Amidst the recent announcement of big changes coming to the Game Pass model, including a notable price hike that sparked controversy, it feels like the right moment to reflect on Microsoft's gaming legacy over the past decade — especially the quality of its games. The Xbox division isn't often associated with producing highly acclaimed hits, but there are some undeniable successes nonetheless.
All of the following titles are critically acclaimed Xbox games with at least a 90 average score on OpenCritic. The focus is on Microsoft first-party titles developed or published by Xbox Game Studios. But some highly rated third-party games that launched on Game Pass from day one are also included, showcasing the strongest examples yet of Microsoft's gaming partnerships and exclusive offerings within the wider Xbox ecosystem.
Forza Horizon 5
OpenCritic Score: 92
The current king of the open world arcade genre (at least until the release of Forza Horizon 6 next year), Forza Horizon 5 is a phenomenal racing title, leagues ahead of the competition. In terms of visuals, physics, music and the sheer volume of content, Forza Horizon 5 feels like a premium release. Plus, it's just plain fun to boot up and drive around for a few minutes.
Some players believe that Playground Games plays things too safe with the formula, making only minor changes from one entry to the next. But still, there is still nothing on the market like it Forza Horizon series, as evidenced by its many awards. Forza Horizon 5 was named Best Racing Game at both The Game Awards and DICE Awards, while also receiving multiple awards for its visual design and sound design.
Microsoft Flight Simulator
OpenCritic Score: 92
As Forza Horizon series, Microsoft flight simulator titles occupy a niche of their own. They offer unmatched reach, quality and accuracy in their field, thanks in large part to the company's vast invested resources and ever-changing nature.
The latest Microsoft Flight Simulator represents the pinnacle of this approach: an ultimate flying sim unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon. Combining cutting-edge technologies suited for educational purposes while remaining deeply engaging as an exploration experience, the game was hailed as a true glimpse into the next-gen future, blurring the line between the real and virtual worlds like never before.
Forza Horizon 4
OpenCritic Score: 92
The previous best (and, for many, still the best) entry in the series, Forza Horizon 4 considered to be even more impressive than its predecessor. This game is the one that introduced changeable seasons and achieved a level of graphical fidelity unmatched by the competition. Forza Horizon 4 is a true paradise for racing fans, combining flexibility, accessibility and excitement. Its award-winning track record, including multiple Best Racing Game awards and the overall title of Xbox Game of the Year 2018, helped cement its cult status.
It is worth noting that Forza Horizon 4 is now considered a legacy title, having been removed from digital storefronts and the Game Pass catalog in December 2024. The game is still fully playable for those who own it, so it still deserves a place among the best Xbox games.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
OpenCritic Score: 92
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the first title on this list that was not created or funded by Microsoft's Xbox division. Instead, it represents a standard Game Pass partnership for third-party releases, and one of the most successful examples to date. As such, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 earns its place here as one of the best third-party games available to Game Pass subscribers from day one.
The game became one of the highest rated titles of the year and a strong contender for Game of the Year, having already secured several awards. Thanks to its inclusion in Xbox's subscription service, thousands of players got the chance to experience it, although it's difficult to determine the exact audience distribution across platforms.
Hollow Knight: Silk Song
OpenCritic Score: 92
Hollow Knight: Silk Song are in the same boat as Expedition 33. While this self-published indie title wasn't funded by Microsoft, it was launched as a day-one version of Game Pass through a standard third-party deal, making it worth mentioning here. As Clair Obscur, Silk song is expected to appear on several GOTY lists later this year, and has already been hailed as one of the best metroid vanias ever made.
Silk song Also marks another strong move from Microsoft, securing this highly anticipated release for the Game Pass series. Still, many players who had been waiting Hollow Knight: Silk Song for years probably opted to buy it outright instead of playing it through a subscription, especially given its modest launch price.
Ori and the Blind Forest
OpenCritic Score: 90
Ori and the Blind Forest was developed by Moon Studios and published as a Microsoft first-party title, as the company acquired the game about a year after development began). It's an outstanding gem in Microsoft's gaming lineup and ranks alongside its sequels among the highest-rated and most-loved Xbox titles.
A visually stunning and emotionally charged metroidvania platform adventure, Ori and the Blind Forest won several prestigious awards in the 2015–2016 season. These include Xbox Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards, Best Art Direction at The Game Awards and Artistic Achievement at the British Academy Games Awards.
Minecraft
OpenCritic Score: 90
It is still debatable about Minecraft should be considered an Xbox game, given that Microsoft acquired it for $2.5 billion in 2014. However, since its re-release in 2017, the game has become a core first-party service with a large audience. It would feel wrong to rule it out, given the extent of Microsoft's investment in the franchise over the years.
With Microsoft's support can Minecraft brand has been expanded to include several spin-offs, such as The earth, Dungeonsand Legendsalong with a new feature film that became a big box office success. Thanks to its ever-changing nature, Minecraft remains the definitive sandbox game and continues to attract millions of players to its worlds.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
OpenCritic Score: 90
Staying true to the strengths of the original, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an equally outstanding Xbox title, developed in partnership with Microsoft and released as a day-one Game Pass game. As Moon Studios grew, the sequel's visuals received a major overhaul, transitioning from 2D artwork in Ori and the Blind Forest to 3D models against multi-layer backgrounds. The result is an even more breathtaking metroidvania that justified its long development time.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps scored similar average points to the first game. Like its predecessor, it was once again a prestigious award winner for Microsoft, receiving Xbox Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards and winning several NAVGTR awards.
