A non-legendary Bo weapon can be found by exploring the main landmass of the game. However, to find more Bos from enemies and chests, a player would need to have found at least one Unique Bo.

PS5 Pro players also got a massive upgrade, with Assassin’s Creed Shadows getting support for PSSR 2. Ubisoft has said that this will lead to improved image quality and performance. Nintendo Switch 2 players can now change up their control scheme thanks to the ability to use a mouse and keyboard for added precision.

The update weighs in at 17.46 GB on Xbox Series X/S, 3.45 GB on PS5, 5.4 GB on Nintendo Switch 2, 14.66 GB on PC through Ubisoft Connect, and 4.4 GB on Steam. The macOS version of the update comes in at 9 GB. For a full list of all the changes made to the game, check out the patch notes below.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S last year before eventually also coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. For more details, take a look at our review for the base game, and its Claws of Awaji expansion.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Title Update 1.1.10 patch notes:

Bug Fixes & Improvements

Gameplay

• Fixed an issue with fast travel points being unavailable.
• Enemies can now suffer up to 5 afflictions at the same time.
• Fixed an issue with extra Rations being obtained from Claws of Awaji not being visible under maximum Rations in stats sheet.
• Fixed an issue with damage increases not applying while unarmed.
• Fixed an issue with various stat sources capping at +100%.

UI

• Fixed crashing issue when checking add-on content.
• Resolved an issue where total progression remained at 97.89% after all content was completed.
• The Detailed Stat Sheet now shows Combo Ender damage and correctly reflects any damage issues.
• Detailed Stat Sheet adjusted to now display capped and uncapped stats more clearly.
• Fixed an issue after updating, encountering a ‘Missing Content’ error causing the player to lose all gear earned from the expansion Claws of Awaji.

Weapons & Perks

• Corrected an issue for Yasuke’s Samurai passive ability “Defensive Break Level 3” showing +50 instead of 150% damage on enemy collisions.
• Fixed an issue with the “Critical Insight” heighten senses upgrade being nonfunctional.
• Fixed an issue with the “Hidden Onslaught” hidden hand upgrade being nonfunctional.
• Fixed an issue with “Extended Duration” Tenzutsu Burst upgrade, from Claws of Awaji being nonfunctional.
• Fixed an issue where the “Defensive Breach” upgrade would not show +50% damage on enemy collisions once upgraded to rank 3.
• The “Oni’s Rage” Kanabo’s perk now specifies it spreads 25% bleed buildup on kill.
• Fixed an issue with some trinket perks requiring the inventory to be closed before visible in Detailed Stat Sheet.
• Fixed an issue with “Underworld Emissary Horns” helmet perk’s bonus damage not vanishing after entering a smoke bomb’s radius.
• Fixed an issue with “Claws of the Tides” long Katana perk sometimes failing to make the next attack postured.
• Fixed an issue with affliction conversion perks being nonfunctional.

Localization

• The “Hurricane Stance” Naginata ability from Claws of Awaji now specifies how much ability damage is dealt.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Quests

• “Brothers In Arms”: Fixed an issue where players are unable to loot corpses to progress in the mission.
• “Lost and Found”: Fixed an issue after defeating Sentinel Boss while remaining in the arena.
• “The Winter Raiders”: Players can now complete the mission after defeating all the Winter Raiders.

With 334,384,499 hours spent cumulatively in the game’s take on the Sengoku period, and more than four billion targets falling to all of our hidden blades, it’s quite clear that Shadows has given the franchise a much-needed shot in the arm. It’s certainly the beginning of a fresh new start for the ones who strike from the, ahem, shadows. The fun hasn’t stopped there, as the Brotherhood’s Japanese chapter has seen 26 million cats receive their dues from Assassins who happen to be prowling in their territories.

