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.)

7 of 14 photo by Electronic Arts

88 F1 2021 (Xbox Series X/S)

(#7) The first licensed Formula One racing game to fall under the EA Sports banner in nearly 20 years (thanks to a recent acquisition of longtime F1 game studio Codemasters), the 2021 installment in the annual series also marks the franchise's first appearance on the Xbox Series X/S consoles. In addition to the returning career mode (which now features two-player co-op and competitive gameplay, as well as a new real-season start option), there's a new story mode called "Braking Point" that traces your team's journey from F2 to F1 across three seasons.

“For anyone who has even the slightest interest in Formula 1 racing - and thanks to the Netflix documentary series Drive to Survive there may be many with their curiosity piqued - F1 2021 will become their new sports gaming pastime. Catering to both casual newcomers and the most exacting simulation-seekers, F1 2021 offers a mind-blowing amount of polished and entertaining content, whether your preference is to race alone or with others.” —COGconnected

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