Xbox One (2013) Review and Retrospective

I can’t really deny that I’ve never really been a big fan of the Xbox line of consoles. Growing up, my brother had an Xbox 360, but all I really played on it was The Simpsons games he had for it plus a few Sonic games, and even when I truly felt like I got into gaming, I was always more interested in the libraries of both the Wii and PlayStation 3. Had it been up to me, I would have definitely gone with the PlayStation 3 if I had to make the decision between the two. I did review the original Xbox in 2018 (albeit the OG Xbox I had failed a couple weeks after I got and reviewed it) and did express some interest in it’s PC-like architecture and even some of it’s exclusives but I felt that even then it didn’t really have the vast variety that both the GameCube and PlayStation 2 had.

So, going into the Xbox One’s announcement, I was just kind of apathetic to it all. After the Wii U’s announcement and release I was still somewhat interested in seeing everyone else’s offerings for the eighth generation but I definitely wasn’t getting hyped or anything for the next Xbox. The most I can say is that I was more interested in seeing what the name of the next Xbox was going to be. This was around the time when everyone thought it was going to be the Xbox 720 or something, and I wanted to see if that held true. It wasn’t called that, although it does seem at least a bit more interesting than the actual name of the system.

Eventually, in May, the system was officially announced. I had gotten home and me and my brother had watched the reveal of the console and… my opinion on the system hadn’t changed at all, if anything I was just feeling more “meh” about the console. The reveal of the system was honestly pretty lame, there was a lot more focus on the whole TV gimmick of the system than anything else and I didn’t really feel like it told enough about the system’s power and what kinds of games it was going to have. And frankly, I was far from the only one who felt this way - the press conference got a lot of mixed to negative feedback and people were just not interested in the system and many were just making fun of the conference with my exact criticisms.

And truth be told, the summer leading up to the Xbox One’s release saw my opinion go from being “meh” on the system as all hell to just downright disliking the console. E3 didn’t really do anything for me regarding the system and around that time I started looking into the console’s rumored DRM features and used game policies and… frankly this went from a system I was already “meh” on to a system I felt was going to flop hard. And I don’t mean in the way that the Wii U or PlayStation Vita did, I was expecting the system to go down as one of the worst consoles of all time - in the same league of the Phillips CD-i or Panasonic 3DO, where it just goes down as a remarkable failure and is looked back upon as one of the worst consoles ever.

Eventually, Microsoft did reverse those policies prior to the system’s launch, but to me the damage was already done, and to an extent I kind of feel like the Xbox One never truly recovered from the botched lead up to it’s launch especially when Microsoft continued to insist on bundling the Kinect and caused the Xbox One to be $100 more than the PlayStation 4 with slightly less powerful hardware. While it didn’t fail as spectacularly as I was expecting (in fact it didn’t really “fail” at all), the Xbox One has pretty much come out as the clear underdog this generation. Sales estimates state that the Xbox One has sold around 47 million units at this time, which alone isn’t bad, but when you consider that the PlayStation 4 has sold over double that amount and that the Nintendo Switch has already managed to outsell the Xbox One despite being 3 and a half years newer, I wouldn’t really consider that to be great either. There’s even been videos talking about the decline of the Xbox brand, a couple particular ones being by videogamedunkey and The Act Man.

But, I do want to give the Xbox One a fair shot and say that… I do think that things could have been better for the Xbox One. I actually do think that within the first few years of the eighth generation Microsoft at least tried to help get a more positive image out of the Xbox One. 2014 saw them finally axing Kinect and selling the Xbox One for a cheaper price, and 2015 and 2016 were both actually pretty good years for the system. Around that time saw the introduction of many major features - most notably, backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games (and later expanded to original Xbox games) as well as the announcement of new variants of the Xbox One that definitely improved upon the big clunky VCR-like original model. This was also about the time Microsoft released Windows 10, which gave the Xbox One an update allowing it to run Universal Windows Platform apps and generally integrating it more with Microsoft’s already set PC ecosystem.

