Sure, it takes the number 2 spot in our guide to the best smartphones. Yes, it is one of the best camera phones around, and it has come down rapidly in price since it launched. But is all of that really enough to make the Huawei P30 Pro worth your investment?
Whether you're thinking of buying from one of the big names like Amazon or Carphone Warehouse, or scouting out the lesser-known Buymobiles or Mobiles.co.uk, there are plenty of options on-board this promotion.
But of course, scouring the pages of the 30 retailers flogging this freebie might take a while. That's why we've decided to step up and become your middle man, listing the absolute best Huawei P30 Pro deals below.
Consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals for everything else available
The best Huawei P30 Pro deals + free watch:
How good is the Huawei P30 Pro?
The Huawei P30 Pro consistently receives praise as one of the most innovative devices out there, with a lot of that praise aimed at its camera. Sporting an incredible 50x zoom camera, smart AI camera features and an overall impeccable quality, nothing can quite match it.
Backing up the camera is a high quality inifinity display screen, tonnes of power and a massive battery. In other words the Huawei P30 Pro is here battling for the spot of the world's best smartphone with just one or two competitors.
All you have to do is buy a Huawei P30 Pro deal before February 27. After that, go to this link and claim your new free watch. It can take up to 30 days for your Watch to arrive so don't worry too much if you don't see it straight away.
What other retailers are offering the watch?
(While all of these retailers are part of this promotion, not all are launching on the same day. If you can't find the relevant promotion on any of the below sites, check back next week).
You season 3 has been confirmed by Netflix, despite criticism of its more problematic themes in some circles. But, however you stand on the toxic passion of Joe and his string of female obsessions, there is something oddly compelling about You.
You season 3 will be the third chapter in the adapted book series from American author Caroline Kepnes, which first invited us into the dangerous mind of the lovesick Joe Goldberg in 2014. Now, after two seasons of the show, we've witnessed the menacing intensity with which Goldberg pursues relationships with the likes of Candace and Love, but You retains a loyal following on Netflix regardless.
Filming on the third season began earlier this year, but will have almost certainly been affected by the coronavirus pandemic in some way, especially for a show involving intimacy and human contact. There's no official release date or details on any disruption, but we're still hoping to see the show return in 2021. So, here's everything we know about the You season 3 release date, cast, and more.
Netflix hasn't confirmed an exact You season 3 release date, but when news of the renewal broke on TVLine, it was revealed that ten new episodes are coming in 2021. The official Twitter page for the show posted a tongue-in-cheek video in early January, simply stating "New Year, New You", a witty play on the pseudo-self-improvement commentary in You's second season.
Production started on the third chapter earlier this year, but it's likely there will have been some coronavirus-related disruption since. On Twitter, producer Sera Gamble confirmed on Friday, February 7 that work had started on You season 3. "Just thought you'd want to know," Gamble wrote.
While this essentially condemns viewers to at least a full year before they can check back in with Joe and Love, it's nice to know a new season is definitely happening in an age where Netflix isn't afraid to cancel its original shows.
You season 3 cast: Joe and Love will return
Most importantly in terms of casting, we have confirmation of two returning cast members: Badgley will return as Joe and Victoria Pedretti will return as Love. The continued presence of Love in Joe's life was a pretty sure thing given how season two ended, with the couple in a pretty unholy union (more on what that twist means for season 3 below). Hopefully, we'll see the return of the extended cast of Quinn family and friends from season 2 as well.
It's likely that You will continue to be set in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. With the previously mentioned tax incentives in place for production in California, and a second season finale that saw Joe adjusting to life in an idyllic suburban home, it's safe to assume that season three won't feature a change of location like season two's shift from New York to LA.
You season 3 story: what to expect next year
Season 2 of You drastically stepped up the melodrama, diverging from the books with a pretty shocking character reveal. When Love is forced to confront Joe's true nature by his first victim, Candace, she takes the news in a way few people saw coming – by stabbing Candace in the throat.
It was a jaw-dropper of a moment, revealing that Love is as obsessive and inclined toward murder as Joe is. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Badgley offers some insight into the gender politics the show explores through Joe's rejection of his partner's darkest tendencies.
"...it's like, 'OK yeah, theoretically they're the same – but then he denies her, which again brings up the archetypes of man and woman and the oppression of women, the inequality of men and women," Badgley says. He goes on to hint at a deeper look into Love in season three, noting that she: "...she doesn't appear to be the same kind of person, she doesn't appear to be the same kind of predator."
It's not just Love that season three plans to interrogate more thoroughly. Showrunner Sera Gamble is planning an even darker future for Joe, too. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gamble talked about how the ending of season 2 doesn't indicate good things for our protagonist.
In the wake of Love's revelations of murder, she also surprises Joe with the news that she is now carrying his child, securing her future with him (for now). We see the two move to the suburbs (with Love's mother in tow) and it's here that Joe spies his new neighbor through the fence – a possible new subject of his obsessive nature.
"I think to me, the most important thing about that last scene is just it is confirmation that Joe is still Joe," Gamble says, "in a way that's not going to be great for Joe." What drives Joe, and how that makes us feel about his actions, was clearly Gamble's vision for season two, which saw an extensive dive into the traumatic childhoods of both Joe and Love. Even though their histories are pretty different, we learn that both leads experienced physical and emotional abuse as well as perpetrating acts of violence at a very young age.
