Between school, part-time jobs and new responsibilities, being a teen can be stressful. Spending time in a virtual world, slaying zombies, racing high-speed cars or even just carrying out simple farm tasks is an excellent way to escape the real world for a moment.
The Xbox Series X and Xbox One are popular gaming consoles with a seemingly endless number of titles. If you’re a teen or shopping for one, you might feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of video game choices there are. It is important to note that some games are rated M for mature and may contain themes that you’d rather your teen avoid. Still, many parents find that some rated M games are perfectly okay for teens of certain ages.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Call of Duty games are known for their excellent online play and fun zombie fighting game mode, and this edition lives up to the hype. Follow the trail of a mysterious stranger known as Perseus and try to stop them from destabilizing the global balance of power.
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Forza Horizon 4 was technically released in 2018 and is an Xbox One game. Still, Forza’s developers have done such a great job optimizing the game for the Xbox Series X that it feels and looks like a Series X game. Forza games are known to have some of the best controls of any racing game. In this title, the seasons change in an open-world environment, adding new obstacles that all Forza players experience together.
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Sea of Thieves: Anniversary Edition
Sea of Thieves offers a unique open-world pirating experience unlike any other. Unlike many other open-world games, there are no set roles in Sea of Thieves, meaning you’re free to approach the game however you’d like. So far, this game has received five major content expansions and has had monthly updates since its 2018 release. Much like Forza, this isn’t technically a Series X game, but it has been optimized to the point that it plays and looks like one.
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In this exciting game, the Assassin’s Creed storyline takes us to the Viking invasion of Britain. It allows players to play as a Viking raider named Eivor Varinsdottir in an action-packed adventure. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla enables players to customize their tattoos, armor and weapons and dual-wield during combat.
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Halo Infinite will release later in 2021, and fans of the Halo series couldn’t be happier. In Halo Infinite, you’ll take on the Banished Elite, a unique group of Brutes from Halo Wars 2. The campaign mode promises to be longer than the campaigns of the last two Halo games combined. The developers have assured gamers that you will not have to be familiar with the Halo Wars 2 story to enjoy Halo Infinite.
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In Destiny 2: Beyond Light, players take on an evil foe known as Eramis, the Kell of Darkness. You’ll have to fly to Jupiter’s frozen moon and defeat her powerful army. Destiny 2 allows the heroes to use their average powers in addition to a new, dark force known as stasis.
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NBA 2K21 offers incredibly realistic gameplay and a fun career mode that allows you to work your way from an amateur to a pro in a highly cinematic style. Neighborhood mode enables you to traverse a virtual neighborhood that always offers something new to do.
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Injustice 2: Legendary Edition
Play as your favorite DC characters in a massive platform fighting experience. The Legendary Edition includes all DLC characters and allows you to choose from unique fighters such as Hellboy, Raiden from the Mortal Kombat series and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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Made by Obsidian, the developer of Fallout: New Vegas, this game feels a lot like New Vegas but with a wildly unique story and gorgeous visuals. After awaking from a deep hibernation, you find yourself entangled in a corporate conspiracy. Team up with different companions and decide whether to fight for good or evil in this ultra-fun RPG.
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This extraordinary collection features Bioshock, Bioshock 2 and Bioshock Infinite, and they’re all remastered in 1080p complete with all DLC. Sneak and fight your way through the underwater city of Rapture as you try to escape the clutches of various once-human creatures.
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Overwatch is an ongoing game that allows players to battle each other in an online setting using unique heroes of their choosing. This edition includes five legendary skins as well as pets, accessories and skins from other popular titles such as Diablo III and World of Warcraft.
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Xbox Game Pass is an excellent investment for avid gamers. For only $40 for three months, you get all the same perks as Xbox Live, plus unlimited free access to a library of 100 different games. The free games aren’t cheap titles either. They have some seriously great games available like the Outerworlds, ARK: Survival Evolved and Mirror’s Edge. In addition to freebies, Xbox Game Pass members often get exclusive discounts on many games.
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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