If you didn’t get the chance to visit the game’s high-octane take on one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, Naoe and Yasuke’s efforts to reclaim their homeland for its people were the basis for a very impressive title, leading to five million players within about three months. It’s going to be a guiding force for future projects in the franchise. It’s quite an exciting time to be an Assassin with multiple titles in the works and a new Netflix series on the way.

https://x.com/assassinscreed/status/2036382515691200580

Speaking to IGN, Dansereau commented on how new additions to the game are going to be a major factor in future releases, with a special focus on the new Atmos weather system and the addition of ray-traced global illumination. Both of these brought the franchise’s take on ancient Japan to life in very impressive ways.

“I’m proud that we shipped the game! It’s quite a challenge, and with Assassin’s Creed, there are a lot of people involved, so it’s a collective challenge. I was at DICE not so long ago, and shipping any game is a small miracle, according to all developers. It’s quite a challenge, and with Assassin’s Creed there are a lot of people involved, so it’s a collective challenge.

“The legacy, I think, is we’ve pushed quite a lot of things: we’ve improved parkour, stealth. Fighting, we’ve pushed certain elements of it. In all the systems, we’ve guided a lot of technology in the game that I think will become legacy for future ACs. There are quite a few things that will make their way through (to upcoming games).”

Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe is probably going to be the most obvious beneficiary of the lessons Ubisoft has learned from Shadows (with creative director Jean Guesdon describing it as “unique, darker, and narrative-driven”). However, it’s far from the only addition to the franchise’s pipeline, with the much-anticipated remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag expected to be revealed later this year with a potential launch in 2027.

We’re hoping that the Brotherhood manages to sustain the momentum it has created from its Japanese chapter and bring us more sneaky stabbing sooner rather than later. In the meantime, check out our review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows here for more details. You can also learn more about its last major update here.

If you’ll recall, CD Projekt RED said there were no plans to support PS5 Pro back in November 2024 (which it further reiterated regarding patch 2.2). To see it change course is quite interesting. Of course, how the development team plans to utilize it remains to be seen.

Thus far, other developers have praised Upgraded PSSR for providing higher-quality and more stable image quality. In Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Silent Hill f, it’s helped reduce flickering to a significant degree compared to the older PSSR. Ninja Theory even praised it for improving the quality of particles in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.

If PS5 Pro support is on the horizon, then you have to wonder about that other long-requested feature, New Game Plus. Is this a sign that CD Projekt RED is finally going to give in to fans? One certainly hopes, so stay tuned for updates in the meantime.

“We’re winding things down with smaller, less frequent updates… but still a few surprises! At the same time, our teams will begin shifting more focus toward what’s next for Assassin’s Creed,” wrote Vantage Studios’ head of content Jean Guesdon in a post.

As for what Assassin’s Creed fans can look forward to, Ubisoft has announced a mix of things, both new and old, that will keep players sated as it works on the next major entry in the franchise. 2014’s Assassin’s Creed Unity—originally released on PC, PS4 and Xbox One—will be getting a current-gen update for consoles, bringing in 60 FPS.

Another older title coming back in a major way is the finally-confirmed remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. The company made the announcement with a piece of concept art, along with the brand new logo for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Guesdon hasn’t announced any official release date, however. Instead, he said that fans should “keep your spyglass on the horizon.”

Looking to the future, Guesdon provided a small update on the development of Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe. “While we know we haven’t shared much about this one yet, it’s being built with great care by our veteran team here at Ubisoft Montreal,” he wrote about the title before reaffirming that it will offer “a unique, darker, narrative-driven Assassin’s Creed experience, set during a pivotal moment in history.”

Assassin’s Creed Invictus also got a shout-out from Guesdon, who called it a “new approach to multiplayer” for the Assassin’s Creed franchise. However, he didn’t go into much detail, only noting that “it isn’t quite what the rumors have suggested.” Currently, the development team is still “exploring ways” to get the community involved, since player feedback is “at the heart of our approach.”

Work on Assassin’s Creed Shadows is winding down after the game got several updates, with an entire year’s worth of post-launch support. The most recent of these was released back in February, which brought in the new Manual jumping feature. Once enabled, it allows players to jump whenever they might want. While this might sound fairly mundane, the extensive parkour capabilities that Naoe is already equipped with can pair up with the ability to jump whenever she wants to give her access to new areas, and a lot more freedom in how she moves around.

