Persona 3 Reload (Xbox Series X|S)

This remake of Persona 3 arrived on Xbox back in January 2024 as part of the Xbox Game Pass program, and as expected, we fell in love with it immediately. In our "Excellent" 9/10 review, we praised the game as a "stunner", stating that it features "all the slick graphics, cutscenes, new mechanics, dialogue and voice-acting fans can handle".

Here's a sample from that review - it goes without saying we highly recommend Persona 3 Reload!

"Persona 3 Reload is a stunner. This is how you do remakes, folks, keeping the heart and soul intact whilst adding all the slick graphics, cutscenes, new mechanics, dialogue and voice-acting fans can handle. Everything that's been changed has been done so with the upmost care, every new addition sings and newcomers and diehards alike should find themselves absolutely glued to this one when it hits Game Pass. Yes, we'd have loved to see the option for a female protagonist added, but beyond this one niggle, what we've got here is very hard to find fault with."

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Remnant 2 (Xbox Series X|S)

Gunfire Games' Remnant 2 takes everything we enjoyed about the original game and polishes it to a sheen. This is top-class co-operative stuff with a Soulslike sensibility to its difficulty and plenty of tasty loot to dig into discovering as you blast your way through some truly nightmarish enemies.

Playing in solo mode is fun, but where Remnant 2 really stands out is in how it forces you to work with your human squad-mates to survive some tough skirmishes. With procedurally generated routes through its meaty campaign, this is one slick and addictive effort that'll keep you and your pals entertained for a good long while.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Scarlet Nexus (Xbox Series X|S)

Scarlet Nexus was one of the big surprises of 2021, on the face of things just another anime-inspired JRPG it is, in fact, a thrilling, combat-heavy experience that serves up two separate twenty hour campaigns, slick battle action and a huge and intricately woven supporting cast of characters.

Bandai Namco funnels you through this adventure by keeping the level design linear, but they then stuff each and every area full of enemies with which to engage in some excellent combat that mixes weapons and telekinesis-based powers to thrilling effect. Scarlet Nexus also fully delivers on the story front, with some top-notch world building and an amazing cast of characters across its two campaigns. With the whole thing wrapped up in some amazing anime-inspired visuals, this is one JRPG you really shouldn't overlook!

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Sea of Stars (Xbox Series X|S)

Sea of Stars arrived day one on Xbox Game Pass just before the launch of Starfield, so there's every chance that a bunch of people overlooked it. That's a real shame, as we ended up giving it an extremely rare 10/10 score here at Pure Xbox, praising it as one of the very best Xbox games of 2023. High praise indeed!

Here's a little sample of what we had to say in that 10/10 review:

"Don't spoil this one for yourself, dive in as blind as you can and enjoy a truly magical journey that's easily one of the best games you'll play this year and an absolutely essential addition to Xbox Game Pass."

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

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South Park: The Stick of Truth (Xbox One)

Looking for something more lighthearted? Then South Park: The Stick of Truth is a perfect example of a license tie-in done correctly. The game manages to perfectly embrace the style of the show, replicating the animated style as players explore the town of South Park. While it also gained a sequel on the Xbox One, we recommend the original version which was ported and we think is slightly better - certainly as a starting point.

The combat pokes fun at classic turn-based RPG combat, as does its story, which reworks traditional conventions and storytelling beats with the signature humour the show is known for. There's no RPG out there quite like this one (and its sequel) and for that reason we recommend you avoid any spoilers before diving in.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Stardew Valley (Xbox One)

The wonderful Stardew Valley perhaps isn't your typical Xbox RPG, but nevertheless it's one of the most enjoyable and most relaxing examples on Xbox One. The game is an open-ended country-life RPG, in which you inherit your grandfather's old farm plot in Stardew Valley, and seek to turn your plot into a lively farm.

It's more than just a farming simulator though, as you can engage with the entire community of Stardew Valley, making friends, getting married and even having kids if you want to, as well as spend time exploring caves and fighting monsters, cooking meals, donating artefacts to the museum and even just fishing! You need to try this one.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Starfield (Xbox Series X|S)

How could we have a "Best Xbox RPGs" list without Starfield in it?! Bethesda's latest RPG was a decade in the making, and it ended up proving a massive hit at launch in September 2023. This is absolutely one of the biggest Xbox exclusives of all time, and perhaps the most important release of the Xbox Series X|S generation so far.

While it might not have lived up to some people's expectations, most Xbox fans seem to have had a blast with Starfield so far, and there's so much content that you could feasibly be playing it for the next 10 years or more. It's naturally part of Xbox Game Pass as well, so you don't even have to buy the game itself if you want to enjoy this one.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Star Wars Outlaws (Xbox Series X|S)

We've all heard about how Star Wars Outlaws wasn't the biggest success for Ubisoft when it launched in mid-2024, but we've had an absolute blast (no pun intended!) with the game here at Pure Xbox, as evidenced by our 8/10 review back at release. It's improved since then as well with multiple updates that have altered the gameplay.

If you're looking for a focused Star Wars experience that isn't quite like anything else out there, we highly recommend at least trying Star Wars Outlaws on Ubisoft Plus to see if you enjoy it. EA's Jedi: Survivor is possibly the better game overall, but it's actually hard to compare them - you'll see what we mean if you try it for yourself.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Steelrising (Xbox Series X|S)

Steelrising is perhaps a bit of a surprise inclusion in our Best Xbox RPGs list as not everyone seems to be totally enamored with it, but it ended up proving one of our favourite RPGs of 2022 here at Pure Xbox. The game is set in 1790s Paris, and sees you take the role of a "mechanical masterpiece" called Aegis who must save the French Revolution.

We gave Steelrising a "Great" 8/10 score in our review, praising it as a "super solid soulslike that incorporates a wonderfully unique setting and lots of well-designed battle and traversal mechanics into the mix".

  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Tales of Arise (Xbox Series X|S)

The 17th entry in Bandai Namco's long-running Tales franchise, Tales of Arise is a fantastic action RPG that pulls together a hugely addictive battle system, incredible graphics and a properly thrilling story to deliver up one of the very best games we had the pleasure of playing in 2021.

Telling the story of the rise of the persecuted Dahnans as they finally fight back against their technologically superior enslavers, the Renans, it's a surprisingly personal and affecting game that keeps you fully engaged in its core narrative all the way through. Its battle system is fantastically flashy stuff that gives you lots of strategic options, cool abilities and total control over your party as you face off against all manner of beasties, human foes and some top-notches bosses. All of this is then backed up by a wonderfully vibrant anime aesthetic that makes the whole thing pop. If you're on the lookout for a new action RPG to jump into, this one comes highly recommended.

  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Tails of Iron (Xbox Series X|S)

Odd Bug Studio served up a real treat in 2021 when they delivered this beautiful 2D Soulslike RPG that's absolutely dripping in surprises, secrets and top notch combat action.

While it may look like Darkest Dungeons with rats, and there's certainly an element of that here, there's so much more going on in Tails of Iron. From its exquisite 2D world that's jam-packed with oddball characters, secrets, loot and more, to some thoroughly addictive and brutally satisfying combat, this is a unique RPG experience that really blew us away and kept us coming back for more until we'd seen its campaign through. With a running time of in and around eight hours, it also doesn't outstay its welcome, providing a wonderfully crafted little package that you should definitely make the time to check out.

  • Xbox Game Pass? No