Best games
Best Xbox Series X|S games of 2017
The 16 best Xbox Series X|S games released in 2017, ranked from 10,444 critic and player ratings.
The best Xbox Series X|S game of 2017 is Hollow Knight, with a critic score of 88/100 — updated August 2026.
01
A
Hollow Knight
A 2D metroidvania with an emphasis on close combat and exploration in which the player enters the once-prosperous now-bleak insect kingdom of Hallownest, travels through its various districts, meets friendly inhabitants, fights hostile ones and uncovers the kingdom's history while improving their combat abilities and movement arsenal by fighting bosses and accessing out-of-the-way areas.
88
/100
02
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of short stories about a cursed family in Washington State. Each story offers a chance to experience the life of a different family member with stories ranging from the early 1900s to the present day. The gameplay and tone of the stories are as varied as the family members themselves. The only constants are that each is played from a first-person perspective and that each story ends with that family member's death. It's a game about what it feels like to be humbled and astonished by the vast and unknowable world around us. You'll follow Edith Finch as she explores the history of her family and tries to figure out why she's the last Finch left alive.
87
/100
03
Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin’s Creed Origins is an action-adventure game set in ancient Egypt at the end of the Ptolemaic era. The story follows Bayek, a Medjay tasked with protecting the people, as personal tragedy draws him into a wider conflict that leads to the origins of the Assassin Brotherhood. The game features a large open-world recreation of Egypt, including cities, deserts, and the Nile, with an increased emphasis on exploration. Gameplay combines stealth, melee and ranged combat, and role-playing elements such as character leveling, skill trees, and gear progression.
86
/100
A
Hollow Knight
A 2D metroidvania with an emphasis on close combat and exploration in which the player enters the once-prosperous now-bleak insect kingdom of Hallownest, travels through its various districts, meets friendly inhabitants, fights hostile ones and uncovers the kingdom's history while improving their combat abilities and movement arsenal by fighting bosses and accessing out-of-the-way areas.
88
/100
02
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of short stories about a cursed family in Washington State. Each story offers a chance to experience the life of a different family member with stories ranging from the early 1900s to the present day. The gameplay and tone of the stories are as varied as the family members themselves. The only constants are that each is played from a first-person perspective and that each story ends with that family member's death. It's a game about what it feels like to be humbled and astonished by the vast and unknowable world around us. You'll follow Edith Finch as she explores the history of her family and tries to figure out why she's the last Finch left alive.
87
/100
03
Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin’s Creed Origins is an action-adventure game set in ancient Egypt at the end of the Ptolemaic era. The story follows Bayek, a Medjay tasked with protecting the people, as personal tragedy draws him into a wider conflict that leads to the origins of the Assassin Brotherhood. The game features a large open-world recreation of Egypt, including cities, deserts, and the Nile, with an increased emphasis on exploration. Gameplay combines stealth, melee and ranged combat, and role-playing elements such as character leveling, skill trees, and gear progression.
86
/100
04
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2, and is an action-adventure game set in an open world environment and played from a third-person perspective. Combat is based on that previously seen in Yakuza 6. A new "Majima Saga" story scenario features recurring series anti-hero Goro Majima as a playable character.
85
/100
05
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is the first game of the Resident Evil series to switch from 3rd-person to fully 1st-person perspective. A complete refresh of gameplay systems simultaneously propels the survival horror experience to another level. It is as much horror as it is survival, boosting up scare elements and minimizing downright shooting action. The game allows use of Sony's PSVR Headset to play in VR mode.
85
/100
06
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.
84
/100
07
Destiny 2
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian's look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.
82
/100
08
Battle Brothers
Battle Brothers is a turn based strategy RPG mix which has you leading a mercenary company in a gritty, low-power, medieval fantasy world. You decide where to go, whom to hire or to fight, what contracts to take and how to train and equip your men in a procedurally generated open world campaign. Do you have what it takes to lead them through bloody battles and to victory? The game consists of a strategic worldmap and a tactical combat layer. On the worldmap you can freely travel in order to take contracts that earn you good coin, find places worth looting, enemies worth pursuing or towns to resupply and hire men at. This is also where you manage, level up and equip your Battle Brothers. Once you engage a hostile party the game will switch to a tactical map where the actual fighting takes place as detailed turn based combat.
