Microsoft has become a powerhouse when it comes to creating a collection of talented studios and making excellent games for Xbox, PC, and more. Their recent acquisition of Bethesda is expected to be a huge addition to the corporation’s library, setting them up for a decade of major titles and the move leaving a lasting impact on the gaming industry.
While the future is bright, Microsoft’s past decade shouldn’t be overlooked with plenty of solid games that have wowed fans across the world. While their library is rather deep, there are few that rise to the top as the best Microsoft games that have come out in recent years.
10 Gears Of War 4 (86)
After Microsoft Studios acquired the rights to the Gears of War games, they handed the developmental reigns to The Coalition, a subsidiary based in Vancouver. After making a remake of the original game, the developers made their first mainline installment in 2016 called Gears of War 4. Taking place 25 years after the events of the third game, the game focuses on a bunch of outsiders fighting back against the authoritarian Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG). The game introduced new weapons, new combat styles, and windstorms that could affect combat.
9 Halo 4 (87)
Similar to the previous entry, Halo 4 was the first mainline game in the series made by a completely new developer. After Bungie departed Microsoft, 343 Industries was responsible for continuing the franchise and remains the main developer today. In the new game, Master Chief returns with Cortana to take on new threats from remnants of the Covenant to mechanical warriors known as Prometheans.
8 Ori And The Blind Forest (88)
A newer franchise published by Microsoft this decade called Ori took platforming fans by storm. Ori and the Blind Forest introduced players to the titular character of Ori, a guardian spirit. In the first iteration of the Metroidvania game, players learn about a catastrophic event that causes the forest to die and Ori is left orphaned.
In order to bring life back to the forest, Ori is joined by Sein, a small light orb, who guides the spirit through gameplay that includes moving through platforms and solving puzzles while looking to explore and collect different things around the forest.
7 Mark Of The Ninja (90)
Who would’ve expected an Xbox Live Arcade game to be considered one of the best Microsoft games of the decade? Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling stealth game with a unique art style that revolves around an unnamed ninja of the Hisomu ninja clan. The plot revolves around a conflict between the ninja dojo and an Eastern European corporation. The main goal of the game is for the player to stealthily move through 2D platforming levels for each mission and perform silent assassinations. Stealth levels involve paying attention to light level and sound.
6 Ori And The Will Of The Wisps (90)
Ori and the Blind Forest was beloved by so many fans that a sequel came out five years later. In Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the game picks up right from where it left off as Ori goes on to have an adventure in the region of Niwen after they and a baby owl named Ku are separated in a storm. The game once again features a Metroidvania-style map where the emphasis is on exploring the map and collecting items through platforming and solving puzzles.
5 Trials Evolution (90)
Some of the best Microsoft-published games of the last decade fell in the racing category, starting with the Ubisoft motorcycle series Trials and their 2012 installment Trials Evolution. The main objective of each race is to navigate a motorcycle on a 2D plane from one end of an obstacle course to the other. The goal is to not only get to the end as fast as possible but also avoid as many faults as possible. Players can also create their own level for people to try out using the game’s editor mode.
4 Gears Of War 3 (91)
While The Coalition has been the primary developer of the Gears of War games now, Epic Games are the developers that started the franchise back in 2006. The best iteration they developed was also the last game they developed in Gears of War 3.
The main campaign focuses on Marcus Fenix and the Delta Squad fighting back against Locusts and Lambent. The third-person shooter once again focuses on the use of cover and squad tactics. The new element to this game was the ability to tag enemies and make it easier to target them when attacking.
3 Forza Motorsport 4 (91)
There are two worlds of Forza that are both featured prominently amongst the top-reviewed Microsoft games: Motorsport and Horizon. Motorsport tends to put a focus on more professional-style racing that takes place on various race tracks, both real and fake. Forza Motorsport 4 features 500 different cars to choose from and 26 different tracks to race on. The World Tour mode features A.I. that adjusts to how well the player is driving. The Autovista mode was introduced that allowed players to actually walk around and experience each car’s precise details.
2 Microsoft Flight Simulator (91)
A series that took over a decade off, Microsoft Flight Simulator returned in full force in 2020 with the release of its latest entry that shares the series’ namesake. Developed by Asobo Studio, the game has created an entire map of the Earth thanks to data and imagery developed by Bing Maps. The 3D-textures of the game are created using Microsoft Azure. The game starts off teaching players a basic tutorial of how to take off, how to fly around in the plane, and how to land. Players can start a flight session from many different airports around the world.
1 Forza Horizon 4 (92)
The other world of Forza, Horizon, focuses more on fictional racing styles that put a heavy emphasis on driving in an open-world environment that allows for some off-road exploration. Forza Horizon 4 is the latest entry in the series, with its newest feature being that the seasons consistently change from week to week. The game takes place in a fictional Great Britain where players can drive around a large map participating in various events while driving one of over 700 different cars. The game also receives various content updates, including a Lego expansion.
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