From racing games to platformers and even full-on role-playing adventures, there is something available for practically every thrifty player. With cross-platform play enabled on some of the games, you can even play with your pals on Xbox One. Check out our top picks.
Risk of Rain 2
Best Overall
In Risk of Rain 2, Hopoo Games manages to bring back the formula of old arcade games while still keeping up with the mechanics and looks of modern ones. RoR2 is the perfect game for people who don’t want to concern themselves with quests or a story – just shoot the monsters, get power-ups, defeat bosses, and beat your high score.
RoR2 is a roguelike, third-person shooter that drops you into an extraterrestrial world as one of eleven playable “Survivors”. These characters each have a unique weapon and skillset, giving players tons of things to try out. You start with the Commando and Huntress but you have to unlock the rest by accomplishing feats within the game. RoR2 is a fun game to play alone but it becomes more enjoyable when played with friends. Up to four players can party up and potentially reach harder levels to get a higher score.
Why we love it:
- Excellent replayability due to roguelike design and a wide roster of playable characters
- Great soundtrack and unique, stunning art style
- Beating your high score and reaching higher difficulties feels very satisfying
Why we don’t:
- Can get overwhelming in higher difficulties.
Something to consider: It’s a challenging game but the first minutes or early stages can feel boring and tedious. The action only ramps up when you get to higher difficulties and continues to intensify until it becomes too much, especially if you’re playing solo.
Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection
Best Value
For the price of one AAA game, the Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection puts you in the shoes of Assassin/Pirate Edward Kenway and Assassin-turned-Templar Shay Patrick Cormac. If you’re a fan of the Assassin’s Creed (AC) franchise but haven’t played AC IV Black Flag and AC Rogue, this is the bundle for you. For those new to the franchise, these games can be the perfect gateway to the world of Assassin’s Creed as they take place in two of the most captivating settings in AC history – the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy and the North Atlantic during the Seven Years’ War.
The AC franchise is best known for its gorgeous rendition of historical settings, parkour, and stealth, but Black Flag and Rogue stand out from the rest of the franchise through their naval combat. Both games will let you experience being an assassin who strikes from the dark and a ship captain who pulls off clever maneuvers to sink enemy ships.
Why we love it:
- Charismatic protagonists with interesting storylines that will make you feel for the characters
- Let’s you meet historical figures such as Blackbeard and Benjamin Franklin
- Naval combat is engaging and flows smoothly without being oversimplified
- Piracy gameplay in Black Flag is among the best in video game history
Why we don’t:
- Black Flag has a handful of boring tailing missions.
Something to consider: These games take place in the middle of the AC franchise. If you care about playing the games in the release order, you should play the first AC game.
Katana Zero
Best Action Platformer
Taking cues from Hotline Miami, Katana Zero is the latest game published by Devolver Digital to blow our minds. You’re a mysterious samurai, trapped in a neo-noir world. Armed with a blade, a dodge move, and the ability to slow down time, you must clear out baddies of all kinds throughout a selection of sidescrolling levels. You can slow time to deflect bullets, belting them back for a flashy kill.
In Katana Zero, one hit, and it’s game over. The same goes for all enemies outside of bosses. The gameplay is a mix of stylish action, stealth, and puzzler, as figuring out the order to strike is just as important as the execution. One neat thing is that each level is a simulation, a plan for performing the contracts. So “dying” simply rewinds the tape to the start of the room. On top of the wonderful gameplay, the story and visuals are top-notch. Katana Zero is the full package.
Why we love it:
- Interesting dialogue system keeps you paying attention to the story
- Combat is challenging, but not unfair
- Fantastic pixel art and character animations
Why we don’t:
- Short game with not much replayability.
Something to consider: Players who are invested in a game’s story will find its conclusion lacking. It’s an abrupt cliffhanger that doesn’t open a door for a sequel.
Night in the Woods
Best Story-Driven
If you’re a fan of dark comedy, look no further than Night in the Woods, a wonderful sidescroller starring a town of anthropomorphic animals. In Night in the Woods, you step into the paws of Mae, a cat and college dropout, who heads home to Possum Springs. The problem is that the town and the animals who raised her aren’t what she remembers.
Night in the Woods isn’t a challenging game, as its action mainly involves talking to the animal of Possum Springs. In this respect, it’s closer to an old-school point-and-click adventure game. Night in the Woods will make you laugh — a lot — but it also has a poignant and sobering message beneath its surface.
Why we love it:
- The dialogue feels natural and keeps you interested
- Characters are all are relatable and believable
- Tons of mini-games make every interaction more enjoyable
Why we don’t:
- Dream sequences can feel tedious.
Something to consider: Night in the Woods’ focus is its story and dialogue and doesn’t offer much in terms of challenging gameplay. If you want an adventure game that’s filled with action, this is not for you.
Overcooked! 2
Best Cooperative
Playing Overcooked! 2 can be an excellent teambuilding activity or a chaotic yet fun-filled activity for parties. In this cooking game, you and your friends work in a restaurant, fulfilling different roles, to save the Onion Kingdom from the Unbread, an army of bread zombies. It doesn’t depart far from the first game’s formula, but it has improved graphics, new gameplay elements like the “throw” mechanic, and a bunch of other small improvements.
Overcooked! 2’s art style looks tame and adorable, but its gameplay is challenging, requiring outstanding communication and coordination between you and your friends. The early stages have a standard layout but as your progress, your team of chefs gets dropped into places where no one sane would build a restaurant, (i.e. a hot air balloon, in the middle of a highway). As the stages get more complex and ridiculous, the more difficult it gets to get a passing score, and the more satisfying it becomes.
Why we love it:
- Encourages players to communicate and strategize
- Interaction between players often results in hilarious moments
- Better optimization than its predecessor removes most of the hiccups
- Can be played online or as a couch multiplayer
Why we don’t:
- Doesn’t have an in-game voice chat functionality.
Something to consider: Controls can feel less responsive in handheld/ tabletop mode. If you want the best experience with this game, play it docked.
Why should you trust us?
The Digital Trends team prides itself in offering expert product recommendations in ways that everyone can understand. Our team of experts is constantly using and reviewing the latest and greatest consumer tech, smart home gadgets, televisions, and so much more to offer insights to help guide your purchasing decision. We have vigorously tested thousands of different products across these categories, and we’ve distilled our lists to bring you the best of the best. If we feel a product does not live up to our expectations, it doesn’t make the list. We are humans though, and realize that not every recommended product will be perfect for everyone, so we do our best to call out important features that may impact your choices.
The products in this guide have been carefully curated by our team of experts and enthusiasts who understand the value and quality needed for the best options.
About the Author
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career back in 2010 while still in high school, and subsequently graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism in 2016.
In addition to video games, Gabe has also covered television, film, and music, and he has done everything from news to reviews and video work.