Looking at the Xbox One’s hardware, there exists three different variations of the system that actually have somewhat different hardware. As it is, the Xbox One is pretty similar to the PlayStation 4 in terms of specifications - both sport a custom AMD CPU and GPU and 8GB RAM, albeit the PlayStation 4 does have a slight edge over the Xbox One with it’s DDR5 RAM instead of DDR3. Overall the PS4 from what I can tell is just slightly more powerful than the Xbox One overall but it isn’t too big of a difference. The Xbox One got it’s first new variant in 2016, in the form of the Xbox One S, which also gave the system the ability to play UHD Blu-Rays. I definitely think the Xbox One S was an improvement over the original. I always found the original variant of the Xbox One to be a bit too large and clunky and everything about it just looks like a VCR if there were still VCRs being made in 2013. On the other hand I think the S gave the system more of its own defined look and character and there’s also just something charming about the ventilation on the right-hand side of the system. From what I’ve also heard the S is also more reliable than the original model although I don’t have much experience with either. There’s also an “All Digital” version of the S that was released in 2019 that literally looks like the exact same system just without the disk drive. Truth be told, I’m not fond of this variant. I kind of feel like consoles aren’t really at the point where they can become All Digital only and considering how big Xbox One games are I feel like I would have to buy a few external hard drives in order to get the most out of this system.

In 2017, the third variant of the Xbox One was released, originally announced in 2016 as “Scorpio” but called the Xbox One X. This is a more powerful variant of the Xbox One, kind of like the PlayStation 4 Pro or the New Nintendo 3DS, and is the most powerful console of the eighth generation, having 6 teraflops compared to the original’s 1.3 teraflops whatever the fuck that means. And while I did make fun of it’s announcement I will say that if you can afford it this is definitely the best version of the Xbox One. Not only is it IMO the best looking (it’s actually slightly smaller than the S oddly enough) but some games have gotten updates or just released to take advantage of the more powerful hardware (these games being labeled as “Xbox One X Enhanced”) and it really does look good on a big 1080p or 4K television screen if you have one. Right now the system seems to go for around $400 but over the past few months it’s often dropped to $300, the same price as the S and that’s the price I paid for my own. I actually got a special NBA 2K20 edition of the system and while sports games aren’t my cup of tea the special edition itself does look good and it is nice having a special, unique variant of a console.

I think overall the Xbox One is very solidly built, the X in particular just feels like a tank and considering all the issues with the 360’s Red Ring of Death it definitely feels like Microsoft stepped up this generation to make the Xbox One just overall more stable and robust than it’s predecessor.

The controller… honestly it’s fucking amazing. If there’s anything I’ve seen a ton of praise for about the Xbox One it would definitely be the system’s controller. It just feels extremely solid overall, building upon the Xbox 360 controller which I already liked and improving where I felt it really felt flat - particularly the D-pad which is a shitton better on the Xbox One controller than it was on the 360 controller. My only real complaint about it is the fact that it still requires double A batteries, it’s pretty much the only major console controller that does so with the DualShock 4, Wii U Gamepad and Switch Joycons and Pro Controller all having rechargeable batteries and unfortunately it looks like that’ll be the case again with the Xbox Series X. There’s also the Elite Wireless Controller released in 2015 which has a rechargeable battery by default but also costs. $180 what the FUCK WHO WOULD PAY THAT MUCH FOR A CONTROLLER

There’s also the adaptive controller, which comes with different attachments and peripherals and is designed for people with disabilities. This is definitely a good move on Microsoft’s part and another advantage of the Xbox One over anything else. It costs $100 but it’s still a good idea and makes gaming more welcome for those who can’t use a typical controller.

The UI of the Xbox One I don’t really have much to say about. I did find it a bit hard to navigate at first with all the options and buttons there were, but it was pretty easy to get used to. It’s pretty much largely designed around the Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 look and I do think that it works fine for a console UI.

But looking into the game library is where things get pretty… interesting for the system. For the first few years the Xbox One did have it’s own lineup of exclusives - Halo: Master Chief Collection, Sunset Overdrive, the Forza games - but over time Microsoft really wanted to integrate the Xbox One with the PC market and as time went on most of what were initially Xbox One exclusives became “Microsoft” exclusives for Xbox One and Windows 10. And then after that, Microsoft just began porting some of their best games to the Nintendo Switch. This has definitely been one of the biggest criticisms of the Xbox One - it really lacks exclusive games and as a result just makes the Xbox One seem pointless in comparison to the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch not to mention to gaming PCs in general.