The finale was designed to set up, "a much more suburban, insular world where Joe would be a complete fish out of water". How Joe handles fatherhood will be an interesting element of next season – the past two seasons have shown that he's particularly protective of the children in his life.
Badgley told TVLine that Joe and Love are "not soulmates. He's afraid of her at the end. Basically, it's set up for season 3 in a way where they would be each other's arch nemesis." That's a lot of potential material for You season 3 to explore.
You could run for even more seasons on Netflix
Joe's story won't necessarily be complete with season 3, either. "I am not scared at all of saying that we definitely could follow Joe for several more seasons," Gamble told THR. Don't worry about the writers running out of ways to test their protagonists, either. "Because we believe in the world that Caroline gave us and we believe in these characters, we just know they'll keep finding really fucked up shit to get into."
You is a one-of-a-kind show
No matter where the twisted romance of Joe and Love takes us next, Netflix clearly has a guilty pleasure smash on its hands. Author Caroline Kepnes is currently hard at work on books three and four in her You series, which means that You season 3 could face a Game of Thrones-style dilemma in outpacing the source material.
You is just a fresh, sexy and somewhat dangerous show. It takes the thrilling complicity in horrible acts seen in the show Hannibal, and perfectly matches it with biting millennial satire. Naturally, it's generated controversy for its dark subject matter, but Gamble has managed to navigate the show's themes with a deft touch, giving viewers a twisted and compelling show.
LG Display has big plans for OLED TVs in 2020 – but LCD is increasingly getting left behind.
The Korean electronics manufacturer reported lower-than-expected losses for the previous financial year (via Reuters), and it's due in a big part to increasing revenues from OLED TVs, which could have big repercussions to the LG TVs available for you to buy.
In fact, LG is so confident in its forecasts for OLED TVs that its shutting down domestic production of LCD panels. While LCD sets will likely still get churned out in some factories abroad, we're going to be seeing a lot less of them – all the more notable for the incoming jump in OLED production LG is planning for the coming months.
But what does this mean for the LG TV range? We've reached out to LG to gauge more about their plans going forward, but it's likely that, as OLEDs slowly drop in price – helped in no small part by ramped-up production numbers, as well as a new 48-inch panel size – they'll simply replace the mid-range LCD TVs currently in LG's TV lineup.
The promise of OLED
OLED panels have promised incredible contrast ratios, deep blacks, and exceptional brightness control – and delivered on those promises. While OLED sets aren't for everyone – they're quite dim compared to LCD TVs – they're still bulldozing the premium end of the TV market, and look set to encroach further into mid-range sets in the coming year.
The biggest obstacle for OLED shoppers has been the technology's high price, and with that set to change, we could soon see OLED become the go-to panel technology for sets costing $700 / £700 / AU$1,000 and above, rather than their current minimum pricing which is around double that amount.
We likely won't see the fruits of this before 2021, but it's clear that exciting things are afoot.
There's not long left to wait until we can finally get our hands on Animal Crossing: New Horizons. And, to celebrate to highly-anticipated game's launch, Nintendo has announced its releasing a limited edition Animal Crossing Switch bundle - and it's adorable.
Releasing on March 20, this Nintendo Switch bundle includes an island-themed console and dock, minty green and blue Joy-Con controllers and straps, as well as a download code for Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
There will also be two Animal Crossing-themed Switch carry cases available from this date - but those need to be bought separately. Check out the announcement trailer below:
Island vacation
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the first Animal Crossing game to hit the Switch and sees players embark on the special Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package. That means that you will be starting from scratch on your own island, customizing it as you see fit and showing it off to friends.
It essentially follows the same blueprint as previous Animal Crossing games, only there's new features to try out such as crafting.
We can't wait to get our hands on New Horizons, and we're sure Tom Nook can't wait to get his paws in our pockets.
The limited edition Animal Crossing Switch bundle releases on March 20, and if you want to get your hands on it, preorders are live. It'll cost you $299 (£319, AU$469), which isn't bad considering just how good this will look in your living room. We went ahead and gathered up some preorder links down below for your convenience.
Right now at Best Buy, you can save $50 on the top-rated Powerbeats Pro headphones when you purchase an Apple Watch. All you need to do is add any Apple Watch model to your cart, then select the Powerbeats Pro, and you'll instantly see the savings at checkout.
The Powerbeats Pro deliver a powerful, balanced sound with dynamic range and noise isolation. Built for athletes, the totally wireless earbuds are sweat and water-resistant and feature adjustable, secure-fit earhooks for lightweight, all-day comfort. The headphones provide an impressive 9 hours of battery life, and each earbud has full volume and track controls, so you don't need your device to adjust your music.
Luckily for you, the Apple Watch Series 3, 4, and 5 are currently on sale, so you're not only saving on the Powerbeats earbuds, but you're also scoring a deal on the Apple smartwatch. We don't know how long Best Buy will have this offer available, so you should take advantage now before it's too late.
Researchers have developed a soft, robotic hand that can grip objects and ‘sweat’ when warm to cool itself down.
As explained in a paper published in Science Robotics, one of the biggest challenges for roboticists is keeping the temperature down, particularly when the robot is operating in warm environments.
