The best games of the Xbox One’s first year

The Xbox One has come a long way since it was first revealed on May 21, 2013. Though it’s still labeled as the “all-in-one entertainment system,” the Xbox One’s first year showed great promise, as Microsoft — with Phil Spencer leading the charge — focused its efforts into making it a gaming machine first and foremost. Nothing exemplifies that renewed focus more than looking back at the best games of the Xbox One’s first year.

Titanfall

Titanfall may not have lived up to the hype as the ultimate Call of Duty-killer, but it’s still a fun first-person-shooter with solid game mechanics. Developer Respawn Entertainment took a risk by sidestepping a traditional campaign, but the multiplayer gameplay more than makes up for it. Fast-paced gameplay, giant mechs, and parkour-esque movement, Titanfall has set the bar for things to come on the Xbox One.

Sunset Overdrive

Easily my favorite new IP of the new generation, Insomniac Games’ Sunset Overdrive is a ton of fun. Sometimes you just want an open-world game filled with monsters to mindlessly shoot. As I pointed out in my review, Sunset Overdrive perfectly blends solid shooter mechanics with a fast-paced traversal system that constantly keeps you moving and on the edge of your seat. Don’t believe me? Lucky for you, Microsoft is celebrating the Xbox One’s birthday today by offering Xbox LIVE Gold members a free 24 hour trial of the full game.

Forza Horizon 2

There is nothing more satisfying (at least for a car enthusiast) than stepping into your favorite car, and coasting along European cities based on Italy and France. Forza Horizon 2 did just that. Much like the first game, Horizon once again put you in the driver's seat and tasked you to participate in a slew of races, but this time across the European countryside. Not only did the game look absolutely stunning, adding in weather effects and a complete day and night cycle, but the number of tunes got exponentially bigger, making Horizon radio even more satisfying to listen to, while you were overtaking your competition at 100mph.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

There’s no denying Halo: The Master Chief Collection has had a rocky launch with all of those online matchmaking problems, but when it’s all said and done, this is going to be a great experience. After all, it is the ultimate compendium of Master Chief’s journeys, dating back to 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved. We’re talking about 14 years’ worth of content and story on one single disc. It’s the same great gameplay we remembered growing up with enhanced visuals. What’s more, it sets us up for next year’s Halo 5: Guardians, even throwing in access to the upcoming beta.

Fantasia: Music Evolved

Were there bigger games than Fantasia: Music Evolved released for the Xbox One this year? Probably. But Fantasia: Music Evolved is an Xbox One exclusive, and one of the few games that actually harnesses the power of the Kinect in a way that isn’t obtrusive. Remember the Kinect? That little old camera that came with every Xbox One at launch? Well, it has since taken a backseat in Microsoft’s plans, but Fantasia: Music Evolved proved that you can have some good gameplay experiences with it.

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You know what I find most funny about this list? It's all Xbox One exclusives. There were probably some multiplatform games I could've included on this list, but this just goes to show you how committed Microsoft is towards gaming on the Xbox One.

Last week, I created a list of best games for the PS4 in its first year, but I had to rely on a few multiplatform games to fill it out. One year in, sales may be in favor of PS4, but I've got to hand it to Microsoft for its impressive list of exclusives.