Games

On the Xbox Series X/S, you’ll find an abundance of outstanding single-player titles, whether they’re console exclusives or skillfully optimized third-party releases. A large portion of the platform’s exclusive offerings boast groundbreaking single-player campaigns, with Stalker 2, Hellblade II, and Halo Infinite standing out as prominent examples. Microsoft’s backward compatibility and openness to multi-platform games provide players with a variety of choices when it comes to immersive solo experiences. Thus, here are 16 exceptional single-player games available on the Xbox Series X/S.

Despite some initial technical problems upon release, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is shaping up to be one of the standout games of the year and possibly for a while, with PlayStation players eagerly anticipating its arrival, though it’s hard to predict exactly when they might get their hands on the game.

Despite numerous horror games available currently, the genre continues to captivate indie game developers, with small studios constantly seeking innovative ways to redefine it. The latest endeavor in this direction is “Pine Harbor” by Vision Forge Team, which exhibits elements of old concepts yet offers a fresh perspective on horror gaming. It’s important to mention that at the time of writing this review, “Pine Harbor” is still in Early Access, meaning it will undergo significant changes before its full release.

This year, one of the early access games launched, Moon Studios’ “No Rest for the Wicked“, started off rocky with issues like stuttering, clunky inventory management, jerky movement, and sudden difficulty increases. But it has made notable progress following several updates. In a Steam Community post, the development team hinted at what’s in store for 2025, which includes The Breach as the next major update, followed by additional “Content and Feature updates.

There’s something uniquely invigorating about encountering an unexpected game that challenges the norm, isn’t there? You find yourself comfortably settled into your usual routine, managing your tower defense strategies, appreciating the rarities in your loot collection, and making progress through battle passes – when suddenly, a game appears that seems to defy all conventions. It gleefully disregards established rules, revels in its quirks, and while it may have some rough corners, you can’t seem to look away from it. The year 2024 saw an unexpected number of such games, and here, we will discuss a few of them.

2024 has been quite a rollercoaster, with some fantastic hits like unexpected indie sensations and highly anticipated AAA games that didn’t disappoint, but as with every year, there have been their fair share of flops too. As we reflect on the past 12 months, let’s shift gears for a moment and discuss some of the less favorable aspects. Games that fell short of expectations, those that were unfixably flawed, and ones with potential but burdened by numerous problems – all of these have made an appearance this year. In this piece, we’ll be highlighting a few that truly stood out for all the wrong reasons.