Mechanical devices are never fully efficient, and some of their energy is always lost in the form of heat. They therefore need some kind of cooling system if they’re to operate for long periods without overheating and suffering damage.
For rigid devices, systems of fans and heat sinks are an ideal solution for dissipating heat, but they aren’t suitable for a device that needs to flex in all directions. That’s where sweat comes in.
When warm, human skin excretes sweat, which cools the body as it evaporates. It’s one of the reasons we’re such effective distance runners. The team of scientists (from Cornell University, Facebook Reality Labs, and Istituto Italiano di Technologia) aimed to replicate this effect with a ‘soft’ robot to see whether they could create the same effect, helping the bot run efficiently for longer.
The robot (a segmented, finger-like device) was 3D-printed using hydrogels, which are not unlike living tissue and can absorb large quantities of water. The body of the finger is made from a gel that expands at temperatures above 30C, with a layer of 'skin' on one side that shrinks at temperatures above 40C. Together, these properties cause the finger to bend around warm objects.
The ‘skin’ surface of the finger has pores that expand in warm temperatures to excrete pressurized liquid, and shrink when the material cools. The skin is also textured to give it a larger surface area, allowing for faster evaporation.
Cold finger
The researchers mounted several of the sweating fingers onto a rigid ‘palm’ to create a hand that could grip warm objects of different shapes and sizes, and discovered that the simulated sweating was even more effective at cooling the robot than human perspiration.
Interestingly, the fingers could even change the temperature of the objects they held; after retrieving a can from a warm water bath, the sweating reaction caused the metal to cool much faster than it would otherwise.
In future, ‘sweating’ could be used to allow robots to self-lubricate for smoother movement (think robot slugs) or excrete enzymes to ‘digest’ materials that they move over. The possibilities are fascinating – and just a little bit disgusting.
EA has alluded to the possibility of online play in The Sims series' future, saying that "social interaction and competition" will "start to become a part of The Sims experience in the years to come". This came during an EA earnings call, where CEO Andrew Wilson was asked about the idea of relaunching an online version of the game.
Wilson noted that The Sims is about to turn 20 years old, and discussed the idea of how the wider community enjoys comparing their creations in the game. The subject then turned to "The Sims for a new generation", with some discussion of how elements of The Sims Online could become part of the series down the line.
"And so as Maxis continues to think about The Sims for a new generation across platforms in a cloud-enabled world, you should imagine that while we will always stay true to our inspiration, escape, creation, self improvement, motivations, that this notion of social interaction and competition, like the kind of things that were actually present in The Sims FreePlay – sorry, in The Sims Online many, many years ago, that they will start to become part of the ongoing Sims experience in the years to come," Wilson said.
"We're very excited. This is a game that, it really doesn't have any competition in its category for delivering and fulfilling these motivations for players and we think it's a tremendous growth opportunity for us for many, many years to come." You can read the full transcript of the call here.
A few things to note: 'think about The Sims for a new generation' doesn't necessarily mean Maxis is making The Sims 5 as you read this. It could be about finding ways to expand The Sims 4 onto other platforms – that game is enormously successful and continues to be supported with new expansion packs. And the discussion of 'platforms in a cloud-enabled world' might allude to people being able to enjoy The Sims without the restriction of having the right console or PC hardware.
That said, multiplayer, or at least whatever Wilson means by "social interaction and competition" sounds like more of a sure thing in the future. It's strange that The Sims 4 has remained staunchly singleplayer, given its subject matter of simulated people sharing a house and neighborhood.
The Sims Online was released on PC back in 2002, and shut down in 2008.
In the past, EA has supported The Sims games with multiple expansion packs, before releasing a new entry and beginning that cycle again. Around five years separated the release of The Sims 2 and The Sims 3, as well as the release of The Sims 3 and The Sims 4. This year, The Sims 4 turns six, and it doesn't sound like EA has any plans to start afresh just yet. More packs for the game will be announced this year, and the Tiny Living pack was released in early January.
It's possible that multiplayer could factor in to a future expansion of The Sims 4, then, rather than a new game. But "new generation" is an interesting choice of words by Wilson. We'll wait and see.
For a good few weeks, Vodafone managed to hold the position of being one of the best fibre broadband deals around thanks to a free speed upgrade promotion. Now, Vodafone has scrapped that offer, replacing it with yet another market-leading set-up.
This new promotion means that if you go for Vodafone's Superfast Fibre 2 package, you will now be paying a drastically higher price than before...95p more to be exact. So if that's practically the same as before, what's changed?
Vodafone has now brought the price of its Superfast Fibre 1 deal down, hitting a bargain price of just £19.95 for those who have a Vodafone phone contract. And costing £21.95 for non-existing customers. The prices are actually cheap either way.
With this lowered price on Vodafone's cheaper fibre plan, the ISP currently sits as one of the cheapest fibre plans, with the most competition coming from Plusnet and its cashback plans.
Not a fan of what Vodafone has to offer? Luckily there is plenty of other options lying around right now. If you don't mind relying on cashback, Plusnet can go even cheaper on fibre than Vodafone.
With a monthly price of £22.99, getting you speeds averaging 36Mb, Plusnet already looks good. Throw in the £70 in cashback and you're effectively paying just £19.10 a month.
Or for a similar offer, BT is also offering a bit of a cash incentive. Get BT's Superfast Fibre package with speeds averaging 50Mb and you'll pay £28.98 a month. However, BT will also throw in a £80 reward card to lower that cost.
