The Best Xbox Games of 2021

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – January 4, 2022

Which Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One games impressed professional reviewers the most during the past year? We rank the best-reviewed titles released between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 by Metascore. Games must have at least 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion. If a game appears on both Xbox platforms, only the version receiving the higher quantity of critic reviews (typically the Xbox Series X/S version) is eligible for inclusion. (All scores listed here are from January 2, 2022.)

11 of 14 photo by Xbox Game Studios

90 Microsoft Flight Simulator (Xbox Series X/S)

(#3) One year after Microsoft's storied franchise returned on PC, the newly reborn flight simulation made its Xbox Series X review to a similar level of critical acclaim. The console version aims to reproduce the full PC version of the game (including all recent updates) in 4K resolution at 30 fps (or higher for certain high-end TVs with HDMI 2.1), even adds extra exclusive content in the form of 14 bonus tutorials (boosting the total to 22). Just want to watch the scenery? An AI co-pilot can guide the plane to notable destinations for you.

“Microsoft Flight Simulator is legitimately incredible. It's difficult to fully describe how amazing it feels to jump into a plane and have the freedom fly to and from literally any place in the entire world. The base game's 20 included aircraft feel like more than enough for even hardcore aviation enthusiasts, and the ability to adjust the assists to tailor the experience to whatever skill level you desire makes it suitable for anyone looking to fly the friendly skies from the comfort of their home. The real-world mapping data, however, takes Microsoft Flight Simulator from being just an impressive game to the most awe-inspiring simulation I've ever experienced, in spite of its less than stellar load times. Seeing famous landmarks, landing at the world's most recognizable airports, or just touching down in a remote landing strip in South America is mind-bogglingly cool and an absolutely unparalleled way to virtually explore our world.” —IGN

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