Along with this, the update also brought in detailed stats on just about every aspect of Assassin’s Creed Shadows you might want, be it how much damage you deal, to how cooldown reduction items might affect your abilities.

For more details on Assassin’s Creed Shadows, check out our review of its launch version. Also take a look at our review of its expansion—Claws of Awaji. The title is available on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.

As per the studio’s Q3 FY2025 financial report, which you can peruse here, Shadows’ Switch 2 debut has been a boost to its active player counts, as has the release of an insightful look into Basim’s past in Valley of Memories. With Shadows taking the franchise back to feudal Japan for some good, old-fashioned parkour and stealth, and with Naoe and Yasuke blending their distinct playstyles into the gameplay loop, it’s safe to say that the long wait for the Assassin’s Japanese story was well worth it.

CEO Yves Guillemot expressed satisfaction with the company’s performance last quarter, doubling down on the restructuring plans that have been at the center of a lot of discussion recently. “We delivered a solid third-quarter performance, with net bookings growing at a double-digit rate year-on-year, exceeding our expectations. This performance reflects the strength of our portfolio and the breadth of player engagement across our core franchises, supported by recent releases and live content updates that continue to resonate with players.”

Although Assassin’s Creed was named explicitly, the Switch 2 version of Shadows has been mentioned as a factor in the last quarter’s success. With the title being rather make-or-break for the studio after a string of mediocre releases, it’s indeed heartening to know that The Brotherhood has been able to bring it some much-needed good news.

The post is a the latest iteration of the Xbox Excellence Awards, which was created last year to celebrate how players engaged with various releases on Xbox. The Store Rating category lists 2025 games with the best ratings on the Microsoft Store, with an added requirement of the title having at least 500 ratings. Player Engagements is about the average number of hours spent on a game by each player within the first six weeks of a game’s release. Daily Active Users celebrates titles, expansions or updates with the highest single-day active users throughout the year. And finally Units Sold is fairly self-explanatory.

Going down the lists, you’ll find many of the biggest releases of the year, from ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6, as well as award-winning RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Indie titles have also been well-represented, with games like Crime Scene Cleaner and Satisfactory making it into the lists. There also doesn’t seem to have been a singular genre to dominate the lists, since everything from sports games like EA Sports Madden NFL 26, to fantasy adventure life sims like Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, and even fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics are well represented.

Curiously, none of the games was present in all four of the categories. At most, we got to see titles like Borderlands 4 being able to make it on to three of them: Player Engagement, Daily Active Users and Units Sold. Even ARC Raiders, which has seen quite a bit of success, is only on the Units Sold and Daily Active Users lists.

Microsoft has also emphasized that the lists represent a diverse collection of games developed by studios of varying sizes. All in all, it represents 48 unique developers based out of 13 countries, with 24 publishers having had a hand in their release. 19 of the games were self-published. “Taken as a whole, it’s an encapsulation of development on Xbox – we want gaming to reach you wherever you are, and for the teams making those games to find you from wherever they are,” wrote the company.

Full list of games:

Store Rating:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Crime Scene Cleaner
• Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• Dreamcore
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Lies of P: Overture
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• Little Nightmares III
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
• Minami Lane
• Mullet MadJack
• Poppy Playtime Chapter 4
• Satisfactory
• Silent Hill 2
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
• The First Berserker: Khazan

Player Engagement:

• Borderlands 4
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• EA Sports College Football 26
• EA Sports FC 26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
• Farm Together 2
• Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
• Helldivers 2
• Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• MLB The Show 25
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• NBA 2K26
• NHL 26
• Rust
• Satisfactory
• The First Berserker: Khazan

Daily Active Users:

• Arc Raiders
• Avowed
• Battlefield 6
• Borderlands 4
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Fortnite
• Forza Horizon 5
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Grounded 2
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• Minecraft
• NBA 2K26
• Rematch
• Roblox
• Rocket League
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Units Sold:

• Arc Raiders
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Battlefield 6
• Borderlands 4
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• EA Sports Madden NFL 26
• EA Sports College Football 26
• EA Sports FC 26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Helldivers 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• MLB The Show 25
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• NBA 2K26
• PGA Tour 2K25
• Ready or Not
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• WWE 2K25

The project’s cancellation apparently came shortly after Ubisoft announced its restructuring, which would put development of the Assassin’s Creed franchise under one of the new “Creative Houses” at the company, dubbed Vantage Studios. Following play sessions with the top management of Vantage, executives heading up LEAGUE were notified of its cancellation.