We've all been there. You see fantastic Xbox One bundle deals and wait for them to go just a little cheaper before you snap them up. But before you know it, the seasonal sales come to a halt and Xbox One S and X prices soar back to their usual positions. And then January payday happens, and Microsoft cut their Xbox One X bundle deals back down to that $349.99 sales price once more with Xbox One S deals coming in even cheaper. Wouldn't it be nice if that happened?
Enjoy a whole weekend of cheap gaming with these fantastic Xbox deals offering Xbox one X bundles for just $349 and the ever-cheap Xbox One S All Digital Edition for $149 once more. Plus, look forward to plenty of Xbox One S bundle deals meeting you in the middle with some fantastic discounts.
Those looking to take advantage of the current Game Pass roster or who simply want the cheapest Xbox One deal possible can pick up an All Digital Edition on sale for just $149 this weekend. That low price is courtesy of the fact that this console does not have a disc drive. If you're looking to save on pre-owned physical games or to build up a case collection you'll want to check out the full Xbox One S bundle for a little extra cash.
These Xbox One deals have been sorely missed over the last few weeks as prices have been rising back to their usual retail positions for the New Year. It's never too late to save on a brand new console, however, so these sales could have come at just the right time for a January mood booster.
Not in the US? Scroll down for the latest Xbox One deals in your area.
If these cheap Xbox One sales aren't taking your fancy, why not check out our full collection of Xbox bundles. Or, while you're stocking up on Microsoft goodies, you'll want to take a look at these Xbox controller deals and Game Pass prices.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
Since the Xbox One X's release nearly three years ago, the powerful console has changed the limits of gaming – improving graphics to a true 4K resolution. It offers the best you can get on a console, at least until next-generation Xbox Series X launches.
There are hundreds of Xbox One X enhanced games for the console, including popular titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Forza Horizon 4. While we'd love to tell you all of these games are going to ooze visual fidelity when you pop them onto your TV, not all of them are going to look like they're fresh out of the developer's oven.
Even though the Xbox One X is capable of 4K/HDR at 60 frames per second along with Dolby Atmos sound, not all games are guaranteed to have all of these improvements. Some will support all of them, while some will support HDR and nothing more.
With this in mind, we've created a list of the best Xbox One X games that push the console to its limits. Here you'll find the games with patch details that confirm they'll push at least two of the console's capabilities, whether that's 4K, HDR or Dolby Atmos.
Devil May Cry 5
Image Credit: Capcom
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and 60fps
As the first non-Resident Evil title built using Capcom's RE Engine, the Xbox One X version of Devil May Cry 5 astonishes with its incredibly gorgeous presentation.
Though every version of Hideaki Itsuno's hack-and-slash masterpiece targets 60fps, the Xbox One X version is able to deliver that framerate consistently, making it the ideal way to experience Devil May Cry 5 in a living room setting.
Along with its buttery-smooth framerate, Devil May Cry 5 is also presented at a native 4K resolution on One X, which is a huge improvement over the standard Xbox One's 900p resolution.
As you would expect, detail is extraordinary here, with the game's vibrant HDR-enhanced art design showcasing the power of Microsoft's premiere console to magnificent effect. Characters exhibit incredible definition, as do the game's many outrageous environments and grotesque demon creations.
One of the most visually spectacular games currently available, Devil May Cry 5 is highly recommended for those looking to take advantage of the Xbox One X's immense graphical prowess.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K (3840x2160 at 30fps)
While it doesn't boast the PC version's cutting-edge ray tracing effects, it's hard to fault what developer 4A Games has accomplished with the Xbox One X version of Metro Exodus.
Locked at 30fps, the 4A Engine never seems to falter during intense shootouts, with a smooth consistency that keeps the action moving at all times. Of course, there are those who might've hoped for a 1080p/60fps option to be included in the final release, but rest assured, Metro Exodus looks and feels great at 30fps.
As has become common with all big game releases these days, Metro Exodus offers HDR settings regardless of which Xbox One console it is installed on – from the original base model, to the 4K-ready Xbox One X.
Of course, you'll find that the game's high-dynamic range looks best on Microsoft's premiere console, with its additional resolution allowing you to see more subtle color gradations and an added level of detail within shaded areas.
Although the world of Metro Exodus brutal and unforgiving, there are moments of extreme beauty to be found within the game. During the open-world desert section, we continually found ourselves blown away by the glowing sunlight peering through the clouds or reflecting from the sandy terrain.
Easily the best way to play the game on a home console, the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Metro Exodus' 4K resolution truly accentuates the immense level of detail in both its claustrophobic interiors and vast, wide-open areas.
More than just an arbitrary number of vertical and horizontal lines, the Xbox One X's Ultra HD resolution does a fantastic job of fully immersing the player within the greatest world that 4A Games has created to date.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR (3840x2160 at 30fps or 1920x1080 at 60fps)
The only word that can be used to describe Forza Horizon 4 is stunning. The latest addition to the open-world racing title is a testament to the power of Xbox One X enhancements. Racing through Great Britain at 4K is a truly breathtaking experience, further boosted by the game's dynamic seasons.
If the the native 4K mode isn't graphically impressive enough, the new 60fps mode will blow you away with its smooth transitions and its picture perfect take of every pothole, lavender field and pebble dash wall in Britain.
