Best Xbox Series X, Series S games 2021

Watch Dogs Legion promo shot
Watch Dogs Legion promo shot (Image credit: Ubisoft)

The Xbox Series X is Microsoft's latest and greatest console, with 12TF of computational power and a beefy SSD that reduces load times down to mere seconds. In our Xbox Series X review, we touted the graphical enhancements in games like Gears 5 for adding refinements that elevate it far above its Xbox One X counterpart. To that end, for those who have grabbed the Xbox Series X or Series S, we've compiled some of the best games here which showcase the power of the new console while we wait for the library to expand into 2021 and beyond. Be sure to look at our most-anticipated upcoming Xbox games too.

For the best Xbox Series X experience

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While all games get enhancements on Xbox Series X technically due to enhanced loading speeds from the SSD, the Xbox Series X CPU, and GPU power also lend themselves to graphical improvements across. Some games have to be patched up to gain updates, often because they were hard-locked to a specific resolution or frame rate. Other games, which featured unlocked frame rates like Monster Hunter: World, see naturalistic boosts to their FPS as a result.

Loading up The Witcher 3 for the first time on the Xbox Series X, I had no idea that the resolution in performance mode was actually unlocked to 4K. Seeing The Witcher 3 running at 4K 60 was perhaps the clearest "night and day" difference I've seen so far on the Xbox Series X, having played the game mostly at 30 FPS on the Xbox One and the Xbox One X.

Next up is Watch Dogs: Legion. While I haven't gone hands-on for myself yet, the videos Ubisoft put out showcasing DX12U Ray Tracing on the Xbox Series X version are nothing short of breath-taking. For me, these are the kinds of film-style enhancements to visuals that will really enhance levels of immersion and depth in our virtual worlds, giving them a cinema-like experience that hasn't been possible on consoles up to now.

Stocks of the Xbox Series X and Series S are quite light right now. There may still be time to drop an Xbox Series X order as of writing, and know that all of your best Xbox accessories and your best Xbox One headset will work thanks to backward compatibility (as well as all of your games).

Jez Corden
Co-Managing Editor

Jez Corden a Managing Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by caffeine. Follow on Twitter @JezCorden and listen to his Xbox Two podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!