Not all is seemingly lost, however. The report has also noted that a small group of employees that worked on LEAGUE will be tasked with bringing over the technical advancements and R&D that went into making the co-op mode into Ubisoft’s in-house Anvil game engine. After this, Vantage Studios will start accepting pitches for co-operative game modes for future Assassin’s Creed titles.

LEAGUE itself was seemingly deemed too expensive to develop, and the future pitches for a co-op mode are mandated to offer high replayability while also keeping development costs down.

Rumors of a co-op mode coming to Assassin’s Creed Shadows first popped up back in October 2024. While it didn’t have any confirmed release date, the mode was expected to be added to Shadows as part of the open-world title’s post-launch support. This mode was originally believed to feature protagonists Yasuke and Naoe as playable characters. However, another report from May 2025 indicated that it would feature a “deeper narrative” that goes “beyond just the two of them”.

Ubisoft had announced its organizational overhaul last month, and in the process, had also confirmed that it was cancelling a host of projects. Among these was Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. As part of this restructuring, the company has started to establish its five Creative Houses, with each one being put in charge of specific franchises, genres, and platforms.

Since then, the company has come under fire from France-based unions. Earlier this week, union representatives and Ubisoft Paris employees Marc Rutschlé and Chakib Mataoui demanded the resignation of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. Among the reasons for this was his penchant for nepotism, as could be seen with him assigning his son Charlie as a co-CEO of Vantage Studios.

“If you just put your white male friends in [those jobs], then you don’t promote any diversity or get any new opinions or ideas,” Mataoui said. “We are in a creative job. We need new ideas to come in to [help us] make great new games. But we don’t have that. We don’t have this mindset for creativity.”

Other issues that have been brought up by the unions include the company’s return-to-office mandate, demanding that employees spend five days of the week in the office. This, noted Mataoui, caused many employees to panic since “they started their lives very far from Paris and from their studios”.

In the meantime, check out our reviews of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and its Claws of Awaji expansion for more details.

“Game producer with 13+ years of experience across AAAA development, strategic partnerships, and media management,” read the LinkedIn profile of Yakovlieva before it was changed. The producer went on to mention Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Assassin’s Creed Shadows as being the AAAA games in question.

“At Ubisoft Sofia, I have contributed to several flagship titles in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, including Origins, Valhalla, Mirage, and Shadows,” the profile continued. “I have successfully led cross-functional teams through large-scale productions and milestone delivery, with direct collaboration with Apple on industry-first initiatives.”

It is worth noting that, for its part, Ubisoft hasn’t really brought up the concept of a quadruple-A release since Skull and Bones, likely in no small part thanks to the title failing to make much of a dent in the ever-crowded live-service multiplayer market. Whether Yakovlieva earnestly meant to describe both Mirage and Shadows as quadruple-A games through excitement for the releases, or whether it was simply a typo remains unknown.

Ubisoft had referred to Skull and Bones as being a quadruple-A release to justify the pirate game’s $70 price tag leading up to its February 2024 release. Responding to a question about limiting the potential player base for the multiplayer game thanks to its high price tag during an earnings call, CEO Yves Guillemot said: “You will see that Skull and Bones is a fully-fledged game. It’s a very big game, and we feel that people will really see how vast and complete that game is. It’s a really full, triple… quadruple-A game, that will deliver in the long run.”

