Microsoft’s big conference for 2022 has come and gone, and despite the lack of concrete release dates over the next twelve months, there are plenty of great backward-compatible titles on the Xbox Series X/S to play. Though Microsoft has announced the end of future support of backward-compatible titles due to a lack of technological advances and licensing issues, the currently available library is nothing to sneeze at. This year looks relatively scant on releases, let alone exclusives for Microsoft’s flagship consoles. In the meantime, it’s worth looking at the console’s legacy of support back to the original Xbox.
Microsoft did something most companies were actively avoiding – it ventured a guess that people wanted to tap back into their classic Xbox games library. Though scoffed at by some, Microsoft used this lack of competitive interest to its advantage and sought to refresh its tarnished image further by re-engineering its emulation software. Microsoft sought not just to bring classics onto the newer consoles but put them on par with modded improvements previously exclusive to PC, thanks to the efforts of dedicated fandoms. Nintendo used to be the undisputed king of the digital catalog service until they unceremoniously ended support for legacy consoles earlier this year, making it no longer possible to add currency to the Wii U or 3DS E-shop storefronts. Instead, Nintendo seeks to herd its fans onto the Nintendo Switch Online service, which has been met with a largely hostile reception due to the infrequency of catalog updates and the various issues plaguing games re-released.
With companies like Sony tackling a similar service to Game Pass by offering classic games via the newly revamped PlayStation Plus service, it seems Microsoft may have made an impact. Big companies’ attitude toward classic games has shifted, presumably seeing financial potential in repurposing their old catalogs as part of broader subscription service offerings. However, despite the efforts from Nintendo and Sony, Microsoft’s support for backward compatibility has felt the most consistent and successful. Beyond having a massive catalog available on Game Pass, Microsoft has also allowed the purchase and use of original discs (if owned) to play without subscribing. These games are playable, but a handful has also seen some incredible quality of life improvements, such as many Xbox games getting FPS boosts of up to 120 FPS and 4K graphical upscaling. In the absence of big confirmed titles for 2022, here’s a list of the best games from the Xbox and Xbox 360 that have aged well and play great on the latest Xbox consoles.
Otogi 1 & 2 Are Great Xbox Backward Compatible Classics
FromSoftware has had a varied career loaded spanning multiple genres of games. Otogi: Myth of Demons and Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors were released on the original Xbox allowing the Japanese publisher to tackle a unique approach to their country’s mythos. A hack and slash action game in the same vein as Devil May Cry, the Otogi games were a vital experiment as From Software’s Soulsborne games owe their very existence to these two titles.
Otogi 1 & 2 were an impressive display of the original Xbox’s tech. Environments were destructible, the movement was fast and fluid, and the overall presentation rivaled many AAA titles of the time. The second title significantly improved over the original and featured multiple playable characters, and players may find more milage skipping the original altogether. Regardless, it’s an excellent – albeit punishing – experience that shows a peak moment in the critically acclaimed Elden Ring‘s developer’s lifecycle. Xbox is the only way to play these two classics, as Otogi: Myth of Demons and Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors have never been released on any other platform.
Mirror’s Edge Is An Excellent Backward Compatible Game For Xbox Series X/S
EA Dice has had a rougher reputation as of late, having released troubled games like Battlefield 2042. Once upon a time, however, the Swedish developer broke the mold and struck out to create a one-of-a-kind experience, a game about the thrill of free-running. Mirror’s Edge was a visually striking first-person game about a character named Faith, who sought to break free from an oppressive semi-futuristic big-brother-like government by being a runner. Runners delivered packages and information to escape the watchful eyes of this hauntingly beautiful city of glass. The world’s distinct color scheme, perfect angles, and oppressively clean image simultaneously created a sense of wonder and unease, giving players a chance to see the world as Faith sees it.