80
/100
09
Darkwood
Darkwood is a unforgiving survival horror with a procedurally generated, open world. By blending RPG, roguelike and adventure elements together with a challenging difficulty, Darkwood aims to please players craving for a deep and rewarding experience. The fear of unknown is powerful. Your senses will be deceived by Darkwood's surreal terrors. No answer will be given to you for free, yet somewhere in the woods lies the truth, an explanation to what has happened in this godforsaken place. By day, explore the randomly generated woods, scavenge for materials and weapons, discover secrets, solve mysteries and talk, trade with or kill the various inhabitants of Darkwood. By night, return to your hideout, barricade, set up traps and hide or defend yourself from the horrors that lurk in the dark.
80
/100
10
A Hat in Time
A Hat in Time is a cute-as-heck 3D platformer featuring a little girl who stitches hats for wicked powers! Freely explore giant worlds and recover Time Pieces to travel to new heights!
80
/100
11
For Honor
77
/100
12
Sniper Elite 4
76
/100
13
PUBG: Battlegrounds
75
/100
14
Ark: Survival Evolved
69
/100
15
Rain World
62
/100
16
C
Hello Neighbor
37
/100
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a remake of Yakuza 2, and is an action-adventure game set in an open world environment and played from a third-person perspective. Combat is based on that previously seen in Yakuza 6. A new "Majima Saga" story scenario features recurring series anti-hero Goro Majima as a playable character.
85
/100
05
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is the first game of the Resident Evil series to switch from 3rd-person to fully 1st-person perspective. A complete refresh of gameplay systems simultaneously propels the survival horror experience to another level. It is as much horror as it is survival, boosting up scare elements and minimizing downright shooting action. The game allows use of Sony's PSVR Headset to play in VR mode.
85
/100
06
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.
84
/100
07
Destiny 2
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian's look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.
82
/100
08
Battle Brothers
Battle Brothers is a turn based strategy RPG mix which has you leading a mercenary company in a gritty, low-power, medieval fantasy world. You decide where to go, whom to hire or to fight, what contracts to take and how to train and equip your men in a procedurally generated open world campaign. Do you have what it takes to lead them through bloody battles and to victory? The game consists of a strategic worldmap and a tactical combat layer. On the worldmap you can freely travel in order to take contracts that earn you good coin, find places worth looting, enemies worth pursuing or towns to resupply and hire men at. This is also where you manage, level up and equip your Battle Brothers. Once you engage a hostile party the game will switch to a tactical map where the actual fighting takes place as detailed turn based combat.
80
/100
09
Darkwood
Darkwood is a unforgiving survival horror with a procedurally generated, open world. By blending RPG, roguelike and adventure elements together with a challenging difficulty, Darkwood aims to please players craving for a deep and rewarding experience. The fear of unknown is powerful. Your senses will be deceived by Darkwood's surreal terrors. No answer will be given to you for free, yet somewhere in the woods lies the truth, an explanation to what has happened in this godforsaken place. By day, explore the randomly generated woods, scavenge for materials and weapons, discover secrets, solve mysteries and talk, trade with or kill the various inhabitants of Darkwood. By night, return to your hideout, barricade, set up traps and hide or defend yourself from the horrors that lurk in the dark.
80
/100
10
A Hat in Time
A Hat in Time is a cute-as-heck 3D platformer featuring a little girl who stitches hats for wicked powers! Freely explore giant worlds and recover Time Pieces to travel to new heights!
80
/100
11
For Honor
77
/100
12
Sniper Elite 4
76
/100
13
PUBG: Battlegrounds
75
/100
14
Ark: Survival Evolved
69
/100
15
Rain World
62
/100
16
C
Hello Neighbor
37
/100
FAQ
What is the best Xbox Series X|S game of 2017?
Hollow Knight currently tops the ranking with a score of 88/100 across 2,737 ratings. It holds a A grade from the Tier community — updated August 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.