The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S gave players exciting new next-gen games in 2023. Beautiful worlds with fast load times showed off powerful capabilities.
This article covers 10 smash hit Xbox titles from major releases to indie surprises. Key factors in popularity include:
- Console exclusives
- Genres like shooters and RPGs
- Buzzworthy franchises
Whether you enjoy single-player adventures or online multiplayer competition, these games delivered big.
Table of Contents
- Elden Ring
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
- God of War: Ragnarök
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Gran Turismo 7
- A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Pentiment
- Grounded
- Disney Dreamlight Valley
Top 10 Best Xbox Games in 2023
1- Elden Ring
Elden Ring transported gamers into sprawling realms of dark fantasy combat. Despite no difficulty settings, its rewarding gameplay challenges earned critical praise.
Key Xbox Series X|S Enhancements:
- Up to 60 FPS frame rate
- Dynamic 4K graphics
- Faster loading
Accolades:
- 94 Metacritic Score
- 17+ million copies sold
- Multiple Game of the Year Awards
From legendary creators FromSoftware, Elden Ring invites you to forge paths across misty forests and foreboding castles toward conquering demigod adversaries in this Action RPG.
Use stealth, sorcery, and swordplay to overcome colossal foes. Summon spirits or call upon friends to assist in the cinematic, heart-pounding battles.
2- Hogwarts Legacy
This open-world wizarding adventure became the best-selling game of 2023 just weeks after launch. Step into the magical world of Harry Potter centuries before his time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Key Xbox Series X|S Enhancements:
- Targets 60 FPS
- Dynamic 4K resolution
- Ray tracing visuals
- 3D spatial sound
You can create your own witch or wizard, master powerful spells, and tame fantastic beasts. Explore famous Hogwarts locations, and more. The legacy lives on even for Muggles who dream of receiving their Hogwarts letters.
3- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Call of Duty returned in 2023 with cinematic single-player campaign missions full of covert spec ops action. Signature multiplayer combat shined especially on Xbox Series X|S hardware with better graphical details and fluid gameplay.
Key Features:
- Up to 120 FPS framerate
- Support for ray tracing
- Faster load times
- FOV slider on console
This direct sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare, gamers rejoin military heroes Captain John Price, Ghost, Gaz, Sergeant Garrick and others across covert operations from Europe to the Middle East.
Multiplayer introduces brand new modes, maps and an expanded Gunsmith letting you customize hundreds of weapon configurations in the leading first-person shooter franchise.
4- God of War: Ragnarök
Closing the epic saga years in the making, God of War: Ragnarök launched exclusively on PlayStation and wowed audiences with its poignant story picking up with Kratos and Atreus in the Norse wilds.
The Game Awards Recognition:
- Best Narrative
- Best Action/Adventure
- Multiple perfect review scores
This story-driven action-adventure pulls on heartstrings with relationships while delivering white-knuckle mythological battles. Years after 2018’s triumphant series reboot, Kratos still struggles balancing protectiveness with preparing his young son Atreus for self-sufficiency in an unforgiving world foretold to end in calamity.
Their perilous journey through the Nine Realms toward destiny holds bittersweet life lessons on family and fate.
5- Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West covers new regions of the post-apocalypse USA frontier with mysterious threats endangering the hard-won peace between warring tribes.
Acclaimed sequels build successfully on original formulas. This holds true for Sony’s early 2023 epic open-world title expanding the vibrant sci-fi universe introduced in Horizon Zero Dawn.
Key Xbox Series X Enhancements:
- Multiple graphics modes up to 60 FPS
- Dynamic 4K resolution
- Vastly reduced load times accelerate fast travel between majestic environments
From snow-capped mountains to tropical beaches, Horizon Forbidden West balances a compelling narrative with rewarding expeditions into the wilds to override more astonishing mechanized creatures.
6- Gran Turismo 7
The king of racing simulators celebrated 25 years with the long-awaited Gran Turismo 7 dramatically enhancing realism for petrol heads. Meticulously constructed models, ray tracing environmental detail, adaptive triggers and haptic feedback demonstrate the PS5 hardware showcasing polish.
Key Statistics:
- 420+ vehicles
- 90+ tracks
- Livery Editor customization
- Fully-integrated GT Simulation Mode
For those craving ultimate accuracy when racing legendary vehicles across famous locales, Gran Turismo 7 represents a playful pilot’s passion project where attention to ambiance equals unmatched authenticity.
7- A Plague Tale: Requiem
This gripping stealth adventure follows siblings Amicia and Hugo on the run from ruthless forces during the Black Death pandemic ravaging 14th century France. Stunning visual set pieces immerse you between desperate escapes through disease-ravaged villages, sprawling castle fortresses, and mystical forests.
Nominations:
- The Game Awards Best Narrative
- Best Action/Adventure Game
Heart-pounding danger lurks everywhere. Manipulate hordes of ravenous rats using fire and light to distract guards and forge paths while protecting your infected brother whose mysterious condition hides a deadly secret.
A Plague Tale: Requiem builds tension masterfully in this unforgettable coming-of-age chronicle.
8- Pentiment
Pentiment captivated with its beautifully hand-illustrated world set in 16th century Bavaria as you influence an evolving story spanning 25 years. This narrative adventure from legendary designer Josh Sawyer brings history alive through clever dialogue trees and clever deductions during a time of great social change.
Key Highlights:
- 93 Metacritic Score
- Named among best Xbox exclusives
- Unique aesthetic presentation
As aspiring artist Andreas Maler, investigate a series of murders rocking an abbey town on the cusp of upheaval between clashing ideologies. The colorful illuminated manuscript style visuals pop with personality. Choices shape fates and just resolutions without clear right answers.
9- Grounded
What’s more terrifying than gigantic house spiders when you have been shrunk down to the size of an ant? Survival sandbox Grounded confronted arachnophobiac in 2023 with full release bringing accessibility options allowing more players to face fears.
Key Statistics:
- 2+ million players
- 5+ million copies sold
- Full story mode added
Awaking disoriented and miniaturized in an ordinary backyard, bravely gather essential resources, craft weapons and build bases with friends to unravel mysteries of the dangerous garden landscape now threatening your existence.
10- Disney Dreamlight Valley
This family-friendly life simulator invites you to restore forgotten Disney and Pixar worlds. Express your inner child designing a dream village and befriending iconic characters. Packed with charm and wholesomeness, Dreamlight Valley encourages creativity, customization and quirky community goals.
Accolades:
- “Pixar meets Animal Crossing”
- Among top downloaded Xbox games
Enjoy playful quests with Moana, Wall-E, Goofy or others recapturing missing memories. Grow and cook delicious crops in the valley or customize fun wardrobes mixing and matching looks across universes. The collaborative magic pays homage to legendary animated tales.
Last Word
And that’s a wrap! The above were the 10 top Xbox games people loved playing in 2023! Console improvements with features like quick resume made enjoying these rich experiences even better. Comment below which game was your favorite?
