TheXbox Series XandXbox Series Shave recently celebrated their first birthday. Although console shortages, scalpers, and effects of the pandemic have made it a tricky start for the ninth generation of home consoles, Microsoft’s system has still enjoyed plenty of success in its first year. Along with the sharp rise of Game Pass, the Xbox Series X/S are also starting to receive some major console selling releases, includingForza Horizon 5andHalo Infinite.
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Game Pass and major IP releases may have been the highlights for the Xbox Series X/S in its first year, though the consoles have also amassed an impressive catalog of low-priced games that let people experiencenext-gen gamingat a reasonable price. To shine a spotlight on some of the best Xbox Series X/S games available for under $20 (not including free games or those on temporary discounts), here are some great options.
7Human: Fall Flat
It is usually essential thatpuzzle gameshave clearly defined mechanics and definitive solutions to create an experience that feels balanced and fair.Human: Fall Flat,however, puts players in control of a character that can’t even seem to walk in a straight line like a drunk person stumbling out of a bar and tasks them with completing puzzles that have multiple solutions.
This may sound like a hot mess on paper, thoughHuman: Fall Flatoffers a surprisinglysolid puzzle-platform experiencethat will have players laughing as they struggle to solve the physics-based puzzles.
6Minecraft Dungeons
Minecraft Dungeonsis a dungeon-crawling spin-off to the immensely popular sandbox gameMinecraft.
The game received a mixed reception initially, as its short campaign and lack of open-world disappointed much ofMinecraft’s pre-existing fanbase, who felt that it removed two of the IP’s core features. The game had fairly lackluster reviews from critics, though this shouldn’t deter people who like the sound of the dungeon-crawler, asfans of the genre will find plenty to love about the budget game, particularly its cooperative features, puzzles, and bosses.
5Call of the Sea
Call of the Seais an adventure-puzzle game that was developed by Out of the Blue. The game willappeal to fans of classic adventure games likeMystandThe Secret of Monkey Islandwhile also offeringbeautiful modern visuals.
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Call of the Seawas praised by fans and critics for its story and setting that havedistinct H.P. Lovecraft vibes, though some were critical of the game’s puzzle designs that fail to live up to other modern puzzle-adventure games likeThe WitnessandThe Talos Principle.
4Death’s Door
Death’s Doorwas developed by Acid Nerve and soon drew comparisons toDark SoulsandThe Legend of Zelda, which would be a huge compliment if the pair of games weren’t compared to hundreds of titles every year. However,Death’s Dooris one of the few games that deserves the comparisons, as the action-adventure game offers a wonderfully designed adventure with beautiful yet somber art, enjoyable puzzles, and engaging boss fights.
Death’s Dooronly takes around 7 hours to beat, but it is still an absolute steal at its current price range for the memorable adventure that it provides. The game is one of the Xbox Series X’s most critically-acclaimed titles, with a currentMetascore of 87.
3Worms Rumble
Worms Rumbleis the latest entry in the long-runningWormsseries. The series started all the way back in 1995 and has kept many of its core mechanics intact since, which speaks volumes to the quality of the original game.
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Worms Rumble, however, is a spin-off to the main series that replaces the quintessential turn-based combat with real-time action. Reviewers were critical of the game’s simplicity and lack of tactical gameplay, though for anyone looking for somecasual, light-hearted fun,Worms Rumbleis great value for money.
2Yes, Your Grace
Yes, Your Gracewas first released on PC in March 2020, before releasing on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and eventually Xbox Series X in the months that followed. The game was developed by Brave at Night and puts players in control of a King who must make various choices for the betterment of his kingdom.
The game’s slow, methodical pace will be offputting for some, but the game’s impactful decisions offer a level of depth to the game that many won’t expect when first picking it up, similar to the 2013 gamePapers, Please.
1The Artful Escape
The Artful Escapewas developed by Beethoven & Dinosaur and was recently released on the 9th of September, 2021. The game is astory-driven platformerthat stands out with its presentation, thanks to the game’s gorgeous visuals that are bursting with color, unique character models, and a wonderful soundtrack that collectively makeThe Artful Escapeone of the most impressive next-gen experiences currently on the Xbox Series X/S.
Beethoven & Dinosaur’s game was well-received by critics, scoring81 on Metacritic for Xbox Series X.