Assassin's Creed games are known for being visual masterpieces and Odyssey is no different. Xbox One X enhancements truly bring Odyssey's Grecian world to life, with higher resolution textures, denser crowds, improved depth of field and an overall richer environment.
What are its enhancements? Native 4K / 30fps or 1080p / 60fps
If you've previously had a chance to play Rise of the Tomb Raider on the Xbox One X, then you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from its follow-up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in terms of enhancements.
Like its predecessor, Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be played using settings that favor either resolution or performance — the former allows the game to regularly display at a native 4K resolution, while the latter drops the game down to 1080p, but offers much smoother gameplay targeting 60fps.
Needless to say, Shadow of the Tomb Raider benefits greatly from the additional detail afforded by its 4K resolution uptick. Environments (particularly foliage, water and mud) are utterly jaw-dropping in 4K, making this entry the best-looking in the series to date.
That said, it's not an entirely flawless presentation, with occasional screen tearing issues and framerate drops cropping up during some of the game's more graphically intense sections. Still, it's highly likely that developer Eidos Montreal is working on a patch to iron out these problems — we'll check back on the game in the near future to see if they've been addressed.
While Shadow of the Tomb Raider's performance mode shows a noticeable drop in visual fidelity when compared to its resolution mode, the game still looks exceptional. There's a smoother framerate that gives players an additional level of responsiveness, making its controls feel more tactile in the process.
It's clear that a lot of effort has been put into Shadow of the Tomb Raider's enhancements, and barring some occasional performance hitches that will likely be addressed in an update, the game really shines on Xbox One X.
It took a 'Hell' of a long time, but Doom has now been updated for Xbox One X. While the game always looked incredible, it now looks sharper than ever, thanks to a native 4K update. Like before, the game still runs at 60fps, meaning the Xbox One X version of the game offers the best of both worlds. Admittedly, we'd have liked it if a HDR mode had been added, given how long this update was in gestation, but we can't argue with the 4K update we've received. Seriously, Doom looks incredible in Ultra High Definition, and its buttery smooth framerate is just the icing on the cake.
Far Cry 5
Image Credit: Ubisoft
What are its enhancements? Native 4K and HDR
A contender for prettiest open-world shooter to date, Far Cry 5 receives a number of impressive enhancements when played on the Xbox One X. Unlike many enhanced games that employ dynamic scaling techniques to keep their resolutions as close to 4K as possible, Far Cry 5 boasts a full and unwavering 3840 x 2160 resolution that never dips. It also manages to retain the temporal anti-aliasing that made Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed Origins look so spectacular on Microsoft's high-end console.
HDR settings are also available on Far Cry 5, though you won't be able to tweak them as thoroughly as you could with Origins' 'paper-white' and 'maximum luminance' sliders. Still, the game looks and runs gloriously on Xbox One X at 30fps. On top of this, users playing on the console will also receive improved terrain detail and shading. We can only hope that every Ubisoft title going forward looks as good as this on Xbox One X.
Though its art-style is simplistic, there's an incredible beauty to be found in the presentation of Rare's newest IP, Sea of Thieves. This massively multiplayer online pirate adventure is available on both Xbox One and PC, and while the latter offers unlocked frame rates and ultra-wide monitor support, the console version ultilizes HDR to really bring the game to life — sunsets have never been more breathtaking in a video game. Thankfully, Sea of Thieves supports crossplay between Windows 10 and Xbox so you can play with everyone.
Along with its stunning HDR-enhanced visuals, Sea of Thieves' cartoonish art style is bolstered by a native 4K resolution on Xbox One X. As you'd imagine, the water is especially beautiful in Sea of Thieves — we'd even go as far as to call it the most realistic water in any video game to date.
That said, Sea of Thieves is most impressive when you're standing on the deck of your ship, looking out as the sun sets over an island brimming with the promise of treasure. Weather can change on you in an instant, with a dynamic cloud simulation and storm system that really ups the intensity as you sail the game's vast ocean.
If you want a game that shows off just how much the Xbox One X can enhance a visual experience, we suggest you set sail for the Sea of Thieves.
What are its enhancements? 4K and performance enhancements
Bethesda's epic post-apocalyptic role-playing game has received an Xbox One X update which brings it more in line with the PS4 Pro version of the game. We now have a native 4K resolution, though the game still exhibits horizontal scaling during more graphically intense moments.
That said, at its lowest, it still delivers an impressive 3264x2160 resolution, which is much higher than the PS4 Pro's 1440p target.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to Fallout 4's framerate on Xbox One, hitting its target of 30fps more consistently than it did at launch, though you'll still find dropped frames on occasion – a problem the PS4 Pro version does not have.
Still, even with the odd framerate hiccup, Fallout 4 looks glorious on Xbox One X, making it the best way to experience the game on consoles.
What are its enhancements? 60fps, 3K, enhanced graphics
Following behind Forza Horizon 3, Project Cars 2 is another racing game taking advantage of the Xbox One X's power. Developed by Slightly Mad Games and first released in September 2017, this is a racing sim that prides itself on striking visuals and accurate simulation.
