, where players eat all the humans infesting their waters. Many games are plagued with not having enough to do, and Maneater is no different.
24 Destiny 2: Beyond Light (71)
Though remarkably fun for thousands of players, Games As A Service titles are generally poorly received when looking only at review scores. They just are not for everyone, and usually, the score is based on the first impression of the game's story and mechanics. Destiny 2: Beyond Light is impossible to get an idea of based on the story alone, seeing how the vast majority of the game is the endgame content.
23 Watch Dogs: Legion (76)
Despite the most recent bug in Watch Dogs: Legion making it near unplayable on the Series X|S, the ability to play as any person in the entire game still holds out and gives Legion a very solid score of 76.
22 No Man's Sky (77)
No Man's Sky is the pinnacle of comeback kids. After the game's initial poorly received release, it has completely changed the narrative and became one of the best games for the newest generation. No Man's Sky isn't a Games As A Service game but has absolutely been dedicated to the game's loyal fanbase in evolving the game for the better with every update.
21 Star Wars: Squadrons (78)
Critics love a game that doesn't over-promise or over-price for what it is, and Star Wars: Squadrons is exactly what it appears to be. Squadrons is a ship-based galactic dogfighting game taking place entirely in the universe of Star Wars.
20 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (78)
Despite a game-breaking bug leaving Series X consoles "bricked", Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is still managing to climb its way up the Metacritic ladder into decent success on the consoles. Hopefully, that bug is fixed soon, or that score of 78 might not stick around.
19 Borderlands 3 (78)
Borderlands gets a new season with a more optimized take on the most recent chaotic looter-shooter coined as Borderlands 3: Next-Level Mayhem. Borderlands 3 hits even harder this time around taking full advantage of the Series X|S offering 60fps in 4k graphics.
18 Fuser (79)
Harmonix brought you plenty of rhythm-based jamming games, but none quite like Fuser. This newest game drops the gimmicky "controllers" like you might see in Rock Band, and instead focuses entirely on mixing many different songs together. Critics and users alike are really enjoying it, making it a real stand-out title for the Series X launch.
17 Gears Tactics (80)
The Gears series is no stranger to the top games on Metacritic, but their newest rendition seems to be hitting all the marks. Gears Tactics takes the franchise down a different path going from the action-adventure style to a real-time-strategy game.
16 War Thunder (80)
Players can go head-to-head in this World War II-era MMO as they battle tanks, naval units, and conquer the skies. War Thunder is a video game users and critics alike keep coming back to, over and over again for its very solid multiplayer war action.
15 Observer: System Redux (80)
Observer is a psychological thriller and originally released for the past console generation with a solid story, dark themes, and a lot of cyberpunk vibes. Observer: System Redux rebuilt a lot of the previous game to make complete use of the new Series X with tons of fancy lighting and completely redone character models.
14 NBA 2K21 (80)
While almost all games have released for both past and present generations, the biggest side-by-side comparison differences are seen within NBA 2K21. Gamers will be able to see actual individual drops of sweat on the players as they run up and down the court. 2K21 is one of the greatest representations of what this new generation can do.
13 WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship (81)
Get the ultimate rally car racing experience in WRC 9 FIA World Rally Championship as players drift their way to the finish line. Critics really enjoyed their time in this racing sim, even if it wasn't too much of an improvement over WRC 8.
12 Yakuza: Like A Dragon (83)
Yakuza Like A Dragon is the most recent game in the Yakuza series and the entire game is lauded as wacky, absolutely ridiculous, and a game that achieves exactly what it's going for. This game is just pure fun and the score of 83 reflects that entirely.