Xbox One’s Hidden Gems

It’s Summer, and that means two things: there’s a slight lull in videogame releases and it gets too hot to sleep. Need something to fill those late nights in front of a fan? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there. Below are seven hidden gems you may have missed that will keep you busy up until the release cadence picks up again.

Dishonored 2 – Trailer

Criminally under-appreciated Dishonored received a sequel in 2016, and it truly is something special. A first-person stealth title with a supernatural twist, Dishonored 2 features two playable characters with completely different abilities. It also features some of the greatest level design this generation, full of multiple pathways and hidden areas. 2017’s standalone expansion “Death of the Outsider” is also well worth a play through, and both titles are Xbox One X Enhanced. Bonus!

Divinity: Original Sin – Trailer

The Witcher 3, Final Fantasy XV and, of course, Skyrim mean the Xbox One isn’t short of options when it comes to RPGS. That said, if you yearn for the simpler days of turn-based combat then look no further than Divinity: Original Sin. In fact, its the closest you can get to a tabletop game without having to actually have a table. Dice rolls, dialogue options, and deep combat options and will mean your created character’s path is never the same as another’s. Oh – and did we mention? The entire game is playable in co-op. The sequel also has a trial available and is coming to Xbox Game Preview soon!

Dying Light – Trailer

Take Mirrors Edge’s parkour, add in zombies, a dense RPG upgrade system and a surprisingly nuanced story and you get Dying Light. Fighting your way through these hordes isn’t an option, so you’ll spend your days using every hop and jump at your disposal to evade them. This becomes a lot more difficult at night however, when the infected are infinitely more powerful – you’ll learn to fear the sun going down, and the thrill of the chase is pure nightmare fuel. The season pass contains “The Following”, essentially a second campaign set on a second, huge map.

Elite: Dangerous – Trailer

Speaking of huge expanses, they don’t get a lot bigger than Elite: Dangerous’ accurate representation of the Solar System. Filled with hundreds of stars, planets and space stations, the entire game is a sandbox filled with emergent gameplay opportunities. Set loose with a small ship and few credits, how you make your name is up to you – will you play as a pirate and hunt down precious cargo? Or hunt them down as a Bounty Hunter? You can also play as a merchant, or smuggler – or simply take on whichever missions you fancy at any time. A word of warning – the game is complex, but constantly being built on with things like planetary landings and mining. On Xbox One X, you’ll find those stars shine just a little brighter, too.

Mass Effect: Andromeda – Trailer

Its hard to consider a game in a franchise as colossal as Mass Effect as a “hidden gem”, but dozens of players abandoned Andromeda at launch or didn’t give it the attention it deserves. Since it’s release in 2017, Andromeda has received numerous patches. Sure, it still doesn’t hold a candle to the original trilogy but what game can? Where Andromeda does succeed, however, is in it’s combat – kinetic, fast-paced and lethal. EA Access subscribers have nothing to lose, and if you haven’t played the original trilogy, it has you covered there too.

Not A Hero – Trailer

2016’s Not A Hero is not a difficult game to sell – it’s a shooter developed by Roll7, of OlliOlli fame. Your mission (usually) is to eliminate everyone in a level using one of nine hilarious characters who shoot and swear their way through buildings and take cover when necessary. Oh, and this is all in service of a mayoral candidate who happens to be an anthropomorphic Rabbit. As cute as it may look, please don’t play it in front of the kids.

Warframe – Trailer

The cheapest game on this list, Warframe is free-to-play – but don’t discount it on this basis. In fact, the amount of free content in Warframe can put AAA titles to shame and everything in-game can be unlocked through playing, just be prepared to grind. Luckily, the grind is made easier but a flexible and rewarding third-person combat system filled with swords, guns, space ninjas and slow-motion. If that doesn’t sell you, nothing will.

So there you have it, plenty for you to get stuck into. What are you playing in these summer months? And which underrated titles would you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!

Want to keep up to date with the latest Xt reviews, Xt opinions and Xt content? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.