Players will have a choice of three modes on Xbox One X: Enhanced Visuals, which will put the game in 1440p resolution while having shadow, track and vehicle details as high as possible; Enhanced Resolution will bump the game's resolution up to 3K; and Enhanced Framerate that sets the game's resolution to 1080p while ensuring the game maintains a smooth 60 frames per second.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Image Credit: CD Projekt, CD Projekt RED, CDP.pl, Fuero Games, Widescreen Games, Can Explode
What are its enhancements? 4K or 60 fps and HDR.
What is it? The Witcher 3 is one of the older enhanced titles on this list but it still stands as one of the best. Believed by many to be the RPG to end all RPGs, this fantasy adventure will take you through incredible vistas and through thrilling adventures.
Using the Xbox One X's power, CD Projekt Red has created two enhanced modes: One offers 4K resolution and runs at a solid 30fps, while the other uses dynamic resolution and promises a smooth 60 frame per second. Both modes will allow you to enjoy HDR - a technology that will truly shine in the game's dynamic world.
Destiny 2
Image Credit: Bungie
What are its enhancements? 4K and HDR
As one of the biggest games this year, it's natural that Destiny 2 appears on this list. With its original game, Bungie managed to create a huge triple-A success as well as a cult hit.
Now, however, it's opening up to the masses and anyone that felt like they couldn't jump on the Destiny band wagon the first time shouldn't miss the opportunity to do so now - this huge online multiplayer shooter will reel you in with its universe, single-player story, satisfying gameplay and addictive online modes.
If you're just getting started, it's also worth taking a peek at our handy tips and tricks guide which will allow you to hit the ground running.
What is it? Right from its opening chapter, which takes place during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Call of Duty: WWII astonishes with its graphical presentation.
We’ve all come to expect the Call of Duty series to provide 60 frames per second gameplay, regardless of platform, but when that framerate is used in conjunction with the Xbox One X’s 4K resolution boost and HDR functionality, the game takes on an extraordinary level of detail and visual clarity.
Like many other Xbox One X-enhanced games, Call of Duty: WWII has HDR sliders that allow you to tweak the game’s brightness and white balance to your liking – a much-appreciated addition that we hope carries over to all enhanced games going forward. Quite frankly, we want all games on the console to look this good.
Forza Motorsport 7 was Microsoft’s poster-child for the power of the Xbox One X and thus far it’s the game that’s received the most attention in terms of performance assessments.
As a first-party title, the game's development team has been able to take full advantage of the Xbox One X’s power. The game’s patch promises 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with HDR support.
Thanks to HDR, the sunlight hitting the track and our vehicle looked brighter than ever. The 4K resolution also allows developer Turn 10 Studios to recreate the cars and their interiors to an astonishing degree of detail. This is especially evident in cars with Alcantara upholstery (pictured) – the fuzziness of the suede-like synthetic material looks just like the real thing!
The combination of 4K, HDR and locked 60 frames per second brings with it some incredibly detailed and realistic visuals with crisp and responsive gameplay. Buckle up for a truly show-stopping Xbox One X demo disc in Forza Motorsport 7.
As you’d probably expect, Assassin’s Creed Origins uses the power of the Xbox One X to make some serious visual impact. The game renders at 4K (although those without 4K screens will still benefit from an oversampled 1080p resolution) and supports HDR, too.
The high resolution support means that the game’s environments and characters are seriously detailed with highly realistic textures and the console’s CPU power means the quality is maintained from longer distances.
However, It’s HDR that makes the game really shine, creating greater contrast between bright sunlight and flames and shadows. This adds real depth to the game world, capturing the blinding brightness of the Egyptian sun and making the shade of tombs feel mercifully cool. As with most Xbox One X-enhanced games that we’ve tested, Assassin’s Creed Origins has an HDR slider that allows you to manually adjust the game’s paper white balance level, as well as the television’s brightness nits.
Having played several hours of the game on Xbox One X, we found the game to be visually impressive with wonderful textures and a remarkably consistent frame rate given everything that was happening on screen at once.
Continuing the trend of giving users the option of how to use the X’s extra graphical horsepower, Shadow of War features two different graphical settings: You can either have the game favor resolution or favor quality.
Choose to favor resolution, and the game will attempt to get as close to 4K as possible (falling back on dynamic scaling when this isn’t possible).
Opt to favor quality and the improvements will be wider-ranging, but won’t bring the same benefits to resolution. Textures will see enhanced detail, draw distances will be improved, there’ll be more vegetation and shadows and lighting will be improved.
Both modes will feature HDR, and will unfortunately only run at 30fps rather than the 60fps of some of the other titles on this list.
What is it? You've probably heard of the JRPG phenomenon that is Final Fantasy and XV is its latest addition. The games are already stunning but we're looking forward to seeing what has been done with the Xbox One X's power here - the open world of Eos is sure to be a treat in 4K.
Halo 5: Guardians
Image Credit: 343 Industries
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, 60 FPS
Bungie might have left the Halo series to focus on Destiny, but the blockbuster Xbox series is still alive and well thanks to developer 343 Industries. The most recent entry, Halo 5: Guardians, was released back in 2015, but it will be receiving the Xbox One X treatment via a patch that’s available now.
When patched for Xbox One X, the game will continue to run at 60fps as it did originally, but with the added bonus of a 4K resolution boost.
Unfortunately, due to the age of the original release, the game won’t be receiving an HDR upgrade alongside its 4K one. Still, a native 2160p resolution and rock-solid 60 frames per second is nothing to be sneezed at.