Here’s the thing though, I don’t really have much problem with Microsoft generally being lenient with their exclusives. This might sound like a hot take, but I feel like while exclusive console games did have their place in time I feel like they’ve just over time become ways to benefit a specific console manufacturer over another. Thing is, I feel like console exclusives have just become more restrictive and non-beneficial to anyone that’s not the manufacturer - not only do they block certain people from buying a specific game if they do not have that specific system but I also feel like it blocks the developer for making a sale on their game as a result, especially in cases where an exclusive game is made by a non-first party company. And honestly I feel like console exclusives are becoming less relevant as time has gone on, after all we’re seeing a number of PlayStation 4 exclusives either coming to PC like Horizon: Zero Dawn or just being timed exclusives for their first year on the market or so like Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy and the Final Fantasy VII Remake. I have seen people argue that console exclusives are good for competition by giving consoles a reason to buy one over the other, but with how big the game industry is nowadays I’m not really sure I agree that most people are really buying consoles these days for exclusives - I’m sure some are, but I mean, the fact that the Xbox One has sold well at all kind of tells me that exclusives aren’t really everyone’s top priority, and to an extent I feel like they’re just becoming less relevant as time has gone on.

And another argument might be that it’ll make console gaming ultimately pointless with PC gaming as a viable alternative, but I still think there is a place for console gaming outside of exclusive games - many don’t necessarily like the hassle of building a PC and it is still easier and more affordable for most people to set up a console than a PC that is guaranteed to work with everything, and some people just prefer the comfort and ease of use of a console. I mean, I can even admit myself that while I see myself as primarily a PC gamer, there are still certain game genres that I just kind of prefer on console - particularly platformers - for one reason or another. And I do have to admit, it is hard to find or build a PC that has roughly the same power as the Xbox One X for the $300 price tag I’ve seen the system being dropped to occasionally… even if you are still paying more in the long run because of paid online BS.

Anyway, with that whole tangent aside, that still doesn’t change the fact there are still very little true Xbox One exclusives, and while I do have my opinions on that as you can tell, there really isn’t much to talk about in the case of Xbox One exclusives, and some of the few that exist are Kinect Fitness/Sports games so I’ll probably mostly talk about games owned or published by Microsoft that may also exist on PC or even other consoles.

Among the few real Xbox One exclusives there are, there’s Rare Replay, a compilation of most of Rare’s titles from their 80’s computer games to Xbox 360 games released in the late 2000’s. Obviously, this doesn’t include Donkey Kong Country 1-3 or 64 due to Nintendo’s license over the Donkey Kong series and character and there’s also no Goldeneye 007 since that’s been a legal issue of it’s own, but still, most of Rare’s greats are here - Banjo-Kazooie, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Battletoads, Perfect Dark, Blast Corps… and then there’s also Banjo Kazooie Nuts and Bolts and Viva Pinata but that’s besides the point. This is probably my favorite game for the system overall and actually the first one I bought for the console after getting it. I’ve never really had a chance to really play any of Rare’s games outside of the original Banjo-Kazooie on N64, so having a compilation consisting of the bulk of the games (and the ability to play them on a controller that’s actually good) is really nice and gives Rare’s best classic titles some new light. Even if they aren’t all exactly winners.

Halo 5: Guardians is also an Xbox One exclusive which kind of surprises me that it hasn’t been ported to PC outside of the Forge mode. Admittedly I haven’t played this game, I’ve never really been too into the Halo franchise, but from what I can tell a lot of Halo fans consider this one of the weaker entries in the series and there seems to be some mixed opinions on the game’s single-player campaign even from critics, so… there’s that. To be honest I kind of feel like Microsoft has sort of milked the Halo franchise and just not really innovating or changing up the series. Maybe Infinite will change things up but this isn’t a series I really care or know anything about so I guess I’ll just watch from the sidelines.

