Exclusive titles are the bane of many gamers' existence. Although competition between companies is inherently good for consumers, it can be frustrating when a new title releases on a console that many people don't own. The eighth generation of home console had many exclusive titles that alluded Xbox owners, one of which was Guerrilla Games' Horizon: Zero Dawn
The 10 games on this list won't be too similar to Horizon from a gameplay mechanics perspective, as the game is fairly unique in that regard. However, they are similar in the sense that they all provide memorable third-person open-world adventures that will hopefully fill the void left by Horizon Zero Dawn's exclusivity.
10 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt fired both CD Projekt Red and The Witcher franchise into the forefront of the gaming industry when the game hit stores back in 2015. CD Projekt Red's open-world title impressed gamers with its stunning visuals, well-crafted RPG elements, and huge map that was filled with quests to complete.
Moreover, the game featured an impressive level of complexity in its storytelling by letting players heavily influence the layered narratives with their decisions.
9 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Generally speaking, stealth sections in open-world games tend to be tedious and frustrating, which is why many people were apprehensive when seeing footage of The Phantom Pain's huge open-world environments. Thankfully, the game proved the doubters wrong and provided an open-world stealth experience that was thoroughly enjoyable while also feeling realistic, something that many developers had struggled to accomplish in the past.
Although the missions are well-constructed, there is much fun to be had in Metal Gear Solid V by just trying out all of the different gameplay mechanics, a mark of a truly great game.
8 Assassin's Creed Valhalla
The Assassin's Creed franchise has essentially become the McDonalds of open-world games; they're not the best available, but there's a lot of them, and you know they'll offer a reliably solid experience. The latest game in the franchise, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, doesn't buck this trend, keeping the same quintessential Ubisoft gameplay that has proven popular over the years, predominantly because it appeals to both casual and hardcore gamers.
Valhalla is the third successive Assassin's Creed game that implements numerous RPG elements, a trend that began with Assassin's Creed Origins, presumably as a response to the success of The Witcher 3.
7 Middle-earth: Shadow of War
An open-world game set in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth had been on the wishlist of many gamers since the genre became popularized, and fans finally got their wish in 2014 with the Monolith Productions' Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.
The sequel, Shadow of War, was released just over three years later and kept the core gameplay similar to Shadow of Mordor. Among the series' stand-out features is the Nemesis mechanic, which Warner Bros. has controversially patented.
6 Watch Dogs 2
The second Ubisoft IP on this list, Watch Dogs 2 was released in 2016 and clearly intended to impress those that were critical of the first game's dreary environments by injecting life, charisma, and bright colors into the game world making it feel more like Grand Theft Auto V.
Watch Dogs 2 certainly doesn't reach the immense quality of Rockstar Games' GTA V, but it's still a thoroughly enjoyable open-world adventure that implements many interesting gameplay mechanics thanks to the franchise's emphasis on futuristic technology.
5 Red Dead Redemption 2
Speaking of Rockstar, their latest title, Red Dead Redemption 2, is impossible to leave off of this list. Like any Rockstar release, the game had a huge weight of expectations on its shoulders. However, it didn't disappoint; amazing fans and critics with its powerful story, memorable characters, and incredible open-world with a level of realism that has raised the bar for the genre.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was a huge critical success, exemplified by its whopping 97 Metascore, as well as an enormous commercial success, breaking numerous sales records along the way.
4 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is the third and final Ubisoft game to appear on this list. Ubisoft has always been shrewd when it comes to ditching an IP to fit in with modern times, so many people thought that the Ghost Recon franchise would suffer the same fate as Splinter Cell when the open-world genre began to overshadow linear action games. However, Ubisoft decided not to ditch Ghost Recon and instead implemented an open-world into the series for the first time.
The game wasn't a smash hit with critics, exemplified by its fairly lackluster Xbox One Metascore of 76. However, there are many fans of the game who still sing its praises to this day, making it worth considering when the game is on sale.
3 Mad Max
Surprisingly, Mad Max isn't a tie-in to the hit film Mad Max: Fury Road, despite the game releasing just a few months after the movie came to theatres. This was seen as a positive thing, as movie tie-in games are generally looked down upon due to gamers realizing that the developers often had to keep to tight schedules, resulting in a substandard product most of the time.
Avalanche Studios' Mad Max clearly benefitted from not being tied down to a movie tie-in schedule. The game offers an intense action-pact experience that can easily be enjoyed by those who aren't fans of the films.
2 Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisition was developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts, the same combination that provided players with two of the three Mass Effect games, including the modern classic Mass Effect 2.
As for Dragon Age: Inquisition, it's the third entry into the Dragon Age franchise and marked a return to form following the disappointment over Dragon Age 2, which failed to live up to the high standard that Origins set. The Xbox One iteration of the game scored 85 on Metascore, and it was also awarded The Game Awards' prestigious Game of the Year accolade.
1 Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata was initially released on PC and PlayStation 4 in March 2017, before coming to the green brand of console in June 2018. The game was developed by PlatinumGames, who are best known for the Bayonetta franchise.
Nier: Automata differentiates itself from most other action role-playing games with its unique narrative, as well as its impressive variety in gameplay styles. Although the game is predominantly hack and slash, players will be thrown numerous curveballs in terms of implemented genres. For example, the game's opening features a brand of shoot 'em up that will bring players back to the arcade days.