Minecraft
Image Credit: Mojang, Markus Persson, 4J Studios, Other Ocean Interactive, Xbox Game Studios
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR and 60 FPS
Minecraft is a game that needs no introduction, and its 'Super Duper Graphics Pack' is set to make its polygonal world the sharpest its ever looked. We got to have a look at the Xbox One X-enhanced version of the game and it was quite fun to see a more beautiful version of what is essentially a very simple looking game.
While the game keeps its famous blocky appearance (we obviously wouldn't want that to change), it does receive vastly improved lighting thanks to the inclusion of HDR support. For instance, your creations can now be viewed with the added bonus of a glorious sunset.
Colors also receive a boost, looking less flat in the process, and vegetation also looks more detailed than before. Still, you can rest assured that the Xbox One X version of the game doesn't mess with the winning formula too much – it simply makes it better.
Quantum Break
Image Credit: Remedy Entertainment
What are its enhancements? 1440p (upscaled to 4K) and HDR
We hope you’ve got plenty of space on your hard drive, because the patches required to play the Xbox One X-enhanced version of Quantum Break, combined with the game install itself, will take up a staggering 178GB of your console’s storage. Welcome to gaming in the future!
So what do the huge patches give you exactly? Well, since the game is incredibly demanding from a hardware perspective, even on high-end PCs, Quantum Break technically runs at true resolution of 1440p but is displayed as 2160p in its video settings.
According to Digital Foundry, the game makes use of a ‘temporal reconstruction’ technique that gives the illusion of 4K by cloning frames and using the information to make the resolution look much higher than it is. The original Xbox One version did the same thing, taking its native 720p resolution and applying the same technique to provide the illusion of 1080p.
Aside from this, the game has received a texture boost, making its visuals look much crisper in the process. Funnily enough, the film grain effect seen in the standard Xbox One version of the game has been dropped entirely for the One X, giving Quantum Break much more depth and clarity in its presentation.
It’s a shame that 60 frames per second is unavailable, but given the game’s cinematic styling based on film and television, it seems like developer Remedy would probably prefer it that way regardless. Either way, Quantum Break looks downright beautiful on Xbox One X.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is something of a reset for the bestselling FPS franchise – removing the frills of zombies, jetpacks, double-jumps and futuristic gadgetry for a grounded take on what military engagement actually looks like in the 21st century.
The name is no coincidence, either; 2007's Modern Warfare was a landmark entry in the Call of Duty series, and Activision is looking to recreate what made the game of the same name so successful.
Modern Warfare is all about the gritty realities of war this time out, with the ‘modern’ of the ‘Modern Warfare’ title referring to the gear, weapons and gadgetry being used today in the Middle East and Russia, rather than the far-flung fantasies of science fiction.
While Modern Warfare has some glaring issues with regards to its campaign, it's still the best installation the series has seen yet - with tight shooting and more multiplayer modes than you can shake a stick at. And with Xbox One X enhancement, it truly looks spectacular.
For the uninitiated, the Borderlands franchise is built upon the pursuit of gear. Players earn loot at an almost obscene rate, constantly unlocking new weapons and abilities with which to battle through stylized environments - which look even better with Xbox One X enhancements.
While Borderlands 3 doesn't offer that much in terms of new few, those who have played they previous installments are unlikely to be disappointed
What are its enhancements? 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and 60fps
The fourth entry in the Gears of War series already looked great on the original Xbox One, however, it looks damn-near astonishing when enhanced for the Xbox One X. Once patched, new advanced video options appear in the game’s settings which give the player control over every major area of its presentation.
You can choose whether you want to place preference on detail (offering native 4K resolutions and textures at 30 frames per second) or performance (locked 60 frames per second and increased graphical detail). While the jump in detail is noticeable when playing the game at 4K, the performance mode looks nearly as good in terms of textures, with the added bonus of running at a buttery-smooth frame rate.
And, while the Xbox One S already provided Gears of War 4 with HDR settings, they’ve received a boost here to work in conjunction with the game’s 4K rendering, allowing for its wider color gamut to be displayed in much greater detail. You’ll find a much-appreciated HDR brightness slider in the settings, and if you want to get a real picture of the difference between standard and high dynamic range, you can split the screen and see them both side-by-side while playing the game.
Although it's a slightly older release, The Coalition has done a great job to turn Gears 4 into a poster child for what the Xbox One X is capable of.
We've been waiting a while to see a new Gears title, and Gears 5 certainly didn't disappoint.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more - this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Gears 5 looks particularly stunning on Xbox's powerful platform - making the most of what Xbox One X enhancements have to offer.
What is it? FIFA is, for many console owners, a highly anticipated annual event. The latest and arguably greatest installment in the football sim series has arrived in the form of FIFA 20, and it's straight into our list of the best Xbox One games.
With this year's iteration of the stalwart series, EA appears to have made some bold strides in the right direction, especially when it comes to giving players what they’ve been asking for in terms of game modes and statistical tinkering.
Add to that a fantastic new way to play in Volta, a light-hearted set of modes for couch co-op and some clever, nuanced gameplay tweaks that coax out a more fair and rewarding game of soccer, this is definitely not an in between year or an easy skip if you’re a franchise fan. In fact, it might be the best FIFA game in a good few years, achieved mainly by responding to fan feedback with healthy design decisions.