Whether Skull and Bones managed to live up to these lofty ambitions depends on who you ask. In our review of its release version, we called Skull and Bones an average game that, while featuring an appealing aesthetic and fun combat, was plagued with repetitive objectives and mission structure, questionable design choices, and a forgettable story with bland characters. Since then, however, Skull and Bones has seen quite a few substantial updates. Read more details here.

Interestingly, Ubisoft isn’t the only company to have claimed that a game would be of quadruple-A quality. Back in 2022, leading up to the release of Striking Distance Studios’ The Callisto Protocol, Krafton had referred to the survival horror title as a AAAA game that would have the “highest level of quality” and would offer the “maximum horror experience” with “distinguished action mechanics”. For details on how it would actually turn out, check out our review.

With so much landing at once, finding the true must-plays can feel overwhelming. But after digging through everything 2025 has to offer, these 15 titles rose above the rest.

The nominees for the best Xbox games of 2025 are:

The Outer Worlds 2

If you liked The Outer Worlds 1, you’ll absolutely adore the sequel. The Outer Worlds 2 triples down on what makes the setting work so well by translating a lot of that directly into gameplay. The Shrink Ray is a great example of that, and so are the many guns, among plenty of other oddities. Beyond the expanded gameplay suite, the quests now offer more varied routing and decision-making than before, placing you firmly in the driver’s seat as you navigate the corporate dystopia within the colony of Arcadia. And thanks to Game Pass, you don’t even have to pay full retail price, giving Xbox a clear leg up over other platforms.

Keeper

Keeper is an indie game that absolutely deserves more attention. Its blend of genres—base-building, mystery, and survival—is executed with smart quality-of-life features and genuinely fun mechanics. Keeper is also a visual standout. The painterly art style and atmospheric music elevate an already addictive gameplay loop, making it easy to lose entire evenings to it. Even with all the AAA blockbusters dropping in 2025, Keeper keeps pulling us right back in.

Battlefield 6

Well, DICE has finally done it—they’ve knocked a Battlefield out of the park for the first time in what feels like ages. This large-scale objective-based FPS recaptures everything players loved about Battlefield 4, with improved squad play, and smartly designed maps that reward coordinated tactics. Paired with phenomenal graphics and impressive performance, Battlefield 6 represents a true return to the glory days of this tactical warfare genre.

Clair Obscur: Expedition

Expedition does just about everything you could ask for in a video game. Its art direction is striking and original, the turn-based timing mechanics add an addictive twist to the classic formula, and the story and characters deliver all the emotional punch RPG fans crave. It’s a masterful consolidation of what makes games unforgettable, making it an obvious frontrunner for multiple game awards.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

I can’t say enough good things about this game, so I’ll be brief. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is simply the most impressive open-world RPG released in recent memory. It sets a new benchmark for main storylines in open-world games, and its side quests are absolutely worth seeking out. You again play as Henry, the down-on-his-luck everyman trying to survive in medieval Europe, and the grounded role-playing systems make this feel like a true immersive-sim experience. From herb brewing to blacksmithing and countless other mechanics, it’s a dense, reactive world. It’s also a visual powerhouse that shines on the Xbox Series X.

Ninja Gaiden 4

You’ve gotta appreciate how unapologetically “video gamey” Ninja Gaiden 4 is. It’s a full-throttle return to the hardcore character-action games of the 2000s, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. The standout highlight, of course, is its buttery-smooth, lightning-fast combat. Few games in 2025 were as rewarding to master as Ninja Gaiden 4’s combo-heavy battle system. Add a story that respects the series’ lore and a crisp graphics/performance package, and you’ve got an easy fan favorite.

Atomfall

In a year with many RPGs, it’s somehow a lower-scale release from the Sniper Elite studio that stands out. This retro-futuristic RPG benefits from Rebellion’s reliably strong gunplay, while its crafting and survival systems create an engaging gameplay loop that encourages all the looting you could want. But it’s the clever environmental storytelling and branching narrative that make this one warrant multiple playthroughs. If you like Fallout in any capacity, you owe it to yourself to give Atomfall a shot.