On that note, there’s also Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a compilation and remaster of all the mainline Halo games available up to that point. This game was an Xbox One exclusive when it was first released, but was ported to PC last December. Again, I don’t really have much of an opinion on the Halo series but it is nice to have a collection of the Xbox’s flagship games up to this point. If I ever do get around to playing the Halo series or at least the single player campaigns I’ll probably do so via that collection. Whether that be on PC or Xbox One I’m not entirely sure.

There’s Gears of War 4 and Gears 5… I don’t really know much about this series or these games so no comment.

But there’s also the Forza series and if Halo isn’t the Xbox’s flagship series this generation, this definitely is. There’s been a number of these games released for the Xbox One (...and Windows 10) whether they be part of the Motorsport or Horzion series, and from what I’ve played of Forza Horizon 4 it’s definitely a solid racing game and probably the best of the eighth console generation.

There’s also a few indie games published on the Xbox One originally published as Microsoft exclusives. Probably the most well-known out these is Cuphead, which has also released on the Switch and macOS since it’s release but has been an acclaimed run-and-gun game that was in development for a pretty long time before being released in 2017 and overall is a pretty fun and challenging experience.

Ori and the Blind Forest is another game published by Microsoft Studios, this being a Metroidvania game with a very unique and beautiful art style. I bought this game a couple years ago as part of a Steam sale and I’ve been intending to play through it but just haven’t gotten around to it for whatever reason. And especially with the game’s sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, being released recently I better get on that.

There’s also Super Lucky’s Tale, a 3D mascot platformer that is overall pretty solid and fun. It’s nothing really too special to write home about, but it’s a platformer with a cute fox as it’s protagonist which is more than enough for me.

There’s also a game called “Tracks” on the Xbox One that I haven’t really seen many people talking about that is basically a wooden train building game and as someone who grew up with wooden trains it gets my seal of approval and is actually something I really enjoy and find relaxing. I mean if you grew up with wooden trains of this sort in any way I would definitely recommend it.

Also, the Xbox One also got the first console port of ROBLOX, now that’s a real game right there.

That covers it I think for most of the Xbox One’s most notable games. A lot of them have been ported to PC and even the Switch but are still notable Microsoft-owned games worth playing if you have an Xbox One or PC or Switch in some cases. But I did want to talk about the Xbox One’s backwards compatibility feature which is definitely one of the best features of the system. I did touch upon this earlier in this post, but it is a really nice feature to have and not counting the Wii U the Xbox One is the only current-gen console that even has any form of backwards compatibility which is pretty nice. Originally the service was made for Xbox 360 games and in 2017 reached out to original Xbox games as well, and some Xbox 360 games even have enhancements on the Xbox One X which is a pretty neat feature. I did hear at one point that there were problems when it first came out but from my use it’s definitely been pretty solid. If I had any complaint I kind of wish there were more original Xbox games that were compatible with the Xbox One (there’s only 41 out of 1000 OG Xbox games backwards compatible on the Xbox One which is kind of dumb) but the fact that you can play games from all Xbox consoles is pretty cool to me and I am glad to hear that this feature will be expanded upon with the Xbox Series X.

So, that covers pretty much all my opinions about the Xbox One. To be honest, I feel like some of the hate towards the system is a bit… undeserved. I will concede that the system really lacks compelling exclusives, in fact it lacks exclusives period, but I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing on it’s own and I do like how Microsoft has expanded the Xbox One with different models and whatnot, plus the overall integration with the PC market. However, it’s not necessarily one of my favorite systems. I still don’t really care all that much about the Xbox brand and while the Xbox One X is nice to have, especially with features like backwards compatibility I wouldn’t consider the Xbox One to be the most interesting system out there. And it still requires paying for online which is a sin of its own, and if you already have a nice gaming PC then there’s really no reason to buy the Xbox One unless you really want to play backwards compatibility or just want to play certain games on a console particularly with the X’s enhancements. However, I will say that the Xbox One X does make for a good alternative to a gaming PC if you don’t really want to deal with the hassle of building one, troubleshooting or just can’t afford one.

That said, for most people it would probably be best to wait for the Xbox Series X to come out later this year (at least if this whole pandemic thing stops) instead of buying an Xbox One right now and then buying the Series X or wait to see the Xbox One go on sale as a result. I think the system largely appeals to a somewhat niche market compared to the PlayStation 4, but depending on who you are you may enjoy it.