Disappointed by Fallout 76? Don't worry, Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is here to scratch your Fallout itch.
Set on the frontier of space, The Outer Worlds sees you awakening from hibernation amidst a conspiracy to destroy Halycon – a colony residing at the edge of the galaxy driven by big-brand corporations. What follows is a wacky, satire-rich RPG that injects loads of fun into the classic Fallout formula we've grown to love.
Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 took 2018 by storm, giving us the gun-toting, western open-world we were hoping for. You play as Arthur Morgan, a gunslinger in the notorious Van Der Linde gang as he navigates the trials and tribulations of the changing west.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly game which will keep you busy. Between story missions, mini-games, activities and side quests, you will find yourself sinking plenty of hours into this title without even noticing it.
The Xbox One X truly makes RDR2's open world even more beautiful. So much so, you may just want to explore and let it sink in.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Image Credit: From Software
What are its enhancements? HDR
FromSoftware's latest offering is not to be scoffed at. If you thought the Dark Souls series was hard, then Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is extreme mode.
Sekiro is more punishing than any title we've seen from FromSoftware before, but actually achieving those rare moments of success is extremely rewarding. Set against a background that balances brutality and beauty, Sekiro is one of this year's must-have titles – if you have the patience for it.
New research has revealed that over half of Brits have fallen victim to a data breach over the past year.
According to a report from DynaRisk, which has run a scan on over 750,000 data pieces, users in the UK have faced more threats compared to the users in New Zealand, Canada or Europe.
The data found that 58 percent of Brits became a victim of a data breach in the last 12 months, and that those with a BT email address have been most vulnerable to a breach followed by Hotmail, Gmail, and Yahoo.
The research, which pulled together data from over 1200 users, also suggests that awareness around cybersecurity and data hygiene has improved drastically in the UK. It also states that users are far more pro-active in protecting their digital information when compared to American or European users.
Data security
With hackers often now using highly sophisticated tools and methods for their attempts, crimes like cyber-attacks, scams, data breaches and data leaks are at an all-time high. Targeted phishing attempts, which are more frequent during the festive seasons, are very cleverly executed and it is almost impossible to identify them.
While the tech companies have their measures in place to counter these attacks, it is up to the end-user to ensure that their personal and important private data remains safe. DynaRisk’s CEO, Andrew Martin states that “Consumers are clearly becoming more aware and more protective of their online information in the UK; and getting better at arming themselves against an ever-increasing number of cyber threats.”
The company offered a few steps to follow that can help users secure their personal information from prying eyes:
1. Use a strong password and a password manager: A unique and strong password that is at least 8-12 characters long is the first step to ensure your digital security. Updating your passwords regularly is also a good idea. Also, since we use multiple accounts and passwords on a regular basis, using a trusted password manager app is also helpful.
2. Two-Step verification: Adding Two-step verification not only adds another layer of protection to your account but also makes it more difficult for the hackers to get control of your account
3. Updated applications and software: Keeping the device software up to date is the critical and easiest way to keep the hackers at the bay
4. Awareness: Keeping general know-how of where are you storing your data and that if the companies are following the mandatory policies like GDPR, is another good way to ensure the security of your data
Rumors and leaks are starting to fill in the jigsaw puzzle that is the Fujifilm X-T4, the company's incoming new flagship APS-C camera – and the latest one suggests it'll have a new screen that might not be universally loved.
Fuji Rumors, which has so far proved to be a pretty reliable source of pre-launch info, says a source has confirmed that the Fujifilm X-T4 will have a fully articulating, flip screen in the style of the Panasonic S1H.
This means that, unlike the Fujifilm X-T3's more limited tilt display, its screen should be able to flip out to the side and rotate. This is particularly handy if you need the screen to face you while recording video to camera, without blocking the hotshoe or tripod mount.
So why could it prove controversial? Some stills shooters prefer tilt screens to fully articulating displays, because the latter often need to be pulled out to the side before you can tilt them. If you only want to shoot stills from low or high angles, then articulated displays can sometimes add an extra element of complexity and vulnerability.
Naturally, they also bring advantages. Along with their greater versatility, fully-articulated screens also usually fold back inwards to face the camera, which helps keep them protected when stored in your bag. We also don't know exactly what type of flip screen Fujifilm will introduce on its new APS-C flagship.
The Fujifilm X-T3 has a more limited tilt screen which flips up and down, and over to the right for portrait shooting.
Focusing on video
If the rumors are true, a fully articulating screen would really just reflect the Fujifilm X-T4's greater focus on video compared to its predecessor.
The inclusion of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and the ability to shoot 6K/60p video, which are also tipped to be included, would further boost its video credentials and suggest that it's actually more of a spiritual successor to the Fujifilm X-H1, rather than the X-T3.
The inclusion of IBIS, in particular, would mean an increase in body size (the X-T4 is rumored to be a third of an inch thicker than its predecessor), so it may be that Fujifilm felt this would also be a good time to introduce the more space-hungry articulated display.
With the X-T4 rumored to be announced on February 26, we probably don't have long to wait for the official confirmation – in the meantime, check out our in-depth Fujifilm X-T4: everything we know so far rumors roundup for our analysis of the rest of the camera's possible features.
