The best Xbox Series X exclusives

Of all the franchises out there, Microsoft is most closely tied with the Halo series. It essentially was the reason to buy the original Xbox when it first launched and pioneered not only the first-person genre on consoles, but revolutionized online multiplayer too. Xbox owes a lot to this franchise, so it makes sense that they would want to keep it alive. Despite being delayed for two years after the Series X and S launched, we finally got our first taste of a brand new Halo game on these upgraded machines in the form of Halo: Infinite.  Split between the free-to-play multiplayer and campaign, this Halo is a little light on content but promises to continue to grow over time. At the core, though, the gameplay is more than enough reason to jump in. This throwback to the classic arena-style shooter is a breath of fresh air in a genre filled with specialists, loadouts, complex abilities, and overpowered builds.

If you prefer your racers more sim than arcadey, Forza Motorsport is the entry for you. This game lets you really get under the hood of your car, finely tuning each and every aspect to your heart’s content. Or, if you’re not comfortable getting your hands greasy, you can use a handy toggle to auto-tune your car. It won’t be optimal, but lets you compete without feeling overwhelmed. The singleplayer offering is strangely addicting, while being more race-based than Horizon’s open world, and lets you build a relationship with your car as you level it up across multiple events.