"Xbox is in something of a weird place, as Microsoft is increasingly focused on broadening its definition of what an Xbox is. So when it comes to naming the best console exclusives on Xbox, even coming up with five we'd strongly recommend became a challenge. As such, what you'll find below are our picks for the four best Xbox games of 2025 that you won't find on any other console."
"South of Midnight has perhaps the strongest sound design of any game this year, with developer Compulsion Games blending the recorded ambience of the American Deep South with a beautiful orchestral score, stellar vocal performances, and an album of deeply moving lyrical music to create a wonderful, unapologetic love letter for a setting too often overlooked in mainstream video games."
"The mythology and superstitions of the region--the Rougarou, Two-Toed Tom, and others--are realized in intriguingly gothic tales and entertaining boss battles, several of which grow in spectacle and complexity in time with the swell of their musical theme to create half-a-dozen memorable crescendos of storytelling in one young woman's quest to rescue their mother. And that heroine, Hazel, is a force of a protagonist, navigating legends of grief, rage, and fear with an entertaining spunk and appreciated"
Microsoft is broadening its definition of Xbox, complicating the designation of console exclusives and leaving Xbox in a transitional position. Only four games in 2025 qualify as true Xbox-only titles, representing a diverse range of high-quality experiences. South of Midnight stands out for its exceptional sound design, combining recorded Deep South ambience, orchestral score, vocal performances, and lyrical music to evoke the setting. Regional mythology like the Rougarou and Two-Toed Tom appears in gothic tales and escalating boss battles. Protagonist Hazel drives a narrative of grief, rage, and fear with spirited characterization and emotional stakes.
Read at GameSpot
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