When the main course of all game genres were third- and first-person shooters, the parkour-packed Mirror’s Edge provided an alternative to the action-heavy shooters of the time. Though gunplay and combat were options open to the player, they were discouraged in favor of utilizing Faith’s exceptional parkour ability to escape combat situations deftly. Instead, Mirror’s Edge enticed players to find new ways to traverse the world to reach their next objective with an addictive “how fast can this be cleared” gameplay loop that was as tough as it was addictive. Unfortunately, Mirror’s Edge eventually got a sequel titled Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst that fell victim to the open-world trappings of the era, disappointing fans and critics alike. The game no longer felt like a thrilling parkour experience but more like an exercise in tedium. Thankfully, the classic is still available to play on the Xbox Series X/S today and benefits from 4K with an FPS boost to 60 FPS on Xbox.
Binary Domain Is An Underrated Classic Playable On Xbox Series X/S
Binary Domain is somewhat of a cult classic that came out back in 2012. Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the team responsible for the Yakuza series, Binary Domain was a 3rd person action shooter focused on squad-based gameplay. The game had a strong emphasis on character relationships utilizing a unique “consequence system” that meant the actions and dialogue choices made by the player would change the game’s outcome and affect the way teammates acted and spoke.
Binary Domain also had a voice recognition system that allowed players to issue commands to teammates while playing the game so they could focus on the action with less control fiddling. Still, this feature was finicky and didn’t work as the Yakuza: Like a Dragon developer had hoped. Thankfully, this mechanic hardly impacts the game, as it’s uncompromised through controller-only gameplay. Though audiences almost wholly ignored the game on release, the recent update pushes the title to a clean 60 FPS. The performance upgrades paired with fine-tuned gameplay make this hidden gem worth giving a second glance on Xbox Series X/S.
Sonic Generations Is Even Better Through Xbox Backward Compatability
With Sonic Frontiers peeking over the horizon, there’s never been a better time to look at one of the best games in the Sonic franchise, Sonic Generations. Created and released as a part of the 20th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Generations was a best-of compilation of the Blue Blur’s classic exploits over 20 years. Players controlled both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic as they zipped through reimaginings of various zones from Sonic 1 to Sonic 2006. As Classic Sonic, players would experience traditional Sega Genesis-era Sonic Mania-like gameplay; levels were 2D side-scrolling 2-4 minute affairs featuring the younger Sonic with a stubbier and iconic design. On the other hand, modern Sonic’s gameplay had players traveling through not only the recent 3D zones present in the Dreamcast to 360/PS3 era but also in bombastic and faithful 3D recreations of levels like Green Hill Zone from Sonic 1 or Sky Sanctuary from Sonic & Knuckles.
Many fans consider Sonic Generations the last grand 3D Sonic adventure. More recent entries like Sonic Forces and the problematic re-release of Sonic Colors: Ultimate have been met with primarily tepid responses. Generations was a feature-rich game packed with content, allowing incredible amounts of replayability and unlockables to spare. In Microsoft’s final backward compatibility update, Sonic Generations was one of the titles to benefit from an FPS boost, bringing the game on par with higher-end PCs. Now the game is playable in 4K and 60 FPS on Xbox Series X/S, doing justice to Sonic‘s high-speed legacy.
Dead Space 2 Is Great On Xbox Series X/S Through Backward Compatability
For those with a horror itch to scratch, one needs to look no further than the Dead Space franchise – fully compatible with the Xbox Series X/S generation of consoles. But of the three games, Dead Space 2 is the standout for several reasons. Dead Space 1 was a love letter to Alien and Resident Evil fans worldwide, providing tense moment-to-moment gameplay mired in an oppressive atmosphere that reminded players that death was waiting around every corner. Dead Space 2 took everything that made the original title tremendous and upped it to eleven. Isaac Clarke was no longer a silent protagonist, changed by the events of Dead Space 1. Instead, he was now a hardened survivalist dealing with PTSD, seeking to survive a new threat and free himself of the visions plaguing his mind. The action was faster, but somehow the terror remained front and center.
Microsoft sought to give this game a much-needed FPS boost and graphical upscale in their final backward compatibility update, making Dead Space 2 better than ever. Considering many elements of the second game will be implemented in EA Motive’s Dead Space remake due out in 2023, now might be the perfect time to give the second Dead Space a try. Thankfully, like all the other games on this list, Dead Space 2 is readily available on the Xbox Series X/S, thanks to backward compatibility.