Elden Ring: Nightreign

Nightreign may not be what the purely single-player crowd hoped for, but it proves that FromSoftware is more than capable of branching out from their usual formula. Yes, the game still takes place in a familiar though dramatically rearranged Lands Between, but its wild new bosses and fast-paced co-op structure make it hard to put down once you start.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins

If you’ve never played a Musou game before, this is the place to start. It’s a reboot that refines and enhances everything about the series while telling the Three Kingdoms narrative from a fresh cinematic angle. Battles are as massive as ever, with hundreds of enemies on-screen posing a threat to your larger-than-life warrior. Seeing all the familiar Three Kingdoms characters fully voice-acted with lengthy scripts is a genuine delight; this is some of the strongest character work the franchise has ever seen.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows

It’s been a long time coming, but a feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed has been finally delivered. Classic AC stealth is represented through the shinobi Naoe, while Yasuke the samurai offers a more arcade-y brawler playstyle. The dual-protagonist structure broadens the narrative while executing the most robust gameplay suite the series has ever featured. But the true star is the setting. Sixteenth-century Japan looks spectacular thanks to the dynamic weather, day/night cycle, and diverse biomes.

DOOM: The Dark Ages

I don’t know how, but id Software continues to reinvent Doom’s gameplay with every installment. This time, the Doom Slayer arms himself with medieval armor and a brutal flail, turning the familiar demon-slaying chaos into something both fresh and ferocious. Between the heavy metal soundtrack and the medieval enemies, Doom: The Dark Ages feels new while still preserving everything fans love about the genre.

Borderlands 4

Borderlands 4 may largely stick to the established formula, but it refines its looter-shooter DNA in meaningful ways. The standout improvement is the loot system: drop rates feel more balanced and quality-of-life upgrades like a dedicated legendary icon finally make sorting your haul painless. Meanwhile, combat remains as sharp satisfying as ever. With its biggest open world yet and the strongest gameplay in the series, Borderlands 4 is the 2025’s best looter-shooter.

Black Myth: Wukong

Xbox players can finally enjoy what many considered 2024’s Game of the Year. Nailing the FromSoftware-inspired formula while maintaining a wholly unique identity is no easy task, yet Game Science managed to exceed expectations. The animation work surrounding the protagonist’s transformations and abilities is exceptional, and the setting is truly enchanting. It’s easy to lose track of time battling a tough boss, but the lean, focused level design respects that time without adding any unnecessary bloat.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is another smash hit from 2024 arriving on Xbox platforms, and it’s an absolute treat. Servers have been smooth and reliable, and frequent updates keep missions, objectives, and enemy factions feeling fresh. Few squad-based games are as funny, chaotic, and endlessly replayable as Helldivers 2. If you’re on Xbox, now is the perfect time to dive in.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

What an absolute delight it was to see Bethesda shadow-drop a remake of one of their most influential titles back in April. The best part is how faithful the remaster remains to the original while still looking fantastic on modern hardware. Many longtime fans may miss the old bloom-heavy aesthetic, but this remaster nails the lighting and texture work on a technical level. Quality-of-life additions—like a sprint toggle and new combat animations—make this the ideal way to experience Oblivion. Best of all, it releases at a reasonable price and includes all DLC and expansions.

And the Best Xbox Game of 2025 Goes to:

Clair Obscur: Expedition

Expedition is tailor-made for those who cherish the artistic and interactive potential of video games. Its gripping, gut-wrenching story and deep yet familiar battle system keep you hooked from start to finish. It’s a complete experience in every sense. More importantly, it embraces its identity wholeheartedly. The enemies are unlike anything else in modern gaming; you don’t see masked  many nightmare inspired creatures in any other RPGs, for example.

Its exploration of themes like fate and sacrifice may sound derivative on paper, but in execution it feels like a classic story reimagined through a unique lens. Only video games can convey this blend of style, timing-based combat, and narrative impact so cohesively. And so, Expedition rises to the top as our favorite Xbox game of 2025. It fires on all cylinders, and does so with a voice that is distinctly its own.